I am currently in school and have many aspirations, but in the upcoming year and beyond, I want to focus on my studies first so I can complete my secondary education with good grades. The poverty I have experienced motivates me to work harder so that one day I can change the future of my family. I hope to attend university. My immediate aim is to study diligently and achieve high grades that will enable me to get into a good college. I want to look back one day and remember that I succeeded in life because of these opportunities. There were times when I y like giving up due to financial struggles, but I am grateful that Give Directly stepped in to help. I often feel emotional when I reflect on where I started. I believe that with a strong education, I can secure a well-paying job that will better our family’s circumstances, lift us out of poverty, and help us achieve a better quality of life. My mother sells charcoal, and my father is a small-scale farmer, making it challenging to support my education along with my younger siblings. With these transfers, I am confident that I will achieve my dream.

I am currently in form three and will be moving up to form four next year. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because, without their support, I would have had to drop out of school due to a lack of funds for my school fees. Fortunately, their assistance came just in time. With my most recent transfer, I used $55 to cover my fees as we were nearing the end of the term. If I hadn’t done this, I would have been unable to sit for my exams. Additionally, I purchased a pair of school shoes for $4 since my previous pair was nearly worn out. I also spent $5 on a school uniform and $9 for a bed, as I don't have one at home. I opted to pay for the bed in installments, and once I finish the payments, I will go and collect it.

I am currently in school and have many goals, but I am unsure how to achieve them due to our challenging living conditions. Living in poverty is difficult, as we struggle to meet even our basic needs. My immediate goal is to study hard and earn good grades that will allow me to attend a good college. With a solid education, I hope to secure a well-paying job that will improve our family's situation, lift us out of poverty, and help us start living a better life.

I am currently in Form Three at Mnazi Mwenga Secondary School. Whenever I receive my transfers, I make sure to clear my remedial fees to avoid any interruptions in my studies. I spent $75 to pay these fees, ensuring that my education continues smoothly. With the remaining $27, I covered the cost of an academic trip. The trip was very educational; we visited various geographical features that we had studied in our books. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I was able to attend this trip and see these features firsthand, which will help me remember them better for my exams.

Living through poverty has been a challenge, but it won't dictate our future. I refuse to let those tough times define us. Every opportunity to better our situation is one I seize with determination. The fear of returning to poverty fuels my drive to work even harder, ensuring my family doesn't endure such hardships again. Therefore, in the upcoming year and beyond, my attention is solely on my studies, utilizing every cent of my transfers to pay my fees. I'm immensely grateful to GiveDirectly for their support, which has been instrumental in our journey. Their assistance has lightened our burden and provided hope for a brighter tomorrow.

I alloatede $102 I recently received to cover my school fees was a big relief. It's hard for me when I can't continue with my studies due to unpaid fees. Usually, my mom takes care of our fees, but as a small-scale farmer, it's challenging for her to manage everything for our family. That's why I chose to use the money I got to pay my own fees, hoping to ease the burden on her and make life a bit smoother for us. I'm truly thankful to GiveDirectly for their financial support. Their help came at just the right time, allowing me to take charge of my education expenses and alleviate some of the stress on my mom. It's a step towards securing a better future for our family, and I'm determined to make the most of this opportunity.

My primary goal is to complete my studies and pursue a career in either medicine or engineering. I aim to achieve not only personal success but also to uplift my family from the challenges we currently face. I hope to provide assistance to my parents, creating a positive change and breaking the cycle of our financial struggle. In the end, I aspire to contribute to the holistic development of the village, fostering a brighter future for everyone. I am happy and feel empowered through the assistance that GiveDirectly has provided me.

I'm a student, I have three younger siblings who are also in school. My father works as a casual laborer, and my mother cuts trees for charcoal burning earning $18 after a month's effort and lots of struggle. Their earnings are never enough to sustain all our household needs. Receiving these unconditional monthly cash transfers from Givedirectly has really transformed my life. My priority has always been addressing the discomfort I face in school. with my worn-out plastic school shoes, that I had been enduring for the past two years, I decided to purchase a new pair of shoes costing $2.5 not only did it improved my daily comfort but also boosted my confidence at school. I then purchased school books and stationery, that were essential for my education costing $2.25. Wanting to make the most of the new year, I spent $25 to buy school uniform and home clothes, a luxury I hadn't indulged in for years. Having spent $29 on my school fees, I was left with a mere $0.5, but the impact of these purchases on my well-being and education was immeasurable. Without this monthly transfer, I wouldn't have been able to stay in school, I risked being sent home for prolonged periods. I'm immensely grateful for the support that has made a significant difference in my life.

My current goal is to complete high school in the next two years. I'm currently in form two, and I dream of becoming an engineer after am done with school and higher education. I hope that my form four grades will be good enough to get me into university. If that doesn't happen, I'm still determined to join a training college to pursue my dream and help lift my family out of the financial difficulties we currently face.

I typically allocate $25 from the cash transfers for my school fees as I'm currently in form two. I depend on my Dad, and when things get tough for him, I often step in to support him. He relies on casual jobs to provide for my two elder brothers who are also in high school. It used to be common for me to miss classes because of unpaid school fees, including remedial fees, books, and tuition. Fortunately, the cash transfers have allowed me to cover some of these smaller school expenses. In the past, I could be absent from school for nearly a month and return just in time for exams. But nowadays, I spend more days in school, and learn more, and my grades have improved ever since. Also, I allocate $5 for books required for my learning and $4 for toiletries to support my stay in school.

My goal has been to focus on my academics to succeed and change the condition of my family. Therefore, I continue to receive my transfers, I will be spending it on paying my school fees in time to have adequate time for my studies. In school, I will be able to learn and support myself. Once I succeed in my academic pursuit, I will also focus on raising livestock. The livestock will help me to accumulate assets that will benefit me in the long run.

I am a student, and I hail from a poor background. My parents have no regular source of income, and they struggle to raise our school fees. Currently, I am in form two, and I hope that with GiveDirectly's monthly transfers, I shall continue with my study with minimal disruption. Therefore, when I received my recent transfer, I spent $25 on paying part of my school fees. I had accumulated arrears, and I was worried I could miss exams should students be sent home for fee collections. In addition, I spent $6 to acquire new books and the rest I used to buy a hen.