"My first priority is to replace my certificate of Kenya Certicate of Secondary Education ( KCSE ). I completed my secondary education in the year 2008, I got my certificate but I found out after several years my name had been erased. This has made looking for job opportunities a pipe dream and resulted in engaging on community works. Secondly, I have been longing to be a teacher. I will enrol in Early Childhood Development Course because I love teaching children and the work is marketable everywhere. Finally, I will have to settle my debts. I have been stressed up and have to restrict my movements."

"The biggest hardship I have faced in my life is being evicted from Mau in 2010.It was a really tough time for my family:we had no place to stay since we had already sold our ancestral land and used the money to buy land in Mau,my kids were young by then and their education was interrupted since we had to stay in a camp for sometime.We were never compensated by the government as promised so i resorted to casual labour, I had to save over 2 years to enable me to buy this 2 acre piece of land."

"The biggest hardship that I am facing in life is not having a reliable source of income to enable me take care of my family's basic needs. My husband is a drunkard and for a long time, he has not been supportive.It has been very challenging to provide my children with a decent shelter, pay for their education and on most days, even provide for them food consistently."

"I would want to have a big business of selling clothes for children and grown ups within my location whereby I can create employment to the community as well my family. I would want my child to have a secured education whereby she wouldn't worry about school fees or other necessities."

"In life i have always wished to be comfortable and well respected by people in whichever capacity either as a business person or otherwise. This was driven by the desire of seeing my family in better living standards, my children to receive the best of education the world can offer."

"I find it of more importance to grow my butchery business then pay school fers for my children because its mandatory for them to get education and there after purchase food stuff in the house for them to be asuured of meals daily. My butchery business has not been doing well of late due to little stock. By increasing the stock, am guaranteed of more profit generation that will help me run errands in my daily living."

"Investing in a new business is a priority. I would want to start supplying eggs in wholesale to shops and hotels here in Mathare. I have a friend that has such a business and from the way she runs her business i have seen potential in it and a way for me to make profit. Secondly, I would want to invest in my sons education. He has a right to education and above all he loves education. He is a smart boy, thus i would want to see that he is educated and with a bright future ahead. Lastly, I would save. To plan for my son's future and my own."

"My top concern is family especially my children because I want them to grow up in a better world and situation than how I was raised. I want them to get better and quality education without having to worry being sent home due to lack of school fees. My second concern is gang violence/crime because I stay in a very insecure place called Utalii sub county in Mathare. There are various gang groups here who terrorize the security of the community. Though there has been some improvement I fear for my life and that of my family. With bad company and peer pressure I wouldn't want my children to be influenced and die early. My third concern is not achieving my ambitions in life and this will mean, I can't help support my children's dreams or provide a better life for them and my wife."

"First, I prioritize like that because I have seen my friends doing that business of hiring tents and chairs and it has a good profit that I believe will help me have stable income. It's only one person that has that type of business and that's why I believe I will succeed. Secondly, I will use some of it to go to school and finish my college degree since education is important and I can also get a job. Lastly, I will use the rest to pay house rent since it has been a challenge for me without a stable employment. "

"Life used to be dark and hopeless for me. Poverty was the order of day, with school fee burdens staring at me. I had even requested one of my sons to defer his university education till further notice due to lack of funds. GiveDirectly's arrival in my homestead was timely. School fee for both my sons is now paid in full for a year. Life is now good and I cannot complain at all. I have peace of mind. I look better even physically; I am stronger and healthier than before. If GiveDirectly officers who enrolled us were to come back they would not recognize me (and most of us). I am stress-free and happy, thanks to GiveDirectly."