"Over the years, my main focus has been supporting my children to finish school. Once they're done, especially with one in high school, I’m counting on them to join forces with me to achieve my dream of building our own house. Living with my parents isn't ideal, but it's a necessary compromise while I prioritize their education. Once they graduate and secure good jobs, we can work together towards our shared goal of having a place to call our own where we can all feel comfortable and secure. I plan to use the transfers and my charcoal business savings to reach this goal, and I believe it will be attainable."

"I run a motorcycle taxi business and also work as a farmer. Back in March 2024, I planted maize on a one-acre plot, hoping to provide food and income for myself and my family. Sadly, just a month later, flash floods swept through and wiped out all my crops, leaving my land barren. It hit me hard because I had leased that land and now I am struggling to recover from the losses. Right now, I cannot afford to lease another piece of land, and it breaks my heart. Not being able to grow my own food means I will have to buy it with the profits from my motorcycle taxi business. It is a challenging situation, but I am hoping for better days ahead."

"I am currently grappling with the challenge of raising school fees for my daughter who will be starting college in September 2024. As a family of seven relying on our grocery business, our income has been unpredictable lately. On good days, I make about $10 in profit, but sales have been declining, exacerbated by recent floods that wiped out our crops. This leaves me uncertain about how to finance my daughter's education. I am also reaching out to community resources and government support programs such as Higher Education Loans Board for any assistance available. It is a tough situation, but I am determined to find a way to support my daughter's dreams of a college education."

"In the next few months to come, I have plans that have been running through my mind for a while. First of all, I would want to acquire a pair of oxen on my homestead. With these cows, I can easily use them to plough my farm, making it easier to grow crops. Not only that, I plan to offer ploughing ing services to others for a fee, which will bring in extra money for my family since, for now, I do not have a reliable source of income to sustain my family. I am hoping to achieve all these using the incoming transfers that I have yet to receive, as well as with the help of my sons, who also rely on casual jobs."

"The house that had been my shelter for many years collapsed last year due to heavy rains. It was in bad shape, weak, and had a dilapidated roof made of palm leaves. I couldn't replace the palm leaves on time, so it leaked whenever it rained. Since then, I've been staying at my son's house, making my son stay in town with his family. I wasn't at peace with this arrangement, as it meant my son couldn't come home with his family. It pained me that I couldn't afford to build a new house. All I longed for was to build my own house and let my son have his own. I'm glad that my dream is coming true after receiving my first transfer, which enabled me to purchase enough building materials such as iron sheets, nails, and building poles. I am currently in the process of building a two-roomed house. Once it's complete, I will be able to move into my own house and let my son have his own. Additionally, I also acquired a new bed and a mattress and replaced the old ones which were worn out and no longer offered a comfortable sleep."

"I would like to express my gratitude to GiveDirectly for the assistance I received. When I was enrolled into the program to receive the financial support, my goal was to improve the living conditions in my home. I have been struggling since I lost my job two years ago, relying on odd jobs and occasional help from my brothers, who also have their own families to support. With the initial transfer, I prioritized purchasing food supplies that would last us for several months. After buying enough foodstuffs, I also spent $100 on buying two goats, which I am now raising. Owning livestock is a new venture for me, and I hope that as they multiply, I will be able to sell them to meet my financial needs. In addition to these, I also spent $130 on purchasing a new bed and mattress, replacing the old and worn-out ones I had been using for several years. This has greatly improved my sleep quality and overall comfort. I also spent $50 to cover my children's school fees, ensuring that their education is no longer disrupted due to financial constraints. Lastly, I spent $60 on medical expenses, which has significantly improved my health."

"I really want to grow my tailoring business. Right now, the inventory is sitting at around $300, but my goal is to get it up to $500. It's a modest increase, but it's definitely a step in the right direction. I want to use the profits I make from the business and reinvest them back into it. By doing this, I believe I can gradually build up my inventory and offer more variety to my customers. It's not going to be easy, but I’m committed to making it work. The main reason I'm pushing for this growth is because I want to achieve financial stability to provide about providing for my two children. They depend on me, and I want to make sure I can meet all their needs without worrying about money all the time. If I can get the business to where I want it to be, I’ll be in a much better position to take care of them and ensure they have everything they need."

"I am grateful for this financial support. As a small-scale farmer with an unreliable income from my spouse, it has been challenging to meet our children's basic needs. Before GiveDirectly, it was particularly tough for us to provide for them. However, these transfers have brought us financial relief, making it easier to support our children. Thanks to this assistance, I have been able to build a better house for my family. With this accomplishment achieved, my plan for the coming year and beyond is to invest in livestock farming to generate income. This investment will help me cover school fees for my children more easily, ensuring they remain in school."

"My primary objective is to concentrate on goat rearing. Using the previous cash transfers, I have started building my goat herd, which has already proven to be invaluable, especially during emergencies. For instance, when my son was injured, I sold some of the goats to cover his medical expenses quickly. This experience has strengthened my commitment to livestock rearing, as it offers a reliable source of funds in times of need. I am also dedicated to ensuring that my children stay in school and that we have enough food. Currently, I have managed to purchase ten goats hence I want to make sure that I take good care of them."

"This year, my goal is to expand my goat herd, as goats have shown great potential in my village. I plan to achieve this by saving diligently from my upcoming transfers to build up a substantial number of goats that I can later sell for profit. I am deeply grateful for the financial assistance I have received, which has allowed me to support my family. With continued support from these transfers and by joining a savings group to help purchase the goats and partially cover school fees, I am optimistic about reaching my goals and securing a stable financial future."