"I have three children in secondary school, and raising their fees has been a significant challenge, especially for the one in Form Four, where a zero balance is required. The accumulated arrears stood at $790. To meet these expenses, I rely heavily on crop and livestock farming, which has been manageable in previous years. However, I lost three acres of seed maize this year to floods, which would have helped clear the fees. As a result, I had to sell 14 goats and sheep, leaving me with only the young ones. When I received my second transfer, I decided to commit the entire amount to school fees, ensuring that my children’s education continued uninterrupted. I have planted an acre and a half of beans, and with a successful harvest, I will use the proceeds to clear the remaining balance."

"When I received my unconditional cash transfer, I decided to prioritize my children's education and the well-being of my family. My son is currently in junior secondary school, and I enrolled him in boarding, which cost me $105. His school recommended boarding due to the long distance and the dangers of crossing the river, especially after the recent flood incident. Additionally, I have a daughter in high school who had accumulated $200 in unpaid school fees. I had no idea how I would settle her fees, but with this transfer, I was able to clear the arrears, which brought me peace of mind. As a crop farmer, I used $50 for land preparation, intending to plant maize on my one-acre farm. The proceeds from this harvest will help sustain us in the future. To create a lasting memory of the support I received from GiveDirectly, I bought a goat worth $60, which will also help us in the long run. With the remaining funds, I purchased food items like beans and maize to keep us going as we wait for the crops in the field to mature. This cash transfer has truly relieved a great burden and allowed me to plan for our needs with confidence."

"Beside crop farming, with the challenges I have experienced through droughts and floods, I am planning to invest more in goats. Unlike crops, goats do well and are not affected as much by climate shocks, making them a more reliable source of income. This investment will help me address important needs like school fees for my children and daily household expenses. Additionally, the goats will provide a steady milk supply for my family, reducing the need to buy milk. To reach my goal, I plan to save money from charcoal production and use part of my final transfer to purchase at least ten goats."

"Financial freedom is what receiving this money means to me. I solely depend on fishing to earn a living and recently my income has been affected by the rains and reduced a lot. I plan on purchasing ten goats after losing some to drought. This will enable me to have an alternative source of livelihood when another one is down. I also want to renovate my house and this makes me happier considering my life is going to change."

"My life has changed significantly since I acquired the goats. Now, my family has a steady supply of food, which brings us peace of mind. The goats provide us with fresh milk, which not only nourishes us but also adds variety to our meals. Additionally, having goats means that we have a source of income if we ever need it. This newfound security has improved our overall quality of life, and I am grateful for the support that made this possible. With enough food to eat and the goats to help us in times of need, I feel more hopeful about our future."

"When I received $450 from GiveDirectly, I instantly felt a wave of change and relief. At that time, I was living in a mud house that had leaked during the recent floods that had affected my village. This brought a lot of discomfort to my family, so I used $350 to buy building materials and renovate our home. With this amount, I purchased iron sheets, building poles, and nails, and paid for labor. I have now completed the renovation, and it has brought a sense of comfort and security to my family. Additionally, I used $70 to buy two goats, which will provide us with milk and gradually multiply. This new source of food is valuable for us. I spent the remaining amount on food, which has made a big difference in our lives; we no longer have to skip meals, and we enjoy consistent, nourishing food. I am deeply grateful for these valuable blessings. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for making this possible!"

"As a family of three, we depend on fish farming to earn a living. However, sometimes we run into losses because the fish can sometimes go bad or even you lack a customer. Therefore one will dispose of them. Now I hope to get a backup plan to fish trading, I plan on adding more goats to my current herd therefore secure a future for my family. I plan on spending KES 25000 on purchasing 5 goats. I also plan on spending 70000 on clearing school fees for my grandson in college. This will help him stay in school without worrying about being sent away to collect fees. I will be glad to continue with my fish business while diverting the profits to other family issues."

"We have a family boat providing transport services in Lake Baringo. This is our main source of family income, it is unfortunate that for the last one year the business has been performing poorly. I am planning to shift to commercial fishing. When I receive my transfers from GiveDirectly, I will use $150 to buy quality fishing nets and tap more income from fishing. I am that with these transfers from GiveDirectly, I see my dream of livestock farming coming true. I plan to set aside $150 to purchase ten goats. Additionally, I am planning to spend $230 of my transfers to pay school fees for my grandson Luis Kemboi who is studying in Moi Kabartonjo secondary school."

"I am currently building a new house for my family, as the one we live in now is so rundown and unsafe that I feel as if I am practically sleeping outside. It is even on the verge of collapsing. To make this new home a reality, I have been using a portion of my previous transfers to buy building materials. My goal for the coming year and beyond is to keep investing part of my transfers from GiveDirectly toward buying more materials until the house is fully completed. Once we are able to move in, I will feel a huge sense of relief, no longer worrying about the house falling down on us. Afterward, I plan to use another portion of the transfers to buy goats and chicken, hoping they will multiply over time, creating a sustainable resource that I can rely on to support my family in the future. I am incredibly grateful for this support and looking forward to better days ahead."

"Our new house has stagnated due to lack of sufficient funds to complete it. The transfer will be of immense importance towards its completion. It will mean a bigger and better house for our young family. We plan to spend about $300 towards its completion. Goats do well here and multiply fast. We plan to establish it. Putting in about $500 will buy us almost ten goats. They will act as an income cushion in the future. Goats are easily sellable especially during festive seasons like December and April. Since our business is also struggling and good sales periods are seasonal. We plan to add more stock into the business. Good profits from the business will meet our immediate needs such as food or clothing for our children. The rest of the transfer amount will go into supporting our business."