"Givedirectly transfers have allowed us to dream of a better life. My husband is a casual construction worker, I sell groceries and food from home. We do not make enough in our combined incomes to think about doing financially heavy investments, however a need arose that we want to factor in the cash transfer we receive to take care of this need. We live in a two roomed house which houses the kitchen, space for sleeping and the living room area. We are a growing family and now this space feels small and not sufficient. My hope is I will buy enough material using the Givedirectly funds to start on this project. I now 10 iron sheets but I need 26 more to get the three roomed house we hope for. I also wanted goats but since this is a more pressing need I hope to buy chicken at the very least which will yield more chicken which I can sell to get goats."

"I have been living a stressful life for the last 4 years since I was welcomed in this home. This is because I have a family of 10 but I lack land where I can settle with them and this has pushed me to seek refuge from my sister-in-law's house. Since I do not have a reliable source of income, I have remained homeless. Failing to secure a place for my family is what has made my life harder because it has devoured my joy as a responsible father."

"My health! As for now, I am yet to fully engage in serious work because I underwent a minor surgery to remove a growth that had grown in one side of my nose. Over the last year, I have remained jobless at home and this means depending on my wife who had to seek a house help job to take care of us. Currently, we are both at home because my wife had to come back to do farming during the long rains. The feeling of being jobless is so painful and has brought about hardship in my life since my family needs their father's attention. Since I am now fully recovered, I am soon going to my normal duties. I, therefore, consider the lack of a job now as the reason for my hardship in life."

"Housing is the challenge I am currently facing in life. The family lives in a two room house with grass roof and it leaks during rain season. This has forced three of my children to seek shelter from neighbors compounds. This is risk since it can cause early pregnancy to the daughter."

"I am currently unemployed, despite possessing tailoring skills. In an effort to utilize and enhance my abilities, I am in the process of planning and initiating my own tailoring shop. My goal is to acquire a sewing machine and essential textile materials for this venture, and I have been diligently saving my income towards achieving this objective. In addition to pursuing my entrepreneurial aspirations, I have taken on the responsibility of supporting my six siblings, who are currently enrolled in school. I aim to ensure that their education remains uninterrupted, recognizing the financial challenges faced by our parents, particularly my mother, who grapples with the burden of school fees on her modest salary as a kindergarten teacher. My plan extends beyond personal success to contribute to my family's well-being. Not only do I intend to assist in the education of my siblings, but I also believe that establishing the tailoring shop will have a positive influence on our family's financial stability."

"Water shortage is the challenge I am currently facing in life. There is only one water point in the village which is also not reliable. The village can miss water for almost three months. This forces me to walk for approximately 1hr looking for water. It is tedious to Walk for such a distance looking for water."

"Lack of reliable source of income is the challenge I am currently facing in life. My husband and I do casual jobs earning very little income which caters for food and school fees. I have four daughters who are schooling, two in college and two in secondary school. Due to lack of funds , the last daughter who is supposed to join form one has not joined due to lack of school fees. This is really a challenge for me."

"I spent $250 of the transfer to renovate our house, which was on the verge of collapsing due to termite infestation. My husband and I are elderly and unable to work, relying on our son to provide us with what little he can so we can buy food; we could not burden him with the house too. Now, sleeping in a decent home, we're content and at peace. I then spent $200 and bought 2 beds and 2 mattresses for my husband and me as we had been sleeping on the floor with worn-out bedding for years, causing body aches in the morning. Sleeping on a comfortable bed is like a dream come true because we knew that at our age, we would not afford to get one. Furthermore, I spent $60 and bought 2 female goats of good breed, hoping they would reproduce and provide support in the future by selling them. They also keep us busy and give us something to wake up to in the morning as we have nothing to do. I spent the remaining amount of the transfer on food as we did not have much food and also thought that we would relieve our son from the burden of buying us food even if it's for a little while. We're grateful to GiveDirectly, and may God bless them abundantly."

"I appreciate GiveDirectly's commitment to conducting individual household visits for eligibility assessments. This personalized and thorough approach ensures that assistance reaches those who genuinely need it. Unlike relying solely on information from local leaders, which may carry the risk of favoritism, this method enhances fairness and accuracy. Well done to GiveDirectly for prioritizing a transparent and equitable assessment process, contributing to the effectiveness and integrity of their aid distribution efforts."

"My plan is to complete the construction of our house, something we've been working on for years. Once the house is done, I'm starting a poultry and livestock venture. I'm sure the extra income from that would make a difference on our financial status. Givedirectly has given my family support and hope for a better future. We are truly grateful for this opportunity."