"I am looking forward to investing on my farm this year. I was hoping to use the money I receive from GiveDirectly to buy a couple of goats and chickens with the intention of gaining financially down the line. I also have intentions of opening up a grocery store business with the money in order to help my husband cater for the day to day needs of our family."

"It was wonderful to learn that we were expecting a child and would be eligible for free financial support from GiveDirectly. It was also a coincidence that I received the money while my admitted wife was in the hospital. It was a relief because it came at a time when I had nothing to sell to cover the hospital bills and had no idea how long she would be there with an increasing bill. When our daughter was successfully delivered, we were greeted with the anticipated bundle of joy, but her mother bled profusely. She died as a result of the bleeding, leaving me with a two-week-old baby. The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't bear the thought of suppressing my dreams of raising our daughter together. My family and neighbors rallied behind me, raising additional funds to supplement the transfer and covering the full hospital bill. It has been difficult to overcome the painful and costly experience. My life has completely changed; I can no longer raise my two daughters on my own. My elder daughter has been through a lot as well, and while she feels safe with her grandmother, she has had chicken pox for the past week. I am hoping to return to work at a nearby mango plantation, tending to and harvesting the fruits. I had planned to purchase goats and chickens, but a medical emergency intervened. I'm hoping that with the subsequent transfer, I will be able to realign my plans for my daughter's future."

"I operate a business of buying and selling chickens to provide for my wife and seven children. Whenever I receive the transfer, I find it important to direct part of the money towards the growth of the business to increase profits. From each of the recent three transfers, I have channeled $15 towards the practice. Am glad that I have started realizing some growth. Unlike before, I now successfully make sales thrice a week, generating at least $22 in total profit. Though the cost of living is higher now, this amount at least puts a meal on the table daily. The remaining $19 from each of those three transfers went towards the purchase of food. At least this ensured my family enjoyed regular meals for three weeks in a row. I could never be more grateful. "

"I decided to build a third room onto my mud-walled house when I withdrew the money. This is due to the fact that the one I had was only big enough to fit my family. My kids would have to move aside if we had guests over, so that they could be accommodated. I was really troubled by this circumstance. Based on that, I decided to add a third room that anyone visiting us might use. In order to build the third room, it cost $150 in iron sheets, roofing timbers, poles, rafters, and labor from the contractor. After that, I spent $45 on a mattress for my kids because they didn't have one. I am content right now since my children have a permanent place to sleep. Although my lower primary school-aged child was already enrolled, I decided to pay the $45 in school fees for the following term to make sure he wouldn't be expelled for lack of money and could instead focus on his academics for better grades. In addition, I paid a debt of $150 that I had taken out to purchase a motorcycle and purchased a sack of maize for $56 to guarantee that I have food security at home. I spent $82 on four ducks and seven chickens because I wanted to keep poultry as an investment. I bought some clothing for my family and other necessities for my family using the remaining money."

"I am 64, years old. Getting food here is very difficult. I mainly depend on my goats and chicken. I have 30 goats and 11 chicken. Due to the drought it's hard feeding my goats. Most of the vegetation is dry. The milk I get from the goats is little and not enough for me and my grandchild. Due to the drought, I have sold many goats for food and school fees. I am worried that I may lose all the stock by selling them to get food."

"Back in the village, one of our main problems has been nourishment, which has almost brought us to the point of starving. Because of this, as soon as I received the transfers, I found myself spending KES 1,400 on groceries, a kilogram of sugar, and five packets of maize flour. I then went ahead and spent KES 1,000 on two chickens because I planned to invest in a poultry family. Because I currently live with my grandchildren and they occasionally get kicked out of school due to a lack of funds, I made the decision to save the remaining KES 1,000 instead to help my daughter pay their school fees since she is a widow."

"The first instalment we plan to renovate our house and we plan to pay for our school fees and be able to go to school me and my sisters. We also plan to buy clothes and food to eat. The second installment we plan to buy a land for $300 and we want to build a kitchen outside our house and buy livestocks, we want to buy a goat $30 , 5 chickens for $15 and 4 rabbits for $20 and the balance we want to save it. Receiving this money means living better , it will help us have an education and be able to have a meaningful future. We will be able to reach our development which we couldn’t have achieved without this money."

"Being a farmer, my focus is primarily on grains, which grow well whenever there is sufficient rainfall. I often obtain a good crop during this time that is enough to last us for a full year, usually more than two bags, each weighing 90 kg. Due to the protracted drought, I currently harvest less than a bag, and in most cases, it is not enough to keep us fed for a month. My objective is to begin commercial chicken farming in order to increase my income. I'll be investing in at least two chickens each month to help me reach my goal. I will eventually sell some of them after the project has stabilized in order to raise money for our kids' school costs. As a result, my spouse won't have to bear the responsibility of being the only provider."

"I will buy livestocks (pig and sheep) of $180, chickens of $50, a land of $400, Fertlizers of $30, paying health insurance of $12. The land and livestocks will help us to improve our life and saving for the children.I will use the rest in feeding my family, bed and matelas for children and new clothes for the family."

"The addition of seven chickens to my previous three has made the biggest difference in my daily life. Even though some are still young, I am grateful that I can always collect at least 5 eggs per day to use for household purchases. The project is simple to manage, and because it is a free-range system, I don't have to spend much money on it."