"Owning a decent shelter for the family has always been my longing for the last 5 years. I have not been able to achieve it due to lack of adequate money to purchase building materials. After receiving the transfer, I prioritized the construction of a new house by purchasing 16 iron sheets, timber, building poles which cost KES 23,000. In addition, I set aside KES 10,000 to clear all the labour costs. Previously, I was living in a small, old, grass-thatched house that leaks, this forced us to spend sleepless nights during the rainy season and my children constantly felt sick due to the cold. I spent KES 5000 to pay part of the school fees for my 7 children who are still in lower primary. This is because they had accumulated a huge balance since I had not been paying their fees. The remaining amount assisted me in buying sufficient food for the family."

"As a single parent, I have been struggling for years now just to improve the living conditions of my Children and myself because I lost their father some two years ago. If I'm successfully enrolled in to Give Directly Cash transfer program, I plan to built a house for myself and my children as well as help pay my children school fees. Even as we speak currently, I don't have my own place to be but living in this room that is owned by Pa. Blama Sonnie."

"If I am successful to receive the money, base on the amount, I will add my Market ( rice, Pepper,fish etc.)up and use some to pay my children school fees. Because when my children go to school, I will benefit in the future. More to what I do with it, when it is enough, I will build good house with it."

"I'm currently facing shelter challenge, in the sense, when ever it rains my heart always in worry for my mud house, because when the rain flashes on the house it causes it to bust and fall, another challenge is my children's school business, I have to sell fufu to send them to school, most times they are sent home because of school fees. At times they can spend whole semester sitting home because of the lack of support."

"I have been married for over twenty years and it has never been joyful especially this period that my children need to go to school. I have been the family's breadwinner since my spouse is very old he couldn't any longer be able to take care of us anymore. I have been relying solely on burning and selling charcoal in the local market which on a good day I could earn KES 250. With my eight family members, this could not sustain the family's basic needs. Therefore paying school fees for my three children who are in college and secondary school was a challenge. Most of the time I depended on the bursaries and the wellwishers to raise the fees which were not a guarantee. On most of the days, they were also home because of the arrears which could always affect their performance. I am now glad becasue I managed to send them back to school after clearing the whole balance for the two semesters. I could not imagine this would happen anytime soon and it still feels like a dream to me which I am happy to mention that has brought the biggest difference in my daily life."

"The biggest difference in my daily life is that the cash transfers empowered me to boot my business (selling cashew nut) that was almost collapsing. This has been the only source of income that I majorly depended on and whenever I experienced any losses it could affect my family directly. Being a seasonal business most of the time I could lack capital which was the major challenge that I faced all though and this made me not be able to fend for my family appropriately. I had even tried borrowing a loan from banks but it was granted becasue I even had no security. Having received my first transfer I had to focus on reviving the business becsue I was certain I would achieve a lot through it. I am now a happy father because in a week I have been able to earn KES 5000 which was contrary to that of before. Providing for my family's needs like food, school fees have now been easy courtesy of GiveDirectly"

"I spent KES 9000 of the first transfer on paying school fees for my son who is in secondary school. This has enabled him to study without disturbances which have been the bigger challenge ever since he joined the school. Also, I bought two dairy cows worthy of KES 26000 which are now serving as the only living assets that I can lean on in case of any emergency. It has been my dream to own even one but I could not afford it because they are very costly. In addition to that, I bought some bricks at KES 2000 purposely for the renovation of my house. I had wished to add another room to make them three but the building materials were very expensive. Considering my family is big (7 members) it could not accommodate some of us and we had to shelter from our relatives. With the KES 8000, I bought food for my family that would at least take us to the next harvesting season."

""I have difficulties paying my children school fees. I did not go far in school. So I wish that my children get good education. Even though this is my greatest wish, paying fees on time has been difficult for me. So if I get any money, I will use it for schilling."

"This money will mean a lot to me and my children. Since I have no husband, I have struggle twice than my married friends to have food and provide for myself too. We usually have problems such as lack of food, beddings, school fees and other needs. Lack of school fees caused my children to drop out of school and I am not happy with that. Sometimes I do engage in small businesses such as selling firewood and grass. It is hardwork but I have no choice. This money will assist us in affording a better home especially buying iron sheets, cement and other household materials so that will live better tha before. Even though my kids have dropped out of school, I will make sure we invest the money into something such as a business so that we tak care of ourselves after the program ends."

"My wife and I used to burned coal and make farm to send our children to school but due to my illness I cannot make farm or burn coal anymore. The little money we earned from the farm and the coal we burned, we spent some behind my illness and pay some of our children school fees. I'm not doing anything now to earn money that will maintain my family. My neighbours also help me at time with food and little amount of money which cannot solve all of our problems. If I receive this money, I will pay my children school fees and put my wife in to business that will help us sustained the family."