"In 2018, I successfully completed my high school education, with the aspiration of pursuing a career in automotive engineering at a college. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, my college dreams were put on hold. Since then, I have been making ends meet by working various low-paying jobs, occasionally taking on temporary teaching positions that lack stability. With the limited savings I've managed to accumulate from these endeavours and the monthly transfers, I am now preparing to enrol in a technical college to further my education. I am optimistic that the monthly transfers will cover my educational expenses, enabling me to earn the necessary certificates. This will equip me with the skills needed to secure a job, a significant step forward from relying solely on my high school qualifications, which have proven insufficient in today's job market."

"My utmost priority is to guarantee the fulfilment of my children's educational aspirations. Among my children, two are in high school and three are in primary school, and I am dedicated to supporting them in achieving their academic goals through this program. To finance their education, I have primarily relied on the income generated from my poultry project, which involves selling eggs to hotels, yielding approximately $16. However, this income alone has proven insufficient to meet all the financial requirements associated with their education. Therefore, I heavily depend on monthly transfers to bridge the gap and ensure that my children's education remains uninterrupted. Witnessing them continue their learning journey without any disruptions due to fee-related concerns is my greatest aspiration."

"I faced significant challenges in covering the educational expenses of my five children until I joined this program. Initially, I had six children, and I am immensely relieved that, thanks to the program's support, one of them successfully completed high school. Now, I have five children remaining, and my primary goal is to ensure their academic success. Without a job or any source of income to rely on, I heavily depend on the assistance provided through this program. My main objective is to consistently pay their school fees, thereby preventing any disruptions in their education. I firmly believe that by the end of this program, my children will have made significant progress in their educational journey."

"The biggest difference in my life now is that all my children are attending school without interruptions. In the past, they used to be sent home frequently because we could not afford to pay their school fees all at once, resulting in arrears. I am incredibly happy that this heavy burden has been lifted from our shoulders, and for that, I am truly grateful."

"I was enjoying a quiet moment at home, lost in my thoughts, when my phone suddenly rang, breaking my concentration. As I checked my text messages, I discovered that GiveDirectly had indeed fulfilled their promise and sent me money. It was an incredible moment of pure happiness, marking the most significant day of my life. Filled with joy, I quickly shared the news with my husband, who was also at home, and he shared in my excitement. Together, we started strategizing how to make the most effective use of this transfer, especially since our most pressing need was unpaid school fees, a result of our unstable sources of income."

"The biggest difference in my daily routine has been the ability to send my children back to school promptly. They were initially sent home due to unpaid school fees, which I couldn't afford at the time. I am also filled with hope that I will be able to start cultivating tomatoes once I receive my second transfer, which promises to be more profitable. It brings me immense joy to know that my life is finally poised for a positive transformation."

"I am currently employed in a local hair salon within the village as a hairdresser, but my dream is to own a Salon of my own in town where there are more customers and service charges are also much better compared to the village. Working here is good as it helps me sharpen my skills, learn new trends, gain more experience and above all earn a living to support my family, but having to surrender 30% of my earnings to my employer does not please me. For this reason, I would like to open my own salon by early 2024. This will boost my income and also give me an opportunity to employ others. Having been saving for a number of years, I will be able to access a loan from the bank soon which will help me set up this business in town. This business will guarantee me a full-time job, better earnings which means a better life for my family. Once I clear the loan with the help of the transfers and the earnings from the business, I will apply for more so that I can purchase a piece of land and construct a house for my family as I am a single mother and has no one to rely on."

"The most significant change in my daily life since receiving the first transfer from GiveDirectly is the ability to pay for the school fees of my five children. Previously, they would often stay at home for extended periods when we struggled to gather enough funds to send them back to school. With this support, I now have the means to keep them in school consistently, and I look forward to seeing them improve their grades as they no longer miss lessons. This transformation has brought immense relief and hope for a brighter future for my children, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity it provides us to secure their education."

"The first transfer from GiveDirectly made a significant impact on my life and that of my family. With three children currently in secondary school, the burden of their tuition charges has been a constant challenge, given the absence of a reliable source of income. The support was timely, as I had accumulated tuition arrears of $55 for one of my children, and I feared his education would be interrupted. I promptly paid off that debt, and I am now preparing for the upcoming term for the other two. The casual labor I had been relying on after my farming activities failed due to changing climatic conditions could not cover both school fees and other household needs. Therefore, I used $50 to purchase essential foodstuffs for my family of nine. I spent $73 to buy a mattress for my three children and new clothes for some family members who needed replacements for their old and worn-out attire. Additionally, I spent $6 on two plastic basins, and I sent the remaining $10 to my daughter in school to cover her upkeep expenses, as she had been away from home for an extended period. While I have not established long-term projects yet, I am grateful for the support and remain hopeful that subsequent transfers will eventually leave a lasting positive impact on our lives."

"After collecting the money from the nearby shopping center with my spouse, we decided to invest in reviving a motorcycle taxi business by refurbishing my old motorcycle. We spent $100 on buying spare parts and paying for labor, and I am delighted that, despite the challenging economic conditions, I can now earn at least $3 a day. The motorcycle's breakdown had forced me to rely on hard-to-find and low-paying casual labor, which required long hours of work. We also used a portion of the funds, $70, to purchase household goods, including foodstuff and clothes for our two children. With the remaining $30, we acquired plastic seats for our home, which has made our living space much more comfortable. We had constructed a new house previously but lacked sufficient seating, so this opportunity allowed us to provide comfort for ourselves and our visitors. This support has not only improved our financial situation, but has also enhanced our quality of life."