"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge because I depend on casual jobs to earn a living. Due to its uncertain nature, I hardly save up any amount for future use. My children lack enough school utilities like school uniform and books and this makes me feel bad."

"As I mentioned earlier, the posho mill business helps me pay for my children’s fees and provide food for them. My plan is to use the income from the crops to open a larger business near the posho mill. This will allow my wife to manage both the posho mill and the new business, so we can support each other while I focus on farming. In the coming years, I hope to become a millionaire in Kenya through these ventures, and I will continue to praise GiveDirectly for providing the support and capital that enabled me to start farming."

"I am an account clerk at Eldume Secondary, earning around $150 per month, which is sufficient for my family's needs. I am also a farmer with five children, and my wife helps with farming as she is not employed. Since receiving my last transfer, I have seen it as a blessing. I had always admired planting tomatoes, but it requires significant capital, which I did not have. With the $450 I received, I used $300 to invest in farming, planting tomatoes and green grams. I am confident that this harvest will bring in substantial money and significantly change my life.Additionally, I spent $100 on clothing to ensure that everyone has new clothes, a gesture to remember GiveDirectly by. We didn't lack clothes, but we wanted to have nicer ones and look smart. Lastly, I used the remaining amount to purchase food because I decided to use my salary to invest in farming that month.Thank you so much, GiveDirectly, for your support."

"I took a loan from the Kenya Seed Board to invest in planting maize, and I plan to repay it once I harvest and sell the maize. With the remaining amount, I intend to open a small kiosk at home to sell foodstuffs. This will help ensure we have something to eat and allow us to continue with our lives."

"I was at home around 3 p.m. burning charcoal when I heard a message notification on my phone. Confirming it was an M-Pesa message, I realized it was cash from GiveDirectly. I almost left the charcoal but managed to continue burning it, though I was so excited that I felt very distracted. While working, I didn't immediately know how to use the cash, so I decided to first purchase food and then plan how to use the remaining money the next day."

"Even though I did not earn anything from planting tomatoes, I still have hope for agriculture. My plan now is to continue struggling with farming to ensure I earn something. With the income I make, I intend to open a cereals business in town. By doing so, I will be able to pay my children’s fees and cover their basic needs, as well as build a better home for my family."

"I am very confident and happy to host visitors at my home now, as I have enough accommodation, chairs, and utensils to serve them. It feels like a dream come true, thanks to the help from GiveDirectly. With the $450 that I am expecting, I will definitely be able to repair my house and live comfortably."

"I have a passion for helping those in need, but I am currently living in poverty and have nothing to offer them. However, my dream of helping others will never fade. With the proceeds from my farm, I plan to purchase a tailoring machine and grow that business until it becomes very successful. Once it's big enough, I will employ people to work with me and save little by little to help those in need and improve my own life as well."

"I really appreciate GiveDirect for the excellent work you are doing. You don't rely on rumors but get information directly from the people you aim to help by visiting our homes and ensuring you have the correct information. I don't see any areas for improvement—just keep up the great work wherever you go."

"It was around 4:00 PM, and I was in my neighbor's maize field irrigating his land to earn a living. As I hurried to finish before sunset, my phone buzzed with a message notification. Pausing my work, I checked my phone and was overjoyed to see a Mpesa notification confirming that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. While almost everyone in my village had received theirs the previous month, I was not worried since I trusted GiveDirectly to keep their promise. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for the support!"