"We rely on rainwater for our one-hectare farm, which I have already prepared. It is currently waiting for rain. That land is insufficient for growing both food and income crops, so I intended to rent an additional one hectare to make it sufficient. If my crops are profitable, I will use the money earned to buy cows and sheep, which will be a long-term investment because they multiply. If any money remains over, I will use it to construct a nice home for my children. The current one they reside is not in good condition."

"The third transfer arrived just in time, alleviating the burden of my children's school fees, which had been weighing heavily on my mind. With two children in secondary school and one in college, the proceeds from selling one of our cows for the first-term fees fell short, leaving us with outstanding arrears. Allocating $180 from the transfer to clear these fees was a huge relief, ensuring my children could focus on their studies without the fear of being sent home. I also spent $28 to purchase a new uniform for my son, who was joining his seventh grade for his junior secondary, as this was the school requirement. The pride on his face as he wears his new uniform melts my heart. Additionally, I invested $150 in purchasing food essentials, including maize, to prevent hunger from affecting our family of 10. This was necessary because we had a poor harvest last year from our two-acre maize farm due to inadequate rainfall, resulting in only two sacks of maize. My spouse and I also rely on irregular farm work, earning just $3 per day. These work opportunities are scarce, as we would only be able to work two or three days a week, making it difficult to meet our daily basic needs. Allocating $50 for clothing ensured everyone in the household had good attire. With the remaining amount, I decided to invest in new utensils to replace old ones, ensuring our household essentials were functional and appealing."

"Recipient plans to sell off the cows anytime she finds a piece of land in a safe place"

"Hope that when my cow I bought with the first transfer gives birth, I will sell off the call and add on the plot of land and or construct"

"With the monthly cash transfer from GiveDirectly, I managed to provide basic needs for my family. I spent $38 on my four children's school fees and bought additional school requirements. My husband's income as a casual laborer fluctuates, often making it challenging to meet these expenses alone, but with GiveDirectly's support, our children were able to be in school. I then bought a goat for $30 with a plan to rear them and eventually acquire a cow that will help us with ploughing our farm. Lastly, I spent $34 on buying food for our family, ensuring that even during tough times when my charcoal business may struggle, we won't go hungry. The assistance from GiveDirectly has been of great help to us, providing stability and hope for a better future amidst financial uncertainties."

"I bought a piece of land and a cow"

"Through dedication and proper planning of the transfers,I have so far managed to acquire 6 which is still 3 less in order for me to be able to trade them for a cow as I need at least 9 goats to have a decent size bull. I will therefore continue channelling my transfers towards the purchase of the goats. Each month, I will be setting aside $30 of the transfers towards this project as this is the only way I can achieve it faster. Once we have the 2 bulls, we will be able to cultivate a much bigger portion of land, including the section that is currently unutilized which will in turn improve our food production and shield us from hunger. Farming costs will also be decreased as we will no longer have to hire tractors or bull-driven ploughs to cultivate our farm, instead, we will increase our income by hiring our services out to other farmers who may need ploughing services."

"Now that I have my shop, my main focus is on running it and also doing farm work. I plan to plant maize on two hectares of land. My wife and I will share the responsibilities - she'll manage the shop while I work on the farm. I'll sell the farm produce and use the money to buy cows and sheep because they multiply quickly and do well here. With the help of GiveDirectly giving us starting capital, I see a bright future ahead for us."

"I bought a cow because it is an invsetment"

"I deeply value education because I believe it paves the way for our children's dreams to come true. It saddens me to see them at home because we couldn't afford their school fees. Despite working hard on our maize farm, we could only cover half of the fee, putting their education at risk as they could be sent home anytime to fetch the balance. Receiving the second transfer from GD was a relief. It allowed me to pay off the remaining $200, ensuring our children could continue their education without interruption. Without this support, I would have had to sell our only cow, which provides my three young children with milk. Additionally, our pit latrine had become a nightmare. It was filled to the brim, unhealthy, and unpleasant to use. Using $100 from the transfer, I started digging another pit latrine. While it's not yet complete, it will soon provide us with a more hygienic solution and spare us the embarrassment of visitors using the overflowing one. With $100 set aside, I am preparing our one-acre land for maize farming, aiming to boost our income. I utilized the remaining $50 on pesticides to protect our valuable tomato crops, ensuring a good harvest. I am optimistic that this harvest will enable us to cover the next term's school fees for my two children in secondary school."