"I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I shall have reduced my dependence on the monthly transfers by a great extent. This, I am optimistic shall come to pass due to the numerous investments that I am making now. These investments shall bring me income in the long run and enable me make other valuable investments that will change my living standards."

"Would you imagine surviving on a 0.1 acre piece of land which is expected to feed a family of 7? As an unmarried woman in my culture, I do not have right to ownership of land. When I got divorced this is the only piece of land given to me under the mercies of my mother. I use the land to plant maize and is still a grazing land for my cow. I have 3 children in school and my greatest worry is that their fees is going to overwhelm me especially that they are joining secondary school next year."

"For a long time the roofing on my kitchen has been leaking and uncomfortable to stay in during rainy season. It has been a challenge to my children who sleep there. They have a hard time concentrating in school the following day due to insufficient sleep. Receiving this money will enable me to install a new corrugated iron sheet roofing at a cost of 108 usd. This is going to make my children proud of their home and have a life of dignity that they deserve."

"I no longer feel very comfortable sleeping in my brother's house because I do not have the freedom I need as a teenager, hence the need to construct my own house once I complete high school. This may be tough because I do not have any source of income, but I hope I will have achieved this dream within the next six months with the help of the transfers I receive from Give Directly and through casual jobs."

"I have been rearing goats since 2008. In 2014 I sold all my goats in order to educate my children who were in school. At the moment, My elder son is in college pursuing a medical course and the young one is in secondary school. Educating my children has been my biggest struggle due to the lack of a reliable source of income. The transfer I am about to receive is a boost to their education as I am planning to spend 700 USD in clearing their fee balances. I am also planning to use part of my second transfer in starting a small food outlet that will act as my reliable source of income."

"My family has been relying on indigenous livestock rearing that we leased from my neighbor. We usually benefit from the milk that we sell mostly $1.5 per 7 liters in order to sustain our basic needs. I have wished to have my own cows but this has never been fulfilled due to financial instability. Receiving this money means fulfillment of my longterm desire of owning livestock as I am planning to purchase 4 cows at $120 each. The remaining amount will be used in purchasing an oxen to help in upscaling my farming."

"Financial constraint is the biggest hardship that we are currently facing. In this era where there exists so many motorbikes, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be employed as a rider and be expected to deliver ksh.400 everyday to the owner and at the same time save a little from the days earnings for once own upkeep. The standard rate of ksh.400 that has to be paid to the employer on a daily basis regardless of wether one managed to work or not tends to make riders to strain a lot and that is why I wish for my husband to have his own motorbike for his own independence and peace of mind.Sometimes they go for so many days without getting any orders to supply charcoal but still he is forced to source for the standard fee to pay the owner.This is the cause for all our financial woes because much as we try to save up,the little that we have ends being consumed in paying the employer on days that he did not work thus forcing us to live in a continuous cycle of poverty and dependency of eating from hand to mouth. "

"I feel the biggest difference in my daily life is that I now own goats which to me are assets of great value. I know they will reproduce, multiply and increase in number. I will be able to sell them in future and educate my children and also to meet other financial needs through these goats. These are a source of finance and saving for the future of my children's education."

"I received a message early that morning and on checking, I realized it was from GiveDirectly notifying me that I had received KES 55000 from them. I felt happy because I knew the money would help me to reduce a loan that had been really troubling me for long."

"I am a business woman who buys and sells milk.Depending on this one business has been a challenge because of varying seasons.I therefore want to open a retail shop when I receive this money.I believe this business will pick because my target customers are the ones that I buy milk from.I will build a structure in my farm since it is strategically located beside the road.This will save me the expense of paying rent.The cost of building and buying stock will cost me Ksh 40,000(400 USD).My husband is also a business man and part of the money will go to his business.He sells firewood to schools.I also want to fence my compound using mesh wire so that I can rear chicken."