"It has always been my dream to build a larger house with more space to accommodate my two children, who have always slept on the kitchen floor of my previous home. I was overjoyed when I received the first transfer, knowing that my dream was finally coming true. I received the good news via message notification around 7 p.m., and despite my joy, I called my husband, who rushed home to confirm the good news with me. He was equally pleased, and we thanked God for GiveDirectly's assistance."

"The first deposit on a piece of land that we are currently purchasing is the most significant step we have taken since receiving the first transfer, and hopefully it will make the most difference in my family's daily life once we begin farming on it. Because all four of my in-laws needed a piece of land to farm on, the family land was too small for extensive farming."

"I was relieved to finally receive the first transfer after a long wait, even though all of the other villagers I enrolled with had received their transfers four months earlier. I was almost out of hope at this point, but I was revived one evening when I received a message confirming the receipt of $550. I was alone at home and had to call my husband immediately after confirming the authenticity of the message from a neighbor who had already received both transfers and was familiar with how GiveDirectly transfers would appear on a message. My husband was grateful, and we had to remind ourselves of our plans, which he confidently gave me permission to spend the money on."

"I spent $180 on 19 iron sheets used in the construction of a new house to replace the single old one that served multiple functions. My children had been sleeping in poor conditions due to a lack of space in the house; after building a new house, they now have more space and clean bedding. I also purchased $30 worth of wood to complete the wall construction and $20 worth of roofing frames. We could not afford to spend a lot of money on labor because my husband is a contractor, except when we needed to roof the new house because he didn't have much experience fixing roofs. I also paid $40 in school fees for my four primary school school children. I later spent the remainder on foodstuffs that we still use today."

"I used to have a small house that served as both a kitchen and a living room. The space was too small for my large family of 12, but thanks to GiveDirectly for the first transfer, I was able to build a new house, which has made a significant difference in my daily life. After converting the old house into a kitchen, we now have a better space with a separate kitchen. I am grateful for the support and looking forward to starting other new projects with the second transfer."

"All I really have to say on this is how much GiveDirectly help people change their lives, by achieving their dreams. The financially power that GiveDirectly gives to its recipients is like nothing g else I have witnessed amongst NGOs or any other entity that assists the less fortunate. The only thing they can improve on is maybe increasing the number of people they reach since there are still so many who do not know of GiveDirectly, but are in dire need of their assistance."

"GiveDirectly excels at giving dignity ad respect to those who are needy , in that it allows us recipients to chose, how, when and where to use the funds as we see fit. An initiative where they had project managers, eg, if they give me funds and I choose to build, GiveDirectly could offer contractors, managed by them and who it could use the funds to pay, and help me realise the final [product. That way if funds aren't enough or the quality of work is wanting, they could guide the recipient to ensure all goes as planned and they get maximum return on the investment. I feel that one thing GiveDirectly could look into in terms of improving."

"One thing that Give Directly did well, was considering to go an extra mile to provide phones to us who did not have to make sure that we are not left out regardless."

"I have a money problem. The absence of job is to blame for this. Since leaving the Capital (Nairobi), where I was employed in an industrial sector, in the year 2020, I have not been able to find a steady employment that pays me enough to support my family. I had to relocate to the village because the arrival of the coronavirus made life in the city difficult. My current employer offers me a small salary that is insufficient to cover my family's essential necessities. Since my wife and I are expecting our second child in December, I'm concerned about tomorrow."