"I was at home in the evening when I overheard my neighbours talking to each other about receiving their transfers from GiveDirectly. Since I was also enrolled and expecting the same, I called for my daughter to help me check whether I had also received mine. I was overjoyed when she informed me that I had indeed received my transfer. I couldn't wait to withdraw the money and purchase new bedding for my family, replacing the old ones that were no longer offering the comfort we needed."

"I remember attending a burial in a neighboring household, leaving my phone at home with my daughter. I had lost a close neighbor and was deeply engaged in the preparations and other activities related to the burial. Amidst the grief, my daughter arrived and gave me the phone, informing me that GiveDirectly had sent my first transfer. This was a great relief for me. Despite the sorrow, I was able to smile again and couldn't wait to build a new house for myself after a palm tree fell on my old house, destroyed it, and left it in a dilapidated state."

"I was at home with my mother-in-law, sitting together, when I received a message from GiveDirectly. It said I had received $550. I felt so happy and grateful to God and GiveDirectly for this kind of support. I still have the text message and I don’t want to delete it because it means so much to me. The first thought that came to my mind was to finally execute my plan to build a new house, since the one we were living in was already falling apart."

"As the head of a family of nine, one of my biggest challenges is ensuring that we have enough food while also providing quality education for my children. The heavy rains during October, November, and December last year were particularly cruel, as they led to a poor harvest for us. Our farm, which is located along the river bank, suffered greatly as the excessive rainwater washed away most of our crops. Meanwhile, my husband's business of tapping palm wine has also taken a hit. The demand for palm wine has been so low that even the stock tapped in the morning can go unsold for up to three days. This downturn in business has significantly impacted our household income. As a result of these challenges, we've been forced to cut down on our meals, from three a day to just two. As a woman in the household, I've had to step in and implement various strategies to help make ends meet alongside my husband. It's been a difficult time, but we're doing our best to navigate through these tough circumstances."

"I have three children who are all going to school and very soon my elder child will be transitioning to secondary school. This means I will be required to pay a higher amount of money as compared to what I am paying right now. For this reason, I have resolved to indulge in a goat rearing project. In our area, goats survive very well in this environment. I am planning to buy at least one when I receive my merry go round contribution. This will act as my future financial security. Hence I will be selling some once they multiply to get money to pay fees and meet my family's other basic needs. I am glad that I have already bought three goats through my merry go round contribution. This is an initiative that we agreed to start with other Give Directly transfer beneficiaries to help us pull our transfers together for development. I appreciate GiveDirectly for the financial support because it has reduced our financial burden."

"My greatest goal for the coming year and beyond is to establish a vegetable-selling kiosk. Recognizing the need to generate more income, I plan to save enough money from the upcoming cash transfers to serve as the starting capital for my business. The profits from this venture will help me pay school fees for my seven children. I am very happy and deeply appreciate the financial assistance I have received from the transfers."

"I aim to start saving from the monthly transfers to expand my tailoring business and start a poultry farm. The motive behind this is that once I succeed in these ventures, I am confident that I will have enough assets to ensure financial stability for myself and my future children by the time I get married. This is important to me because, if the marriage does not work out, I want to be in a position where I can take care of my children independently. Saving diligently and investing wisely in both the tailoring and poultry businesses will create multiple streams of income, providing a safety net and peace of mind. I am determined to build a strong foundation now so that my future is secure and my family is well taken care of, regardless of what life may bring."

"By January next year, I have a goal, which is to expand my retail shop, which I am currently running. The shop is small, and since I never had enough capital, I used to earn little profit. Therefore, I now opt to save every single transfer from GiveDirectly until next year, when I will have enough funds to facilitate the expansion. Once this succeeds, I will not have to strain to meet my needs like before, and it will also be easier for me to start a family of my own, where I will be able to take good care of them. With the additional space and improved stock, I am confident that my shop will attract more customers, thereby increasing my profits significantly. This financial stability will enable me to provide a better life for my family, ensuring that our future is secure and prosperous."

"In the coming year and beyond, I am planning to buy an acre piece of land. This is because our parents have a small piece and every sibling is looking after that. Hence, to be on the safe side, I am planning to own mine, and if they feel like giving us a portion, I will still be grateful, but I do not want to put my hopes on them. To achieve this dream, I want to save my monthly transfers and start paying for it in bits. It's good my spouse also accepted to help me achieve this dream. He will be saving the little income he gets from his work to ensure we achieve our dream. I am grateful to Give Directly for the financial support which has given me hope of meeting my dream."

"I really want to rear cattle, but their prices are very high. Therefore, through GiveDirectly transfers, I want to invest in buying goats, at least one each month. Acquiring these goats will enable me to buy a goat. Since goats multiply very fast, I will sell some and generate money to enable me to buy a bull. I have done research and I am told that once I have $200, this will be enough to buy a grown bull that can help me cultivate my land. In our area, most people plough their land using bulls and, since they are scarce at times, we have to wait, in addition to being costly. I believe this bull will earn me more income because, apart from using it to plough my farm, it will also plough other people's farms and earn me money. Therefore, I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to have hopes to meet my dream goal."