"Since I fell ill, my life has been difficult because I cannot fend for myself not even attend to regular medical check-ups. My children are all grown up and live in a different place hence I am all alone. I borrow food from my neighbors and this has burdened me."

"As I continue to work towards covering the school fees of my two children, who are currently enrolled in secondary school, my aspirations for the upcoming year and beyond involve an expansion of my agricultural endeavors beyond my current focus on goat farming. My goal is to lease an additional parcel of land that offers access to water for irrigation. While I recognize the substantial investment required for leasing and implementing irrigation, my plan is to secure a plot in close proximity to major rivers, albeit a bit distant from my current residence. This strategic location would enable me to reduce expenses associated with purchasing numerous pipes and engaging in extensive water pumping from the river to the farm. To fund this venture, I intend to utilize proceeds from the sale of some of the goats, along with the savings I have accrued from my ongoing small-scale farming activities."

"GiveDirectly has made a remarkable impact in our village, uplifting numerous families through their unrestricted cash transfers. This experience marks the first instance in my life where I have received a substantial sum of money. Despite initial skepticism, I have grown confident in its authenticity and now look forward to maximizing its benefits. GiveDirectly's approach not only provided us with financial resources but also eliminated spending restrictions, empowering each individual to make personal decisions about their cash. This has enabled us to effectively address pressing concerns such as school fees, food provision, and future planning in anticipation of subsequent transfers. I am appreciative and commend GiveDirectly for their generous support, and I hope to see similar positive transformations replicated in other villages."

"The testimonies from the neighboring villages, which emphasized the program's authenticity and the significant improvements they experienced after receiving their transfers, fueled our excitement after enrolling in it. We were so excited, we could not wait for our turn. My concerns and trepidations started to fade when I got the confirming alert on my phone that afternoon, and the following morning, I started using the money. Given my reliance on scarce and low-paying casual jobs within the village, obtaining a sustainable source of food was paramount. Therefore, I spent $70 to purchase a sack of maize, which has been a valuable food reserve for my family of 10. Following that, my priority was paying the school fees for my two secondary school children. Despite them being frequently sent home due to unpaid tuition charges, I could not afford to settle the dues. In agreement with my spouse, we dedicated $100 to cover a month's worth of tuition charges, with plans to make the subsequent deposit when we receive the second transfer. Additionally, the remaining $29 was utilized for various household essentials such as toiletries, sugar, cooking oil, and kitchenware that were missing. While we do have livestock, we tend to rely on them only during extreme conditions, leading to the sale of one or two. I am genuinely grateful that GiveDirectly intervened, generously offering support not only now but also with the forthcoming transfers."

"One of the challenges we are facing as a family is poverty.Most of the time I can't afford to pay school fees for the children and provide for their personal needs since the landslide also made me relocate to a new place which am even renting. The rain is a big issue to us because its a threat to life and property including crops"

"Currently I have two goats, my goal is to expand the herd and also capitalize on the surplus chicken feeds available after the maize harvesting season. This will expand my poultry farming project and lead to an increased source of income. With the growth of my family in mind, I'm planning to enlarge my house, making it more spacious."

"At the moment, I am not at peace because I am yet to clear my children's school fees for the previous terms and am scared that the debts will spill into next year which would be unmanageable for me as a single parent. I hope to clear the pending amounts for all three of them before the end of the year so that I can lessen my burden for the coming year. Starting a new year with no debts gives me courage that I will manage to somehow pay their fees and keep them in school. The tough times I faced over the past few months have also taught me to have an emergency plan for such times. My most ideal plan is to have savings that can cushion me during such times, but since this has proven impossible due to low income, I want to invest more on long time investments such as having more goats. Yes I do have a few goats at the moment and if was forced to sell them all, I would be devastated as the thought of having no livestock would make me feel even more vulnerable. My aim is have a good number of goats so that when I have to sell some of them during emergencies, I would still have some left. Having 3 children in secondary school and the forth one almost joining them, I have to find a means that can help me raise some decent amount fast when need be and goats fit the bill in this case."

"I have had a long term dream of owning goats as they seem to thrive better around here and also require very minimal care. They are also a good investment as they can easily be sold in times of need and can also fetch a decent amount compared to other easy to rare livestock such as chicken. For this reason, I have been saving part of my monthly transfers($10) in a local savings groups since the beginning of the year and when I finally receive my share at the end of the year, I believe I am finally going to achieve my dream. Having these goats will be a sure way of cushioning me against any financial emergencies especially now that I do not have a job. I as previously teaching at local private school, but when I went my maternity leave, I was replaced an has not succeeded in securing another job. The little amount I earn from the small business I do is not enough help much in serious situations where huge amounts of money is required fast."

"Receiving financial support from GiveDirectly felt like a true blessing. It provided a valuable opportunity for me to utilize the funds judiciously. My husband and I rely on farming for our livelihood, at the moment I have two who are still under my care as the rest are grown. With this in mind, I decided to invest in goats that could serve as an emergency income source. To achieve this, I spent $120 for purchasing goats. Additionally, I directed $200 towards fencing, a step that would facilitate easier cultivation of crops. This had been a challenging endeavor in the past due to financial limitations, exacerbated by harsh weather conditions that limit our farm's income potential. Finally, I used the remaining funds to acquire essential food supplies. The assistance we received has significantly elevated our living standards and granted us a level of financial autonomy, for which we will forever be thankful."

"I aspire to enclose my entire plot of land with a fence to facilitate the expansion of my farming activities. I am confident that this endeavor would enhance our financial situation, subsequently contributing significantly to covering my children's school fees. To transform this dream into a reality, I intend to utilize my third transfer specifically for the purpose of fencing."