"The harsh weather has made farming particularly challenging, leaving me vulnerable since I have no maize left, my staple food. As a result, I now have to purchase my food from the store. I plan to allocate part of my future transfers to buy food and ensure I have a steady supply at home. Additionally, I want to save a little from each transfer to invest in more goats. Although they are currently expensive, I am determined to set aside money so I can expand my herd. I am very grateful for the financial assistance from Give Directly, which has been a tremendous help to me." (Country: Kenya)

"At the moment, my primary goals for this year and beyond are to finish the construction of my new house and to fully regain my health. I am grateful to have most of the building materials already purchased, and now I am awaiting the final transfer so that I can cover the costs of labor and any miscellaneous expenses. I also plan to complete my medication and go for additional checkups to ensure I am fully recovered. Health is something I take very seriously, and I want to make sure I am completely well. The thought of having a safe, new home and living a healthy, fulfilling life fills my heart with joy and gratitude." (Country: Kenya)

"When insecurity broke out in my homeland, Yatia, my family and I moved to Chebarisiat village for safety. A well-wisher housed us, but space is limited for both families. I have been wishing to purchase my own land and construct a house for my family of five, but finances have been a challenge. Currently, I work as a shopkeeper in Marigat town, earning KES 4000 a month, which all goes towards food for our household—leaving nothing to save for construction. With the anticipated transfers, I finally feel a sense of relief. I plan to spend KES 80000 on purchasing a piece of land and building a house so that we can have our own space. The rest of the transfers will go towards household goods and food. I will be so excited to finally provide my family with a decent and safe shelter." (Country: Kenya)

"Since I depend on goat farming, I need to plant some grass. Will spend the first transfer of $200 to fence my two acre piece of land. $100 is enough to plant grass. The grass can also be sold to others. It will provide me with an extra source of income. Seeds collected from the grass are sold and can fetch me some additional money. Once the other transfer is sent, I plan to buy a cow. A cow goes for about $300. The cow will feed on the grass and also multiply. I will be able to get more milk for tea or even to sell. I have children in school, plan to use the rest of the transfer on their education. They are in college, secondary and primary. The transfer will be of immense importance, I'm really grateful to Givedirectly." (Country: Kenya)

"Receiving this money is a big boost for me because I will be able to achieve my 2 biggest dreams. I hope to purchase this land I am living in. I still owe KES 15000. Once I achieve this, I will now be able to build a better structure for myself. I want to build an iron roof house. I am hopeful that my life will be better as I will also be in a position to purchase some livestock such as chicken so that I can be able to sustain my life in the long-term." (Country: Kenya)

"I’m really hoping that by the end of next year, I’ll have finished paying for the piece of land I placed a deposit on. I’ve already managed to pay $150 out of the $600 total, so there’s still some way to go, but I’m optimistic. Part of my plan is to use a portion of the third transfer I expect to receive—it should cover a good chunk of what’s remaining. At the same time, I’ll continue farming because it has been a reliable source of income. The harvests have been good so far, and I believe with some hard work, they will help me raise the extra funds I need to clear the balance. Having the land fully paid off will mean a lot—it’s one step closer to my long-term goals." (Country: Kenya)

"I am planning to continue with farming because I want my children to keep going to school. Their education is very important to me, and farming is what helps me support them. I also hope to buy a small plot of land, just a 50 by 100. To raise the money to buy this land, I will keep farming maize and beans, and I'll sell them to earn what I need. We really need to move because, every time it rains, our place floods. Having that new plot would mean a safer, better place for my family." (Country: Kenya)

"I want to buy a dairy cow, mainly so that I can keep it for milk and have enough to sell any extra. This way, I can make a bit of extra money. Right now, I have seven cows, but only four of them can actually be milked, and honestly, the amount of milk I get isn’t enough to meet my needs. To buy this new cow, I plan to use the money I’ll make from selling watermelons. I have a watermelon crop that should be ready for harvesting by December. Once I sell them, I hope to have enough to get the cow. That’s my plan for now, and I’m really hoping it all works out." (Country: Kenya)

"I want to make sure we have enough food by planting maize on the two acres of land we own. My husband will go out fishing, and with the money he earns, we'll be able to plough the land and buy seeds for planting. After we harvest, I hope we'll have some extra maize. The plan is to sell the surplus, and with that money, I want to buy ten goats as an investment. I have three children in school, and I know that emergencies can come up. If that happens, I can sell a goat or two to cover any urgent school fees. This way, I feel we'll be more secure, with both food and a backup plan for my children’s education." (Country: Kenya)

"When I woke up one morning around 5am, I reached for my phone to switch on the flashlight, and that’s when I noticed a new message waiting for me. Out of curiosity, I opened it, and to my surprise, it was a cash transfer from GiveDirectly! I couldn’t believe it at first—my heart was pounding with excitement, and without wasting a second, I woke up my wife to share the good news. She was just as thrilled as I was, and from that moment on, there was no going back to sleep; we stayed up talking for hours, brainstorming how to invest the money into improving our farming ventures and finally achieve some of the dreams we had been holding off." (Country: Kenya)