"Upon receiving $180 from GiveDirectly, I felt immense happiness and relief. As an internally displaced person (IDP), forced to leave my home in North Baringo due to the cattle-raiding conflicts, this support felt like a lifeline. I used $100 of the money to buy materials to build a toilet—a necessity I didn’t have. Building this toilet will greatly improve my family’s hygiene and restore a sense of dignity that has been missing. With $30, I was able to address our immediate food needs. Since I don’t have land here to grow crops, I rely on buying food. Thanks to this money, I now have enough food to last my family for over two months, which brings great relief. Finally, I sent the remaining money to my child, who had called to tell me they were struggling without food at home. It felt essential to share this support and express my love for them, as I understand all too well the challenges they are facing. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for this generous help."

"Now that my mental health is improving day by day, I have a new goal: to build a two-room house. For so long, I've been sleeping at my mother's house, which I feel ashamed of because both she and I need our privacy. I plan to accomplish this goal by selling one acre of land that my father left behind, with the full support of my family members. I want to heal completely and fulfill this dream. Once I achieve it, I'll finally have the protection I've been missing, and by the time I start my own family, I'll be well-prepared with proper shelter."

"I am a crop farmer, and where I live, accessing water is difficult due to the distance, which makes farming unproductive without rains. With my transfer, I rented an acre of land for $100, and I plan to plant maize this month. Additionally, I bought three goats for $65, $62, and $60. I didn’t own goats before, and I have always wanted to have them, but money was a challenge, especially since crop farming sometimes fails. I have also been buying milk, which is costly, but with this investment, I will no longer need to buy milk. To diversify my income, I used my first transfer to buy 30 chicks after losing 35 to floods. They used to help me a lot, especially with daily needs. With this transfer, I bought their feed for $30 and medicine for $50 to keep them healthy. Previously, their coop was made of polythene, and they could roam freely, which sometimes led to losses or attacks by animals. To protect them better, I bought wire mesh for $18 and paid $5 for labor to construct a safer coop. Furthermore, my house needed repairs. The back wall was made of mud, while the other sides were iron sheets. I have had to repair the mud wall frequently, especially during the rains when it kept falling apart. Smearing the wall was also difficult. I bought five iron sheets for $60 and spent $15 on labor to replace the mud wall. The remaining money went to food, as we did not have enough. I bought a bag of maize and other food items to sustain us. Thank you, GiveDirectly!"

"The GiveDirectly officers did an excellent job when they came to our community. They spoke to us with respect, taking the time to educate us about scammers who might pose as GiveDirectly representatives to defraud us. They also provided valuable guidance on how to plan and use our money wisely, ensuring that we made good choices with the funds we received. I appreciated their clear communication and the care they showed for our well-being. I haven’t encountered anything negative from GiveDirectly so far, and I feel grateful for their support and advice."

"The program came at the perfect time, just when we were in severe distress after being forced to relocate due to the floods that destroyed our homes. Without this support, we would have faced immense hardship, and we are deeply grateful for it. As our lives begin to normalize after the shock of the floods, we have been able to rebuild our homes and replace essential household items we lost, helping us regain stability. The unconditional transfers from GiveDirectly have been invaluable in helping us improve our lives during such a challenging time. In fact, I believe they’ve done everything exceptionally well to support our community."

"In the coming year, my goal is to build a sturdy home for my family. This past year, I have been sleeping in a makeshift structure with no walls and a leaking roof. My previous house collapsed last year, and I haven’t been able to rebuild due to financial limitations and the difficulty of finding casual work. With the ongoing support from the transfers, I plan to set aside a portion each month to buy building poles and, eventually, iron sheets. Once I have gathered all the necessary materials, I’ll save for labor costs to begin construction. I am truly appreciative of the financial support, which is helping me get closer to achieving my dream of a secure home for my family."

"I am unable to take on any job that demands my full attention because I need to care for my sick child. My child has epilepsy, and it’s important for me to be present. Consequently, I spend most of my time on childcare. I want to establish a business that I can manage from home, which will help me balance my household duties while allowing me to focus on my child. I've considered starting a chicken farming business. Additionally, I plan to use part of my funds to purchase more goats. My aim is to raise about 10 breeding goats, and along with the chickens, this will create a source of income for me. Once these projects are up and running, I will feel less stressed, even when my income ends, as I will have an investment to depend on. If I encounter financial difficulties, I can sell some of my livestock to generate money for my support instead of relying on relatives."

"As a mother of one, I aim to expand my shop, where I currently sell products like flour, oil, sugar, rice, and soap. Previously, I relied solely on farming, which meant I had no income during the dry seasons. Thanks to the support from GiveDirectly and my husband, I was able to start this business, which keeps me busy and increases my income. I plan to save my transfers along with the profits from my shop to improve my inventory. I want to add new items like beans and greens and increase my stock to boost my profits and grow the business further. This will enhance my daily income, making it much easier for me to support my family."

"Living in this house has been quite challenging, especially during the rainy season. Many years ago, I built this small, one-roomed grass-thatched mud house, and it leaks significantly when it rains, making it feel like I'm outside even when I'm indoors. My main objective for the coming year and beyond is to construct a spacious, iron-roofed house. I'm glad to have gathered enough iron sheets and the necessary poles. I am actively working to collect the remaining materials needed to start construction. This is a top priority for me as I have a small child, and our living conditions are not conducive to her health. Therefore, I am optimistic that we will soon commence the building work. I truly appreciate GiveDirectly for their financial support, without them, I wouldn't have been able to purchase all these building materials. I continue to use my transfers to invest in this project until I achieve my final goal."

"As a mother of two, my greatest joy is witnessing my children receive a quality education and improve their lives. To ensure they can attend a good school, I am pursuing a college education in tailoring. My goal is to start my own tailoring business after graduation, which I believe will provide a better income for my family. Thanks to GiveDirectly's support, I am able to cover my school fees. Once I finish my studies, I intend to launch my business, and I am confident that the income I generate, along with these transfers, will significantly assist in purchasing building materials, enabling us to construct our dream house. Currently, we live with my mother-in-law because my spouse and I got married when he didn't have a house. With over a year remaining in my college education, I am focused on opening my business afterward. Once my spouse and I manage to build our dream house, I plan to invest in livestock, particularly goats, to further secure our financial future."