"As a family of five, we rely heavily on my barber shop for support. Unfortunately, the business is not thriving, which has led me to seek alternative sources of income. I have been hoping to purchase an additional shaving machine to help grow my business, but finances have always been a challenge. Thankfully, with the anticipated transfers, I plan on spending KES 7500 on purchasing this shaving machine. In addition to that, I aim to spend KES 30000 in goats. They thrive well in our area and can multiply quickly, making them a solid investment for my family. With proper care, I believe I can earn a significant income in a relatively short time. This dual approach—enhancing my barber shop and starting a small goat farm—will hopefully provide us with better financial stability and support our family’s needs in the long run." (Occupation: Small business)

"In the coming year and beyond, I am determined to invest in a project that will generate sustainable income once the transfers come to an end. This project will help me escape the difficult life we’ve lived in the past. I’m glad that I’ve been using part of my transfers to acquire goats—so far, I’ve managed to get seven, which is a good start. Additionally, I’ve been using the transfers to pay my children’s school fees, allowing them to focus on their studies without interruptions. I’m very grateful to GiveDirectly for this opportunity. As the five years of support will soon come to an end, my priority is to invest in my children’s education and create an income source that will allow me to support my family with ease. By investing in goats, I’ll be able to sell some when needed to pay school fees and buy food for my family once the transfers stop. I don’t want to return to the poverty we faced before GiveDirectly’s support, so I’m committed to using these transfers wisely to secure our financial future." (Occupation: Small business)

"My plan for the coming years is to focus on farming, particularly planting maize, beans, and vegetables. I believe that by doing this, I can generate enough income to pay school fees for my children and ensure they get a good education. Along with farming, I also want to open a small business selling foodstuffs in my village. This way, I can have an additional source of income and provide for my family. I hope that with these efforts, I will be able to improve our living standards and give my children a better future. Farming and the business will help us become more stable financially and self-sufficient."

"I am determined to focus on farming in the coming years and open a business once I start earning from my crops. By investing my time and energy into agriculture, I believe I can provide for my family and create a stable income. Furthermore, I have plans to continue my education, which I had to pause due to lack of school fees. Education is important to me, and I want to improve my knowledge and skills for a better future. I hope that with my farming success and new business, I can pay for my education and set a good example for my child. Ultimately, my goal is to build a better life for my family and achieve my dreams."

"For the past 7 years we have been unable to complete the construction of our house .We have 2 children in school,one in university and another in high school .Payment of their school fees from my husband salary and my trading business has been straineous leading to a standstill in the household projects.Receiving this transfers means a dream come true in our family because we can now fully complete the construction of our house with approximately KES 60000.The remaining amount of KES 10000 will be used to purchase 10 fishing nets hence enabling me to scale up my daily income from KES 600 to KES 18000.This means a better life for my family" (Occupation: Small business)

"Receiving the cash transfer means so much to me. I believe it will change my life positively especially since I'm unable to do heavy work after I got into an accident. With the first cash transfer I intend to purchase building materials such as iron sheets and building blocks. I intend to use about KES 15000. With the remaining amount I intend to purchase clothes and other household goods that I may need. For the second cash transfer I intend to construct a house where I will open a posho mill business. For the third cash transfer I intend to start my posho mill business which will be a source of income. I intend to use KES 45000 of the cash transfers on this."

"As I mentioned earlier, I am deeply involved in agribusiness, and I am currently focused on digging a small water pan on my farm which will enable me to collect rainwater during the rainy season that will be of great use for agriculture during the dry season. I am still in the process of completing this project, but I remain optimistic about its success as I know it will be very important for my farming activities. Looking ahead to this year and beyond, I plan to continue to invest a portion of my transfers into my farm. I intend to purchase quality inputs such as seeds, pesticides, and manure, which will help me maximize my harvests. With these resources, I aim to grow watermelons, pumpkins, and maize crops that thrive in our region where I will sell the surplus and earn some income. The proceeds from selling these crops will allow me to support my family's needs while also setting aside some produce for family our consumption. I am genuinely excited about this project and hopeful that the rains will come, enabling my plans to come to fruition."

"As I mentioned earlier, my house needed reinforcement to withstand the harsh weather conditions we face in our region, including strong winds. I am currently in the process of construction, and my plans for this year and beyond is to continue using a portion of my transfers to ensure my family has a strong and lasting home. I want to create a safe environment where we won’t have to worry about renovations or the possibility of the house collapsing in the future. In addition to my home improvement plans, I also want to save another portion of my transfers in our local savings group. My goal is to buy more goats, hoping they will multiply over time. I envision trading some of them for female cows, which can also increase in number and provide us with even more opportunities for income. Ultimately, I plan to sell some of the cows and goats and save the proceeds in my bank account. This will give me a financial cushion for when I need it most, particularly for my children’s education and to invest in my livestock-selling business. I am incredibly grateful for this support, as it enables me to pursue my dreams for my family and secure a better future for us all." (Occupation: Small business)

"My health and well-being will remain my top priority, so in the coming year and beyond, I plan to continue using a portion of my transfers to purchase the necessary medication, refills, and special nutrition I need to maintain and improve my health. Additionally, I intend to keep investing another portion of the transfers in more goats and chickens, with the hope that they will multiply and grow in value. In the future, I can sell some of them to start a business. Due to my health condition, I am unable to do heavy work, so my goal is to open a shop where I can sell household consumables without needing much physical strength. I am hopeful that these dreams will come true, and I am deeply grateful for the support I receive from GiveDirectly." (Occupation: Small business)

"Initially, I had plans of renovating my house, but things have become quite difficult and so I had to shift my priorities. The drought and hunger affecting our region has made life challenging for many of us. I used to collect building poles from the forest and sell them to people in my community who were constructing homes. But with the current hunger crisis, people are more focused on providing food for their families, leaving me with fewer customers for the building poles. This has reduced my income, and now I solely rely on the transfers from GiveDirectly. For the coming year and beyond, I plan to use a portion of these transfers to continue paying school fees for my children and buy food for my family. Additionally, where possible, I intend to invest in chickens, hoping they will multiply and grow in value. My hope is that when my children need school fees, I can sell some of the chickens to cover their costs and ensure they continue with their education. I’m truly grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, especially during these difficult times." (Occupation: Small business)