"While cleaning my clothes at home, I received a message on my phone but didn’t check it immediately. Later, I realized it was a notification of a transfer from GiveDirectly, and I was overwhelmed with excitement, quickly calling my children to share the news. The relief was immense, as I had been stressed over my son's hospital bills after months of illness, and I immediately sent some of the money to cover those expenses."

"It was on Sunday, the 14th of July, right after church, and I was in the middle of preparing lunch when I heard a message notification on my phone. I checked it immediately, and to my surprise, it was the GiveDirectly transfer! My heart leaped with joy, and I couldn't wait to share the news with my children. Later that evening, when my husband got home, I told him about the transfer, and he was just as excited as I was. We both knew that this meant we could finally pay the school fees for our two children in private school."

"My house had been badly damaged when the floods came, with the mud walls collapsing and leaving us exposed. I used $132 to buy 12 iron sheets as the first step toward building a more durable home. While I still need about 32 sheets to complete the house, these 12 sheets are a good start toward making sure my family has a safe place to live. My goal is to replace the mud walls with iron sheets so we won’t have to worry about the next rainy season. With $35, I bought maize to ensure my family wouldn't go hungry. At the time, we had nothing to eat, and my children needed food. This purchase was crucial for us to be food secure, especially since we rely on casual jobs, which are not always available. The remainder of the money, I spent on transport to town to withdraw the cash and on a simple lunch while I was there. The trip was necessary to access the funds, and I was careful to stretch every dollar as much as possible. The cash transfer has been a lifeline for us, helping to address our most immediate needs in the face of uncertainty."

"When I received my cash transfer, the first thing I did was use $50 to pay off my son’s school fees at Sabor Secondary School. He is in Form Four, and he was about to be sent home to fetch the money, but I didn’t have anything to give him. I didn’t want him to miss school or have to worry about fees instead of focusing on his studies, so clearing that debt was my top priority. Next, I spent $50 to repair the television in my small restaurant. The television plays a big role in attracting customers, as many people come to watch the news while enjoying tea or snacks. I knew fixing it would help me bring in more business and keep regular customers returning. With the remaining $40, I bought food items to ensure my family had enough to eat. After that, I used what was left to restock my restaurant with supplies. Balancing the needs of my business and feeding my children has been hard, so this money helped lighten the load and allowed me to invest a little back into my business.It’s been a relief to get through these challenges with that extra support."

"I take on various part-time jobs, such as washing and serving in hotels, to make ends meet. In addition to this, I run a grocery business to support my family. In the coming year and beyond, my goal is to have a spacious separate house where I can have some peace. Currently, we are living in the same house as the goats, in separate rooms. This situation isn't healthy at all. I also have skills in tailoring and would like to start my own tailoring business. However, my major challenge is that I have not been able to afford a tailoring machine, and I am also looking for a suitable business premise. Therefore, I have started saving a portion of my GiveDirectly transfers in our merry-go-round group. This savings will help me acquire the sewing machine and set up the business premise. I am truly grateful for the financial support, as it has helped me to progress to a higher level."

"I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to acquire seven goats through their transfers. This is an investment that I had longed to establish, and I am pleased with the progress I have made. I still plan to continue investing in this project as it will act as my future financial security. I am aware that these transfers will soon come to an end, and this project will serve as a lasting reminder of the support I received. Looking forward, I have two priority items. Firstly, I am determined to ensure that I can afford to send my child to college. To achieve this, I am saving in our merry-go-round to generate enough income to support my child's education. Education is the key to success, and I want to ensure that my children receive the best education possible. Secondly, I intend to continue investing in goat rearing. As the goats multiply, I will be able to sell them and support my children's needs."

"As a mother of two children, I am fully dedicated to ensuring they receive a good education despite the financial challenges we face. Our eldest son has recently completed his Form Four, and we are extremely grateful for the opportunities he has had. Currently, our focus is on supporting our other son, Karisa, to enroll and complete his education as well. Financial stability is an ongoing concern for us, particularly because my husband's income from cutting and selling brushing sticks is not consistent, and I am currently unemployed. I am managing our home and saving diligently from transfers to make ends meet. Our approach involves prioritizing one child's education at a time. At present, our main goal is to support our eldest son through his mechanical engineering studies. We firmly believe that once he completes his education, he will be able to secure a good job that will enable him to support our family and help our son attend college."

"I was on my way home from church when I heard my phone beep with a message. Since I can’t read, I ignored it and continued home. Once I got there, I asked my children to check the message for me. They gave me the best news ever; I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I kept saying "thank you" repeatedly, overwhelmed with disbelief and joy. I had plans I had never actualized, and at that moment I knew I would fulfill them. Thanks, GiveDirectly!"

"Receiving my first transfer came at a time when things were really tough for me. Aside from crop farming, my income sources included charcoal production, but the floods had made this nearly impossible. The surrounding area was still flooded, which made it hard to continue with the charcoal business. I have two children in high school, and their school fees were a priority. I had already managed to pay $50 each, but I still had arrears of $80 each. With my transfer from GiveDirectly, I was able to pay $50 for each child, reducing the balance to just $30. Ensuring my children could stay in school without being sent home was crucial. Additionally, my maize crops weren’t ready for harvest yet, so I bought a bag of maize for $35 to sustain us while we waited for the harvest. Further, my children’s mattress was worn out, so I decided to buy a new one along with shoes for them, which cost me $33. To honor GiveDirectly's support and as a future investment, I also bought a sheep for $30. I see it as something that can grow in number and help us in the future."

"My half-acre tomato farm was infested with pests, and I didn’t have the money for pesticides. I have been relying on casual jobs and making charcoal, but the weather had made both limited—there weren’t many casual jobs available, and the wet grounds made charcoal production difficult. I used $70 from my first transfer to buy pesticides and finally address the pest problem. We also didn’t have enough food, especially maize, which is our staple. I had lost most of my maize crop to the floods, and the little that survived wasn’t ready for harvest yet. So, I spent $52 on maize and other food essentials. Also, our seating arrangements were a challenge too. We only had three plastic chairs, but they were worn out. I decided to buy three new ones for $30. I also gave my wife some money to go to the market and buy clothes for all of us. We’re a family of three, and we didn’t have many clothes, so we decided to get at least a new pair each that we could wear when going to town, attending occasions, or going to church."