"I am a fisherman who earns a living through fishing in the nearby flowing river. However, my job has been in danger over the past two years due to the water sources drying up. It has been a very difficult time for me to ensure that I fully provide for my family's needs. To counter these challenges, I decided to invest my money from the transfer in buying livestock such as goats and poultry such as hens. The climatic conditions present a fever for the rearing of these domestic animals, and through them, I can earn money by selling some in the market after they multiply. I currently have a total of six goats and one cow. I acquired all of these by investing in the monthly stipend I receive from the organization. So upon receiving my match transfers, I spent a huge chunk of $28 on buying a goat. I am determined to succeed, and my main aim is to sell the six goats and purchase a dairy cow, which will allow me to sell milk and earn a living. The thought of being able to provide for my family fills me with joy and motivation. I have also partially paid school fee arrears for my two children in primary school, and this gives me immense satisfaction. As I tend to my animals every day, I feel a sense of pride in what I have achieved. My goats and hens are thriving, and I know that soon, I will be able to sell them in the market and earn a good profit. I wake up early every morning to feed and care for my animals, and the feeling of fulfillment is indescribable."

"As a village elder in our area, I always expect some visitors at home. Many times, I have declined some appointments something that I do not consider to be a good practice. Receiving this money means changing my home to a better standard since I plan to construct a decent house that will be worthy of welcoming my visitors. The one at the moment is half open at the roof and I lack space for visitors. In addition, my children have been seeking refuge from my elder brother's home. What a worrying life! With this money, I intend to spend a portion of it ($500) to ensure this dream comes to reality. My other major project is to install water pipes in my home. This will act as my investment plan since I intend to use this project as my source of income. I will be selling the water to my neighbors and I believe this will earn me good money because our area lacks clean water. This project will cost me the entire remaining amount ($600). Hence, this is basically what receiving this money means to me."

"Over the last two years, I have been suffering from regular hypertension. The poor financial condition in my household has made it challenging to afford medication for managing the condition. The little earnings that my son makes from hawking bottled water can only buy food for the family (his wife, two children, and me). Mostly, the cash support with obtaining the medicines and securing more food for my family. For the last three months, I have used $10 on my monthly prescription, spent $14 on food, and saved the remaining $10. I thank God that the condition is stabilizing, not only through the drugs but also through the regular meals, which were hard to obtain before the cash aid. Furthermore, I can save part of the money to buy goats in the future as a source of wealth."

"A few years ago, I lost a herd of three cows and some goats as a result of the drought that dried up vegetation and water pans. It was a low moment in my life as these animals were the backbone of my financial stability; I used to sell them for money. After the tragedy, I was not able to acquire more livestock because I did not have funds. I am grateful that the financial aid opened an ideal door toward reviving my livestock-keeping venture. So far, I have obtained two goats and two chickens from the transfers. By next year, I wish to have increased the number of goats. Despite the harsh climatic conditions, I believe these animals are more resilient in such weather."

"Other than ensuring my husband and I have enough meals in the house, am also focused on building a decent house. The decaying grass thatches on my roof not only lets it rainwater but also harbors dangerous insects. Besides, the mud walls of the house could crumble from strong winds or heavy rains. I believe that building a new house, especially with a tin roof becomes costly by the day. At my age, I cannot work to raise enough money for the project. I intend on saving half of each monthly cash transfer, with support from my husband, to establish a more stable structure."

"Apart from making sure my spouse and I have adequate food, I'm also working on building an effective shelter. In addition to allowing water to leak in when it rains, the withering grass thatches on my roof also harbor harmful insects. Moreover, the house's shaky mud walls might collapse due to severe winds or heavy rains. Sadly, constructing a new dwelling, especially one with a tin roof, is becoming increasingly expensive. At my advanced age, I am unable to work to generate sufficient funds for the project. With my wife's help, I plan on saving half of every monthly financial transfer to build a more secure structure."

"When I got pregnant, I had to forego my job since I was no longer productive and now had to depend on my husband for a living. My husband is a mason and getting this job sometimes is challenging and unpredictable. Because I cannot always depend on my husband, I engaged in poultry farming to earn a family of 7 income. Therefore, when I received the transfers, I bought a wire mesh to construct a poultry house, a water tank to harvest and store water and clear the $75 debt on the solar that I use to light my house. In addition, I paid the labourers who were manufacturing bricks that I plan on using to construct a house to accommodate my family. I am excited that my ambition to be financially stable has been accomplished through the transfers."

"Receiving unexpected income can be life-changing, and I was fortunate enough to experience this through GiveDirectly. With the extra funds, I decided to prioritize my family's needs by providing my child with $15 for boarding school and treating them to a mouthwatering chicken dinner for just $6. I was also able to purchase nutritious food to ensure everyone was well-fed. It's amazing how one small act of kindness can make a significant impact, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to improve my family's quality of life."

"Before receiving my transfer, my primary objective was to construct a storage room where we could safeguard our farm's produce and store it properly for an extended period. Unfortunately, the urgent need to pay for my children's school fees exceeded my budget, and I had to prioritize the fees over the storage room, which I had planned to construct after harvesting the watermelon. Consequently, I utilized the entire $200 transfer to cover the school fees. Later on, I was able to replenish some of the funds from the watermelon sales, and I used the money to purchase the building materials for the storage room. This was not an easy feat since my husband and I depend on farming and casual jobs to support our family of five children. I am so grateful for the support that has uplifted our lives."

"Since we were in the midst of the worst-ever drought and had lost everything from plants and animals to even businesses nearly closing down, these transfers arrived just as I needed them. I was therefore among the happiest individuals when I learned of these transfers since it meant that much of the difficult work we did—such as carrying water and firewood from extremely far away locations have to be reduced because we would have to embrace other ways to do it."