"My husband, a teacher, struggles to make ends meet with his earnings alone, often leaving our household needs unmet. However, upon receiving the cash transfers from GiveDirectly, I joined a merry-go-round group and accumulated funds that I used to start a business. With the profits generated from this venture, I now support my husband in providing for our small family of four. From the recent transfers, I contributed $60 to the merry-go-round group. I then paid $20 for my children's school fees, ensuring they remained in school without the fear of being sent home, a situation we often faced before receiving the transfers. With $22 remaining, I bought food and other household necessities. The impact of these transfers has been significant; they've alleviated our financial burdens and allowed me to participate in endeavours like the merry-go-round group contribution, which were once out of reach."

"My spouse and I rely on casual inconsistent jobs to support our family. With four children in school, prioritizing their education is paramount. Therefore, I allocated $34 from my recent transfers towards school fees, which helped alleviate a portion of our outstanding balance. Consistently making monthly payments demonstrates our commitment, ensuring that our children aren't sent home due to fee arrears. In addition to addressing educational expenses, I also invested in improving our home environment. I allocated $33 to pay off a solar lamp loan, ensuring reliable lighting for our household. Furthermore, I used the remaining funds to fulfill my merry-go-round contribution and purchase food, along with a cooking pot to enhance our kitchen facilities."

"I used to make charcoal but developed chest complications due to the strenuous nature of the practice. As a result, I took a break from the practice when the transfers started. I have basically been spending the funds to cover the daily needs of my family. Recently, one of my children did not have decent uniforms; hers was tattered due to repetitive use. So I used $7 to buy her new school uniforms, and now she is more confident wearing comfortable attire to school. I also set aside $20 in my mobile money account. I plan to keep accumulating this money when I receive other transfers to buy a goat. The aim is to rear the goat. It can help me in events when my child has been sent home from school due to fees. I can sell the goats to raise the school fees. Ever since I started receiving the transfers, I joined a savings club intending to build a house. I am happy that this goal came to pass last year, and now I have a good place to call home. With this being done, I started saving towards the college fees of my child. She completed primary school last year but did not perform well enough to join high school. So, I would like to enroll her in a hair-making training college. I saved $60 for this purpose. The remaining amount went towards the purchase of food to ensure that my children never went a day without eating."

"I want to establish a stable source of income through the rearing of livestock. I currently have three goats that I bought through the cash transfers. I wish to have grown this herd by five by the time the cash transfers end. I believe that rearing livestock will allow me to grow my wealth and provide a sure source of income that can continue supporting the needs of my children, especially their school fees, even after the cash transfers end. It will be a valuable supplement to the little and unpredictable earnings that I currently make from selling palm wine."

"I have a family of 13 members with two wives. I do casual jobs making little income that caters for food and school fees. Sometimes I fail to secure a job for almost two weeks. This makes the children miss classes due to lack of school fees. I will use $300 to clear school fees balance for the children both at secondary and primary school. I will also use $800 to build a rental house at the trading center for the teachers to live. Currently teachers get house service at Matanomane which is very far from the school. I intend to build four rooms which will bring income of $40 per month as profit. This will bring a sustainable source of income for the family."

"I have a family of eight members with six being children. I do casual jobs making little income which caters for food and school fees for the children. I live in a small one room house with my wife which also serves as the kitchen. I cannot even accommodate my visitors. I will use $5500 to build a two room house spacious enough to accommodate the family and also visitors. I will also use $300 to clear school fees for the children who are at both secondary and primary. This will help them settle at school and improve their performances."

"With the abundant rainfall, I am eager to expand my farming endeavors, particularly focusing on maize and other short-season crops for quicker returns. Leveraging our herd of over 50 goats, I plan to sell some and utilize the proceeds to rent additional land, thereby doubling our agricultural output in a single season. As a family, our goal is to produce enough food and surplus to cover the school fees for our three children. The empowerment we have experienced over the past three months has been transformative, fueling our belief in our ability to achieve more with adequate capital to support our ideas."

"My goal is to accumulate wealth through rearing livestock by the time the transfers end. Right now, I have two ducks and three goats, all bought with the transfers. I have six grandchildren in school, and their father relies on casual jobs to support them. Sometimes it can be challenging to cover their school fees because his jobs are so unreliable. Rearing livestock would ensure that I can also contribute to their education in the future, especially when my son is stuck. I hope to be able to do this using the livestock I will have bought with the cash transfers."

"I am immensely grateful to GiveDirectly for their invaluable financial support, which has been a lifeline for me and my family, especially considering my current health condition. Previously, I used to burn and sell charcoal to support my family financially. However, due to my declining health, I am no longer able to engage in such physically demanding activities. With five children to care for, including two who are still attending school, the responsibility falls solely on me to ensure their needs are met, particularly in terms of school fees and other educational expenses. As a widow, I understand the importance of hard work in providing for my children and affording them the same educational opportunities as their peers. Upon receiving my most recent transfer from Give Directly, I prioritized allocating funds towards my children's school fees, investing $64 in securing their education. Additionally, with $28, I purchased essential food items to replenish our dwindling food supply. Finally, I invested $10 in acquiring two chickens for rearing, recognizing their potential as a valuable asset that can provide both sustenance and financial security for my family in times of need. This support from Give Directly has brought hope and stability to our daily lives, for which we are immensely grateful."

"Living in a tiny one-room house with my five children has become increasingly challenging, especially as they approach adulthood and require more privacy. Recognizing this urgent need, I've prioritized using my transfers to purchase building materials. In recent months, I have allocated $48 from each transfer towards buying iron sheets, which are essential for constructing a more spacious home for us. Aside from investing in our future home, I also have to address the immediate needs of my family. I spent $18 on food to ensure we have enough to eat, and I've allocated $36 to pay school fees for my children."