Operating a small grocery business currently, my primary objective is to secure a more substantial source of income before the conclusion of this program. This endeavor aims to prevent a return to the challenges we faced in providing for our children's basic needs in the past. Collaborating with my husband, we have set our sights on acquiring a small piece of land in a nearby shopping center, with a price tag of $300, to establish rental business premises. Upon securing this land, we envision an opportunity to expand our business operations, potentially relocating to the bustling business center. This move would significantly enhance our visibility and attract a larger customer base, thereby fostering business growth and financial stability. To realize this goal, my spouse and I have enlisted in a monthly savings group, each contributing $10. We intend to utilize our savings to partially finance the acquisition of the land, with a target of completing the payment by year's end. While striving towards these long-term objectives, my daily focus remains steadfast on meeting the basic needs of our children. It is my utmost priority to ensure they are well-fed, properly clothed, and attending school without any disruptions that may impede their academic performance. By nurturing their well-being and educational pursuits, I am laying the foundation for their future success and prosperity.

Since I started receiving these transfers, my small grocery business has experienced significant growth. Initially, I faced challenges due to purchasing stock in small quantities, which incurred higher costs, especially with the added expense of transporting items from the nearest town, several kilometers away. However, with the assistance of these transfers, I have been able to procure stock in larger quantities, reducing the frequency of trips to town and thereby maximizing profits. Moreover, alongside the expansion of my business, I have also been able to cultivate my savings habits. By setting aside $10 of the transfers each month in a merry-go-round savings scheme, I am steadily accumulating funds to pursue larger investment endeavors before the project concludes. Furthermore, these transfers have been instrumental in ensuring the continuity of my children's education. With six out of seven children enrolled in school, the financial burden of meeting their educational needs would have been overwhelming if solely reliant on the income from my business. These transfers have provided crucial support, enabling me to fulfill their school requirements and guarantee their consistent attendance, while also catering to their other essential needs.

I intend to acquire a parcel of land and construct a rental property in proximity to a main road, with the aim of generating income from it. I also aspire to facilitate the payment of school fees for my children with a lot of ease. As the program progresses, I anticipate that our lives will undergo a positive transformation, and my shop business will experience growth ensuring that I can cater to the daily needs of our household.

Our family consists of seven children, with five of them currently attending school. Both my husband and I are farmers, over the past few months, thanks to GiveDirectly through the transfers, we were able to cultivate our three-acre land. With $34, we planted maize, ensuring a sustainable source of food for our family. This was far more cost-effective and reliable than purchasing food from the market. Not long ago, we encountered a pressing issue we had school fees arrears, amounting to $30 for our children. And again through the transfers we resolved this matter by making the necessary fees payments. Without this support, our children would have not been allowed to attend school and sit for their end-of-year exams. Following this, I spent $15 to purchase a dress for myself, a small luxury I hadn't enjoyed in a while and contributed $10 to our merry-go-round group, which consists of six members. This group enables us to pool funds for various household improvements. Previously, our income was unpredictable, but these transfers have now become a major source of stability in our livelihood.

I have six children who are currently going to school, and with no reliable source of income, getting money to fully pay for their school fees had been a great challenge. But with the challenges, I had never given hope and my main goal is to see all my children complete their education. To achieve this, I would be saving part of my monthly transfers and the little proceeds from my business so that I have enough money to cater for their higher education.

I received the transfers at a time when I really needed financial assistance. Two of my children had been sent home to collect school fees and I did not have the money to take them back. In addition, I also have a business of selling small fish which was on the verge of collapsing since I had no money to boost it up. But when I received the transfers, I was grateful because I managed to take care of the situation; I paid the pending school fees balance of $5 to each one of them, boosted my business with an amount of $14 and finally bought food for my family worth $10.70. I felt so happy and was so grateful for the support.

Last year September, I joined a Merry go round that has six people. We normally save and at the end of the month, one gets around $60 and it makes me feel good. I bought three hectares of land on loan and I have to settle $1000 to the owners of the land within the time span we have decided. The only thing I want to do now is to settle my debt of which it's becoming easier because of the monthly transfers and when I finish settling my debt, I start farming. The rainy seasons are fast approaching and all we pray for is that it rains as we have prepared our land and are waiting for rain. I believe when I sell all my produce I will be able to make huge profit and start a business for myself. I am yet to decide what I will be selling in my business but I am really grateful to GiveDirectly for remembering us.

I am a mother of six amazing children who sells fish and sugar in my small cabin. My husband has no stable job as of now and all he does is move up and down in search of a job. The moment I received my transfers, I went and added stock to my existing business. I spent $10 on my business and ensured that my business was fully stocked. My children are in school and they are working towards their goals and so as not to fail them as a parent, I took $10 and paid their school fees that brought a smile on their faces. The remaining amount of $14 I bought food for my family because it has not rained for sometime now and we are running out of food so with every money we get, we have to buy enough food and stock it in our house.

It gives support to the people in the village, apart from the money we get from my business, I can now come up with business ideas, and it gives me hope that all is well.

I own a business where I sell sugar, tea leaves, and sardines. I started the business in 2021. The business has been slow, on a good day I would get $6 and in the evenings I would use the money to buy food for my family. With the recent transfer, I spend $10 on school fees for my two children who are in Secondary school, stocked my business with sardines for $10, bought one chicken for $3, and finally bought food for $7. I have six children, five are in school and one is two years old. This transfer has helped me expand my business, I have been getting a profit of $7 a day

It was 4 p.m. on a Friday, and I had nothing planned. As a result, I decided to take a break with my children, who were eager to tell me about their school experiences. Surprisingly, GiveDirectly sent me a Mpesa message. The message took my attention from my children, and I began to wonder if it was true. One of my children, seeing my happy expression, inquired as to what had occurred. I could hide telling him about such a fortunate occurrence. I had no choice but to tell them how lucky I was to receive financial assistance from GiveDirectly.

I have always found it easy to raise money for our daily needs, such as food for the family, through my business of selling omena. It was not performing well at the time I received the transfer due to insufficient stock, and I was concerned. With the transfer, I was able to expand it by purchasing more stock. This has revitalized my business, and I can always make enough money to meet our family's daily needs. The most noticeable difference GiveDirectly's transfer has made in my life is improved business performance.

I have always considered poultry farming to be the most suitable alternative source of income. During the Christ Mass season, I always make some money from it. They are always in high demand during the holiday season. I had nine fully grown domestic birds by the time I received my transfers. As a result, I decided to spend KES 600 on two more hens. I'm glad I have eleven hens right now.  In addition, I have been running a business dealing with the sale of omena. Because I did not have adequate stock, I also opted to spend KES 570 on buying and expanding that business.   Fortunately, it is picking up well, and I can rely on it for my daily meals.