"GiveDirectly transfers have assisted me in paying my first-grade son's school fees as well as purchasing food for my current family of nine. Aside from the monthly support, I also do subsistence farming to supplement my income. I am grateful that I was able to save a portion of the monthly transfers through the informal savings group we formed with the other nine members of our village, and when my turn came last year, I was able to purchase a dairy cow. In the coming year, I intend to continue saving with the group and use the funds to purchase goats. I hope to multiply them through breeding and then sell them to supplement the small family land that we had been farming on, giving me more space to improve farming and produce a plentiful supply of foodstuffs for my family."

"As of last August, I decided to start saving up money so that I could finally have enough to build a proper home for myself and my children. The house I live in at the moment is almost on the verge of collapsing, and that is what made me want to build another one. Therefore, before the end of the year, I am planning to have accomplished this. Apart from that, I also happen to have five kids who are pursuing an education, so I will use some of the funds to pay for their tuition fees as well."

"I had to demolish the old hut and relocate all kitchen activities to the new space after constructing a decent kitchen with a portion of the first transfer. Because of its space and ease of cleaning, it has since served my family of five well. It was my intention to build another better family house, so when I received the second transfer, I spent $486 on 36 iron sheets. I have not begun construction yet because I am still saving for other construction materials as well as some extra money to cover labor costs. I also used some of the remaining funds to purchase some building poles worth $40 and foodstuff. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their generous support, which has made it possible not only for me to transform my family, but also for other households in the village to do a lot with the money they received."

"Previously, I relied on subsistence farming, which produced only enough to feed my family of five. Paying school fees and even purchasing school uniforms and stationery for my three children was difficult. When I received the second transfer, I spent $480 on a second-hand motorcycle that has helped me provide taxi services in Nakuru town. I had to relocate in search of a busy town with a high demand for motorcycle services. I am grateful that I can earn at least $5 per day, which allows me to feed my family and save some money for school fees and other household expenses. I then used the rest of the money to buy food for my family, which included dry maize grains, sugar, and rice."

"Since his mother died when he was young, I've been living with my grandson, who is also my helper. During this time, I have supported him through primary and secondary school, and he is now enrolled in a college program, where he will soon take his final exam. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's support in offsetting the huge school debt that had forced my grandson to stay at home. I paid $270 from the second transfer to clear the arrears, and he has never missed a class since. I also had a plan to buy more land for my family of three and had been saving money for it through subsistence farming on leased land and small savings groups that we started in the village. My house is currently situated on a quarter-acre  plot of land, which is insufficient to farm and produce enough food for my family. So I saved the rest of the money, and hopefully I will be able to buy some land soon."

"GiveDirectly did an excellent job in elevating many families out of poverty in the village. It was incredible that everyone had the opportunity to enroll in the program to receive a free cash transfer and then decide how to spend it. The approach was so straightforward and satisfying that no one was left out of the program for no apparent reason. I am optimistic that the program will be implemented successfully in all of the villages that were skipped."

"We have a quarter acre of land for our homestead and a small portion for our livestock. I have a young family of three, and providing a daily meal is not a big challenge right now. I am grateful for GiveDirectly's support, which gave us hope of purchasing another piece of land in the future as a result of our investment. I spent $400 of the second transfer on four weaned heifers at $100 each. The purchase of livestock for fattening and later sale is a long-term project that we intend to use to purchase additional land. I hope to purchase another half acre to allow for more space for other farming activities. I also used the remaining $130 to supplement my salary from the salon business I am currently running at a nearby college. I purchased food and clothing for the other two members of my family."

"The first thing I bought with the money I got from GiveDirectly was an oven for my business. This was a much-needed asset that enabled me to expand my business. I also bought a boda boda. I hired someone to run it, and it serves the Kilifi area. This has greatly supplemented my husband's $150-per-month salary as a cleaner on Chale Island, as well as a $60-per-month house allowance. The bread and scones I bake at home sell for $0.05 and $0.5 each, respectively, which contributes to the little money I make sewing clothes for all sexes and ages in my Migodomoni neighborhood. The money we earn has enabled us to cater for our eldest in Grade 3, whose tuition is $9.4 per term, and our second born's tuition of $13.5 for his attendance in PP1 at Migodomoni School, where they both go. GiveDirectly enabled us to channel funds into projects that had long been on our radar but that we were unable to fundraise for on our own. We will be eternally grateful to GiveDirectly for their generosity to me and my family."

"My ambition has always been to start a food-related business. The additional and sustainable income from this would greatly assist me in achieving my long-term goal of providing a better life for my children. I'd like to see them finish their education, get good jobs, and live a life that is better than what my husband and I were given by our parents."

"I plan to own at least 8 goats by the end of the year. Aside from that, I purpose to buy at least two chickens through every cash transfer. The reason for rearing this livestock is to have enough to sell and raise money for the school fees of my six children and support my husband. The little he makes while working at a bakery is hardly enough to buy food and cover school fees for our children as well. My wish is to relieve him of that burden."