"I have been away from home for some time, working hard to earn extra money to support my family. I take care of my four grandchildren, especially regarding their education. The transfers I receive have been crucial for their schooling. Recently, I used $20 from my transfers, along with some additional funds my family raised, to pay their school fees. I am determined to see them educated so they can have a better future. In addition to that, I spent $34 on food for myself and my family at my workplace to ensure we didn’t go hungry. Knowing I was about to return home, I also bought clothes as gifts for my grandchildren using $14 from the transfers. As a grandfather, I wanted to bring them joy. Unfortunately, the transfers came at a time when I was feeling very unwell and needed medical attention. I spent another $10 on hospital visits to get the care I needed. Although I'm not fully recovered yet, I remain hopeful that I will get better. Finally, I used the remaining $22 for transportation back home since my job had ended, my health was declining, and needed to be close to my family for better care."

"Moment  I was at home washing dishes after we had finished our lunch when I suddenly heard a message come through on my phone. I picked it up to check, and to my surprise, I saw that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I immediately prayed and thanked God for the blessings. I felt so happy because I knew that my worries about school fees for my children in high school and university were finally over. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"I was at my small stall selling second-hand clothes when my phone buzzed. Most of my customers pay me through M-Pesa, so I always check my messages quickly. When I looked at my phone, I was surprised to see a message saying I had received $181 from GiveDirectly. At first, I could not believe it; it felt like a dream. My first thought was how this money could help me pay the school fees for my three children."

"I am a businesswoman with a small kiosk, and my husband manages our crop farming. When I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, my kiosk was struggling due to low stock. I had started the business three years ago with a small inventory, but it had not grown quickly because we often relied on it for daily needs and dealt with unpaid debts. With the transfer, I used $100 to restock my shop with items like sugar, cereals, milk, and other essentials. Now, my customers can find almost everything they need, and my sales have increased from $50 to $80 a day, which has helped us cover other expenses like paying school fees for our son in boarding school. I also bought household items, including a table for $35, as the one we had was too small. Additionally, I bought clothes for my family of four worth $50, so we could all look presentable and celebrate the joy of the cash transfer. To keep our clothes organized, I purchased a suitcase for $15. Thank you, GiveDirectly!"

"While I was at my farm, away from home, my daughter called me around 3 PM while I was irrigating the crops. She excitedly told me, "Dad, the money from GiveDirectly has arrived!" I immediately instructed her to keep it safe until I returned in the evening so I could check it myself. Since she had my phone, I couldn’t see the amount right away. As I continued working, my mind was filled with thoughts about my daughter's school fees. I had been struggling to pay them, and she had been in and out of school because the arrears were too much for her teachers to tolerate. The news of the money gave me a glimmer of hope as I imagined how I could finally settle her fees."

"While I was in town doing my grocery business, I received the money, and I couldn't contain my happiness. I immediately thanked God for helping me at a time when I felt so confused and worried about how to pay for my two children joining the university. Their school fees and other expenses were overwhelming, especially with my small business income. The moment I saw the money, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I realized that I could finally cover their expenses without the stress that had been keeping me up at night. This support from GiveDirectly was truly a blessing, and I felt grateful for the help."

"The day I got the cash transfer, I knew exactly how I would spend it. I immediately bought a cow for $140, which I consider an important asset. A cow is more than just livestock; it’s an investment. In case of an emergency, I can sell it to cover urgent expenses. Having this cow makes me feel secure, knowing that I have something valuable to rely on in the future. This is my way of planning ahead, especially since life can be unpredictable.With $20, I bought some food to stock up, just a little bit since I only have one child, and the food will last us for a while. I used $10 to buy a plastic table, which may sound small, but it has been really useful. I already had one table, but I wanted a portable one that I could carry outside to enjoy my morning tea in the fresh air. It’s these small comforts that make life feel a bit more enjoyable, and now, I have that.The remaining $30 went to paying for my wife's college fees. She’s studying, and it’s been a challenge to manage her school fees. In the past, we’ve had to rely on fundraising or my income from farming, but this transfer made it much easier. I feel proud that I could support her education without much struggle this time. My boda boda business brings in about $10 a day, which helps with the rest of our daily needs, but this transfer has really helped us manage things better."

"I was at my neighbor's farm doing some casual work when the message arrived, just as I finished for the day. The moment I saw the notification, my heart jumped with joy—I knew it was the money from GiveDirectly. I couldn’t wait to share the news, so I immediately called my wife, who was at her mother’s home, and told her the money had finally come. I asked her to come home quickly so we could sit down and plan how to use it. We needed to budget carefully, especially for the school fees that had been keeping me up at night. My children were close to being sent home, but now there was hope we could pay in time."

"Before receiving the transfer, I was completely lost, unsure of how to pay the large medical bill for my wife’s cancer treatment. Even with the help of my neighbors who conducted a fundraiser, it wasn’t enough to cover all the expenses. The pressure was overwhelming, and I didn’t know where else to turn for help. After receiving the transfer, I was able to clear the hospital bill, but sadly, my wife still passed away. The biggest difference now is that I have some financial relief to focus on my children, especially their school fees. Life is still tough, but at least I no longer have the weight of the hospital debt on my shoulders."

"Currently, my family and I reside in a small one-room house. I have always wished to build a better and more spacious house for us, but due to limited income as a peasant farmer, this has not been possible. However, since I joined the GiveDirectly program, I have gained hope and determination to work towards constructing a new house in the coming year and beyond. My plan is to build a new house to provide my children with their own space and to give the adults in the family their own space as well. To achieve this, I intend to allocate my transfers towards paying school fees for my children and purchasing building materials for the house. This way, I can gradually work towards constructing a new home for us. Additionally, I have aspirations to own cows for plowing my farm. To accomplish this, I have been investing in chickens, hoping that they will multiply. In the future, I plan to trade the chickens for goats, allow the goats to multiply and increase in value, and eventually trade them for cows. Achieving these goals means a lot to me and will bring me great happiness."