"When I received the cash transfer, I used $50 to pay my granddaughter’s school fees. She’s in Grade 8, and her mother wouldn’t have been able to cover the fees, so I saw it as my responsibility to help. I also used another $50 to clear the school fees arrears for my daughter, who is in Form Four. Since she’s a candidate preparing for her exams, I didn’t want her to be distracted or sent home due to unpaid fees. Her education is important to me, and I want her to focus fully on her studies. In addition to this, I invested $50 in buying 20 young roosters. They were just a month old at the time, and now, at three months, they’re growing very quickly. They are low-maintenance and mature fast, so I know this will be a profitable venture. I’ve raised roosters before, and the business was successful, but I had to stop due to financial constraints. This time, I’m confident that in six months, I’ll be selling them for $12 each, which will generate a good profit in a short period. Lastly, I used the remaining amount to buy food items for the household. I take care of my grandson, and I don’t always have time to find casual jobs to earn money to cover for food costs. Ensuring we have enough food is crucial, and while I depend on farming to provide for us, the cash transfer allowed me to secure our food needs without worry. It has brought some much-needed stability to our household."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, the first thing I did was use $30 to pay school fees for my son, who is in Grade 5. I didn't want him to be sent home because he would miss valuable lessons. I then set aside $70 for my daughter, who is in Form 3, to cover this term’s fees. Ensuring both of my children stayed in school was my top priority because, at the time, I had no other source of income to rely on. I also needed to handle the harvesting of my maize, so I used $60 to pay for labor and transport. Bringing the maize home promptly was important to avoid any post-harvest losses. With the remaining $40, I bought food for my household. I had just retired from my teaching job, and without a regular salary, providing for my family had become a challenge. The cash transfer allowed me to ensure there was enough to eat while I figured out the next steps for my family’s financial stability. It came at just the right time, and I’m grateful for how it helped us manage through the transition."

"With two children in secondary school, my current goal is to ensure they complete their education. God willing, by the end of this year, they will have finished their final exams. Once they do, I will have some relief and can redirect the transfers I've been using to pay their school fees toward building a house for my family. We currently live in a small one-roomed house, which is not comfortable for all of us as we lack privacy. As a single parent, my ambition is to provide my children with good living arrangements that they deserve. My plan is to build a three-room house where we can all live comfortably and have the privacy we need. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of the transfers I've been using to pay school fees for my secondary school children, along with some money I will be making from my other casual hustles. I will gradually buy building materials and start building the house I've always desired. I am hopeful that I will be able to achieve this, and once complete, I will be very happy. I am grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has been giving us. This assistance has been instrumental in helping me pursue my goals of educating my children and giving me hopes of improving our living conditions."

"Now that I have completed my house, my focus now is on securing our future and improving our lives, which I aim for it to be free from the financial struggles we faced before. I envision achieving financial security by establishing a livestock base, particularly goats. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of my future transfers to purchase goats, hoping they will multiply and increase in number and value so that in the future they can become a valuable asset I can rely on, especially when this program comes to an end. I am truly grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us, and I look forward to a future where I can educate my children and care for my family with the help of the livestock asset base I am planning to create."

"My goal in the coming year and beyond is to complete my two-year tailoring course successfully. The course will equip me with the necessary skills to run my own tailoring business in the future. With my subsequent transfers, I plan to continue using the money to pay for my tuition fees and accommodation to ensure I complete the course without interruptions. Once I am done with the course, I aim to seek employment in the tailoring field, gain experience, and save a portion of my income to purchase a sewing machine. This will allow me to establish my own tailoring business and work towards financial independence. I am very happy and optimistic about the future, thanks to the financial support from GiveDirectly, which has helped me get closer to achieving my goal."

"In the coming year and beyond, my main goal is to use a significant portion of my transfers to purchase food for my family. Since both my husband and I cannot work, the financial support from the transfers will be crucial in ensuring we have enough to eat. The harsh climatic conditions in our village make it impossible to grow food crops, forcing us to buy food at high prices from the local shopping center. This has put a strain on our limited resources, but the transfers will help alleviate this burden and reduce the financial strain on our son, who tirelessly tries to take care of his elderly parents. I am very grateful for the financial support, which has been a lifeline for us, ensuring that we can access our daily needs and maintain a sense of dignity and well-being. The support has significantly improved our quality of life, and I am hopeful that, with the continued assistance, we can remain resilient in the face of these challenging circumstances."

"On the afternoon of the 14th, while I was busy serving my customers at my small restaurant, I heard a message notification on my phone. I waited until I finished attending to them, then checked what it was about. To my surprise and joy, it was the GiveDirectly transfers! I could not believe it. At that very moment, one of the customers I had been serving also received his share of the transfer, and we shared the moment of happiness. I felt so relieved and excited, knowing that this money would finally help me boost my restaurant business, which had been struggling for a while."

"At the moment, food insecurity is the biggest challenge my family of eight is facing. It has been two years since we were able to harvest maize from our farms, and even though we have tried planting other crops like cassava, drought has impacted those as well. We now depend solely on my husband's casual job to provide food, but his work is inconsistent. As a result, we often miss meals, which has affected my school going children they struggle to concentrate in class, and sometimes the younger ones miss school altogether due to hunger."

"In our young family of four, consisting of my husband, our two children, and myself, we face numerous challenges that make daily survival a significant struggle. My husband works as a motorbike driver in our village, earning barely $3 a day. I was employed as a waiter at a local food kiosk, but my earnings are less than $2 a day. With the high cost of living in the country, our combined daily income of about $5 is far from sufficient to meet even the most basic needs of our family. The meager earnings limit our ability to afford essential items such as food, clothing, and healthcare. Our children, who deserve a chance at a better life, are particularly affected. We often worry about their nutrition, as providing balanced meals on our limited budget is challenging. The rising cost of food makes it increasingly difficult to ensure they get the necessary nutrients for their growth and development. Healthcare is another major concern. With our low income, accessing quality medical care is almost impossible. We live in constant fear of illnesses, knowing that we might not be able to afford proper treatment if any of us fall sick. This fear is heightened by the fact that our children are young and vulnerable to various health issues. Education, a crucial aspect for our children's future, is also at risk. The costs associated with schooling, such as uniforms, books, and other supplies, are burdensome. We struggle to keep up with these expenses, which affects their ability to learn and grow."

"The biggest challenge I am facing right now is the lack of support from my children's father. We divorced three years ago, and I had to return to my parents' home. I had hoped that even though we parted ways, he would still be there for his children, especially since he has a stable job. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. Currently, I am unemployed, and it breaks my heart that I can not even raise as little as $15 to cover my children's school fees. This situation deeply saddens me."