"Initially, I had two sheep that I had acquired a year ago after selling my maize. I didn’t bring them home because they were just two, so I decided to keep them at my neighbor's place. When I received the transfer, I allocated $140 to buy three more sheep and bring the two from my neighbor so that all my sheep could be at home. I chose to invest in sheep because I love them, and in this village, everyone owns livestock. I saw it as a good opportunity to be like them and to have an asset that I could sell in case of an emergency, plus it would provide sufficient milk for my family. Life hasn't been easy, especially when it comes to feeding my family of six. We mainly depend on farming, and while waiting for the crops to be harvested, my husband and I burn charcoal as a part-time job. We allocated $30 from the transfer to purchase food. Finally, I used the remaining $30 to buy new clothes for my family. We didn’t have many clothes, and it was especially hard for the children, who each only had two outfits. Since they play and get dirty easily, they needed to be changed at least twice a day."

"I used to be a very hardworking woman, dedicated to my work to ensure my children got everything they needed. However, the floods came and almost destroyed the dream I had. The floods destroyed my house, my 1.5 hectares of maize, and caused my business to collapse. This setback returned my progress to zero, but I thank God because just when I had lost all hope, the GiveDirectly money arrived. I immediately used $160 to purchase iron sheets and build a small house. Although the iron sheets weren't enough to fully complete the house, they covered the roof and three walls; I had to use tents to cover the remaining wall. With the remaining $40, I bought enough food to sustain my family, as I have five children to care for, and my husband is unemployed, working only as a farmer. I run a business selling food in a hotel near my village, and the income I used to earn was enough to cover our bills and buy food. However, the business collapsed when the entire village flooded, forcing everyone to relocate to higher ground. When the floods receded, I returned and reopened my business, where I am now making a better profit of $15 per day. Since people received money from GiveDirectly, I've started earning much more than before when I only made around $5 a day. I am truly thankful and appreciate GiveDirectly for their great support."

"I was at home relaxing with my baby Blessing when I heard a message notification on my phone, but I didn’t bother to check it right away. It wasn't until my neighbor came by asking if I had received the money that I rushed to check. Sure enough, there it was—the GiveDirectly transfer! I couldn’t contain my excitement and started jumping up and down in jubilation. The first thing I did was call my mother to share the good news, and she immediately reminded me to use the money wisely."

"We lost all our clothes to the floods. They were soaked in the house, and there was nothing we could do to salvage them. After being temporarily relocated, we returned home to find that the only clothes we had left were the ones we were wearing. We managed to wash and wear them, but it was difficult to get by, especially with the limited clothing available. Receiving the GiveDirectly cash made a significant difference. It allowed us to buy new clothes for everyone in the family."

"After my two children, a boy and a girl, were sent home for school fees two days before the transfers, I was desperate. I didn’t have the money and was about to sell my goats to raise the funds. Fortunately, GiveDirectly's support arrived just in time. I used $100 from the transfer for their fees, giving $50 to each child to reduce their arrears. We have five plastic chairs, but with a family of eight and frequent visitors, they often aren’t enough. So, I decided to use $48 from the transfer to buy four additional plastic chairs. I had also planted maize on my 5-acre land, but the floods that struck our community didn’t spare my crops; I lost it all. Knowing that maize is our staple food, I decided to use the remaining amount from the transfer to purchase two bags of maize, which will sustain us for about three months."

"After receiving the transfer, my husband and I sat down to plan how to use the money. At that time, our children had been sent home two days earlier, making the timing of the funds perfect. We were stressed about getting them back to school and intended to speak with their head teachers. With the transfer, we allocated $80 for their school fees and $20 for their school essentials. Additionally, I spent $30 on a bag of maize and $30 on other food items to address our food needs while we wait for our maize, which survived the floods, to mature. I also bought two plastic chairs for $15 to add to the two we already had; with a family of 10, we plan to get more over time. The remaining $10 went toward generator oil to help with the irrigation of our maize farm, and the rest was spent on clothes for the family."

"With my first transfer, I decided to buy two sheep, each costing $60. Compared to goats, sheep are easier to manage because they are calm and require less care, especially since many people in the area have invested in crop farming, which limits grazing fields. This purchase also serves as a future investment for me. Additionally, I bought a bed and mattress for my two children, totaling $56. We had been sharing a bed, but with the arrival of my newborn, there wasn't enough space for all of us. Consequently, the children had to sleep on the floor, which was unsafe given the cold season. As a new mom, food was essential, so I used the remaining funds to buy a variety of food. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their timely support."

"I have three children in high school and had total arrears of about $300 for them, with balances of $110, $130, and $70, respectively. My plan was to save from my business and gradually reduce their fees, as I had been doing before. Unfortunately, my business has been struggling lately, especially after the floods struck our community. Many people in the area, whose main source of income was farming, suffered huge losses, and since they are my target customers, I was badly affected as well. I had just restocked my shop before the floods, but sadly, I lost a bag of rice, 10 kg of cooking oil, four cartons of milk, and six bags of maize from my posho mill. I also lost over 50 chickens. These losses were a huge setback for me, as they were my primary sources of income to support my kids, particularly in paying their school fees. Being a single mom, this hit me hard. However, I was fortunate that the GiveDirectly cash came at the right time. I spent the entire $200 to reduce their fees, paying $70, $60, and $70, respectively. Now I have a balance of $100 and I’m planning to start reducing it next week."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend it. The first thing I did was buy two sheep for $120, something I had longed to do for a while. I already had three sheep, but adding more to the flock would be beneficial for us in the long run. Seeing the flock grow was a great feeling, knowing that this investment would help secure our future. Next, I used $35 to buy a new mattress for our bed. The mattress we had was old and worn out, and my pregnant wife often woke up with back pain. It was hard seeing her in discomfort every morning, especially with the baby on the way. The new mattress made a significant difference in our lives; we started getting better rest at night, which was especially important when our son was born. Now that he’s three weeks old, we all sleep much better, and I can see how it has improved our overall well-being. With the remaining money, I decided to spend $20 on clothes for myself and our soon-to-be baby. It was comforting to know that we were prepared for his arrival with everything he needed. The last $25 went toward buying food for the household. Ensuring that we had enough to eat was crucial so that I could focus on other important matters without worrying about our daily sustenance. The cash transfer allowed me to make thoughtful decisions that improved our quality of life in multiple ways."

"My goal in the coming year and beyond is to see a specialist who can provide the treatment I need to improve my health. Currently, I am unable to do anything for myself and fully depend on my family members for support. With the money I receive from the transfers next month, I plan to seek better medical care. Additionally, I want to purchase more goats with the transfers so that even after the financial aid ends, I will have a sustainable source of income. I am truly appreciative of the financial support, which is helping uplift my life and that of my family."