"We are finding it challenging to make ends meet as our income is unstable. I work as a casual laborer, and my husband is a livestock farmer. Paying for our daughter Purity Chebet’s school fees is a significant burden. However, I believe that education will provide her with a brighter future, which motivates me to work diligently. Our struggle does not end there, putting food on the table is also another challenge. Skipping meals is not new to us, it is our survival strategy for my family."

"I am really struggling right now, and it feels overwhelming. We do not have a farm to cultivate because the land here is too rocky, so I rely on charcoal burning to help make ends meet. My husband also works in the motorcycle taxi business, but it is still not enough. The charcoal burning is not very profitable anymore since the trees are getting scarcer, and almost everyone in the village does the same thing. On a good month, I only make about $20 from it, which barely covers our food needs. I often find myself having to buy goods on credit from local shops, and living from hand to mouth is deeply stressful and disheartening. It worries me so much to see us struggling just to get by."

"My dream is to become a successful businesswoman by starting small and gradually expanding my ventures. I've already taken the first step by opening a grocery business, which helps me earn a daily income to support my college fees. Additionally, I've enrolled in a tailoring course, which has always been my passion. I was able to fund these initiatives through my monthly transfers. To keep the grocery business running while I attend classes, I've hired a relative to assist me for a fee of $2 per day. My primary goal for the next year and beyond is to complete my tailoring course. Once I finish, I plan to transition to my next goal: opening a tailoring shop. This will allow me to combine my love for fashion with my entrepreneurial ambitions. I envision a future where my business flourishes, providing me with financial stability and the means to support my family comfortably. By the time I have my own family, I aim to have made significant progress in my career, ensuring a better life for them. Every step I take now is focused on building a strong foundation for my future, and I'm determined to work hard, keep learning, and overcome any challenges to turn this dream into reality."

"I am happy for GiveDirectly's support through unconditional cash transfers, which have given me the freedom to decide what works best for me. During enrollment, the officers were approachable and respectful, using a language I could understand. Even at my old age, they ensured I understood everything before enrolling me, and they were patient as they guided me through all the processes. Therefore, I believe there is nothing this organization needs to change as they continue their operations."

"I love how GiveDirectly operates. The idea of supporting those in need through unconditional cash transfers has been transformative. Receiving unconditional cash enabled me to manage my finances independently. Education on wise spending during community meetings has empowered people to use their funds effectively. Additionally, the follow-up process by the officers has ensured that the money reaches the targeted recipients without issues, and it has minimized the chances of misuse. My wish is for GiveDirectly to provide us with additional funding. While the amounts given are significant, extra support would help address our pending needs. Overall, GiveDirectly's mode of operation is effective, and I truly appreciate the positive impact it has had on my life and the lives of others in our community. I hope GiveDirectly continues this approach."

"My husband and I rely on casual jobs to sustain our family, although we sometimes engage in small-scale farming. However, farming is seasonal and unreliable. Additionally, securing casual jobs is not guaranteed, and there are times when we don't find any work, making it a nightmare to meet our daily basic needs, such as food. As a result, we would sometimes skip meals due to a lack of food. When I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, my priority was to buy food. I purchased a bag of maize for $33 and spent an additional $50 on other food items to sustain us for a while. Furthermore, I bought a mattress for $47 for my husband and me, as our old mattress was so uncomfortable that it felt like we were lying on a board, causing back pain. We gave the old mattress to our children, supporting it with the one they already had. Our two children in junior secondary school needed game kits, which the school had requested since the beginning of the year, but I didn't have the money. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I was able to buy each of them a kit for $14. Finally, I purchased clothes for all of us, except for the two children for whom I bought game kits. The last time we bought new clothes was a year ago, so you can imagine the condition of the ones we had been wearing. I used the remaining funds for transportation. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"My main goal is to finally finish the house I've been building. You see, it's been a long journey, and I'm still left with the roofing. Right now, we're living in a house made of mud, and while it’s served us well, it's really time to move into something more durable. The new house is made of stone, and I had to put the construction on hold to focus on repairing the one we're living in now. But I really want to get back to it. To make this happen, I'm planning to join a savings group. It can be a great way to pool resources and gradually save up enough money. Alongside that, I'm going to keep up with my goat farming. It's been a steady source of income, and I'm hoping that if I stay consistent, I can save enough from it to finally finish the roof and complete the house."

"My goal in the coming year and beyond is to invest more in livestock purchases. To achieve this, I plan to save diligently in the savings group, and once it's my turn to receive the pooled money, I will use it to buy more goats. As the herd grows and the goats multiply, I plan to sell some and use the proceeds to purchase a dairy cow, which is my ultimate goal. A dairy cow will be especially beneficial because I can earn income by selling milk, providing a more stable source of revenue for my family. I am very appreciative of the financial transfers, which are helping me work toward this long-held goal of owning livestock and securing a better future for my family."

"I separated from my husband a year ago and life has taken a difficult path since then. I solely provide for my eight children and meeting all their basic needs is an uphill task. I do casual jobs to earn a living, at the end of the day I use all the $2 on purchase of food hence nothing is left for paying for their education."

"I recently received $450 from GiveDirectly, and I was so happy that I decided to invest this money in farming. I already had a farm where I planted maize using the first GiveDirectly transfer, so I used $180 from this new transfer for harvesting labor. I was overjoyed with the harvest, gathering 20 bags of maize—something I had never achieved before. I decided to keep the maize for home use to ensure that my family would not lack food in the future, as having enough food here is a real challenge. The remaining money was invested back into the farm. It covered the costs of land preparation, purchasing maize seeds, and irrigation. I had already bought a generator using GiveDirectly's second transfer, which made irrigation possible. Farming has become something I want to continue doing, even after the GiveDirectly transfers end. My plan is to sell the produce from this one acre of land to buy a motorbike, which will make it easier for me to get around, especially when I need to buy farm inputs. GiveDirectly's support has given me a purpose and something productive to do every day, which I didn't have before."