"I do not have a stable source of income and this has affected me. I am not able to invest in anything because I use the money I earn to support my parents and purchase food and clothing for myself. If I had consistent income I would have done livestock keeping to supplement on the casual jobs."

"Scarcity of food is the biggest challenge in my area. I do not have land where I can farm to get food meaning I purchase all the food stuff. It is difficult to ensure that my family of three gets three meals a day.If I had a fertile land, I would ensure my family gets enough and nutritious food."

"Financial constraints are the greatest challenge because i do not have a stable source of income. I depend on the fish business to earn a living, due to its perishable nature, I mostly ran at a loss for lack of cooling systems. If I had a stable income I would be able to meet my children's basic needs comfortably."

"I operate a small business of selling fish. After collecting them from fishermen, I deepfry and pack them for my customers in nearby towns. Due to economic strains, business has been poor this year and I did not make enough sales to sponsor my children's education. As a result, I have been forced to take loans to supplement my income in order to pay school fees. Since I have not repaid the loans, I am worried that my children's education for next year will be in jeopardy."

"I had gone to look after a neighbor's livestock when I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. When I saw the promised amount, I knew it was from them, and I was so happy I almost forgot what I was doing. I hadn’t expected it, but I had held onto faith. I immediately called my wife, and she was just as happy. The next day, I went home, and together we budgeted the money for our most pressing needs. Indeed, GiveDirectly fulfills its promises. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"When I received my transfer, I prioritized reducing my son's high school fees arrears, which had accumulated to $80. I managed to pay $40 towards this balance to ease the burden. For my daughter, who is also in high school, I gave her $10 for a special motivation program they were having at school and $7 for transport, as schools were closing. I also paid $8 for my younger daughter in primary school, as this amount was required for their food during the exam period. Beyond school needs, food was essential, especially since we relied on charcoal production. I spent $30 on maize, $7 on beans, and an additional $15 on other food items to last us for a while. I also bought clothes for the whole family, particularly for special occasions, as we didn’t have enough decent attire, spending $40. Since we were displaced due to insecurity, a kind person welcomed us into their village, and when I learned his father was struggling with kidney problems, I contributed $40 to support their family in gratitude for their kindness."

"I was at home in the evening, washing utensils, when I heard my phone buzz with a message. I decided to finish what I was doing first before checking it, and when I did, I saw it was my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I could not believe it! I immediately told my daughter, who was just as excited as I was. My first thought was to buy goats, something I had been wanting for a long time to help us build a more stable future."

"Before I received my transfer from GiveDirectly, life had been quite challenging. I used to do poultry farming, and I had about 80 chickens. Unfortunately, a disease outbreak wiped out almost all of them, leaving me with just five. This poultry investment had been a significant source of income for us, as I could sell eggs and sometimes even chickens. I bought 21 chicks for $42 and three cocks for $14, hoping to rebuild what I had lost. However, with my husband’s limited income from motorcycle riding, he took out a loan to buy the motorbike and now pays $35 each week. To help him avoid the burden of his loan repayment, I gave him $30 from the transfer. Additionally, food was another pressing issue for us. I spent $32 of the transfer on essentials like maize, beans, green grams, sugar, and other staples, which helped sustain us for a while. I also set aside $40 to support our daily food needs, including milk for the family. Before the transfer, we had taken some food items on credit worth $15, which I was finally able to clear with the money I received. Additionally, I used $8 to buy clothes for my child, as he didn’t have enough. This transfer was a great relief for us, as it helped address some immediate needs and gave us hope for better days ahead."

"When we learned that we would receive money from GiveDirectly, we made plans on how to use it in advance. We decided to invest in goats and sheep, as we had two goats but no sheep at the time. This investment was important to us because, as they multiply, they can help us cover school fees in the future. With the transfer, I was able to buy two goats, each costing $50, and a sheep for $50. Additionally, our children had only a few clothes; they did not have any nice clothes, especially for special occasions, so I spent $20 on their clothing. Finally, I used the remaining money to buy food, including a bag of maize, which is our main staple food. This has been a relief because we still have that maize today, and it has made it easier for us to afford other essential food items like sugar. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"A day after receiving my transfer, my son, who is in his final year of high school, was sent home because of unpaid school fees. He had arrears of about $250, but I did not have the full amount to clear it. I decided to pay $50 towards the fees with the transfer, promising to settle the remaining balance after his final exams, before collecting his certificate. I also bought a geometrical set for my younger son, who urgently needed it for school, for $2. Additionally, as a passionate livestock keeper, I used to have over 60 goats before rustlers stole them, forcing us to relocate. Currently, I only own 16 goats, which is far fewer than I used to have. To rebuild my herd, I used part of the transfer to buy two more goats for $103, bringing my total to 18. Goats have always been instrumental in covering family needs, like school fees, so increasing my herd is a priority for me. I also started keeping chickens to diversify my income, as I can sell eggs to meet daily expenses such as food. I had one hen, which had hatched four chicks, and I used the transfer to buy two more chickens for $8, planning to expand gradually. Because of insecurity, my wife and children are living in another location for safety, so I sent her $10 to buy some food essentials for them. The remaining portion of the transfer went towards buying food for myself, as I have had to buy everything since relocating due to the insecurity in my area. Thank you, GiveDirectly."