"It was around 6 am when my helper came into my room and informed me about the good news that GiveDirectly had sent my first transfer into my account. I felt so happy because I knew there are hopes of living a healthier and better life. I had been sick for years and now I had hopes of finally going to the hospital and getting proper medication."

"As a parent and in my area, I have always known the best investment was through livestock. This is because despite our area being semi-arid, we can afford to find pasture for them and it's the best investment I could ever get in my life. I tried saving from my casual work to buy livestock and due to low income, I was not able to. I had given up on the dream and decided to focus on ensuring my family had the basic needs. When I received my second transfer, I used part of it to buy two bulls which I use for cultivating my farm. I can also cultivate other people's farms at a cost which earns me an extra income. I no longer have to pay someone to plough my farm for me. Thanks to GD."

"Lack of alternative sources of income has been the biggest hardship in life. A year ago, I used to work in the transport sector and our work was to ferry charcoal using a lorry. Life then was smooth and I could meet the family's needs with much ease. Then came the government directive that prohibited charcoal burning business. My boss couldn't keep up with the constant harassment from the government agencies and led to the untimely closure of business. Since then, I have been jobless and providing for the family has been a real struggle. At the moment, I survive on odd jobs within the village. Receiving this money will enable me to venture into agriculture, and that will better the wellbeing of the family."

"My husband and I were confirmed HIV positive 13 years ago, and the stigma that we've had to endure for all these years is imaginable. With no stable source of income, that has subsequently led to poor nutrition due to lack of finances to maintain a healthy diet, fighting the virus has been an uphill task. With the daily medication, sometimes engaging in any meaning work is difficult and that has led to the continued financial constraint. We struggle a lot to feed and keep our children in school and that is the biggest hardship in our lives."

"I have depended on my mother for milk in a long time. After receiving this money I am going to purchase a dairy cow worth Kshs 30,000 (300usd). Proceeds from sale of this cow's surplus milk will aid me in paying school fees for my daughter who is 2 years shy of completing high school to join university."

"My husband and I have raised 9 lovely children. While we want to secure a better future for them, taking them through various levels of education for the last 20 years has been a thorny path. My small cereals business and my husband's carpentry work does not bring enough money to the table to educate such a huge number, especially the three who are in the university now. While one more is in secondary school, three others are in a candidate class and owing to their brightness their transition to high school come January next year is a guarantee. I am afraid we are going to be overwhelmed by this inevitable obligation should we not find financial breakthrough."

"Due to unreliable rainfall in this area that has resulted to prolonged droughts, our lands have been unproductive unlike in the past whereby we could get good harvests from practicing small scale farming and we could sell our yield to earn a living. Paying school fees for our four children in secondary school is so tasking now that my spouse works as a PTA teacher in a nearby school and earns ksh 10000 per month. All his earnings goes to clearing school fees arrears. We mainly depend on selling 4 litres of milk daily produced by our cow at Ksh 30 per litre in order to buy food and other basic needs and whenever there is drought like now, milk production goes down hence the cow produces one litre of milk. I have to sell half of the litre at ksh 15 and the remaining half is left for family consumption. This is the biggest hardship we face in our family"

"This financial support has enabled me pay for a piece of land which when cultivated, its produce will fully benefit my family. Before receiving this money, I hired land for farming that couldn't earn alot for my family because the produce got was used for renting land and family support. Secondly, I have acquire a bed and a new mattress that has made me very happy. Previously, I slept on an old mattress that was uncomfortable without a bed."

"In the next six months, I expect to see my children who are currently preparing for their final secondary examinations having joined their various colleges. I have a lot of hopea in them that they will really perform and obtain good grades enough to usher them to the next level of education. My expectation also is that, I will have furnished my new house with new furniture which I am currently working hard to see that I obtain. To ensure that my children join college so that I improve my farming. And also my furniture with iron sheets"

"In the next six months I am hopeful that I would have started my small shop business. I am currently saving towards it and before long I will start the construction of a shop which will then be followed by stocking with the necessary goods."