"In a close-by market square, I run a food store. My primary source of income has been the $6 earnings I make each day from it, but it is insufficient to meet the requirements of the eight people in my household. Three of our six kids have finished their secondary school, while the other three have not. Being a part of the program was the best decision. I spent $92 on two goats and six chickens to raise over the past three months in an effort to increase our household's livelihood. In the future, once they have multiplied, I plan to sell some of them to generate income for our household expenses. I also spent $10 on food for our household. I also spent $10 on food for our household. We are appreciative of the organization's assistance, and in a year, I think our level of life will rise."

"At the time I started the program, our house was in terrible shape. Both the previous roof and the walls were in bad shape. My husband looks after our goats in the, while I manage a tiny coconut shop. The lack of income from our sources prevented us from building a new house. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for saving my life. During the last three months, I spent $44 on timber, which we used to restore a section of the wall. While it isn't nearly finished, we are happy with the development. By the end of this year, perhaps, it will be done and furnished. In addition, with the complete transfer I received in November, I purchased chickens for raising, but I recently sold them owing to a case of a poultry disease outbreak. Later, I increased the remaining $28 of my transfer by the $30 I had made from sales and purchased two goats. They are easier to handle and rarely get sick compared to chickens. I pooled my savings with $20 from the transfer when our last child, a secondary student, went back to school in order to cover some of this year's tuition. We purchased food for our home with the $10 I had left."

"The first installment we want to build our own house and buy other materials like matress beds and food for our family. The second installment we plan to finish building our house and the balance we plan to buy livestocks, we want to buy 2 goat for $120 and 3 chickens for $9. Receiving this money means getting out of poverty, because it will help us have a home and own livestocks to give us fertiliser and sell in the future to give us stable income."

"When I had my son a year ago, I took a break from my teaching job. I have been unable to resume work since I have no one to babysit him when I am away. So I have been relying on my father, a house construction worker, for my needs and those of my child. Gladly, the cash transfers from Give Directly gave me a chance to support the needs of my family as well as start an investment in poultry keeping that could provide me financial security in the future. I used most of the recent three cash transfers,$69, on food on the water, since they are the major challenges in my household. Am grateful that this ensured that the household had enough food and water to last until my father’s pay dates. Also, I spent $12 to acquire four chickens to kickstart my quest for poultry rearing as an investment. Lastly, I used $17 from the most recent cash transfer to buy Christmas clothes for my son and me, as it is our norm. "

"Upon withdrawing the money, the first thing I did was buy some packets of maize flour for my family because we had slept hungry the previous night. Thereafter, I opted to invest in livestock. I bought 7 goats for $210. I chose goats over cows because of the climate condition in our area. Goats can survive in harsh conditions while cows cannot cope. I also bought 7 chickens for $28. These investments are fast selling and they can be easily converted for monetary value when a need arises. After that, I took $100 and paid a dowry for my daughter-in-law."

"Since I was still in high school when I joined the program, the majority of the transfers went toward my tuition. Therefore, $51 of the transfers during the past three months contributed to lowering the amount I owed the school in arrears. Because she raises chickens on a small scale for a living, my mother does not make a lot of money from it. Therefore, we rely on my two brothers whose occupation is to install electricity. They couldn't entirely pay the school fees on time because they also have families to support. Additionally, even though I was in school, I was unable to buy quality clothing because I had no other means of support. I'm happy to say that the organization has provided me with a couple of good ones right now. This is due to the fact that I spent $51 on new clothing and shoes. By the time I start college, we won't need to budget for new clothing. I am appreciative of the assistance given because, thanks to it, we were able to decrease the arrears on my school fees to the current, manageable amount of $20. I'm hoping to finish it with some of next month's transfers as I will be collecting my high school certificate from the institution."

"For the longest time, I was buying one litre of milk daily for my family especially for my little daughter. Since a litre costs KES 75, this was so much for me because I do not make much profit operating a general shop. My desire was to buy a dairy cow so that I can get enough milk for my family and some for sell buy I was not financially in a position to buy a cow. With my second transfer, I spend KES 30000 to dairy cow, KES 12000 to buy chicken that I'm intending to start a poultry farming business with and the balance to add more stock to my business. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for helping me achieve two of my goals."

"I have relied heavily on farming for the last three years to make a living. I had to give up farming when the drought hit our region, so I started working manual labor jobs like building houses to support my family instead (wife and six children). My children are split between primary and secondary education, with three attending secondary school. When compared to how much I make each day, the school expenses I must cover for my kids are very high. As a result, I made the decision to start a poultry farm and sell chicken eggs to make a living. I was able to buy some layers with the money I had saved from previous transfers, who have since multiplied and now number 73. To ensure the security and comfort of my flock of chickens, I spent the entire $34 in transfers I received in December building a coop. In order to ensure their visibility at night and to increase production, I also purchased a solar light. Last but not least, I used $10 from the December transfers to purchase starter mash, which will help the hens grow effectively. I'm grateful that the funds have given the construction of the chicken coop a significant financial boost. With the project up and running, I am confident that I will have a secondary source of income that will enable me to cover my children's school expenses and also buy food for the family."

"My house's roof was blown off in August of last year due to the high winds that were blowing at the time. That was the breaking point in my never-ending house problems. When it rained, the numerous holes in the very old irosheets allowed rainwater to enter the house. After my home suffered damage, I was compelled to live there temporarily. Since then, I've set aside $20 from my monthly transfers and purchased two sheets of iron sheeting to help me fix the house. I'm happy to report that my house has improved thanks to the new roof, which has put an end to the numerous problems I faced last year. I spent a whopping $24 on food for the family in addition to the iron sheets. I undertake manual labor for pay, such as bringing people drinking water and firewood. I receive a very meager amount that lasts me for a single day. My husband is a "boda boda" motorcycle taxi driver, but his income is insufficient to support our entire family. I'm glad the transfer's funds were able to significantly assist us at a time when we were struggling financially and unable to purchase food. I finally spent $34 on a goat and some chickens. I am thrilled because owning this livestock represents a significant financial investment for me. My wealth will increase significantly once they proliferate because their prices will rise over time."

"I was using rechargeable solar lighting bulbs that I purchased on a hire-purchase basis and paid for in weekly installments. Even though I had not been consistent in making the payment, I am grateful that they were considerate enough to continue lighting up my home. They turned it off the month before I received the transfer because I had defaulted a lot and had to look for a full amount to be given the services back. The first transfer bailed me out when I paid off a $70 debt, allowing me to enjoy lighting as well as the use of a radio that came with the lighting equipment. Previously, I was reliant on a grocery store that I had to close because my mother became ill and I needed to be there for her as well as my three school-going children. I am glad she's feeling better and can cook for herself again. I also built a new house to replace an old hut that was almost falling. Termites had destroyed the walls, and the roof leaked during rainy seasons. I spent $300 on construction materials and labor charges. We are now content to live in a warm room.  I also paid $50 in school fees for my three children and purchased five chickens and two ducks for $25, with the intention of breeding and selling their products and chicks in the future. The remainder was later spent on food for my family of five, as well as miscellaneous expenses during the Christmas season."