"My family's livelihood is solely dependent on my husband's income from selling locally-made toothbrushes. Unfortunately, my deteriorating health has prevented me from contributing to the family income. I suffer from chest pains that make it challenging to perform any labor-intensive jobs. I was ecstatic when I received my March transfers. I immediately spent $2 on medicine to alleviate the chest pains. I also paid $10 towards my son's school fees, allowing him to sit for his end-of-term exams. In addition, I invested $12 in buying three hens, with the hope of increasing my initial investment as they multiply over the next three months. I plan to sell them for a considerable profit once they mature. Finally, I saved $10 in a savings group to cater for any unforeseen emergencies. With these investments, I hope to be able to supplement my husband's income and contribute towards our family's needs."

"I have two children; one of them completed school and is married and the other one completed school in 2021 and joined college last year September. As a parent, it can be tough to manage the costs of your child's education, especially when it comes to the field he chose which happens to be medicine and is quite expensive. The moment I received my transfers the first thing that came to my mind was paying my child's school fees which did cost me $20. I was so happy and really thanked the Almighty God for that. The remaining amount I took was $14 and spent it on food so that for the month I will be sorted.Thanks to GiveDirectly, for helping my family and I when we needed help the most."

"The family's sole provider of income is my husband. He makes a livelihood selling native toothbrushes made from a tree used for medicine. My husband has found selling the toothbrushes to be a very challenging job because most of his customers now want to use modern toothbrushes and very few choose to purchase local ones. My two elementary-aged children have suffered greatly as a result of our family's financial difficulties because they are frequently sent home from school. As a result, I paid $10 in back school fees when I received my transfer in March so that my children could return to class and finish their education. In addition, I put $10 in savings accounts so that it may grow and I could receive a loan, which I will use to buy building supplies for my house. I finally spent $10 on food that I purchased in bulk. We must buy food in bulk to save money and obtain enormous quantities of the stuff because food prices have risen. I'm relieved that the money from the transfer gave me a significant boost during my difficult moments when I was unable to buy meals because of a lack of money."

"Over the last two years, I have been suffering from regular hypertension. The poor financial condition in my household has made it challenging to afford medication for managing the condition. The little earnings that my son makes from hawking bottled water can only buy food for the family (his wife, two children, and me). Mostly, the cash support with obtaining the medicines and securing more food for my family. For the last three months, I have used $10 on my monthly prescription, spent $14 on food, and saved the remaining $10. I thank God that the condition is stabilizing, not only through the drugs but also through the regular meals, which were hard to obtain before the cash aid. Furthermore, I can save part of the money to buy goats in the future as a source of wealth."

"As a hardworking mother of two amazing children, I work in a farm and sell fish to support my family, and my husband works in construction sites. Recently, I received my transfer from GiveDirectly and we sat as a family and decided to split the transfer into three: $15 to pay for my child's college fees so that he may have a smooth time in school. I believe in investing in our children's future, so I wanted to make sure he had some support. My son is studying medicine in Kwale County, and my daughter got married recently and they all give me joy and a reason to live. I spent $12 on savings so as to save enough for the future or in case of unexpected financial challenges. The remaining amount of $7 I used to purchase nutritious and healthy food for our family. As farmers and fish seller, I know how important it is to have good food for our loved ones. I am grateful for the support I received from GiveDirectly, and I will continue to work hard to achieve all my goals."

"I am a mother of five children and supporting my family on a limited budget is not an easy thing. My husband works as a casual labourer; cutting trees and burning charcoal to earn income. The moment I received my transfers, I spent $21 to buy food for my beloved children and I also promised myself that I will be keeping $10 into my savings account monthly. Before using my transfers, I usually take time to make decisions that require careful considerations. Unfortunately, life is unpredictable, and one of my children recently fell ill with a high fever. I had to make the difficult decision to use $3 from my remaining transfers to purchase medicine for my child. It is not always easy, but as a family, we are committed to doing our best to keep moving forward and making ends meet. Despite the financial constraint, I am proud to say that my savings are growing to an impressive $120 after just one year and I am planning to use the money to improve my life and my families life. Thanks to GiveDirectly for their unceasing support."

"I have two wives, and 5 children. I run a motorcycle business. Business as a motorcycle rider has been difficult in recent days as now demand is very low. One of my wives was forced to leave for Saudi Arabia to seek greener pastures on our behalf. Things have also been tough because I have 4 school-going children and one is in a private school which is quite pricey. My other wife recently gave birth which has increased my financial obligations. In March all my transfers went into ensuring her safe delivery, since the health center is far from our home we were able to afford a midwife at $9 due to GD transfers who assisted with the birth and we used $15 on purchasing the necessary medicine and items necessary for her recovery. I also left her with $10 for any arising needs as I was traveling at the time as a result of work. In February I was able to reduce the school fees debt of $20 for my child to $5 and also bought several items or the new curriculum for my child. I used the rest for food. I used my January transfer for my chicken business. I used $10 to buy 3 hens, spent $10 for chicken feed, and used $14 for food."

"I started a chicken-rearing business last year due to a lack of finances to start my dream general shop. I have about 50 chicks and 30 hens. Chicken rearing requires that one take cautionary action such as ensuring the animals have been vaccinated. I used my January transfer to buy the medicine for the chicken at $3 for vaccination. I also bought chicken feed worth $10. In January my chicken business had not made me money enough to take care of food at home so I used my entire $34 transfer to buy flour for the family. In March I found someone selling a goat at $18 and so I sent the money for this purchase and am waiting for the goat to be delivered. I have kept the rest of the transfers to get me through this month's needs as they arise."

"My wife and I earn a living as casual laborers selling charcoal in the village. Last month was tough for me as my health deteriorated. I was unable to go to work and had to depend on my wife to provide for the needs of the family. Selling charcoal and has very little profit, which is not enough to cater to all the needs of the family. Therefore, when I received my money from the transfer,r I spent $10 to pay hospital bills and buy medication that would help improve my health condition. Furthermore, I spent $10 on paying school fee arrears for my two children in primary school who had spent an entire week at home without going to school. I invested $4 on buying iron which is regarded as a future investment considering is going to multiply and increase my initial investment. finally, I spent the remaining $10 on buying food for my family. Having spent a month without working my wife bore the huge burden of taking care of the family. Buying food was enough assurance that my family will not go hungry and would also lessen the huge burden on my wife who was struggling to put meals on the table and also buy medicine and pay for medication so that my health condition would improve."

"GD transfers have changed my health for good. I had a growth on my neck that has gone untreated since 2018. I had wanted to seek treatment for this, but the financial cost was too high for my family to bear. My father raises and sells livestock while my mother is a stay-at-home mother. Their earnings were not enough for my treatment. In 2022 my parents began receiving transfers from GD and that was the first time I sought treatment. I have received treatment and my growth has significantly gone down. In January I spent all my transfers on my treatment and medicine. I bought a goat in February at $30 and used the rest of the transfers to buy flour at $4. In March we had so many days where we did not have food, we decided to use the money to buy a bundle of flour at $25 and the $9 left we used for vegetables."