"My charcoal selling business has stopped because a lot of people have cut down trees and due to that, I have not been getting income. I thank GiveDirectly for everything and now I want to buy something that when I look at, will remind me of GiveDirectly. So I sat down and came up with a good plan of buying a goat because I don't have any as at now."

"I was on my way travelling to Mombasa to pay a visit to my husband who works and stays there. It was around 3 pm when I received the message notifications on the phone. After reaching my spouse's room, I checked the messages and noticed that it was the transfers from GiveDirectly. I felt happy for receiving the transfer that would change our life for the better. I informed my spouse about the great news and we rejoiced and decided to withdraw the aid the next day before we could sit and discuss the projects to accomplish."

"I spent $100 to support the education of my 4 children who are still in school. I cleared all the fee arrears that they had accrued for more than two terms. In addition, I used $200 to complete the payment of a plot of land that I had bought 3 years ago in our village which I had not completed the payments. Currently, I am happy to be a full landowner. Similarly, I used some of the remaining amounts to make bricks that I will use to construct a new house on the piece of land for business. In addition, the remaining amount assisted me in clearing the water bill of $40 that I have accumulated over time."

"I had a busy day attending a parent meeting at the nearby private school where my sixth-born child is learning. For all that time, I did not have time to interact with the phone. After arriving home, I heard our neighbours narrating how they received their transfer. Because I am illiterate, I gave the phone to my daughter who checked and discovered that I had received the transfer like others. I felt extremely happy and rejoiced with my family for receiving the transfer."

"When I got home around 4:00 p.m. from the day's errands, I received a message that I later confirmed was an alert of the first transfer from GiveDirectly. When I checked my account balance, I was absolutely delighted because my plans for my two children were finally coming to fruition. I thanked God and called the hotline, despite the fact that I could not speak directly to the agent, I still passed my gratitude though the interactive voice response. I could not withdraw the money that day, so I went to the nearby shopping center where I was running a grocery store the next day to get it."

"In the coming year and beyond, I hope to start a small shop business in our village for my wife. Currently, she is a stay-at-home parent, and her wish is to assist me in raising our family through engaging in income-generating activities. Additionally, she will fulfill her dream of being self-reliant, something that will make my spouse happy."

"I had been sleeping in a partially collapsed home for a while after a tree fell on it. I had used my first transfer when this situation occurred. Since I had no choice but to take the risk, I did. There was no difference between living inside that house and being outside during the rainy season. When receiving the second transfer, the house took precedence. So, I went out and purchased the building supplies, including iron sheets, building poles, rafters, roofing timbers, and nails. I am unable to provide a precise cost because I left everything in my son's capable hands. I can only say that I am content because I now live in a safe home. I also recall paying $30 in school fees for my primary school-aged son after he was sent home for the same. I then used the money that was left over to maintain the family."

"Being a mother of eight, I used to stay with my children in the same house. The house could not accommodate us comfortably thus we were congested but due to poverty we had no alternative. This situation made me use the transfer to construct a spacious house that could accommodate my family. Therefore, I bought 33 pieces of iron sheets for $330. I also bought poles, rafters, timbers, and nails for $200. As of now, I am living happily because I have a spacious three-room mud-walled house that accommodates my family well. For the boys, I gave them the initial house we were using. Thereafter, I used the other part of the money to buy some food for my family."

"As a widow living alone in the village, my house was old and leaking. Getting this transfer opened a new chapter in my life. With the help of my grandson, I was able to construct a one-room interlocking block house with an iron sheet roof. I cannot tell how much it cost due to illiteracy but I am grateful that I completed the construction. The only remaining part is fixing doors and windows. I am eagerly waiting for the second transfer to complete the fixing. I also set aside some amount for sustenance since I had been relying on casual jobs."

"The most significant difference I've observed in my life after receiving the transfers is the sharp increase in my business that came as a result of the substantial income surge. I currently have a sizable customer base, which has helped my business thrive and generate a solid profit. With the income, I am certain that I will be able to meet my family's daily demands in contrast to earlier when I battled a lot to the point of stress."