"Life on our side hasn't been easy; we've been struggling to make ends meet. Now, I have four kids, while the other two are married. My husband is a farmer, and I also help him with farming. However, I used to earn some extra money by taking care of my neighbor's livestock, but I had to stop because my neighbor lost his job and couldn't pay me anymore.Since then, I've been doing casual jobs like burning charcoal to make money. When I received my third payment, I used $350 to pay for my kids' school fees. We used to sell our cows to pay for fees, but now we only have two left, and we've decided not to sell them until they multiply. I also used $50 to pay off our energy bill for electricity tokens because we hadn't paid it for a while due to lack of money.Finally, I used the remaining amount to buy food so that we wouldn't rely too much on charcoal for food. Life is better now compared to before, and I hope it continues to improve in the future because we've invested in farming with the second transfer"

"Now that my life has taken a new turn, my focus has shifted towards agriculture. I intend to dedicate myself to planting maize. With this decision, I am confident that I will yield an abundant harvest. The surplus from my farm produce will allow me to invest in livestock, specifically cows and goats. Owning livestock will not only provide me with milk and meat, eliminating the need to purchase them from shops, but it will also bring joy to my children."

"My husband and I face significant challenges in raising enough money to meet our children's basic needs. Securing jobs is difficult, and the pay is often insufficient. Recognizing this, I am committed to using my transfers wisely to increase our income and provide for our children's needs effectively. My goal for the coming year and beyond is to prioritize my children's education and make the most of these transfers before they come to an end. To achieve this, I plan to save a portion of my transfer to purchase a cow. This investment will enable me to raise additional calves over time, providing a steady source of income through milk production. I can sell the milk to cover my children's school fees and buy essential items for my family. Ultimately, I aim to use the profits from this cow business to fund my children's college education, ensuring they have a bright future and the opportunity to achieve their dreams through quality education. I am determined to invest in their education as it is crucial for their success and future prosperity."

"The house we currently live in is in dire condition, with the structure nearly collapsing due to its age and the heavy rainfall we've been experiencing, causing the pillars to rot. This poses a serious danger to my family, and I constantly worry, especially at night while we're sleeping. To address this urgent situation, I am considering selling one of my cows to raise funds for purchasing building materials, supplementing this with my monthly transfers from GiveDirectly. I plan to gradually buy these materials every month upon receiving the transfer. However, completion may take time given my responsibilities with my children and reliance on unreliable casual jobs to support my family. Despite the challenges, I am encouraged and empowered by GiveDirectly's support, which gives me hope and determination to secure a safer living environment for my family."

"My goal remains to keep buying goats and grow my herd from the six I already acquired through previous transfers so that I may be able to exchange them for cows in future. Since food is not a concern at the moment due to our maize harvest, I intend to allocate most of the cash transfers toward buying goats. My ultimate objective is to accumulate enough wealth through livestock so that when the transfers eventually cease, I will have a source of income to contribute to the household's needs, such as food, without relying solely on my son."

"In the coming few months, I want to fix up my old house with a falling roof. It's tough living at my parents' place it's not my own space. Once I get my house sorted, I have this dream of buying a cow. Sounds strange, I know, but it's like a financial safety net for me. I've been working casual jobs, and I'm saving up from that, not touching my transfers. I've also started saving through this group called the Silk Group. So, step by step, I'm hoping to make my living situation more stable and comfortable."

"In the coming years, my primary focus will remain on providing education for my nine children. With my eldest currently in Form Two and the rest yet to begin secondary school, I understand that there's still a long journey ahead of us. I firmly believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and the only hope that I hold for a bright future for my family. To ensure the success of this, I plan to prioritize maize farming and maximize its productivity to generate more income from its sales. This involves ensuring that all necessary inputs are available on time and that farming activities are carried out punctually. Additionally, I will continue to rear the two cows, sheep, and six goats that I currently own. By carefully managing their reproduction, I aim to sell the offspring to generate income to cover school fees."

"I have a plan to set up a retail shop, the budget for this is about $600. I cannot get such a huge amount at once to start this business. Since I depend on farming doubling up to goat rearing. I plan to buy small goats since at a tender age they are not so costly. And I know they will grow up with time, and give me good returns when they have grown big. that will enable me to get good money to purchase a cow. The cows will only need a short while to mature and thus I will sell the cow each to be sold for $400 which will be enough for me to start the business"

"As a small-scale farmer, I faced some challenges, but the quarterly transfers from GiveDirectly helped me address them. I used $9 to buy medicine for my goats, who were suffering from lung infections; although some didn't make it, I managed to save three, hoping they'd multiply and become a financial asset. With $12, I invested in chickens, anticipating their growth to support me in the future. Then, I was assigned $20 to construct a toilet for myself, as my old one had collapsed due to heavy rains, leaving me with no place for relief. Additionally, I set aside another $20 to add to my savings, with the goal of exchanging it for a cow. My chest problems limit my ability to work, so I rely on my son for daily meals, making these transfers a crucial support in my life."

"My first priority is to go for medication when I receive the transfers. I will set aside KES 20000 for medication. I will also ensure that I budget KES 10000 to stock food and buy beddings for my family. I am approaching old age and this is worrying me since I have no savings nor investment. With the transfer I plan to invest KES 40000 on livestock farming. I will buy five goats and a cow. This will help me not to struggle in the future."