"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."

"I am very thankful and appreciative of GiveDirectly. I have a testimony that the money has positively impacted my life. When I received my second transfer, I used it for farming to plant green grams, which yielded $600 when I sold them. I then used that income as capital to plant tomatoes and watermelons, which are currently growing on the farm. I am expecting to earn $12,000, a significant profit for me. I had always dreamed of planting these crops but never had enough capital. With my last transfer, I allocated $100 to support these two crops.Additionally, I have a posho mill that helps me pay bills. I decided to add more stock of maize to the mill, spending $200 on it. To ensure I didn’t take profit from the posho mill and to allow it to grow, I used the remaining $150 to pay for the school fees of my four children. My wife helps run the posho mill business while I focus on agriculture."

"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."

"My husband passed away a long time ago, leaving me with four children and one grandchild to take care of. Fortunately, he left me with many goats, which I used to sell one by one to pay for my children’s school fees. However, since I received my last cash transfer from GiveDirectly, I stopped selling the goats and allocated $200 specifically for my children's school fees. Previously, I used the second transfer to purchase some building materials, and with the third transfer, I spent $120 to complete the house. The house was in poor condition, with mud walls that often cracked and leaked when it rained. Additionally, I used $80 to buy foodstuffs. I used to make charcoal to make ends meet, but with the cash I received, I was able to stock up on food. Lastly, I spent the remaining $50 on new clothes for us so that we could feel like the wealthier people out there. Thank you so much, GiveDirectly, for making this possible."

"The biggest difference in my life now is that I am planting crops like other farmers, and I expect a substantial maize harvest by the end of the year—around 60 bags. When I sell them, it will definitely transform my life. Capital was previously hard to come by, but now I have it, and I thank GiveDirectly for making this possible."

"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."

"Seven years ago, my husband left me with three kids. Life has been hard, and I regret our separation, even though he supported the children. I've been doing farm work for $4 a day, which only covers food and not other needs for my children. Recently, with the last transfer I received, I spent $175 to plant maize so we could have enough food and I wouldn't have to work on other people's farms anymore. I also used $50 to pay for maternity bills because I gave birth when the money arrived. I'm thankful for this because my health has improved since then, and I appreciate GiveDirect for the support.I used to run a small hotel business, which helped with some bills, but I had to close it to take care of my young children. So, I spent $125 on food to make sure my kids are well-fed. I saved the remaining $100 to start a grocery business, selling fruits house to house. I expect to make about $8 a day from this, which will greatly improve our lives. I will always be grateful to GiveDirectly for their help."

"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!"