"I always yearned to actively participate in a self-help group and have a stable source of funds. So I prioritized contributing KES 1000 towards the group to become an active member. I spent the remaining amount on purchasing maize floor worth KES 1000, two chickens for KES 500, and bought two pieces of clothes at KES 500"

"I spent KES 20000 to buy goats and KES 10000 to buy chicken. This is because I'm in to buying and selling livestock business and I just wanted to add stock to my business because it has gone down since COVID-19. I believe my business is going to grow and I will be able to support my family and pay school fees for my five children. I spent the balance to buy clothes for my children and cater for other basic needs."

"Upon receiving my second transfer, I spent Kshs.6,000 building a chicken coop and also bought chicken worth Kshs.4,000.I chose to start poultry farming so that I can sell eggs hence more income. I also paid a down payment of Kshs.15,000 for a motorcycle which I took at hire purchase hence paying monthly since I have someone running the business. With Kshs.16,000 I used to purchase iron sheets to complete a house I had started with my first transfer and also did the entire finishing. With Kshs.9,000 I tilled my land and maize seedlings which in a few months ahead we will harvest and can sustain my family for the remaining part of the year. With the remaining amount, I used to buy food for my household members."

"I cannot see a significant difference because I have so far received one transfer of KES 1200 which I spent on chicken and medicine. However, I am hopeful that the future transfers will record a greater impact. I intend to build a decent house made of bricks and iron sheet roofing using the next cash that Give Directly will send."

"I have been supplying water to the nearest school where one of my children schools and I usually get paid at the end of each month. They usually deduct 50% that goes to school fees from the amount that I am paid. I have six children in different levels of education and despite getting help from my spouse in paying school fees for them, they are usually in and out of school most of the time. It has been my wish to start a poultry-keeping project as a way of diversifying my sources of income. When I received my transfer, I spent KES 20000 building a chicken coop and used KES 6000 to pay school fees for my son to avoid being sent back home. In addition, I spent KES 20000 on the purchase of a dairy cow as an investment for my family. This will lead to an increase in the income from milk sales when it reproduces and I will be able to use this money in educating our children."

"In the last 5 months, I started poultry farming and this has brought happiness in my life. Initially, I started with only 3 chickens which have grown to over 40 chickens now. At least I can collect 10 eggs a day which has greatly helped in supplementing the little we get from my husband. We can meet basic household needs such as sugar, flour, and milk without much struggle."

"I previously used to earn KSH 4000 per month to help in raising livestock for my employer. When the drought struck our village, most of the livestock died. My employer had no choice but to end my employment contract, leaving me jobless. I have spent the better part of last year digging in my farm, but without rain I could harvest nothing from the farm. When I received my first transfer, I spent KSH 1500 to buy 5 chicken. I bought the chicken as I want to venture into poultry farming. Since I have the knowledge to rear different type of livestock, I want to try it. Besides buying the chicken, I spent KSH 1000 to buy food for my family. With no job, I had no money and to prevent my family from starving, buying the food was a wise decision for me. For the remaining KSH 500, I ordered more chicken and made a promise to pay the remaining amount once I received my next transfer."

"Upon receiving the money, after some few days I decided that I was going to buy a hen so that I could add to the chicken that I already had in my farm because I genuinely wanted to begin poultry farming on large scale and take them to the market for sell. The hen cost me KES 300. The other remaining part of my balance I decide I would cater for tuition fee since two of my children were literally on the verge of being kicked out of school because I had pending balances in the school fees. I gave them KES 600 to be split between the both of them equally. I was left with about KES 2,100 which I used in purchasing a bag of maize flour that contained a dozen packets and used an additional KES 400 to buy four kilograms of beans so that we would have a meal in the house. The remaining KES 300 I used it to acquire ten gallons of drinking water since we experienced a shortage back in the village."

"I spent part of my second transfer on clearing school fees of KES 10000 for my four children who are in primary schools. I am happy that they will be able to sit for their exams without any interference. Also, I bought new clothes for my kids since the initial ones were old and it has been affecting their self-esteem. As their mother, I am happy that this was settled in good time. To add to that, I bought chicken at KES 1200 which I am now keeping on my homestead as an asset. With the remaining amount of money, I bought foodstuffs for my family and other household items like utensils and cutlery."

"The funds have been very helpful. Using them, I bought myself some chickens and also paid my children's school fees. So in my opinion, give directly has done extremely well and there's nowhere that they have done badly."