"In the next few months and years, I have some plans. First, I hope to buy a cow. With this cow, I can use it to plow my farm, making it easier to grow crops. Not only that, I plan to offer plowing services to others for a fee, which will bring in extra money for my family. I'm also relying on a local merry-go-round savings group to help improve our financial situation. I know times are tough financially, but I'm hopeful that with these steps, things will get better for us soon."

"I'm a single parent taking care of four children, three in school and one waiting to join college. I don't have a steady job, and therefore I do odd jobs on people's farms to support my family. My biggest dream has always been to start livestock farming, especially with cows, so that when they multiply, I could sell some in the future to support my family better. But I never had enough money to buy the cows. Whatever little I earned from my work went towards school fees and daily expenses, leaving nothing for investing in livestock. Then, one miraculous day, while I was at home making dinner, I got a notification on my phone from GiveDirectly that I had received $550. You can imagine the joy and excitement that filled our humble home! I couldn't contain my happiness, so I shared the good news with my children, and we all celebrated because we couldn't believe it was true. The first thing that came to mind was finally fulfilling my dream of buying those cows and starting my livestock farming journey."

"I plan to use my monthly transfers to invest in livestock, starting with goats. This project is particularly beneficial as it provides a reliable safety net during financial emergencies. With the consistent financial support from Give Directly, I aim to gradually build my livestock holdings. Once the goats have multiplied sufficiently, I plan to sell some and purchase a cow. Since buying a cow outright is beyond my current financial reach, starting small and progressing gradually is a more feasible strategy. I am immensely grateful for the financial support from Give Directly, which has empowered me to pursue dreams that once seemed out of reach."

"In our household, our livestock hold a cherished place in our hearts. However, we face a significant challenge: the lack of proper storage for their feed. Currently, we store the feed on a bare floor, leaving it vulnerable to damage from rain and termites. This has led to inadequate livestock feeds, leading to losses, especially during the prevalent droughts in our area, particularly in the first three months of the year. For instance, we sadly lost around two livestock last year due to hunger. For the coming year, I am planning to sell maize from my one acre of land and use the proceeds to establish a proper storage facility. This will enable me to store the maize stalks after the harvest and feed my three cows during times of scarcity."

"Life on our side hasn't been easy; we've been struggling to make ends meet. Now, I have four kids, while the other two are married. My husband is a farmer, and I also help him with farming. However, I used to earn some extra money by taking care of my neighbor's livestock, but I had to stop because my neighbor lost his job and couldn't pay me anymore.Since then, I've been doing casual jobs like burning charcoal to make money. When I received my third payment, I used $350 to pay for my kids' school fees. We used to sell our cows to pay for fees, but now we only have two left, and we've decided not to sell them until they multiply. I also used $50 to pay off our energy bill for electricity tokens because we hadn't paid it for a while due to lack of money.Finally, I used the remaining amount to buy food so that we wouldn't rely too much on charcoal for food. Life is better now compared to before, and I hope it continues to improve in the future because we've invested in farming with the second transfer"

"Now that my life has taken a new turn, my focus has shifted towards agriculture. I intend to dedicate myself to planting maize. With this decision, I am confident that I will yield an abundant harvest. The surplus from my farm produce will allow me to invest in livestock, specifically cows and goats. Owning livestock will not only provide me with milk and meat, eliminating the need to purchase them from shops, but it will also bring joy to my children."

"My husband and I face significant challenges in raising enough money to meet our children's basic needs. Securing jobs is difficult, and the pay is often insufficient. Recognizing this, I am committed to using my transfers wisely to increase our income and provide for our children's needs effectively. My goal for the coming year and beyond is to prioritize my children's education and make the most of these transfers before they come to an end. To achieve this, I plan to save a portion of my transfer to purchase a cow. This investment will enable me to raise additional calves over time, providing a steady source of income through milk production. I can sell the milk to cover my children's school fees and buy essential items for my family. Ultimately, I aim to use the profits from this cow business to fund my children's college education, ensuring they have a bright future and the opportunity to achieve their dreams through quality education. I am determined to invest in their education as it is crucial for their success and future prosperity."

"The house we currently live in is in dire condition, with the structure nearly collapsing due to its age and the heavy rainfall we've been experiencing, causing the pillars to rot. This poses a serious danger to my family, and I constantly worry, especially at night while we're sleeping. To address this urgent situation, I am considering selling one of my cows to raise funds for purchasing building materials, supplementing this with my monthly transfers from GiveDirectly. I plan to gradually buy these materials every month upon receiving the transfer. However, completion may take time given my responsibilities with my children and reliance on unreliable casual jobs to support my family. Despite the challenges, I am encouraged and empowered by GiveDirectly's support, which gives me hope and determination to secure a safer living environment for my family."

"My goal remains to keep buying goats and grow my herd from the six I already acquired through previous transfers so that I may be able to exchange them for cows in future. Since food is not a concern at the moment due to our maize harvest, I intend to allocate most of the cash transfers toward buying goats. My ultimate objective is to accumulate enough wealth through livestock so that when the transfers eventually cease, I will have a source of income to contribute to the household's needs, such as food, without relying solely on my son."

"In the coming few months, I want to fix up my old house with a falling roof. It's tough living at my parents' place it's not my own space. Once I get my house sorted, I have this dream of buying a cow. Sounds strange, I know, but it's like a financial safety net for me. I've been working casual jobs, and I'm saving up from that, not touching my transfers. I've also started saving through this group called the Silk Group. So, step by step, I'm hoping to make my living situation more stable and comfortable."