"I have been having dreams of becoming a livestock farmer, and so I started venturing into it using some of my previous transfers and this makes me happy as I see myself grow. My plan for this year and beyond is to keep on educating my children and to continue buying additional chicken and goats. To achieve this, I intend to keep on saving some of my transfers in our local savings group so that once they mature, I may use some of the money to invest in livestock. I am hopeful these animals will multiply and increase in number and value so that in the future I may be able to sell them and use the proceeds to take care of my family as well as take care of my children's education. This venture aims at establishing a sustainable source of income that I will be able to rely on in the future so that once this program comes to an end, I won't be left empty-handed and vulnerable but elevated from where I was before. I'm truly grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support, as it has been instrumental in uplifting me financially and enabling me to pursue this endeavor."

"When I received the cash transfer, the first thing I did was buy a bed and a mattress for $90. The old mattress had been completely destroyed by the floods; it was so dirty that I ended up burning it. For weeks, my family and I had been sleeping on mats provided by the Red Cross, but those were thin and uncomfortable. Finally, with this new bed and mattress, we could rest properly again. With $45 of the money, I bought a subwoofer to bring some joy back into our lives. Music has always been a passion of mine, and having the ability to play it in my home makes everything feel more lively and positive. The sound of music filling our space lifts our spirits, especially after everything we've been through with the floods. I used another $32 to buy a 90kg bag of maize. The previous maize we had was ruined when the floods swept through, causing it to germinate and making it unusable. This new bag will provide us with food for a while. The remaining money covered the cost of transport and lunch when I went to withdraw the funds, ensuring I could complete my errands without any issues."

"I am a charcoal seller and double up as a carpenter. Through this businesses I have been able to take care of some of my families needs but not all. I would like to build a sustainable emergency fund that will take care of my families needs when I do not make enough from the work I do. I am focusing most of my cash transfers to buying animals which will be able to reproduce and grow in number ensuring I can sell them and raise funds to take care of any needs that come up."

"I have been working towards building a new house as currently my house is leaking from all around. I have been able to secure ten iron sheets so far thanks to the transfers. I am yet to get ten more iron sheets to finish this project. I want to be able to finish this project so I am able to focus my finances on educating my children. I want them to attend school without being absent as a result of lack of school fees. I see that with the cash transfers I can achieve this."

"In the coming year and beyond, my primary goal is to ensure that my four children can attend school without interruptions, particularly from being sent home due to unpaid fees. Additionally, I am working hard to provide for their other basic needs. My eldest daughter is currently in her final year of secondary school, and I am determined that she won't finish school only to sit at home with nothing to do. That’s why I joined a merry-go-round savings group, where I save $20 from my transfers each month. My plan is to enroll her in computer classes immediately after she completes her secondary education. These transfers have given my children opportunities to engage in meaningful activities, keeping them away from early pregnancies and marriages. My focus is solely on continuing to save so that I can provide my children with the education they need to reach their full potential. This is my constant prayer, and I am optimistic that, in the long run, I will achieve what my heart desires for my children."

"With the transfers having a specific timeline, I carefully considered how to invest them in a way that would provide long-term financial support once the assistance comes to an end. In the coming year and beyond, I plan to focus on investing in goats and chickens until I build a substantial herd and flock. These two projects will offer me future financial security, as my passion for livestock rearing motivates me to continue expanding my livestock. To achieve this, I will allocate my monthly transfers to purchase at least one goat and one chicken each month, with a goat costing around $25 and a chicken about $3, adding to my current livestock. My ultimate goal is to ensure long-term stability and self-sufficiency for my family by growing my livestock over time. I am confident in goat rearing because goats adapt well to our weather conditions and are resistant to many diseases. By concentrating on these two projects, I hope to one day share my success story and testify to the positive impact of GiveDirectly's financial support."

"In the upcoming year and beyond, my sole focus is to establish a hardware business. I am presently residing in Mombasa and have extensively researched the operational aspects of such a venture. After gathering various ideas, I have made a conscious decision to set aside a portion of my income to work towards realizing my entrepreneurial goals. Once I have accrued approximately $600, I will have the necessary capital to kick-start the business. The prevalent trend of increased construction activity in our locality has inspired me, presenting a promising opportunity for this venture. The establishment of this business will not only enable me to cater to my family's basic needs but also support my personal well-being."

"I have always had a strong desire for a brand-new, motorcycle. To achieve this dream, I have devised a clear plan. I am dedicated to saving diligently from my business profits and the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly through our savings group. I plan to obtain a future loan to assist with this goal. When I have saved enough, I will sell my current motorcycle and use a loan from my savings group to add to the proceeds from the sale. This will allow me to finally purchase the motorcycle I've always wanted. The prospect of owning this new bike is extremely motivating. However, this is just the beginning of my plans. After repaying the loan and acquiring the new motorcycle, my next major goal will be to build a larger, more comfortable home."

"My dream has always been to become a livestock farmer, where I will be having a variety of animals like cows, goats, chickens, and ducks. To achieve this, I plan to save a portion of my transfers in my local savings group so that once it matures, I can use the money to buy a female cow. With the chicken and ducks that I already have, my hope is that they multiply in number so that I may sell some of them to buy some goats and also to sustain my family and also use some of the proceeds to supplement my money from my savings to buy a cow. My hope is that this cow will multiply, growing my herd over time. These cows in the future will serve as valuable assets, which I can sell whenever I need financial support. I also completed a course in education and have made efforts to obtain my Teachers Service Commission number, making me eligible to apply for government jobs. My dream is to be employed by the government, securing a permanent and pensionable position. This would provide me with job security and ensure that my family's life is in a better place."

"I am now left to fend for myself and educate my children. I have no form of income generation as my husband was the sole breadwinner. Now that I have taken that mantle I want to start with buying animals which multiply and I can sell and take my children to school. I am well versed with animal farming hence its something I can start with on this journey of self reliance."