"I used to be a shopkeeper but I lost my business. I now depend on casual labour and my small farming to make an income. I do not make much in terms of income as some days I can make up to less than $10. My goal has been to improve my house seeing that since the rains began my mud walled house has been slowly washed down and now it is leaking into the house. This makes the house so cold and in a sense unlivable. My monthly $24 savings is aimed at buying stones which I plan to use to build a new house for my family."

"My husband works as a loader in a maize milling company in Mombasa. He earns around $5 daily. I am a fishmonger as well as grocery seller, I make about $2 a day from this business. This only allows us to cover our basic needs and even at that with a strain, we can only struggle to cover for food and school fees and we do not have the luxury of saving. Givedirectly transfers however changed how things are for us. Now we have an extra amount of money that we can use to take care of needs that the earnings we have cannot. We need about $140 for a lorry of stones and $90 for sand. I am able to see myself achieve the goal of getting this materials to better my families living state thanks to Givedirectly."

"The organization excelled in empowering the remote villages that we believed were unlikely to receive assistance. Additionally, they permitted us to use our funds based on our individual needs, which was particularly noteworthy for me. As of now, I haven't identified any aspects that require adjustment or improvement."

"My son, Said, completed primary school last year with good grades to go to secondary school. However, throughout this year, sending him to high school has been difficult. Despite receiving cash transfers, most of it went to food needs and supporting the education of his three siblings. Only recently, a month ago, did I start saving some of the money through a self-help group to buy livestock. My husband used to support the kids in their education, but since he fell ill, he can no longer work. The burden has fallen on me, but with financial constraints, I haven't been able to send Karisa to high school. I hope to enroll him in school next year so that he won't lag in his studies. Also, while saving to buy goats, I believe that when I finally acquire the livestock, it will build sufficient wealth to support the education of my children in the future."

"My ultimate goal is to obtain a dairy cow and two bulls. With the dairy cow reproducing and growing the herd, I can increase my wealth to support my family's needs. Additionally, I can sell the milk to generate daily earnings for household needs like food. On the other hand, the two bulls will assist me with plowing activities on my farm. Currently, I mostly manually plow my farm, which is tiresome and physically demanding. This is because when it rains, plowing services are in high demand, and this may lead to conflicts with service providers balancing between clients. Owning my bulls and a plow will prevent such conflicts in the future."

"I aspire to keep livestock such as goats and poultry. Currently, I have bought two goats from the cash transfers, and my goal is to obtain at least seven more by the time the transfers end. Now that we have harvested food and hunger is not a concern anymore, I want to leverage the funds to buy goats. Since I have no source of income apart from GiveDirectly cash transfers, I am confident that rearing livestock will be a valuable source of income in the future. After the cash transfers have ended, I believe that the goats will have reproduced and increased, and I can sell some of them to support the education of my seven children."

"Still keeping my money as I wait for the second transfer so that I can buy land in a safer area."

"As I returned from tending to our home garden with my three children, our neighbors excitedly mentioned they had received funds from GiveDirectly. Curiously, I checked my phone, but no message had appeared. I Patiently waited until the following morning, yet still no notification arrived. It wasn't until I verified my balance that I discovered an additional $200—a sudden rush of joy flooded through me. Eagerly, I awaited my husband's return from the farm, and when I shared the news with him later that evening, his face lit up with happiness. We embraced the moment, grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, as it meant our plans could now move forward with renewed confidence."

"My goal is to utilize my upcoming transfers to enhance my business, thereby expanding my customer base and increasing my income. In the coming year, I aim to enroll in college and acquire expertise in the building and construction sector, aligning with my career aspirations and long-term objectives. The support from the transfers has been invaluable, significantly improving my life, for which I am truly grateful."

"At present, I possess six goats. My intention is to acquire an additional goat and then trade the total of seven goats for a bull. The bull will play a crucial role in preparing my land for planting during the rainy season. Furthermore, it will provide an opportunity for me to generate income by offering plowing services to others. The financial transfers have brought immense joy into my life, uplifting my circumstances."