"I would like to own three cows that will help me get milk for both commercial and domestic purposes. Milk is a necessity in our village and if I can get $1000 I can buy the cows and start the journey."

"I am a livestock and cash crop farmer. When I received my first transfer, I bought two dairy cows to rear at home. Seeing how they have been a great source of income for my family, I decided to add another one to the herd. I got it at $450 and I do not regret buying it. With the increased flock, I hope to get more income from them. The furniture that we have been using at the house was not in a good state and thus I upgraded it buying two more chairs which cost $50. With the remaining $30 I bought some second-hand clothes for my three children and me."

"I had desired to construct a decent shelter for my firstborn child who is 16 years. This is because his house was grass-thatched, leaking and collapsing, which was very risky to his life. Similarly, he was spending sleepless nights during the rainy season, which lowered his concentration in class. I used $150 of my second transfer to construct a one-roomed, mud-walled iron sheets house for the boy. Additionally, I renovated our house by putting up a strong metallic door that keeps the household items safe. Furthermore, I spent $160 to boost our livestock rearing by purchasing one local dairy cow. This is a future investment for the family since I will have a steady supply of milk and plan to sell the offspring to cater for any emergency and educate my 5 children."

"GiveDirectly transfers have assisted me in paying my first-grade son's school fees as well as purchasing food for my current family of nine. Aside from the monthly support, I also do subsistence farming to supplement my income. I am grateful that I was able to save a portion of the monthly transfers through the informal savings group we formed with the other nine members of our village, and when my turn came last year, I was able to purchase a dairy cow. In the coming year, I intend to continue saving with the group and use the funds to purchase goats. I hope to multiply them through breeding and then sell them to supplement the small family land that we had been farming on, giving me more space to improve farming and produce a plentiful supply of foodstuffs for my family."

"I have no stable source of income , but during rainy seasons , I keep myself busy in the farm practising subsistence farming . We just depend on my husband for upkeep. I can't forget , it was on a Thursday night when my son showed me the message on my phone . I had finally received the second transfer . I was overwhelmed with joy . I knew most of my problems would be solved . I have 5 primary school going children , they had school fees arrears of $100 which I cleared . I had always wished to own a cow like some of my neighbours , so I spent $200 on 1 heifer . I hope that through artificial insemination it will get pregnant quickly , so that I start enjoying it's milk and even sell some . Later I can sell them and pay school fees for my children . I also bought a water tank of 4000 litres worth $100 , I'll be using it to harvest water during rainy seasons . There was no food in my house , so I bought 3 bags of maize worth $75 ,I also bought utensils worth $20 ."

"Owning animals has always been a dream of mine. Unpredictable weather patterns and a lack of funds to buy livestock have been major obstacles for me in my quest to own livestock. In our culture, livestock like goats and cows are highly regarded and used as a gauge of wealth. We exchange essential services, like providing schooling for children, for livestock in exchange for dowries and other payments. When I got my transfers for December, I made the decision to buy a $32 goat with the transfer. The goats will procreate in a few months, and this cycle will continue until I have a large number of goats. I can cash in on such a large number and use the proceeds to pay for the education of my two young children, who attend Ikanga Primary. Getting into the livestock farming business will enable me to help my tailor husband take care of the financial needs of our expanding family."

"I intend to buy livestock , (a cow and a goat) before the end of April this year . This is because I have seen how beneficial livestock is in times of emergencies and I also want to be like my neighbours who own livestock . I just love livestock keeping . I can also sell them in future and venture into greater investments . I need approximately $300 for this and I intend to raise it fro my grocery shop ."

"I'm a widow with no stable source of income . My late husband left me with 5 children . So when I received the second transfer , I thought of a long term investment , something that would benefit my children even after this project is finished . So I settled on 2 cows : a heifer and a bull . Each was worth $250 . I'm sure these two will multiply in number , I'll be able to sell some and pay for my children's school fees . I settled for livestock because it is better than letting the money lie idle in my pocket . Also my children did not have decent beddings , they would sleep on a mosquito net and this was so uncomfortable . So I topped up the remaining $30 and bought for them a comfortable mattress that cost $40 . Thanks to Give Directly that my children can now sleep like the babies they are !"

"I'm a small scale business lady , where by I sell fish and charcoal . My husband is a mason but on casual basis . We both assist each other to fend for our families . On the other hand I practice cattle keeping but on small scale . I spend $180 on 1 cow and $30 on 1 goat . I opted to invest in cattle since they will multiply in future and be beneficial to my family . I have 5 children and 4 of them are in primary school . They had school fees arrears totalling to $120 which I cleared using part of this transfer. My children have been using the traditional beddings which are as good as sleeping on the floor , I spent $100 on a modern new bed and $60 on a mattress , now my children always look forward to having a good rest every night ! We also needed to stock food because that is a basic need yet it was finished in my house , so I took the remaining $60 and bout 2 bales of maize flour and 25kgs of rice . Thank you so much for blessing my family ."

"My short-term goal is primarily to expand my current livestock flock. I'm hoping to raise enough money to add to my existing herd of cows, goats, and chickens. In the long run, I would like to see all of my children finish their education, get good-paying jobs, and have access to all of the opportunities that we as parents may not have been able to provide for them."