"Financial constraints is the biggest challenge in my life. I do casual jobs to earn a living and due to its uncertain nature,it is difficult to meet all the basic needs. My children are often sent home to collect school fees and it worries me because they miss alot of school work when they stay at home. I am hoping that things will change and life would be better."

"The recent floods swept away all the crops in our farms and we have not yet recovered from it. My husband and I depend on farming to make ends meet and after loosing what we had hoped would sustain us for the whole year we resorted into casual jobs. It is difficult to sustain our needs because it is not reliable and this has left us with debts."

"Since I don't have any other source of income and rely entirely on GiveDirectly transfers, my aspiration is to start my own business and provide for my family. I envision opening a shop that offers a variety of products, such as vegetables and charcoal. I am currently saving a portion of my monthly transfers to help me launch this business. My ultimate goal is to not only generate enough profit to support my family but also to save for future endeavors, such as paying school fees, buying food, and purchasing clothing for my children and myself. This business venture is crucial for securing our future and improving our quality of life."

"The first thing I did was take $100 to pay off the person I had given my tailoring machine to as security when I borrowed them money. This was crucial because it allowed me to reclaim my machine and get back to my tailoring work, which is an essential source of income for us. Next, I used $220 to buy 17 iron sheets to start building a new house. The current three-roomed house we live in is cramped for my husband, our six children. With three of our children being full-grown boys, I knew I needed to create more space and my goal is to build a one-roomed house for my sons. Additionally, I used $150 to pay off some of the school fees arrears for my three children in secondary school. This was a huge relief as it eased the financial burden and ensured they could continue their education without interruptions. Finally, I used the remainder of the money to buy some building posts and essential food items for our household. This has provided us with the necessary materials to continue the construction and enough food to keep us going. I am incredibly grateful for the transfers and am eagerly awaiting the second transfer which I plan to complete my sons' house, which will significantly improve our living conditions and overall well-being."

"Receiving an unconditional cash transfer was a blessing for my family. I used $200 to pay school fees for my son in secondary school and my two children in primary school. They had been in and out of school several times due to unpaid fees, which disrupted their education. Ensuring their fees were paid meant they could stay in school consistently and focus on their studies without interruptions. I then paid off a $110 debt to the water company that supplies our household. The debt had accumulated to the point where our water supply was disconnected, and I had to fetch water from our neighbors. Clearing this debt was a priority to restore our access to clean water and avoid further inconveniences. I also used $77 to buy a bag of potatoes and 10 liters of cooking oil to start a chips-selling business. This small business is a step towards financial stability, providing a steady income. Additionally, I purchased seven iron sheets and roofing nails for $80 to repair our leaking roof, improving our living conditions. The remaining money went towards buying one and a half bags of maize, ensuring we had enough food. I am incredibly grateful for the help from GiveDirectly, which has allowed me to support my family's education, restore essential services, and invest in a small business for future stability."

"Initially, my goal was to start a food selling business. However, because this required a lot of movement, I had to abandon it after developing health issues due to the cold. So, I shifted my focus to buying a cow for rearing instead. I'm already saving part of my transfer towards this project and I have hope that I will achieve it. This new venture presents an opportunity for me to generate income, which will enable me to support various needs within my family, including covering school fees, buying food, and acquiring essential household items. Currently, my husband struggles to generate sufficient income through selling locally sourced toothbrushes made from medicinal tree twigs. Therefore, through this new initiative with the cow, I hope to contribute in some way to our household finances as well."

"My maize farm is struggling due to a lack of funds for irrigation. I lack money to buy fuel and HDPE pipes essential for watering the crops. Animal attacks on the farm are a recurring issue, compounded by the inability to fence the farm due to financial constraints. With no sustainable employment, providing food for my family of 4 is a daily challenge. Additionally, I am facing difficulties paying for my theology course and covering school fees for my child. Moreover, essential furniture for my house remains unaffordable due to financial limitations."

"I'm facing challenges in expanding my newly started small business in the village. Selling goods in the open air leads to spoilage since i lack the resources to build a structure. Additionally, seeing my one-acre farming land unused gives me stress; I wanted to plant watermelon but could not due to financial constraints. Moreover, after experiencing flood damage to my home, I intended to relocate it to higher ground within the compound, but financial limitations prevent me from doing so."

"I currently have 1 acre of farming land that remains unused due to financial constraints, preventing me from purchasing essential farm inputs such as a gasoline generator, pipes, seeds and fuel. My family's primary income sources are charcoal burning and support from our children, which are insufficient to cover our food expenses and school fees for our two children. Moreover, our household items were destroyed by floodwater, and I lack the funds to replace them."

"Iam currently living in a poor structure because the recent floods destroyed my one and only mud wall house and due to financial challenges iam not able to renovate it and also iam not able to do any casual labour or even charcoal burning because iam very old I only depend on neighbours for food."