"My short-term goal is to add more stock to my business, add cows and sell them at the market. The business has profits that can help me pay school fees for my children without strain."

"I am a single mother of two sharing my home with two other relative's children.  Despite the fact that I was paying their school fees solely, I am relieved that they were able to progress through the system to their final year of secondary school without being barred from attending classes. They had $150 in school fee arrears before their exams, which I am glad to have cleared after receiving the first transfer. This enabled them to obtain their certificates as soon as their results were available. I also spent $170 to connect electricity to my house after years of using a vintage lantern lamp and a rechargeable emergency lamp in the absence of kerosene. At the moment, both the kitchen and the main house are well lit, and the electricity bill is 50% less than it was when a lantern lamp was used. In addition, I spent $120 on a heifer to supplement a neighbor's lactating cow that I keep on my farm. I needed to start rearing mine as well, so that I could add milk production in the future and also serve if the owner took back the currently lactating one. With the remaining funds, I also purchased construction materials to build a new kitchen. Despite the fact that the construction is not finished, the few materials that are already in place have been put to use as we prepare for the second transfer."

"This cash transfer will bring a big change in lives. Here I plan to purchase a dairy cow which will provide us milk for both domestic use and also selling to raise money for acquiring other basic needs in the home hence living good life. I also opt to buy a plot of land worth USD 1052 for cultivation which enable my family to get food in plenty so that we can reduce on life of sturving that we go through now. The balance of USD 263 will cater for medical bills and also buying food as we do cultivate to harvest more food in the family."

"GiveDirectly did an excellent job in our village, which everyone appreciated. From the first meetings, where we were given detailed information about the project, to the final transfer, everything was made clear to us. We relished the freedom to spend our money in ways we never imagined possible after receiving such a large sum. I was able to pay off all of my school debts, purchase a dairy cow, and enroll my firstborn child in school. I am grateful for the help and hope that other villages will have the same opportunity."

"The first installment we are planning to buy livestock, we will buy a pig for $120 and a goat for $50 and the balance from the first installment we plan to renovate our house and buy food , clothes , furniture and other materials we need in the house. The second installment we plan to buy a cow for $300 and the balance we will finish our house renovation and buy ourselves our own land. Receiving this money will help us come out of poverty by giving us an opportunity to have enough livestocks to give us fertiliser and sell in the future in case we need money; for instance when we need to pay for medical insurance we usually sell our cattle and be able to get that money. And being able to receive this money will also give us an opportunity to live in good and proper house for our family."

"Being elderly, my wife and I rely on our son to care for the whole family. The only source of income for our family is the livestock, which I raise. I currently have ten goats in my possession. Before the drought started, I had five cows and more than 30 goats. When I received my transfers for December, I spent $32 on a goat. The goats I'm buying will multiply in number over the coming months, making them wise investments for the future. If I ever have a crisis, I'll sell the goats and use the proceeds to care for the family's livestock, which is our only source of income. If I have an emergency, I'll sell the goats and use the proceeds to deal with it. I'm thrilled that the money from the transfers will let me make wise investments and stop relying too much on my son, who has his own family, for financial support."

"I was hoping that this year I could use the money to invest in some goats and poultry as well, because with the money I receive, they are affordable as compared to cows. I choose to buy the animals because, personally, I can barely work due to my age, so in case I am stuck financially, they will give me some leverage. I also intend on using the money as well, because throughout the years my kids have been taking care of me, but I'm glad that ever since I got into the program, I can now look after myself without relying on my kids. Apart from that, I am also going to use a part of the transfers to buy myself a couple of clothes because most of the ones I have are worn out and torn ."

"I would love to own a cow by the end of this year. Seeing my son raise his herd of cattle has motivated me to follow the same path. Years from now, the cow will have multiplied and increased my wealth, which I could sell and make enough money to support the needs of my family, such as food and my grandchildren’s school fees. I hope the monthly transfers propel me toward realizing my dream."

"Having a healthy life and having peace in our house is what keep us moving forward. We had a cow which has produced a cattle recently and my niece who was pregnant come for a vist in the past days and when she reached home she was able to deliver her baby safely and this was happy news for us because we started the year welcoming the new baby born and I am now planning to go visit her. My last born Dancile have also well performed in class as she is starting in primary and we didn’t expect her performance to be as good as it was and this was amazing achievement for our family."

"I am planning to buy a pig for 100$ which will replace the one i sold to buy a small land , i will also renovate my house by building a kitchen because i currently cook in the same room in which i sleep in and the balance i will buy some house materials that i need , food and clothes for me and my son Fabrice abs i will invest in my small business of selling potatoes. In the second istallment I am planning to buy a cow which will cost me 360 $ and the balance i will try to find another land to buy for myself. Receiving this money is a great opportunity as it will help me live properly and will help me generate some income in my business."