"First, I want to ensure that I’ve moved to the new piece of land where I’ve already made a deposit. It’s a big step for me because this land is something I’ve been saving for. My plan is to build a house there and relocate, finally having a place of my own that I can really call home. Luckily, I’ll be using the last of the GiveDirectly transfers I’m receiving to help sort out the costs of building. It’s a blessing to have that support, and I know it will make a big difference. On top of that, I’ve already planted an acre of beans. It’s hard work, but I’m hopeful. If all goes well and I get a good harvest, I plan to sell the beans and use the money to buy goats. I’ve thought about this a lot, and I know goats are easy to maintain. Plus, they’re a solid investment. Over time, I can sell some of them to cover important expenses, especially school fees for my children. That’s really my long-term focus—making sure I have enough resources for my kids’ education. It’s a lot to take on, but I’m feeling positive about it all."

"Since my husband passed away two years ago, I’ve had to take on the full responsibility of covering our children’s school fees, clothing, food, and other essentials. The house was already in poor condition when he passed, and it’s been a struggle to meet all their needs with the limited profits from my charcoal business. With the recent increase in the cost of basic commodities, the situation has become even more difficult. My children were often sent home for unpaid fees, so I decided to dedicate all my transfers toward paying their school fees. Renovating the house is my second priority. Although I replaced the roof, the house is still unsafe as the cracked walls let in insects and rain. My immediate goal is to rebuild the walls, and I plan to save $4 each month to buy construction materials. I can’t save more than that right now due to other basic needs. Once my children finish their education, I intend to invest in goat and chicken rearing projects. These projects will generate more income, as they multiply when well taken care of, increasing their financial value. I'm confident that once these projects are established, they will provide security. In case of a financial crisis, I’ll be able to sell some animals to support my family."

"Moving forward, my primary focus is to use my transfers to help my child, who has a deformed leg. I am determined to ensure that he receives the necessary medical attention so that he can have a good leg and enjoy a normal life like other children. In addition to my child's medical care, I plan to use part of the transfers to buy goats. My hope is that these goats will multiply and increase in number over time. I then intend to trade some of the goats for cows, which I can train to help plow my farm. In the future, I may be able to sell some of the cows as they multiply and use the proceeds to fund my children's education. I am excited to see these plans come to fruition with the help of the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly, and I am hopeful that I will be able to provide my children with the best possible opportunities."

"As a parent, I always wish the best for my children. I strive hard to ensure that my daughter, Tiffany, achieves the most from her education by promptly paying for her school fees. Even though I live from hand to mouth managing my father's business, I am proud that she has never been sent home for fees because I prioritize paying them on time. Right now, Tiffany is in pre-primary two and will be graduating to grade 1 in just a week. I cannot wait to attend her graduation and share in this joyful moment with her. It is a significant milestone, and I am so proud of her progress."

"If successful in receiving the transfer, I plan to spend it well. We have a lot to do as a family. The topmost priority is to add more goats, about ten goats. Goats do well here and have a ready market. One goat costs approximately $50 depending on the season. During December holidays the price spikes due to the Christmas festivities. It's a good time to sell my goats. Goat farming will support my family into the future. I have a son in the University, we currently have some areas. I plan to spend about $100 to reduce the burden. This will stabilize him at school as we seek other funds to support him. Education will improve the chances of him having a better future. Better jobs are easily acquired by learned people. Finally, I must support my main source of livelihood. Fish frying business. It has supported us for most of our lives. It's important that I invest in new fishing nets and some money to buy more stock. Fishermen always ask for nets so that they can sell the fish caught exclusively to you. It's a way of securing fish. It will help boost my stock access and profit margins. Hence improving my family's living conditions. I plan to spend about $200 on this investment."

"As a parent without a stable job and source of income with a child in secondary school whose school fee is quite high, my top priority is to ensure her education continues without interruption, especially from being sent home to collect unpaid fees. My plan for the coming year and beyond is to continue using a portion of my transfers that I receive from GiveDirectly to consistently pay her school fees, ensuring she stays in school. Additionally, I am a farmer, and as a farmer, the costs of preparing my land have been a heavy burden. Each farming season, I have had to hire a tractor or plowing bulls, which is quite expensive. To reduce these costs, I have embarked on a journey to acquire two sets of plowing bulls, which would allow me to plow my farm and save on preparation expenses. To reach this goal, I started by purchasing goats and poultry with my previous transfers, and I plan to continue using a portion of future transfers to buy more. My hope is that these animals will multiply and increase in value, enabling me to trade them for the cows I have always dreamed of owning. These cows will help me work on a larger piece of land, securing more food for my family. I remain hopeful that these dreams will come true."

"In the coming year and beyond, I am focused on making investments that will eventually replace the GiveDirectly transfers, as the five years of support we were promised is coming to an end. Establishing a solid investment will help ease my financial stress, which is why I have chosen to invest in goat rearing. I am pleased to have already acquired ten goats through my transfers, and I am working diligently to obtain more by setting aside part of my transfer each month to buy one goat while using the remainder for other domestic needs. I also invested in chickens, but unfortunately, all except one died; I took the surviving chicken to a friend's place for care. I aspire to have an animal farm and am determined to make this happen. These animals will help me support my children's education, as I plan to sell some in the future to cover their school fees."

"I currently have ten goats and ten chickens, a venture I started as soon as I began receiving the GiveDirectly transfers. My plan is to allow the goats to breed so I can sell them to cover my children's school fees and eventually trade them for cows. I also take care of my neighbor's chickens and apply my skills to manage my own flock. I am confident that, over time, both my goats and chickens will thrive and multiply, providing opportunities to sell or trade them, which will help establish a reliable income stream to support my family's needs. Ensuring my children receive a good education is very important to me, and this will help make that possible. However, I have paused further investments in chickens and goats due to the ongoing drought, as I'm concerned about losing some of my livestock to the harsh weather conditions. Therefore, I want to focus on the animals I already have while monitoring the climate. Once the weather improves, I plan to resume my projects as originally intended."

"My spouse and I depend on casual jobs, but the ongoing severe drought has made these jobs increasingly difficult to find. We're becoming more worried about the lack of rain, as it could soon impact our access to drinking water. We have four children in school, and I place a high value on their education. I believe it is their key to a better future, helping them secure jobs or stable income. I make their school fees a priority, and with the latest transfer, I spent $78 on their fees, dividing it among them to prevent them from being sent home and missing their studies. The remaining $24 was used to buy food for the family."

"After finishing my secondary education in the year 2010, I dreamed of living a better and more fulfilling life. However, that vision fades each and every day. Without a stable job, achieving my dreams feels increasingly out of reach. I rely on fishing, which earns me only about $3 a day which is not enough to cover food and other essential needs for my family. A habitable home remains just a dream, as I lack the financial resources to build a decent place to live. Struggling to provide basic necessities like food and clothing is deeply frustrating and embarrassing for me."