"I am much grateful for the transformation I have witnessed in my household. I had planned a lot that I needed to do and I am glad that I finally accomplished it before exhausting both transfers. If I get money, I would wish to buy my husband a motorbike so that he can use it to do transportation business. This will help us cater to our family’s basic needs with much ease."

"This initiative gave a new face to every household and more so the whole village. We were given a chance to listen and decide on how to spend the transfer independently without been coerced. I can't see anything to complain about, but to just encourage GiveDirectly to keep supporting other villages as well."

"I am a seasonal farmer and so I depend a lot on the vegetables that I grow to be able to get food for my family. In the past couple of months, it has not been raining and so we had been greatly affected by the drought and also the lack of water. My four children and I had been going without food for days on. We had run out of food, thus I spent $50 on buying enough food for my family ensuring that we do not go to sleep hungry. The house that we were staying in was dilapidated and I was afraid that it might crumble down anytime soon leaving us homeless. I spent $230 on buying building materials. I also bought a bed and one mattress worth $150 to replace the torn ones that we had been sleeping on for the last five years. As we all know that education is the best gift to give to your children, I paid their school fees arrears of $100 to ensure that they remain in school all through. All this was made possible by GiveDirectly’s generosity."

"My house is becoming small for my growing family of four children and two parents. Since there are only two rooms, the two boys occupy one chamber, while the girls stay in my room. I would like to extend an extra space for my daughters since they will need more privacy as they get older. For the last ten months, I have been saving part of each cash transfer through a self-help club to accumulate enough funds for the project. Once I withdraw the savings in March, I plan to begin the building exercise."

"First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for the donations I have been receiving, as it was thanks to them that I was finally able to purchase a sewing machine for myself in October. I intend to start a tailoring business to using the money I will receive this time to acquire the materials I will need and all the things I will require for the business. Additionally, I hoped to accumulate enough cash over time to buy a piece of land where we could try farming."

"Being the primary provider, the meagre income I used to receive from my motorbike taxi was hardly sufficient to cover my family's daily expenses, particularly food. With the money I received from GiveDirectly, I was able to start a poultry project that presently has about thirty chickens and another thirty chicks. Every time I receive a transfer, I intend to purchase a few chickens in order to further this project. Once I have a sufficient number of mature goats, I intend to sell them and start a goat farm. All of these endeavours are meant to help my family earn more money and lessen our reliance on a single source of income."

"In the coming year , I intend to start a business . The house I renovated has two rooms , I want to convert the children's room into a shop because they are currently sleeping with their grand mother . I n that shop I will sell flour , sugar , oil and "omena" . I chose this business because nobody is selling that in my locality yet these things are on high demand . I know the profit from the shop will supplement my husband's source of income ."

"Previously , I used to plait people's hair from my house , thanks to Give Directly , I opened a salon shop . My goal is to expand my salon business into something bigger . I want to buy all hair dressing equipment and relocate to a better place where there is high demand . My salon will be fully stocked with all types of high quality hair . I'll need about $1000 to accomplish this . I know God will open a way because the profits I get from my current salon business will not be able to achieve this . I'm sure this business will help me to pay school fees for my siblings with ease . I just want to be financially independent in life ."

"Having received the funds from GiveDirectly, I prioritised building a 1 bedroom house for my kids. I then proceeded to get three goats, all of whom are female to mate with my already existing male one. I got 5 storage tanks, basins and clothes for the family as well. The remainder of the GiveDirectly funds went to paying school fees for 3 of my 6 kids. I had been burdened with debts and a need to fix my bike, so part of the balance went to bike brakes and tyres, while I also quickly sought to clear my debts and get me back in the block with those I owed. My eldest being in form 3 at Mitangani Secondary School, my second born having cleared class 8, my 3rd born in Grade 2 at Goshi Primary and my 4th through to 6th being too young for school, it was a struggle raising the $10, for example, to pay for the eldest fee when I only make $24 when I sell a sack of charcoal, that I make from burning wood. My clients are far and in between and getting that money isn't guaranteed. GiveDirectly have been a source of great comfort for me and my household, knowing we have someone to walk with us. We are truly grateful."

"Thanks to GiveDirectly I can now say with pride that I have half mud and half iron sheet house, with a verandah. The transfers allowed me to also get food and pay school fees for my kids. Seeing as I am a mason here in Midodoni, earning $8 a day, educating our kids has been a struggle. My wife is a stay at home, though she tries to get casual jobs, while my eldest child passed away, 2nd born is married and leading her life, my 3rd born just cleared form 4 and is now looking for a job in Mombasa, my 4th born is also in Mombasa after having dropped out in form 2 from lack of fees, my 5th born in Jaribuni Boys is going to form 4, my 6th born is yet to report back to Godoma Secondary due to lack of funds for a boarding school and we are now trying to find a day school. And my 7th just completed Grade 6. The funds, as I'm sure you can tell, have been the bridge between ourselves and abject poverty. We are eternally indebted to GiveDirectly."