I am currently managing a small shop where I stock vegetables, fruits, and sardines, and it serves as my sole source of income. Fortunately, I do not incur rent expenses as the shop is situated on my own piece of land. Despite its small size, I have been unable to expand it to a larger space due to financial constraints. I initiated the expansion process, but unfortunately, I had to pause it due to insufficient funds. My goal is to complete the construction and transform it into a larger business premise. This would not only provide ample space for my current shop but also allow me to rent out additional rooms. Completing this project holds the potential to significantly enhance my business and generate additional income through rental arrangements. I am planning to save enough funds to purchase the necessary building materials and finalize the construction, realizing the dream of having a more spacious business space.

I run a shop that primarily sells sardines, vegetables like kale, and fruits sourced from the market. This shop serves as my sole means of livelihood, and ensuring its proper stocking is my top priority. With my recent transfers, I invested $40 to replenish the inventory, and I'm pleased to see a significant business improvement. My aim is to sustain myself through the profits generated by the shop, which has already made it easier to meet basic needs like food. Receiving regular transfers enables me to consistently restock, a task that was once impossible due to a lack of capital. Additionally, my child recently joined school, and I spent $20 on purchasing new school uniforms and stationery, along with a $10 admission fee. This enabled my child to start school without any delays caused by a lack of money. I also spent $34 to cover burial costs after losing my uncle to a brief illness. Thankfully, the transfers facilitated the coverage of these expenses during the moment of grief and loss. Lastly, I spent the remaining portion to purchase foodstuffs for my family and address some household needs that were previously unmet.

My goal is to become self sufficient i terms of finances. My grocery stall sells things needed but I can only attract more customers by expanding the business further. I hope to use some part of my transfers to reinvest in the business as well as earnings from it to ensure it grows steadily providing enough capital to grow itself and also pay school fees as well feed the home.

My husband and I do not have a formal employment. I am a grocery seller while he takes up casual jobs to make ends meet. We have two children, one is school going while the other we hope will join school next year. The transfers from Givedirectly have created a lifeline for our family. I am able to educate my children, build my business and feed my family all from the transfers received. I spent my entire July transfers, and $20 from my June transfers on building my grocery stall by adding more goods. I took $8 from my June transfers and $22 from my August transfers to pay school fees, buy uniform and books for my school going child. I was also able to undertake some house shopping in June and August at $6 and $7 respectively.

I aim to utilize the half-acre piece of land we own at the trade center in our village. My husband and I have always dreamt of constructing a rental house there, but financial constraints have prevented us from doing so. The limited earnings from our casual jobs have made it difficult to afford the construction costs. However, with the cash transfers, I see a possibility of realizing our dream. While constructing a brick house might be expensive, I would be content if we could afford to build one with mud walls. This additional income stream from the rental house would greatly improve our financial situation and provide a better living for our two children.

Upon receiving the cash transfer, my immediate priority was to pay off the outstanding school fees for my child in grade one; the debt had accumulated since the previous term. As he attends a private elementary school, the education costs are relatively high. My husband and I had been struggling to clear the debt due to the limited income from our casual jobs. He works as a casual laborer in house construction, while I run a small business selling vegetables in the village. To ensure that my child could continue studying without any interruptions, I allocated $15 from the transfer to reduce the debt. With the remaining amount of $19, I decided to invest it in my vegetable-selling business. I purchased additional stock, which has since led to a significant improvement in my profits. This has been a positive development for my business.

I had bought a plot of land before Givedirectly came my way. My goal for the year is to develop this space into a business. I have two house built on it which earns $20 each but the land has the capacity of holding 8 houses. I am planning to build this houses using stones which will make their value higher. I will use this earnings from the houses to improve my food business.

GD brought a big difference into my families life. My husband and I were both jobless and we were unable to make ends meet. Receiving cash from GD has changed that. I was able to start a food business using GD transfers and add to when I receive my monthly transfers. My child is also able to go school as I used transfers to reduce my school fee debt and I was also to by my child books and a pair of uniform. During the December holidays my family had new clothes on as I had used my money to buy some nice clothes for the festivities. I was also able to provide food for the family during this season.

Since GiveDirectly began working in our village, it has brought positive transformation in the lives of community members. It has achieved this by offering unconditional cash transfers. I have been able to experience an improved lifestyle, buying food and paying my daughter's school fees is no longer a big challenge. It also ensures direct visitations to potential recipients, thus enabling them to have a better understanding of GiveDirectly's program. The staffs professionally carry themselves. All community members are appreciative of the program. There is nothing that I have observed that GiveDirectly does not do well.

I have been running a grocery business in the nearby center. When I received my recent transfer, I spent $27 on acquiring additional stock for my business expansion. I always desire to establish a steady source of income, hence my decision to focus on that business. The business began in May 2022, and I solely depend on it since my husband is jobless. On a good day, I always make sales for up to $15, thus giving a profit of $3. It helps me offer support to my family of four members. I have also comfortably been able to pay fees for my daughter in grade one.

I was in my house with my husband at 9 pm chatting about a way forward about how we were going to raise money for food. That evening, we ate the last amount of food we had left. While chatting, I received a text message on my phone. Emotions took the better part of me when I realized I had received my first transfer. I showed the message to my husband, and we were all thrilled.

The transfer made an enormous difference in my life by enabling me to buy food for the family when I was poor financially. My family got something to eat and avoid starvation. Were it not for the transfer, my family would be affected.

I am the sole breadwinner in my family. I earn a living by selling vegetables in the market. My husband does not have a job; hence I bear the responsibility of paying all the bills. From the business, I earn very little, which is enough to buy food for the family. I face the serious challenges of catering fully to all my family’s needs (buying food, paying school fees, and buying clothes). When I received my first transfer, I spent it all on buying food. My business was not doing well, and I had no money to buy.