"In the coming year and beyond, I hope to transform my home into a safe and sturdy refuge for my family. I have been diligently saving every monthly transfer for the past three months, determined to renovate my house, which feels weak against the strong winds we’ve been facing. As I continue to save, I also wait patiently for the rains, knowing that the renovation will need water, which is currently scarce due to the ongoing drought. With every saved penny, I dream of a stronger house, a place where my family can feel secure and protected, no matter the storms that may come our way."

"I spent my unconditional cash transfer wisely to improve my life. First, I bought four sheep for $80 because they multiply quickly. I already had four goats, so this will help me grow my livestock. Next, I purchased a mattress for $30. I had never owned a mattress since moving here and had been sleeping on sacks. Now, I sleep well every night, which makes a big difference in how I feel during the day. I also bought clothes for $30 because I wanted to look nice when going out. Before this, I didn't have beautiful clothes, and it affected my confidence. Now, I feel much better about myself and walk around with my head held high. Additionally, I bought two plastic chairs for $15 because I needed somewhere for visitors to sit when they come over. This has made my home feel more welcoming. Finally, I spent $16 on a water container to help with storage. Having enough water is important, especially during the dry season. With the remaining money, I bought household food items to ensure I had enough to eat. Overall, these purchases have improved my living conditions and made me feel happier and more secure."

"My two sons are in Form 2, and their school fees have been a growing concern. Normally, I rely on farming to raise the money, but the floods had devastated my crops this season, leaving us with nothing to sell. So, I took $160 from the transfer and used it to pay their fees. Without that, they wouldn't have been able to stay in school. I felt a deep sense of relief knowing that part was handled. After that, I still had to think about their school requirements and transport since they are both boarders. I spent another $20 to buy their school requirements, things like pens and books, and ensured they had bus fare to get back to school. I knew it wasn’t much, but it covered what they needed. Getting them back to their studies was my priority because education is the one thing I believe will open doors for them in the future. With the little left, I focused on our immediate needs at home. I bought water containers for $7, which we had been lacking. Then, I used the remaining money to stock up on basic food items like sugar and beans. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to keep us food secure for a while."

"My daughter finished high school eight years ago, but she had never picked up her KCSE certificate because we owed $150 in school fees. We had reduced the debt from $180 to $150, but clearing the arrears was challenging since I rely on crop farming, which can be unreliable during the dry season when water is scarce. For many years, we lost our crops, leading to debt accumulation because I had to take loans to cover production costs. This year seemed promising with the rains, and I planted maize on my half-acre land, but unfortunately, I lost all the crops to floods. When I received my first GiveDirectly transfer, it restored my hope, and I decided to pay off the $150 debt to finally get my daughter her certificate. For eight years, her dream was shattered; she couldn't join college or take advantage of other opportunities that required a secondary school certificate, which was heartbreaking for me as a mom. Seeing her receive that certificate brought her so much joy, and she is now planning to look for job opportunities, although I am unsure if she still wants to join college after such a long delay. I also spent $30 on food, especially maize, since we hadn’t harvested anything. Lastly, I took the remaining amount to church to thank God for this blessing, as I had been praying for so long; just when I thought my prayers wouldn’t be answered, God came through for us through GiveDirectly."

"For three years, my wife and I struggled with our small bed, which was uncomfortable and old, often making it hard to turn over at night without talking to each other. One leg was broken, and we propped it up with a stone, while our worn-out mattress added to our discomfort. We had wanted to buy a new bed and mattress for a long time, but money was always a problem because we relied solely on crop farming, which is unreliable due to constant droughts and floods, especially this year when we lost so much. When I received my first cash transfer, my top priority was to purchase a new bed and mattress for $46 and $34, respectively, so now we sleep comfortably without having to squeeze together. I also realized we needed more seating, so I bought three additional plastic chairs for $21 and a table for $11, making it easier to host visitors without borrowing from neighbors. Since we had just returned from the camps after losing many of our supplies to floods, I used $30 to buy essential food items like sugar, cooking oil, and rice, and I paid off a $15 debt for borrowed food items from a nearby shop. Additionally, I bought a 200-liter water drum for $25 to help us store water for our family, ensuring we are better prepared for the dry season."

"Farming has always been my main source of income, especially since I don’t have any formal job, and it’s something I truly love. With $80, I decided to lease a piece of land to plant green grams because it’s affordable to grow, requires less water, and matures quickly in two months. Given that our area is dry, green grams are a perfect crop for me. I felt confident that this investment would bring in income soon and help me support my family.I also used $50 to pay for my daughter’s school fees at a private school. Normally, I rely on farming to cover her fees, but this year was tough as I didn’t harvest any maize due to floods that destroyed my crops. Education is important to me, so making sure she stays in school was a priority. I felt a sense of relief knowing that her fees were taken care of and she wouldn’t miss out on learning. With another $50, I bought jailing wire and wire mesh to fence my farm. The goats in our area have been a constant problem, destroying my crops and making farming difficult. Fencing my land gives me peace of mind, knowing my farm is secure. The remaining $20 went towards buying food, as I sometimes depend on casual jobs to provide for my family. My wife helps with these jobs while I focus on farming. Together, we are making sure our two children are well taken care of."

"After a long day at my casual job, I was on my way to fetch water when I suddenly heard a message notification on my phone. Curious, I checked, and to my surprise, it was an M-Pesa message confirming I had received money from GiveDirectly. Instantly, my heart filled with joy and excitement! My first thought was, "Finally, I can fence my farm with wire mesh!" The goats had been such a problem, constantly destroying my crops, and I felt stuck because I couldn't leave the farm unattended. Now, I knew I could protect it and have peace of mind."

"When I received the cash transfer, I knew it was the perfect time to invest in my farm. I used $20 to plough half an acre of land and another $20 to make ridges on the farm, which would make irrigation easier. Since I didn't have any seeds, I spent $30 on bean seeds. It was the right season for planting beans, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. If I had delayed, the weather would have affected the crops. I’m hoping that when the beans mature, they will help me cover my son’s high school fees. To ensure the farm was well-watered, I spent $30 on fuel for the generator, which I use to pump water for irrigation. I also paid $10 for labor to help with the planting of the beans. With the farm running smoothly, I was able to focus on my family’s other needs. My son’s school fees were due, and I didn’t want him to be sent home, so I used $30 to cover that as well. Normally, my husband, who works as a policeman, pays for the fees, but his salary was delayed this time, and I had to step in. With the remaining money from the transfer, I bought household food items and some clothes for my daughters. We needed to ensure that we were food secure, especially while waiting for the crops to grow. My daughters were also happy to receive new clothes since they knew I had received some money from GiveDirectly, and they wanted to look good. It’s been a relief to cover all these pressing needs thanks to the transfer."

"For the past six years, I’ve been living on my relative’s land after my own was submerged in water. My wish to buy land was not successful since I relied on casual jobs and charcoal production, which earned me an average of $3. I prioritized the needs of my family of five and couldn’t save anything. Upon receiving my second transfer, I decided to buy half an acre of land for $300. Additionally, to supplement my income, I bought two goats for $50 each. I had never owned goats before, but they do well in our area. My purpose for this is to provide milk for my family, and as the goats multiply, I will be able to sell them to address other needs. I also spent $35 on a mattress for my wife and me, giving our old one to our children, who had been using cowhide. Although we had maize at home, we lacked other essentials like sugar, so I used $10 for that and spent the remaining $5 on transport for my wife and me on our way back from the market where we bought our shopping."

"I run a small vegetable business in the village, while my husband works as a casual laborer, selling water in Mombasa town. Despite our combined efforts, our incomes are limited and insufficient to meet all our needs. However, with the financial support from the transfers, I have been able to manage household expenses, buy food, and pay for my children’s school fees. Recently, I spent $52 on food items, including twelve packets of maize flour, a bag of maize, a kilogram of sugar, beans, and vegetables. This purchase has ensured that my family always has enough to eat, and we have not had to worry about missing any meals. Additionally, I used $28 to pay the school fees for my daughter, who is in secondary school at Mitangani Secondary School. Seeing her continue her education brings me so much joy and peace of mind. I also bought her a new pair of school shoes and a new uniform for $11, replacing her old, worn-out set. She now looks presentable and confident in her new uniform, which makes me really happy. I purchased two pieces of iron sheets, bringing the total of iron sheets I have purchased so far to 22. I am very happy with the progress i have made so far in ensuring that I attain my goal of building a new house. I am very appreciative of the financial support in helping me achieve my set out goals."