"When I received a sum of $180, I used $60 to buy fencing posts and another $50 was used to hire a piece of land for farming under irrigation. $20 was used to cater for labour by people who helped me put up the fence. $15 was used to pay school fees for one of my children and the remaining amount was used to meet other needs of my family. I am eternally grateful that this transfer has completely turned around my life by enabling me achieve things that would otherwise have remained as just dreams. Being a single mother of four who relies on livestock keeping and irrigation farming to earn a living, things had been tough for me especially with the drought situation that we have been experiencing. We have hardly had any rains over the last three years making our lives very difficult. I am so happy and grateful to God for the mitigation that this transfer has brought not just in my life but for everyone within my village that has received this transfer. We look forward to achieving much more with the transfers that we are expecting and on top of my priority list is to clear school fees for my children and make them .kre comfortable in school."

"The biggest difference in my daily life is in what I have been able to achieve with the money. The fact that we have averted hunger during such a time and the school fees that I have fully paid for my two children who are in secondary school makes me really happy and peaceful. Had I not received these transfers then things would have been tough. This is because the livestock that I have been depending on to pay such fees and meet other expenses have also been badly affected by the prevailing drought. My whole family is happier than we have ever been in our lives. We look forward to achieving much more with the remaining transfers."

"GiveDirectly has done an excellent job of improving the living conditions of people living in poverty. Through their efforts, families who were once sleeping on the floor—mine included—now have access to clean and comfortable beds. This has had a significant impact on the quality of our lives, allowing us to sleep well and feel more comfortable in our homes. GiveDirectly's work has undoubtedly contributed to the alleviation of poverty, and many families who have benefited from their programs have appreciated their efforts."

"I aspired to build a shop on the roadside adjacent to my property after completing the initial transfer. The area seemed like an advantageous location for any business, and I am content to have begun the project using the first two transfers, although I am undecided on what goods to stock. I have already purchased metal poles, roofing frames, iron sheets, doors, and windows, but I still require some blocks for the foundation before plastering the floor. I reside near a lake that is often visited by tourists who buy various products, from agricultural produce to retail goods. As a farmer, I plan to sell butternuts and watermelon initially, then add retail and packaged foods to cater to the local community and visitors. Although the second transfer was inadequate to complete the construction, I believe that the third transfer will be enough to acquire cement and pay for the workforce that will finish the floors. GiveDirectly made my dream come true, and I am optimistic that the shop will lead to other income-generating ventures. My husband and I also own active farms that have been our primary source of income, alongside the shop we are currently pursuing."

"As my age advances, my ability to work and make an income will decrease. This is why I want to dive deeper into rearing livestock because it is the only way I will be able to provide for my family in the future. Currently, I have three goats and three chickens that I obtained using previous cash transfers. My plan is to continue spending most of the cash transfers to buy more goats and chickens. I believe as they reproduce, they will build me a solid source of income. "

"My goal is to continue controlling my chest complications by obtaining appropriate medication. I never want my health to relapse to where it was before I started receiving the cash transfers. In my old age, I cannot work for an income, which makes cash transfers my main source of income. I trust that I will be able to use the money for my treatment as well as obtain goats for rearing. I trust that owning goats will grow my wealth and allow me to cover my needs in the future. "

"Apart from improving my family’s well-being by providing food and supporting the education of my six children, I wish to revamp the roofing of my house. Over the period, the tin roof has corroded and developed perforations, which let it water when it rains, thus dampening the space. I have acquired up to 16 iron sheets through the previous cash transfers, the aim is to secure at least 25 pieces. Once I complete the renovation exercise, I wish to go back to buying goats and cows to expand my existing herd of five goats and three cows. I believe that this will build me enough wealth to provide for my family in the future. "

"My happiness will be to see my grandson Kelly study all the way to college without worrying about his tuition. I hope this season’s rains support the growth of crops so that I can cultivate enough food. This will allow me to save the money from the transfers for Kelly’s school expenses. Also, in the next few years, I wish to have renovated the roof of my house. I am not happy about how damaged and unsteady it looks right now; it can be easily blown away by the wind. "

"Am focussed on building a new house within the next year. My current house is in a poor condition, as the rusted and loose iron sheets allow water to enter the space whenever it rains. This exposes my family to cold infections sometimes and it gets me worried. My plan is to secure building materials like iron sheets and building poles, then hire someone to construct a two-room house. As I work on the construction project, I also wish to continue supporting the education of my five children, who are still in elementary school. I believe that education is the surest way to brace their future so that they may not end up in hardships like I did. "

"We are a family of 7 and we are faced with numerous challenges that are insurmountable but top on the list is food insecurity. Lack of enough food has been biting and it has seriously affected us. We used to sell charcoal as a source of livelihood but at some point, the government banned the burning of charcoal and it made our lives so difficult. The situation was further worsened by the ever-increasing cost of living, the cost of 1 kg of maize flour is $0.8, which is very expensive for us, and at times we cannot afford it and we are forced to sleep on porridge. Everytime I think of it my stress level rises."