"This year, I want to open a small kiosk where I'll sell silver cyprinid and vegetables. Right now, I'm paid to get water and wood for other people. The most I can earn is $1, which is extremely little and cannot meet my family's needs. My husband is a "bodaboda," or motorcycle taxi. The high cost of fuel has had a significant negative impact on the business because it drives away potential customers who choose to take other forms of public transportation. Because of this, he is unable to meet the needs of the family and his overall income is impacted. I'm starting this business to give my family a backup source of income during these trying times financially."

"The major difference is that the organization improved my life. This is due to the fact that I no longer walk long distances in search of water. Due to financial constraints, I was unable to raise the funds for the water connection. As a result, saving the money would have taken a long time. Most importantly, we have safe drinking water for our daily needs. I am grateful for the great achievements that I have attained."

"After several trips in search of water, I was relaxing at home. My phone then began to ring. I couldn't read because I didn't know how. I requested that my daughter read the message to me. That's when he told me I'd received money from GiveDirectly. This was the most encouraging news because it assured me that I would be able to build a decent home for my children. It made me happy for the greater part of the day."

"Before receiving the transfers, I was working as a cook at a nearby school getting a pay of $70 a month. The money was not enough for my family, I have eight children, and they all go to school. Life was hard some days, we would sleep hungry and my children would be sent away from school because of the lack of school fees. The house I was living in was collapsing, the roof had holes that when it rained, the house would be full of water. Receiving this transfer has enabled me to build a new house a two-roomed house st $300, bought two goats that cost $60, clear school fees arrears of $150, and bought food at $60."

"Before the transfer, I was in charcoal production. In a month, If I am lucky I would get $40 that helped me buy food for the entire month, But some days I am not lucky and I would not sell and come back home and sleep on an empty stomach. I am a seventy-five years old man, I did not get the chance to marry a wife or a get baby due to lack of dowry money. Receiving this transfer enabled me to buy a bicycle that helps me go fetch water, previous I would walk for two hours just to find water. I bought the bicycle for $40. I also decided to buy two cows each at $450 that I am hoping to reproduce and get more cows for commercial purposes and sell them at $700 each. Meanwhile, one cow produces milk for domestic purposes."

"I have been in charcoal production all my life, and in a week I would sell one sack for $5. This money would enable me to buy food for my family. On days that I would not get customers, we would sleep hungry or borrow money from a neighbor which made me feel embarrassed. Before the transfer, my house was not in a good condition, and whenever it rained, water would get into the house which made my children sick. When I received this transfer, there was a drought in the coastal region, and I decided to go food shopping in a nearby town so that I can stock a variety of food for the family. I also bought a cow but unfortunately due to famine, it died. I used the rest of my money to pay school fees for my three children. And I finally repaired my husband's motorbike which has been faulty for seven months, Right now, I do not have arrears in school and my husband's business is doing great."

"I spent $260 on 24 iron sheets with the intention of building a new house for my family of five. My sons have been looking for a place to sleep in the nearby school whenever we have visitors at home. I've always felt bad when my children slept in class, and I'm hoping to put an end to it by building a large house with an extra room for them. This room will not only provide them with a place to sleep, but also with plenty of space to study after school. I also spent $56 on lumber, $25 on nails and ridges, $67 on cement, and $20 on transportation. I also paid $50 in labor costs during construction, and I am relieved that the house is nearly finished. I am still responsible for paying all of the water bills as well as a portion of the labor during the completion process."

"In 2019, while I was in standard 5, I sadly got into an accident that left me with a damaged foot. Later, I suffered from recurrent illnesses and was not able to attend school most days, which eventually caused me to quit. I did not return to school after my recovery two years later. Since then, I have been caring for my father's goats instead. I occasionally bring water to residents of the village for a charge when a friend gives me a bicycle, but it doesn't pay well. My dream was to enroll in a driving school and get work as a driver, but I was unable to pay for it. The program was the ideal choice for me because it brought back my goal of enrolling in a driving school. In order to save money for enrolling in a driving school, most likely this year, I have saved $54 of my transfers from the previous three months in my Mpesa account. I invested $15 on three chickens that I am raising as a long-term investment in order to increase my income. The majority of my clothing was also unattractive, and I will need quality clothing once I start college. As a result, $18 was spent on new, decent clothing, and the remaining $19 was used to buy groceries for our family. I am motivated by the fact that I am almost ready to fulfill my desire of enrolling in a driving school, and I am happy and appreciative of the organization. Finally, I aim to get a reliable work in the future so that my future family would have a reliable source of income."

"My greatest ambition would be to drill a borehole near my house. I know it's possible, and it would greatly improve both livestock and crop farming, as well as the overall quality of life for me and my guests. I could grow more crops and sell them with the water, increasing my income and allowing me to do more for myself, my children, and my grandchildren."

"I never thought I would get financial assistance in my life like the one I am getting from GiveDirectly. I have been doing casual construction jobs which pay little compared to the many household needs. The transfer has greatly helped me to pay fees for my six children and buy food. My objective is to continue paying fees on time for my six children and ensure that their studies are not interrupted. This will give me an opportunity to spend my small earnings from casual jobs to buy adequate food for the family. I am also planning to buy a water pump that costs Ksh.20000 in the coming years. I will be saving at least Ksh.500 for this purpose. I normally do some irrigation when there is enough rainfall, and I have to carry water from the water pan which is tiresome. Having a water pump will ease the job, and maximise my 1/8 piece of land by planting vegetables for sale."