"When I received the first transfer I spent KES 2400 on different kinds of foodstuffs that can take my family for some period before budgeting for more. Due to the prolonged drought, food has become scarce and more expensive. We are glad that GiveDirectly came to our rescue because it has not been easy for most people in our area. KES 600 I spent on two chickens for rearing. I had some, but they all succumbed to the poultry infection that raided our area sometime back. They are not only a good source of income but food to both for eggs and poultry meat."

"I am a secondary school student struggling with paying my school fees. I have been sent home severally to pick school fees and with my jobless parents, this has been impossible. I will use the GiveDirectly transfers to pay my school fees. Given that I am left with two years only, this will cost me a total of KES 30,000. I will use the balance to start a chicken rearing business so that I can diversify my family's income sources. The profits from the chicken business will help in financing my higher education."

"Tailoring has been my source of income. Even though it does not pay much but at least I am glad I usually get something at the end of the day. I have 3 children in primary school and it will not be long until they graduate to secondary school which will require huge school fees. I am, planning to invest in poultry as an additional source of income with a projection of selling them in the future to raise my children's school fees and to meet other household expenses. When I received the second transfer I saved the whole of it so that I can use it to purchase chicken for rearing. I will be adding more every month until I reach about 50 of them which is my target."

"I am a member of a poultry farm group in our village where we keep 100 birds. The training has impressed me and I have been thinking of starting mine so that I enjoy full benefits from the sales. Receiving this money means realizing my dream of beginning this business. I plan to spend KES 70,000 to build the chicken coop and buy 50 indigenous chickens. A portion of the transfers will help me get three mattresses to replenish the old ones. As they grow I will sell at a profit and use the income to cater to the education of my children. The remaining amount will use to buy food and other basic needs such as medical care. Once I meet this target, my heart will be full of pleasure because I will have utilized the knowledge I gained from the group to improve my household."

"The pay that comes with being an ECDE teacher is not that much but is something to atleast sustain us. I am married to one husband who is a carpenter and together we are blessed with one lovely child. The news of receiving the KES 3000 transfer came as a huge relief as I was able to buy food for the household at KES 1500 and this would last us for a period of eight days. I was also able to groom my son by getting new clothes for him worth KES 500. The remaining balance of KES 1000, I saved to buy two more chicken to add to the two that we had since I also practise poultry farming."

"The lack of adequate funds to sustain a family is a major setback and being the sole breadwinner to our small family, the struggle has been real. I do casual jobs at times when they are available and my wife mostly stays at home as a housewife as she has no job. The KES 3000 from GiveDirectly really brought happiness to our home as I was able to buy food to last us a week and a half at KES 1500 since what was left was little and could not last long. Being a poultry farmer, I bought four chicken at KES 800 and one duck at KES 500 which I rare at home from the coop I constructed. The remaining KES 200, I bought some personal stuff for use at home."

"I am a form four candidate. Before give directly, the only source of income my parents had was through charcoal manufacturing. From it, they would support my sibling and I by meeting our daily needs. Payment of school fees has always been a challenge. Often, I will be sent home due to the arrears, and the longest I have had to stay home is 3 weeks. This made me miss out on my studies and as a result, I dropped in my performance. Recently, when I got the funds, I had arrears of KES 10000. I substituted the amount my parents gave me with the KES 400 from the transfer I received to reduce the bill to KES 6,000. The KES 800 that remained I used to buy three chickens. This is so I could start a poultry farming business to earn a living and support my studies."

"The biggest impact receiving the funds has brought is that I have job been able to expand my project by adding more chicken to what I already had and now I have a total of four. This is a welcome relief as when I am done with school, I can fully concentrate on my already running project."

"Part of my first transfer was deducted for a phone that I was given during the enrollment stage, so I received KES 1200 as the first transfer which I spent on 3 chickens for rearing. I am still under my parents' care but it is about time I should be independent. I am hopeful that in the future, once they will have multiplied then I can sell some of them to raise money for my needs hence I will not rely on my mother. At the time when I receive the second transfer, we had run out of cornflour for our family. I, therefore, bought a bundle of corn at KES 1200 so that I could relieve my mother of the burden. We solely depend on her, but she does not earn much from her small business. I have seven more siblings who rely on her for their school fees, clothing, food, and medication. This is too much for her, and I am glad I was able to assist. With the remaining KES 1800, I used KES 1500 to purchase a heavy polythene bag for roofing my house which was under construction. I am happy I now have a house and I do not sleep in my neighbor's house anymore. It is so peaceful to have your own house I am controlled by anyone on when to sleep and when to wake up. KES 300 I spent on both a shirt and a pair of trousers so that I can also have some decent clothes."

"My goal is to be financially stable.My plan is to buy five chicken every month for atleast the next three months .I believe if I raise 15 chicken it will be a step closer to trading some for goats as they multiply.Trading both chicken and goats will be one way for me to raise enough funds to start building a three roomed house and a verandah which is bigger than my current house that is small (one roomed)."