"GiveDirectly, in my opinion, succeeds at providing significant support to individuals in need while leaving them with the freedom to make their own decisions. Their approach is fair, truthful, and empowering, instilling trust and confidence in the support that they provide. GiveDirectly acknowledges and respects the unique needs and circumstances of each individual by allowing them to determine how to best use the money they receive. This strategy not only gives practical advantages, but it also aids in the restoration of dignity and self-esteem, both of which are critical in encouraging long-term sustainability and progress. Overall, GiveDirectly's method to distributing help promotes freedom and self-determination while offering genuine advantages to people in need."

"Since I desired to invest in goat keeping, I bought four Galla goats for $192. I did this so that I could start an investment. Owning the goats is a saving for the future and I can readily rely on them in case of financial need. I also bought two mattresses for $88 where one was for my children to sleep on. We had the beds but the bedding was tattered. I am happy that both my children and I sleep comfortably. Thereafter, I paid $58 school fees for my four primary school children who had been sent back home from school for school fees. Since both my spouse and I are casual laborers, we opted to keep the remaining amount for the family's upkeep."

"Upon withdrawing the money, I first cleared my children's school fees. I paid $110 for them so that they could concentrate on their studies. I also used $10 to buy some food for the family and saved the rest in the bank. I did this as I wait for the second transfer so that I combine the money to do an investment with my spouse. Since he is a driver, the aim is to take a loan from the bank and add to the transfers so that we buy a motor vehicle that will be used for carrying passengers. We opted for this idea so that we could have an income-generating activity."

"I initially decided to uphold the pledge I made to the field officers during enlistment when I withdrew the money. A pledge to invest in goats by buying some of them. I spent $180 on four goats as a result. I chose goats since they are less expensive to buy and can survive the extreme weather conditions in our region. After that, I spent $70 and $50, respectively, on a bed and a mattress. I initially slept on a little, conventional bed that was fastened with ropes. It was uncomfortable to sleep on that bed. I currently sleep on a contemporary standard bed with a comfortable mattress. Since the bed is so cozy to sleep in, I'm overjoyed. Additionally, I made a $40 payment for the two of my grandchildren who had been expelled from school due to unpaid fees. Concerning the balance, I decided to set money aside for the family's maintenance, including the purchase of food and other emergencies."

"While resting at home at around 1 pm due to the scorching sunshine, I heard a message tone from my phone. I slowly took it from the table to see what kind of message I had received. I was surprised after the confirmation that I had received $550 in my account. I felt very happy and thankful for the money. How I wished I could see the sender face to face so that I could appreciate it."

"After a lengthy period of keeping my children at home due to huge school fee arrears, I feel relieved that they have returned to school and are continuing their education. However, my earnings from selling charcoal are meager, and have done little to support my family's significant needs. Nevertheless, I managed to clear a $150 debt for two of my children in secondary school and paid $40 in school fees for my primary school son. Witnessing my children back in school and studying brings me great joy and gratitude. To invest in my future, I purchased a goat for $3.5, hopeful that it will multiply and increase in number, thus enhancing my initial investment. Another significant challenge I have encountered is the high cost of food products that have, on occasion, forced my family to go to bed on an empty stomach due to financial constraints. However, with a large stock of twenty-four packets of 2kg maize flour priced at $6.6, I am joyful that we have enough to last us for over a month, and I no longer fear going hungry. With the remaining $250, I plan to pay school fees for my three children in the upcoming term early next month. I am extremely grateful to the organization that gave us the cash transfers, which are transforming our lives positively. I lack words to express my gratitude towards the organization for their kind gesture"

"I received a message tone from my phone as I was tirelessly at work sowing some maize seeds on the farm. I was curious because it was the day I was anticipating getting some money from GiveDirectly, so I immediately left for home to ask someone to verify since I cannot read or write. My son was home when I got there. He verified that I had received the initial transfer of $550. As I realized I wouldn't have to live in humiliation for occupying a plot for which I had not paid in full, my emotions calmed down in joy and I felt at rest."

"I am a single mother of one and as such I faced a lot of challenges. Life is hard for me since I am left on my own to fend for my family. The father of my kid abandoned me when I became pregnant, apparently, he had a wife and he had never told me. It shook me to the core and gave me a wake-up call to work harder. I have many siblings and I felt like I was giving my parents a huge burden so I went to Nairobi to be a maid, I was being paid $50 a month. I made savings up to $300 which I used to purchase half an acre and put up a makeshift house. It has been a huge struggle, I still have a debt of $100 which has been hard to raise, the whole cost of the land was $400. The neighbour who sold me the land has been in my neck asking for the balance. I have neither had peace of mind nor sleep. He has on many occasions threatened to kick me out of the land until I cleared the remaining balance. I can now breathe a sigh of relief with the GiveDirectly transfers in the offing."

"We are a family of 4, every day is a struggle to make ends meet. It is not easy to fend for the family, we are inadequate in terms of food, and we are forced to buy the lack of funds notwithstanding. This way of life is unbearable, farming here is hard because of the vagaries of weather mostly unreliable rainfall, we depend on rain-fed agriculture yet we have had three failed rainy seasons and subsequently, we were not able to plant any food crops, it has caused us the kind of food insecurity that we are grappling at the moment."

"Two years now down the line since my husband passed away, life has never been fair to me. This is because as a mother, I am required to provide for my family of 8. This has not been easy since my small business of selling foodstuffs has not thrived well. In a month, I earn utmost $100. Although this can be a good amount, it can not fully cater to our needs because of the school fees burden. This amount is just a quarter of what we used to earn with my husband when we combined efforts. The headache is when I desperately watch my 4 school-going children at home due to lack of fees. As a mother, this has eaten up my mind and devoured my hope in life. The struggle to make ends meet to avoid the shame of my children dropping out of school has pushed me to a very tough end. Therefore, financial instability stands out as my biggest challenge."