"I have always had the dream of having a livestock rearing project and in the coming year and beyond, I am committed to expanding my current livestock project, a dream that is becoming a reality thanks to GiveDirectly's support. I currently own six goats, and my goal is to grow this number to at least ten spending part of my monthly transfers to purchase more. Once I achieve this, I plan to sell some of the goats to purchase a cow which costs around $20 and will provide a sustainable source of income in the future gradually building my livestock investment for future financial stability."

"I live in a very small and old one-room house with my husband and children. As our family grows, the house is becoming too cramped, and proving to be no longer enough for us to live comfortably. This has been a source of concern for me and therefore I made plans to build a new three-room house for my family, where we will have enough space to live comfortably. To achieve this, I intend to use a portion of my future transfers to gradually buy building materials. I will carefully save and purchase the materials until I have everything I need to build the house I have dreamed of. Once the house is complete, I will be very happy, as my family will finally have a comfortable home with enough space for all of us. Thereafter, my next goal is to save a portion of my transfers to start a vegetable-selling business. I hope that, over time, I can accumulate enough funds to begin this business, which will allow me to support my children with the profits I make. I am truly grateful for this support, and it gives me hope for a brighter and more stable future."

"I have always had dreams of owning a variety of livestock, including goats and cows. Previously, I was repairing my house and now that the repairs are complete, my plan for this coming year and beyond is to save a portion of my transfers for future emergencies as well as use another portion of my transfers to buy more ducks and goats. My hope is that these ducks will multiply and increase in number, allowing me to trade them for goats which will also multiply increasing in number and allow me to trade some of them in future for cows. My hope is that these cows will reproduce, adding to their numbers, and also provide milk for my family. The livestock will not only help support my family but will also enable me to care for my grandchildren in the future, ensuring they receive an education and have a stable future. These animals will become a reliable source of income and nourishment for us. I am deeply grateful for this support from GiveDirectly. It is a lifeline that allows me to work toward a more secure and sustainable future for myself and my family."

"With two children currently in school and knowing that another will join in a few years, my main priority is to ensure that my children continue their education until they complete and become successful in life. To achieve this, I plan to use a portion of my transfers, along with the small income I earn from my charcoal-burning hustle to cover their school fees. I understand the importance of education, and I will do everything I can to keep them in school. In addition to this, I intend to gradually save a portion of my transfers. Once the savings accumulate, I will use the money to buy more goats. My hope is that these goats will multiply and increase in both number and value and provide me with a reliable source of income in the future. This income will help me support my children's education as well as their overall well-being. As a single parent, it is not easy but I am determined to see my children succeed in life. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received so far, and I remain hopeful for a brighter future. I will continue to work hard, save, and invest in opportunities that can secure my children’s future."

"Raising school fees for my three children in high school and university is a huge challenge right now. I rely on boat riding to earn KES 30000 during peak tourist seasons, but sometimes I make nothing at all. All that money goes toward food and my children’s school fees, but it is never quite enough. Last term, for example, my two children in high school were sent home for not paying KES 20000 in fees, which I did not have at the time. I had to sell four of my goats to raise KES 18000. Even now, I still owe KES 2000 in arrears, and every day I struggle to raise enough money so that when school opens in January 2025, they will have something to take with them. I am doing everything I can, but sometimes it feels like I am running in circles. I want to provide for my children and make sure they stay in school, but it is hard to keep up with the demands when the income is so unpredictable."

"Living a solitary life is the biggest challenge I am currently facing. I am a young and energetic person and coming home in the evening after work to the usual household chores with no one to talk to is giving me hurdles in life. I aim to get married, have children, and live a life of bliss but lack sufficient funds to marry has weighed down my efforts. Being one of GiveDirectly's beneficiaries will be a stepping stone to living a life of happiness because I will get married, pay a dowry, and start my own family."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge. I depend on livestock to earn a living and since I have two children at secondary level, it has been difficult to raise enough money from a single source of income. I hope to diversify my income so as to be able to meet all the basic needs comfortably."

"We are currently living in a small and crowded single structure. This is making our life increasingly difficult and uncomfortable. The lack of privacy is particularly distressing, and it saddens me deeply. While casual jobs have allowed me to provide food for my family of four, the low pay from these jobs makes it impossible to afford building a decent, livable home for us. I am elderly, and my health is deteriorating daily. This has made me vulnerable and unable to work, which in turn has made it difficult for me to provide for my family."

"My primary goal is to expand the businesses I currently operate: selling vegetables and small fish. By next year, I plan to kickstart this goal, and I am confident that I will make it a reality. I intend to achieve this dream by using my saved profits and a portion of the monthly transfers I receive. Although the business has been unstable for a while due to financial constraints, I remain hopeful that things will improve once I secure enough capital to expand. I believe the profits I will earn from an expanded business will be enough to support my family comfortably. This includes paying school fees for the two children still in school, ensuring their education continues uninterrupted."

"Currently, I own more than twenty chickens at my homestead. I have always had a passion for poultry farming, but the resources needed to start have been a challenge. As a result, I’ve been forced to keep the chickens at my mother-in-law's house since my house is too small, and I don’t have the funds to build a proper poultry shed. My goal now is to build a poultry shed for them. With this, I will have adequate space to house and monitor the chickens, especially as their numbers continue to grow day by day. I plan to use upcoming transfers and some financial support from my husband to purchase the materials needed to start construction. This shed will ensure that the chickens have a safe and secure space to thrive. It will also allow me to start a business selling poultry, providing a sustainable source of income. Once I succeed, I believe feeding my family will become much easier, as I will have a steady income to support us at the end of the day."