"The biggest difference in my daily life is the plentiful supply of milk for my family of six. Alongside the dairy cow is the improved farming on the piece of land I leased that provides both space for the cow and other farm operations."

"The cost of renovating a mud-walled house is high, especially considering that whenever it rains the walls get washed off. With the receipt of the first transfer, we agreed with my spouse to upgrade it to a timber walled house that is warmer, decent, and does not require constant maintenance. We, therefore, spent KES 20000 on both timber, nails, and construction labor. It was a two-room house, but we have also added an extra room for our children. They are growing fast and it is comfortable sharing with them a bed anymore. KES 35000 we spent on a dairy cow. Previously, I relied on my spouse who does casual work but since he does not earn much from it, he used to strain meeting our needs. I am glad our cow has already given birth, and we currently have an additional income from the milk sales."

"Having my neighbor's cow in my field and fully dependent on it for the daily provision of milk has always kept me worrying since the owner would occasionally want to sell out. I had been working so hard to raise some money to pay the owner, but since it is a good breed; I could not meet its cost. On receiving the first transfer, I spent KES 25000 on buying a heifer that I am currently keeping with the neighbor's cow, hoping to breed it in the future. I also spent KES 6400 on foodstuff for my family of three, till my piece of land with KES 2800 in readiness for the planting season, Purchased a new piece of furniture at KES 3000, new clothes for my two sons worth KES 6000, and spent the remaining amount on kitchenware and some bedding for my family."

"My mother left us while we were still young after separating from my father leaving us under the care of our father. Being the sole breadwinner he works tirelessly to ensure we get all we need. He recently secured a job at a security firm in a nearby town leaving my younger siblings under my care as the firstborn in the family. At the time we received the money, my brother had stayed at home for a week due to school arrears of KES 10000 which I cleared with part of the first transfer and was later allowed in school. KES 17000 I used to purchase a cow for the family. It is expensive to spend KES 100 daily on milk considering that my father does earn much. We are hopeful that once it gives birth then we shall not budget for milk and even have a surplus for sale. KES 10000 I sent to my dad for his upkeep while the remaining KES 17500 we have been using for foodstuffs, detergents, and other daily household needs."

"Our lives have improved since we started receiving the payments from GiveDirectly and everyone in the family is happy including my children. The financial burden we experienced previously could be felt by everyone my three-year-old child included. This is not the case anymore since we have additional income from the milk sales after the cow we bought gave birth. My spouse is no longer idle since she has a cow to look after. My children too are happy and healthy because they have enough milk and food since we can afford a balanced diet because of the additional income."

"My current priority is to fund my children's education. Three of them are in primary school and must pay at least KES 2,000 every term, while the fourth is in form two and should pay at least KES 4,000. Besides burning charcoal, I plan to finance their school tuition by selling milk from the dairy cows I purchased through Give Directly cash transfers. Furthermore, when these livestock multiply, more money will be generated from selling them. "

"It was around 5pm when my helper came to informed me that transfer had been sent. I felt so happy because I have never received such amount of money before. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I knew I would be able to buy a dairy cow and cut the daily cost of buying milk which is so costly. We planned with my family members and went to withdrew the money the following day and started spending it."

"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I have been able to purchase a dairy cow within a short period. This is a big relief because I am hopeful that I would be having sufficient milk for my consumption. Additionally, I was able to purchase two bags of maize which is a rare commodity in the country at the moment. I am forever grateful for the support that uplifted my life amazingly and gave me hope for a better tomorrow."

"Herding my cows gives me joy and fulfilment beyond explaining. The joy of owning a cow in a short time is immense. It is a dream come true because it would have taken a longer period for me to acquire one. Secondly, I was able to complete finishing my house that was left pending due to a shortage of funds. I am forever grateful for the support that brought so much happiness into our lives."

"I was filled with joy when I learned that I had received my first transfer. It was around 5:00 PM on my way home from looking after my father's cattle when I got a confirmation message. The moment I got home I shared the news with my spouse who was equally thrilled with the news. At last, we had hopes of owning our cows."