"For the last fifteen years, I have gone through difficulties in raising my children, after my husband walked away from our marriage. The casual jobs of selling charcoal and fetching water for other people earn me little (1800 per month) which is not enough of taking care of all my family's needs (paying school fees, buying food, and buying clothes). When I received my transfer, I spent much of it (KES 2000) on paying tuition for two children who are in primary school. Because of my poor financial status, I did not pay their school fees on time, and as a result, they were often sent home. The interruptions affected their studies, and they performed poorly in their final examination. Paying tuition for my children is important so that they can perform better and catch up with the rest of the students in their classes. Besides paying tuition for my children, I spent KES 700 to buy 2 chickens. I have always dreamt of having livestock of my own and buying the hens gave me the chance to realize one of my dreams."

"When my husband passed away two years ago, I knew it won't be easy to raise our nine children alone but I never thought it would be this tough. Then, I was a housewife but I had to engage myself into charcoal burning and selling business for me to be able to provide for my family. Within my locality, trees have been depleted and for me to get some wood to burn charcoal, I have to dig deep the tree roots which were left out after the tree were cut. It hasn't been easy digging up the tree roots in such a dry land with temperatures as high as 39 degrees centigrade but what keeps me going is my children. In a good week I can sell charcoal worth KES 1000 but this is very little to cater for all the family responsibilities. I have been thriving in debts and my wish was to have alternative source of income such as having livestock which I can sell. Since I was unable to buy livestock on my own, being enrolled in the program was such a good opportunity for me to start investing in livestock. I spend KES 1000 to buy two chicken which are capable of laying eggs, KES 1400 to buy maize floor and 600 to buy other food stuffs. I'm looking forward to buy some more livestock which I'll be able to sell and pay bills in future."

"I have a small bed that cannot accommodate my family of four people. It is always mended as the ropes tend to sag within two weeks. I also use a tattered woven mat which makes my sleep not enjoyable. Receiving this money means using 10,000 KES to buy a mattress and a bed. I will use the remaining amount as capital for my chicken rearing project am longing to start."

"I desire to start poultry farming to boost my income, I work as a butchery attendant and I earn KES 4000 per month. This is not enough to cater to all my needs, especially with the high cost of living I have not been able to actualize my wish. When I receive money from Give Directly I am planning to build a poultry house for KES 10,000 because I have a few materials I had bought earlier, also I will spend KES 30,000 to buy 40 chickens and poultry feeds. I will be delighted to see my dream come true. This will boost my income when I will start selling eggs and chickens to hotels around where I live."

"Being a stay at home mother, I have always wished to be independent and assist my husband in raising my family of 7. The poultry farming I began in 2015 has made me execute my parental duties successfully through the sale of eggs and chicken. However, the output has reduced significantly due to the fowlpox disease that killed 20 hens. When I receive these transfers, I intend to use KES 30000 to purchase 20 chickens as well as erect a poultry house. Upon successful completion of this project, I will be glad that I will be able to earn income and hence support my husband in bringing up the family."

"I plan to buy livestock, this includes 3 goats which will cost 15,000 KSH. We plan to buy chicken for rearing which will cost 5,000 KSH. For the remaining amount of 35,000 KSH we plan to add an extra room for my sons and also build a kitchen at the moment we are cooking outside and it's very windy and as rains are approaching, we might be forced to cook inside our house."

"The tough economic times have seen me struggle financially as I do menial jobs and have a family (one wife and two children). I still live at our family homestead with the family though my dad is the breadwinner and the wife is just a housewife. The amount received of KES 1200 has helped complete a couple of projects. I spent KES 500 for chicken feed as I am a poultry farmer and a further KES 500 for food supplements in the house thus no sleeping hungry. KES 170, I saved it for any future use."

"After spending both transfers as we had planned with my family members, I now have a new goal of building a chicken coop where I can keep chicken so that I can sell eggs and spend the income on buying foodstuff. When I received my first transfer, I started a grocery store and am saving earnings towards opening it."

"After an appropriate spending of the first and the second transfer on the impressive projects that are currently running, I still have other new goals that I feel should initiate once I raise enough savings. At the moment, I am looking forward to venturing into the business world through the purchase and rearing of chicken for eggs and meat production to the immediate community, and also opening up a retail shop that will serve the immediate needs of my neighbors. These two will keep my family finances growing as I will be making savings from the daily profits that I will be getting from both sides."

"My new goal is to fence my kitchen garden. It is not fenced and I have a plan to plant vegetables in it. I want to do so so that I can restrain the chickens and the cows from going to the farm and destroying crops. My vegetables will thus be protected and I can earn some income from selling them."