"I do not have a proper house which even leaks making it very difficult for me to stay in it especially during rainy season"

"My ambition is to have a successful business in future, I graduated last year with a degree in computer science and would love to put what I learned into action. I wish to own a tech shop where I sell computers and other tech gadgets. Currently I depend on subsistence farming as I sell trees and tree seedlings to a forestry company nearby. They only order 3-4 times in a year and pay $45 each time I deliver, the rest of the months I sell maize at $35 a suck but my farm can only produce up to 6 sucks of maize a year. If I receive the transfers I should add about $50 into the tree and poultry farming and later on use the income generated to make my dreams come true."

"The moment when I received the transfer I felt so happy. Since I operate motorcycle taxi services I normally leave the house very early. By the time I received the message I was already out working. I could not contain the excitement though from outside people could believe that I was acting normally."

"The money was sent very early in the morning while I was in the process of cleaning the house. When I saw the message I felt so happy, kept the phone away so that no one could get a glimpse ofit. I ensured I stayed with the phone for two days as I was budgeting and later withdrew it."

"With the transfers from GiveDirectly, we managed to buy livestock and build a good house. Now we have two cows courtesy of GiveDirectly. We have a house made of ironed roof and timber wall. On my own I couldn't afford to build one and instead we would still be living in a one room house."

"I can still remember very well it was around 12 noon when I was taking lunch with my family, then my phone started ringing continuously. Without wasting time, I asked one of my children to confirm what the notification was all about. Upon checking, he realized that it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I had finally received my first transfer that I had anxiously been waiting for."

"It's been several years since I divorced from my husband. He left me with three children and two of them are about to finish primary school. The biggest hardship that am yet to face is the source of fees once they get selected to a secondary school. Since money is hard to come by in this village, I am anxious if they will finish their education."

"I spent part of my first transfer buying some building materials such as building poles, iron sheets, timber, and ropes. This was for the construction of a new house since the previous one was in critical condition and very small. During the rainy season, it was so frustrating becasue we used to be rained on till dawn or seek shelter from our neighbors. Also, I am planning to buy goats that will serve as the living assets that I can depend on. To add to that, I saved the money for my children's school fees once they resume school. With the remaining amount, I am using it in buying enough foodstuffs for the family."

"I have always longed for a decent home. I am not a proud man when we have to squeeze in one tiny room as a family.I have a wife and two children. Receiving this money means I will build a spacious two roomed house with new iron sheets to ensure no leakage during the rainy season. My budget approximation is 300 USD to get a fully complete structure."

"I mainly worry about providing food for my home."