"Three of my grandchildren had pending school fee balances by the time I received the transfer. Though the schools were closed, I saved $12 from the cash transfer to settle the deficit when they resume studies later this month. At least, am relieved that they will comfortably resume classes without worrying about the debt. Next, I spent $10 to buy two hens. Since I lack a source of income, I aim to let these chickens grow the flock and grant me financial security in the future. The rest of the money went towards the purchase of food. It had been three days since my family had consumed a decent meal. This is because my husband’s only source of income, his mini-bus, had been seized by the authorities, which hindered him from making money for food. Gladly, the cash transfer saved the situation and I am eternally grateful. "

"I separated from my wife four months ago due to disagreements that resulted in her parents recalling her to their home. I have been working hard on the farm projects ever since, despite the fact that I kept running out of money. It was a relief to receive the first transfer because I had a lot to do with livestock and subsistence farming. As a result, I spent $50 on land preparation for the potato planting season, which included tilling and harrowing. I also spent $50 on certified seeds, which I plan to plant in a week. Potatoes mature in a few months, and farming them has been profitable in many seasons throughout the year. On the other hand, I built a new chicken coop for $70 and have already reserved a brood of chicks worth $50 that I will bring in when they are three weeks old. With this project, I hope to collect eggs in the future and sell them to the local market to supplement my income. In addition, after purchasing new clothes and food, I spent $100 on Christmas and New Year's celebrations. I saved the remainder and have been using it to monitor ongoing projects and deal with any household emergencies before the next transfer."

"I had been keeping my neighbor's lactating cow with the three other cows I had previously owned. I needed another cow to increase milk production for both domestic use and as a source of income. I could not pass up the opportunity to be the rightful owner because my neighbor wanted to sell the cow I had been keeping. As a result, I paid $350 and am now enjoying those extra 2 liters daily while waiting for its next breeding period. I also spent $82 on food shopping, which included a sack of maize and a 25-kg bag of rice, which my family of four is still consuming. In addition, I added seven chickens to my flock for $28. Since then, I have been collecting at least 10 eggs per day, selling them once a week, and using the proceeds to fund an informal savings group that my neighbors and I started. My husband and I both work in nearby schools, and our salaries have always ensured that our children attend one of the best boarding schools in the area. I am glad the money we received from GiveDirectly helped us in most areas, as we used the last of it to buy new clothes for every member of the household."

"In the first installment I am planning to buy a sewing machine which will cost me $300 , i studied sewing 2 year ago but i didn't get an opportunity to put it in practice because i didn't have money to buy that machine, I will also buy chitenge fabric to sell as we don't have any shop in our village that sell them and i will also be using them sewing and the balance I plan to rent a place to work in. The second installment I am planning to go into saving groups and I want to buy livestocks , I want to buy 50 chicken for $110 , I plan that they will produce chicks and eggs to sell and to eat as well, the balance I want to buy a land because i want to start cultivating vegetables. Receiving this money is a dream for me because it will be the first time receiving that amount of money and I will no longer be beging , i will be able to get what I need for myself and I will no longer be lonely because i will be busy working using the machine and I will no longer be thinking about my disability and my Future. I have my brother Jean De Dieu who is getting treatment he is also Albino as me , this money will give me an opportunity to help him and he will also get out of poverty and be able to build a life of his own ."

"My two-room, mud-walled house does not have enough bedrooms for my family and me, let alone my four grown children. Therefore, they stay at my father's house to sleep. The sleeping arrangements make me uncomfortable as a parent because I prefer to watch over my kids as they sleep. They share a room with kids from the neighborhood, so I worry about how it might affect them. My primary source of income is building latrines, but it is unreliable because few people actually accomplish this. Therefore, when I was accepted into the program, I was happy because I knew that with the money, I would finally realize my ambition of building a house for the kids. I purchased four iron sheets for $37 using the transfers from the previous two months, which I will combine with the other building supplies I purchased with the prior transfers to build a house. I spent $11 on four chickens to raise with the intention of selling some of them later once they had multiplied in order to increase our household income. Additionally, I spent $20 on food for the family."

"Since most of the available economic occupations require a lot of energy, we are too old to even attempt them. Most of the time, we do farming, but the crops rarely prosper because of the protracted droughts we have been experiencing. As a result, we typically rely on our son, an electrician. He also has a family that depends on him for everything, which causes him to be overwhelmed. I spent $37 on three chickens and a goat for rearing in an effort to increase our household income. Given their low maintenance costs and quick reproduction, both goats and chickens are smart investments. We are hoping that by the time the program is up, we shall have a large number of them and maybe even sell some of them to help with our household expenses. $31 I used to buy food for my family. It's a huge move that I've taken to have purchased the goats and chickens, and I owe it to the organization. I'll use my transfer for this month when I get it to buy food, which is quite difficult right now because of the drought."

"My family had made it a culture to buy new sets of clothes during every Christmas festive season. At first, I only bought a pair of trousers for my only son, Anderson, while my girls had none because I had insufficient cash. As soon I received my transfer, I spent $15 on buying new set of clothes for my three daughters; Shamim, Stella, and Loice. They were very excited to have received the Christmas gift. The rest I spent on maize flour, wheat flour, and chicken for the festive celebration. I am indebted to GiveDirectly because, courtesy of the transfers, we had a good Christmas celebration. It helped me a lot since I did not have money. I heavily rely on charcoal making to earn a living, a venture that has low returns, while my husband has no source of income. He only looks for casual jobs that have become rare and hard to get. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its charity work."

"Due to my vulnerable health condition, I cannot actively work to provide for my family which consists of seven children, my sister, and my mother. My sister mostly takes on that responsibility by working on people's farms or burning charcoal to make money. However, due to the physical demands of the activities, she cannot do much to make a living. As a result, most are the times my household runs out of food. This is why I had to direct $17 from the cash transfer toward the purchase of food. I spent $10 to refill my monthly medication since I had depleted the previous dosage. Lastly, I spent the remaining $7 to buy a chicken for rearing, so that it can reproduce and accumulate more wealth for the household."

"Before receiving the transfer, I was helping out my brother transport livestock to the market. In a week, I would get $15. I live in a one-roomed grass house with my family, I am the breadwinner of the family, and my wife is a stay-at-home mum. The money from my brother's business helps me buy food for the family and little is left for school fees. Most days the children are sent away from school and I am forced to borrow money from my mother. Receiving this transfer has enabled me to build a two-roomed house that is built with iron sheets that cost $300, and started a chicken business that cost me $200, I buy at wholesale price and sell at a profit. The business is doing great and I am grateful."

"Not only do we live in a hardship area but experience irregular income. As a result, meeting the family's needs remains a struggle, and we occasionally survive on inadequate food, skipping some basic meals in a day. With the recent transfer, I prioritized spending $24 on buying maize flour and other food for the family since it was the Christmas festive season. The transfer helped me because I always find it difficult to cater to the needs of seven family members. I have been suffering from some chronic illness, which hinders me from engaging in strenuous work. I also desired to raise poultry farming, therefore, I spent $10 on buying two chickens. I am hopeful that when they increase in number, I will be able to sell them to begin keeping goats because goats are beneficial and valuable in our community."