"I am a Standard 8 leaver, which means I didn’t finish my education and have no certificates to help me get a formal job. Because of that, my plan is to focus on farming, which I believe can provide a stable income for my family. I want to make sure that through farming, I’ll be able to grow enough crops to sell and earn money. This income will go toward paying my children's school fees, so they can have better opportunities than I did. Farming is something I understand well, and I am confident it will support us. I also hope to grow enough to feed my family and avoid the struggles we've faced before. With hard work and determination, I know I can make this plan a success."

"Upon receiving $450 from GiveDirectly, I was grateful for the support. Previously, my business had been struggling, so I saw this as an opportunity to invest. I used $150 to expand my business into a kiosk shop with more stock, significantly increasing my profits. This growth has helped me recover from the effects of the devastating floods. With the income generated from the business, I was able to repair my house, which had been damaged by the floods, and restore my poultry farm which had also been destroyed. I'm truly thankful because, without this financial support, I would not have been able to recover. I also used $120 to buy two goats, which I plan to keep and breed as a long-term investment for sustainable income. In addition, I had two children in secondary school who had missed several days of classes due to unpaid school fees. I used $110 to clear the balance, and since then, they have been able to attend school regularly. Finally, I used $70 to purchase household items, including a mattress and plastic chairs. This was my first time owning a proper bed and mattress, as I used to sleep on makeshift bedding. The improvement in my living conditions has greatly enhanced my well-being. I am deeply grateful for this support, as it has allowed me to rebuild my life and secure a better future for my family."

"As a subsistence farmer and community health officer in my village, I face significant challenges due to the harsh and hot weather conditions that have made farming, our primary source of income, less productive. My husband, the breadwinner of our family, is also a farmer, but without the rains, it has become increasingly difficult to grow crops and sustain our livelihood. My earnings as a community health officer are limited, making it hard to meet the growing needs of our family. I used $48 from the financial transfers to pay school fees for our four children, who had been sent home due to a large outstanding balance. This payment ensured that they were able to return to school and continue their education. I also spent $40 to purchase food for my family, ensuring that we had enough to eat and didn't miss any meals. In addition, I saved $14 in a saving group, with the goal of using this money to invest in goats. Owning goats will give me a financial safety net to rely on in times of need. I am deeply appreciative of the financial support, which has been instrumental in helping me care for my family, including paying for my children's education."

"Both my husband and I work as casual laborers, earning our income from odd jobs that pay very little. I sell charcoal, while my husband takes on any available casual jobs. This low income has caused significant financial challenges for our family. We have five children—two in secondary school and three in primary school—who all depend on us to pay for their education. The lack of stable jobs has made it difficult to keep up with their school fees. Thanks to the financial support from GiveDirectly, I am now able to partially pay their school fees. I spent $90 on school fees, ensuring that our children could remain in school and continue their education without any interruptions. I used the remaining $12 to purchase food for our family of eight. This purchase ensured that we had enough to eat and didn’t go hungry. The transfers have been a tremendous financial boost, and I am incredibly grateful for the support that has helped improve our family's quality of life."

"I have been purchasing, rearing, and selling livestock for profit for quite some time now. Despite facing challenges, especially the lack of enough capital to expand the business, the financial transfers I received have significantly boosted my ability to purchase more livestock. As a result, my herd has expanded, and I now proudly own 16 goats and 12 sheep. Recently, I spent $68 from my transfers to purchase two additional goats, further increasing my herd. Livestock, especially goats, have become an essential pathway for generating income, helping me provide for my family's needs and improving my financial stability. In addition to investing in livestock, I also spent $34 to pay school fees for my son, who is currently in secondary school. He had been sent home due to a school fee debt, but thanks to the payment, he was able to return to school and continue his education. I’m grateful for the financial support from the transfers, which has helped me not only grow my livestock business but also support my family in important ways."

"With my son about to complete his secondary education, I see an opportunity to expand my poultry-rearing venture next year. I plan to build a larger chicken coop and purchase more hens, which will increase the size of my flock and, in turn, boost my income from chicken sales. Since I won’t have the pressure of school fees, I can focus on growing the business and possibly purchasing other livestock, such as goats. This will further diversify my income and provide greater financial stability. I am very appreciative of the financial empowerment that the transfers have brought to my life, allowing me to support my family and improve our livelihood."

"I have two children in secondary school, and their education is incredibly important to me as it paves the way for their future. With my recent transfers from GiveDirectly, I prioritized their schooling by spending $20 to pay their school fees, ensuring they would not be sent home for unpaid dues. As they returned to school after the holiday break, I also allocated $28 of these transfers for their transport and pocket money, helping them settle back in comfortably. Additionally, I invested $25 to purchase 10 chicken, hoping they will multiply and increase in value, providing me with a source of income when needed. Lastly, I used the remaining $29 to buy food for my family since we didn’t have a harvest this year due to drought. I am truly grateful for the support from GiveDirectly; it has made a significant difference in our lives and gives me hope for a brighter future."

"Owning cows to plow my farm has always been a dream of mine, but because cows are expensive, I decided to take an alternative approach that would ease the burden and make it easier to achieve this goal. I therefore started by focusing on purchasing goats, hoping they would multiply and grow in both number and value over time. I therefore used my transfers from GiveDirectly to buy goats, and I plan to use my future transfers to acquire even more. Currently, I have ten goats, and I pray they continue to multiply and increase in number and value. In the future, I intend to sell or trade some of these goats to eventually acquire cows, bringing me closer to my dream of having livestock to work on my farm. Additionally, I will also be able to use the proceeds from selling some goats to support my family and also pay for my four children’s school fees, ensuring they can continue their education and build a better future."

"I currently live in a small makeshift structure that’s far from ideal, and my dream has always been to have a house of my own. I’m thrilled to share that I’m finally in the process of building a two-roomed house for myself. With the recent transfers I received from GiveDirectly, I was able to spend $64 on building poles for the house, turning my dream into a tangible reality. Seeing the progress fills me with so much joy, and I’m grateful to GiveDirectly for making this possible through their unconditional cash transfers. In addition to this, with four children in school, I used another $20 of my transfers to pay their school fees, ensuring they continued with their studies. I also spent the remaining $14 to buy food for my family so that we wouldn’t go hungry. It’s amazing to see how much I’ve been able to achieve with GiveDirectly’s help, and I’m excited about what the future holds."

"With my daughter now in college, I’m more determined than ever to support her journey until she completes her course and secures her dream job. To make this happen, I plan to use a portion of my transfers to cover her school fees, ensuring that she can focus on her studies and build a bright future. At the same time, with my other children still in school, I’ll dedicate another portion of the transfers to their education, making sure they continue to learn and grow. Given the ongoing hunger in our community, I’m also setting aside part of the funds to buy food for my family until our harvests are enough to sustain us. Once we have a stable food supply, I hope to redirect my efforts into purchasing goats, aiming for them to multiply and increase in both number and value. My goal is that, in the future, I can sell these goats to support my family’s needs and my children's education. I’m grateful for the lifeline that GiveDirectly has provided, giving me the chance to invest in my family’s future while navigating these challenging times."