"As the eldest sibling, I have done my best to help my parents take care of our family and support my siblings during these financially challenging times. Recently, I used $10 of my transfers to pay school fees for my siblings, ensuring they can continue their education without being sent home. I also spent another $14 and bought new clothes for myself and my siblings, as it had been a while since they had received anything new. To further assist at home, I spent another $10 of the transfers to buy food, adding to what my parents had already purchased so that our family wouldn’t go hungry. To secure our financial future, I invested $48 of the transfers in a goat and two chickens, hoping they will multiply and provide us with something to rely on in times of need. Additionally, I saved $10 of the transfers to fund my college education when I resume my studies, as I had to pause due to my pregnancy. Lastly, I used the remaining $10 to pay off a debt balance from college, ensuring that I have good records when I return and won’t have to start with any debts."

"With four children in school and the support of my husband, who has some casual work, my primary goal is to ensure they continue their education. To achieve this, I plan to keep using a portion of my transfers to pay for their school fees, allowing them to focus on their studies without interruptions. Given the current drought and hunger in our region, I also aim to consistently buy food to keep my family fed and prevent us from going hungry until we are blessed with rain and can enjoy good harvests. Once we have a stable food supply, I will redirect my transfers to purchase more chickens to add to the ones I already have. My hope is that these chickens will multiply and increase in number, providing me with the opportunity to sell them in the future to help fund my children's education. I am committed to securing a better future for my family!"

"My main focus is to ensure that my five children receive an education and remain in school without interruptions, giving them the best opportunity to concentrate on their studies. I am incredibly grateful for the transfer assistance I have received from GiveDirectly, which has enabled me to pay for their school fees. Moving forward, I plan to continue using a portion of these transfers to cover their school fees, ensuring they are not sent home for unpaid fees. During the school holidays, when I don’t need to pay any school fees, I intend to use part of the transfers along with what I earn from my charcoal-selling business to buy goats. I hope that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value, providing me with a reliable source of support for my children's welfare and education in the future. This investment is essential for securing a better future for my family."

"The transfers arrived at a crucial moment when one of my children had been sent home due to unpaid school fees. To ensure she could return to school and to keep the others from facing the same fate, I used $20 of my recent transfers to pay her school fees. I also spent $2 on books for some of my children, as they were necessary for their learning. Additionally, I invested $34 in goats and chickens, hoping they would multiply and increase in number so that I could eventually trade them for bulls for plowing. Unfortunately, there was a disease outbreak, and all my chickens died, which was disheartening. Lastly, I used the remaining $42 to buy food for my family so that we wouldn’t go hungry, and I spent $4 on soap and body oil to help us stay clean. Despite the challenges, I remain committed to improving our situation."

"Ensuring a future for my family where we experience less financial difficulty and my children can attend school without the worry of being sent home has always been a top priority for me. To work towards this goal, I used $20 from my transfers to buy a goat and $5 to purchase a chicken. I am hopeful that these animals will multiply, providing us with a reliable source of support in the future. With five children in school, I also spent $43 to pay their school fees, ensuring they can continue their education without interruption. Lastly, given the ongoing hunger crisis, I allocated the remaining $30 to buy food for my family, making sure we have enough to eat and do not go hungry. I am committed to building a better future for us all."

"My current focus is to ensure my daughter completes her secondary education by paying her school fees using a portion of the transfers I will receive from GiveDirectly. I feel a deep sense of responsibility to support her studies without interruptions, allowing her to concentrate fully on her education. Given the ongoing drought and hunger affecting our region, I also plan to use part of these transfers to buy food, ensuring that we remain nourished until the rains return and we can harvest again. Once we have a stable food supply, I intend to redirect the funds towards purchasing more livestock. After my daughter completes her studies and while she awaits her results to join college, I will also use the transfers I was allocating for her school fees to buy goats. I am hopeful that these goats will multiply, increasing in number so that in the future, I can trade them for female cows, which will also breed and grow my herd. My dream is to develop a large and diverse herd of livestock that will serve as a valuable asset for my family. This will not only help me provide for my family but also support my grandchildren's education, especially when this program comes to an end. I am truly excited about the possibilities ahead and grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us, enabling us to change our future for the better."

"I have five children in school, so it's crucial to pay their fees on time to ensure they can continue their education. I'm grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support. Since I started receiving money from them, I've been able to consistently pay my children's school fees on time. Life was tough before GiveDirectly because we were just peasants and farmers, making it difficult to have a consistent income. With my recent transfer, I used $30 to pay off the fees for my six children to prevent them from being sent home for fee balances. I also saved $30 in a merry-go-round, which I plan to use to buy building materials for our new house, as our current one is in poor condition. With the remaining amount, I spent $42 to buy food for the family to ensure my children don't go to school hungry."

"My goal in the coming months is to continue supporting my children’s education. My son in college currently has an outstanding fee balance of $111, which must be cleared before he can sit for his exams. I am working hard to pay off this debt by the end of the year. To achieve this, I plan to allocate my next transfer specifically for his fees, while using the income from my business to cover the school fees for my six younger children. I am incredibly appreciative of the support I’ve received so far, as it has made a meaningful difference in helping me pursue my goal of providing quality education for my children."

"I run a small business selling charcoal to support my family. My husband, who is the primary breadwinner, works as a mason, constructing houses. However, house construction jobs are not always available, and it’s challenging for him to secure consistent work. During these times, it becomes difficult for him to provide for the family, and I step in to help with the little I earn from my charcoal business. Thankfully, the financial transfers from GiveDirectly have provided a safety net for us during these financially difficult periods. I used $30 from the transfers to pay school fees for our two children who are in primary school, ensuring they can continue their education without any disruptions. I also spent $42 on food, making sure that our family had enough to eat and didn’t experience hunger. Additionally, I saved $30 in a family savings group we formed with eight other members. Every month, each member contributes $10, and the total is handed over to one person in the group to use for a development project of their choice. My intention is to use my turn’s savings to invest in livestock, which will be a long-term investment for my family, providing us with a source of future income."

"My husband, the sole breadwinner of our family, earns a living by taking up casual jobs, such as clearing farms for others during the rainy season. However, these jobs are not only difficult to find but also pay very little, making it hard for him to meet the needs of our family of eight. Thanks to the financial support, I am now able to step in and assist my husband in providing for our family, especially when it comes to paying school fees for our six children. I used $30 to clear their school fees, ensuring that all of them, who are in primary school, can continue their education without disruptions. In addition to the school fees, I saved $30 in our savings group, which has fourteen members. My plan is to use this savings to buy livestock in the future and also to clear any remaining school fee balances for my children. The remaining $42 went towards purchasing food, which ensured that our family had enough to eat. I am deeply grateful for the financial support, as it has not only helped my children stay in school but is also enabling me to build a better financial future through my livestock investment."