"Currently, we find ourselves in possession of a surplus of food due to the abundant harvest from our farm, which was made possible by the heavy rainfall we received over the past three months. This unexpected abundance has presented me with a unique opportunity to redirect the funds I would have allocated for purchasing food towards acquiring livestock. By investing in livestock, particularly in the growth of our herd, I anticipate a promising future. The initial investment will continue to expand as the animals multiply, bringing a sense of joy and satisfaction. Additionally, the presence of livestock serves as a valuable asset that can be leveraged whenever the need for additional financial resources arises. Having the ability to cash in on the animals provides a sense of financial security and flexibility. Should there be any urgent financial requirements or unexpected expenses, I can rely on the value of the livestock to provide the necessary funds. This flexibility allows me to address unforeseen circumstances without the added stress of financial constraints."

"First of all I had lost hope but when I saw the message, I was very happy and I felt like the whole is under my control"

"I hold a deep passion for education and firmly believe that it holds the key to a bright and prosperous future for my children. With this conviction in mind, I am determined to allocate a significant portion of my forthcoming transfers towards financing their education. By investing in their learning and development, I am confident that they will have the opportunity to secure a promising future. In addition to prioritizing education, I see great potential in investing in livestock. This strategic decision will not only serve as a source of income for my family but also ensure a sustainable financial stream beyond the duration of the financial assistance I have received. By diversifying our income sources, we can create a more stable and secure future for ourselves. The support I have received thus far has been invaluable, and I am immensely grateful for it. It has provided us with the means to pursue our goals and aspirations, enabling us to take significant steps towards a better future. The financial assistance has uplifted our spirits and given us hope for a brighter tomorrow."

"In the coming year and beyond, my main objective is to achieve the significant milestone of constructing a new house for myself. This achievement will mark the end of my reliance on accommodation provided by my brother. Currently, I have already acquired 16 pieces of iron sheets, but I still need to obtain a few more. Additionally, I plan to purchase building poles and other necessary materials to ensure the successful completion of the house. The prospect of having my own house brings me great joy and satisfaction, and I am grateful for the financial support I have received thus far. The assistance I have been given has been instrumental in enabling me to make progress towards my goal. It has provided me with the means to acquire the required materials and move closer to realizing my dream of having a place to call my own."

"Paid school fees for children"

"Financial instability is what stands out to be my biggest challenge. This is because, apart from being a casual laborer in the mining sites of manganese, I am also involved in charcoal work as well as selling firewood. The income from all these activities combined is still hardly enough to cater to our needs at home. On average, I only make utmost $40 per month which I use to buy food. On the other hand, my 2 step-children who completed their A-level exams last year are yet to collect their results due to accumulated fee arrears of $1000. This has put more stress on me and I always feel pain watching them desperately at home. As a parent, this has robbed away my joy and hence, this is my source of stress."

"Now that I have completed my course in electrical engineering, I would like to set up an electrical business in the city. This is because I understand the kind of stock necessary for such a business and can offer my customers the best recommendations as I have adequate knowledge in this field being that it is related to the course I just concluded. The other reason why I would like to set up this kind of business is so that whenever I have procured any electrical jobs, I can purchase the required materials from the shop therefore promoting my own business while also earning from my career as an electrician. I will also recommend my colleagues to purchase such items from the shop to promote its growth. All in all, this business will provide an alternative source of income when I fail to find any jobs related to my field of expertise. The transfers will also help sustain and improve my poultry business, which I hope will soon help me purchase other types of livestock types such as goats."

"I was previously working as a shopkeeper but had to quit my job after a disagreement with my boss over salary increment. Since then, I have been relying on casual jobs especially in construction sites which are unreliable and not quite easy to find within the rural areas. This then forced me to relocate to Mombasa city where such jobs are easy to find. In the few months that I have been here, I have concluded that I do not want to work in this sector for too long as the job is tedious yet earns very little. For this reason, I have decided to take a driving course after which I can apply for a job in the transport sector as a pubic vehicle driver. This will give me a better a more stable income and also allow me to be with my family which I can later on relocate to the city as well once I have a decent earning. To achieve this, I have been saving part of my monthly transfers in a local savings group consisting of other recipients within the village and once I receive my share of the savings, I will use it as an enrolment fee in a driving school."

"I have a major goal of constructing business premises(4 rooms) within the nearby center for renting purposes with the assistance of my spouse who runs a business in Mombasa. This may take a while as it requires a lot of money, but I recently doubled the amount I save in the local savings group to make this more attainable. When I receive my share, I will be purchasing the required construction materials in bits to prevent the money from being spent on other needs that may pop up or may come up as emergencies. Once the business premises have been constructed, I will rent out three of them and retain one for my own business ventures. I intend to start a grocery business as a means of having a consistent flow of income even after this program is over to keep me from going back to the pathetic kind of lifestyle I lived before I was enrolled into this program. Before I dive into this major project however, I would like to fix a steel door onto my newly constructed house. As we could not afford a decent steel door yet, we are currently using a wooden door from our previous house which is not only spoiling the beauty of our new house but is also not providing much security as it is old and spoilt. This is therefore my biggest priority at the moment."

"My primary goal for the upcoming years is to prioritize the education of my children. After Matano completed his high school education, I took the initiative to prepare him for a potential military college by sending him to driving school. This decision was driven by the possibility that his K.C.S.E. results might not guarantee him direct admission to a university. To finance this endeavor, I had to acquire a loan of $220, as my job as a security guard only covers the most basic household expenses and not tuition fees. Fortunately, Matano's K.C.S.E. results were impressive, enabling him to secure a spot at the university. He is currently in his first year pursuing a bachelor's degree in education. However, with the rising costs of university education, he is required to pay approximately $2500 per year for the next four years. Additionally, I have another child in seventh grade who also depends on my financial support. Ideally, I wish the cash transfers could be provided in lump sums to allow me to clear my children's school fees in one go, alleviating the risk of their education being interrupted. Despite the challenges, I am determined to ensure they remain in school. If necessary, I am open to exploring options such as taking out loans to initiate income-generating ventures that can contribute to their tuition fees."