"Receiving this money means changing my life for the better. This is because, I plan to expand my farming by buying oxen using $300, which will help me to prepare my farm in time and this will mean food security to my family. On the other hand, I intend to use the second transfer to construct a new house for my family because the one I currently have is grass thatched and I am rained on during rainy seasons."

"All in my life, charcoal burning has been the only job that has sustained my family's basic needs. Currently, This is not possible because the trees are no longer available in plenty and it means uprooting even the roots to make the charcoal. It is a very challenging life and sometimes my children are missing food. Hence, the lack of a reliable source of income is the biggest hardship that I have ever faced in my life."

"Constructing a separate house for my children has been my greatest desire for a long time, but this has never been possible due to the financial challenges I face in life. This has forced me to seek refuge for my children in their grandmother's house and my plan once I receive this money is to spend 35000 shillings only to ensure the house is complete. The remaining amount of the first transfer will help me to buy a modern bed plus a mattress in order to replace the old ones that I currently own. With the second transfer, I intend to buy 6 goats at $30 each and also 2 indigenous dairy cows at $300. This will change my life for the better and hence, a transformed life."

"Receiving this money means upscaling my farming as well as supporting my children's education. To have this done, I intend to buy an oxen and ox plough at $400, that will help me to prepare my 4 acre piece of land on time and this will mean more harvests, hence food security to my family. On the other hand, I also plan to use the second transfer to pay school fees for my children. This will help them settle in school and perhaps improve in their performance."

"My first born will begin school next year. I want to start planning early for the education of my children since I foresee a big challenge when it comes to paying school fees. I therefore have a plan of buying 4 goats and 1 cow. This will cost me around 300 USD. When they multiply I will be able to sell and pay school fees."

"I have a shop that I solely depend to fend my family. Sometimes my family's expenses supercedes the profit and as a result consume part of the stock. When this happens, I have to borrow some money from friends and relatives and then repay them periodically. I have gone to an extend of even closing the shop for several weeks as I raise cash to buy stock. This for me is the biggest hardship I have ever experienced."

"Food insecurity has been my biggest hardship in life. I am casual laborer doing charcoal vending to support my family of 4 members. The income from this job is 1.5 dollars per day which is not enough to feed us as well as educating my 3 children. This has forced us to skip 2 meals per day due to lack of food."

"Receiving this money will enable me to purchase and connect piped water at $300 to my homestead which I will use to irrigate my farm. Cultivation of French beans is lucrative in this area due to the readily available market, yet the people who engage in it are the well-off who can afford to buy irrigation equipment due to prolonged droughts in this region. I also intend to buy two Friesian dairy cattle @$350 each which I will use to pay a dowry for my spouse whose parents took her back home three months ago after I failed to pay the bride price."

"Receiving this money means a descent house for my family of seven and improved food production. I'm planning to use approximately 350 dollars to construct a two bedroom house for my family. I'm skilled in building and construction and this will aid in reducing the overall cost of constructing my house. In addition to this, I'll use 300 dollars to buy one pair of ox-plough for the purpose of farming so as to boost my seasonal production in my three acre farm. I'll further use 200 dollars to buy goats for domestic consumption. Doing this will make me happy and give me the peace of mind I desire."

"I was on my way to the dam to fetch water when I heard my phone ringing, notifying me of a new message. Upon checking, I realized that it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. Due to the excitement that I had, I decided to go back home and celebrate with my family because to me it was like a miracle. It was my first time receiving such a huge amount of money which is unconditional and nonrefundable."