I have never desired to have a business of my own until I was enrolled into GiveDirectly program. I saw the transfers as the best opportunity I have ever gotten since I have been living unbearable and tough life due to increased cost of living. My entire life I have been living in the village of Bamba with no good source of income since the day my wife passed. I have been surviving and feeding my family of 7 through making and selling of charcoals and rearing livestock. Receiving the transfer brought a new hope of light in my life that I never thought I would one day live to achieve. I was overjoyed to an extent that I wouldn't just express in words. When I got the transfer, I started yearning for new goals of my life. I never knew one day I would have livestock and motorcycle under my name, through GiveDirectly transfers, I have added two more livestock (cows). Furthermore, I bought my own motorcycle to serve as my mainly source of livelihood. I can proudly say that I bought a second-hand motorcycle worth KES 40,000, I am very happy for this great achievement of my life and so grateful for the support provided by GiveDirectly. Thank you GiveDirectly.

I liked the unconditionality of the transfer. When I received the transfer, there was no any restriction or condition given. I made all the decisions by my own, no any outside influencer, this is something that I feel GiveDirectly is doing great. I was able to buy livestock and a motorcycle using the transfers based on my own order of preference . There is a great development within the village as well since the community placed their transfers into good and constructive use. I would also say that I liked the enrollment process which was free and fair. The fact that GiveDirectly conducted a census and outlined that our community was the lowest economically was the best. So far I haven't seen any area of improvement.

I am a widower and a father of 7. I have been sustaining my family with some little income from sales of charcoals. Life became unbearable due to increased cost of living to the point that getting food for the family was a problem. It was a very happy moments for the entire family when I received my second transfer. I remember the day vividly, I was looking after my livestock in the field when I heard a phone vibration. It was a confirmation message of KES 55,000 from GiveDirectly. I knew my problems were over. I bought 2 cows at KES 29,000, something that I consider a very great achievement as my future investment, before even buying a goat was a problem but now I can afford to buy a cow through GiveDirectly transfers. I paid my son in secondary school fees of KES 10000. I bought my entire family new clothes using KES 8,000, this has improved their self-esteem greatly. My children other three children in primary had already been sent out of school, I paid a total of KES 14,000 as their school fees as well. Furthermore, I also bought maize flour and food stock for the family worth KES 5000. Family's health has improved greatly through nutritious and diet food that we can currently afford.

I was busy cutting down trees for my charcoal manufacturing business when I got a phone call from my son. He asked me If I had received my transfer from give directly, I confirmed and saw that I did. We both celebrated in excitement. At the time, he was at work and it was late. Since I needed his help to withdraw the funds, I waited up until the next day when he was available. The first thing I thought of was to purchase a cow but since I had an urgent need of a motorbike as a means of transport, I opted to buy it first.

Before I started receiving funds from give directly, I used to use a bicycle to go and fetch water. It could only carry two 20-liter jerrycans plus it was tiring. Now, with the money we got, we bought a motorcycle instead. This would fetch us 6 20-liter jerrycans per trip. Saving us time and we also have more water for our consumption. In addition to this, my children were always complaining about the shoes they had which we old and torn. But thanks to the c the cash, they now have new shoes.

I am a farmer and a charcoal manufacturer. Where I live there is an animal park nearby. Often wild animals would attack our livestock. I have been a victim of this twice. I recently lost four of my goats and two sheep leaving me with only 8 goats to rear. When I got the funds from give directly, my idea was to purchase a cow to add to the number of livestock I had but I postponed it since there was an urgent need of a motorcycle as transportation means, especially, when going to fetch water and in cases of emergencies. So, I used KES 30,000 to buy one. Then I did some repairs on it costing me KES 12000. For the remaining amount, since there was some famine and we had no food, I used to restock the house with some and whatever balance I had I utilized on the purchase of school shoes for my three children as they were in need of new pairs