(Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)

"I am planning to hire a tractor to assist in farming my piece of land of 10 acres, which is about kshs 50,000. I do subsistence farming for a living and when it is done by casual workers it is time-consuming and very expensive. I am expecting to have a good life, with the good rains I will harvest about 25 bags of maize and beans, of which I will use part of it for consumption while the rest will be for sale. I will therefore open a savings account for my children's school fees. This will help in paying school fees in advance and I am expecting them to have good grades which will be a factor when choosing the best courses to undertake in college education. I am having an additional goal of buying a brand-new motorcycle on loan. It costs kshs 400,000. This is meant for business purposes, especially during online deliveries."

"The biggest difference in my daily life is that I was able to build a decent house thanks to the financial assistance I received. Due to financial constraints, this was not previously possible. I'll be eternally grateful for the gift that completely transformed my life." (Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)

"My deepest desire was to be able to afford a sewing machine. This is because I was forced to pay at least $6 per month for a borrowed machine. This was costly for me because I couldn't guarantee I'd make that much. My husband is a motorcycle taxi driver and I am a tailor. When I got my transfer, I spent $230 on a sewing machine. Then I spent $100 on iron sheets to build a business stall. Finally, I purchased food and a mattress. All of this was previously impossible due to unstable income sources. I am overjoyed and grateful for the financial assistance that has enabled us to pursue our dreams."

"The biggest difference in my daily life has been finishing the payment on the motorcycle that we had been struggling with and distributing all of the daily proceeds. I am glad the money my husband is getting now covers most of the household bills and even goes into our savings account. We are no longer concerned that the seller will auction off the motorcycle now that we have paid off all of the installments and obtained the logbook." (Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)

"This year, I want to open a small kiosk where I'll sell silver cyprinid and vegetables. Right now, I'm paid to get water and wood for other people. The most I can earn is $1, which is extremely little and cannot meet my family's needs. My husband is a "bodaboda," or motorcycle taxi. The high cost of fuel has had a significant negative impact on the business because it drives away potential customers who choose to take other forms of public transportation. Because of this, he is unable to meet the needs of the family and his overall income is impacted. I'm starting this business to give my family a backup source of income during these trying times financially."

"I was using rechargeable solar lighting bulbs that I purchased on a hire-purchase basis and paid for in weekly installments. Even though I had not been consistent in making the payment, I am grateful that they were considerate enough to continue lighting up my home. They turned it off the month before I received the transfer because I had defaulted a lot and had to look for a full amount to be given the services back. The first transfer bailed me out when I paid off a $70 debt, allowing me to enjoy lighting as well as the use of a radio that came with the lighting equipment. Previously, I was reliant on a grocery store that I had to close because my mother became ill and I needed to be there for her as well as my three school-going children. I am glad she's feeling better and can cook for herself again. I also built a new house to replace an old hut that was almost falling. Termites had destroyed the walls, and the roof leaked during rainy seasons. I spent $300 on construction materials and labor charges. We are now content to live in a warm room.  I also paid $50 in school fees for my three children and purchased five chickens and two ducks for $25, with the intention of breeding and selling their products and chicks in the future. The remainder was later spent on food for my family of five, as well as miscellaneous expenses during the Christmas season." (Occupation: Motorcycle or bicycle taxi)

"I knew my dream of starting a business would come true when GiveDirectly promised us an unconditional transfer. To boost my income, I do normal casual jobs, while my husband is a motorcycle taxi rider. We continue to put our faith in God for children. My hubby and I decided to build a business premise after receiving our initial transfer so that we could start a business. We spent $450 there. Second, we used the remaining funds to purchase goats. This was not possible previously due to our unstable sources of income. We are overjoyed that we will finally be able to realize our long-held dream."

"We had been living in a small house built with various construction materials as a family of six, just to make a roof for my family. We had been living on my parents' land, which was still being subdivided among the siblings before erecting a semi-permanent structure. I was relieved when I was given my share, and after receiving the first transfer, I went out and bought construction materials, including 30 iron sheets for $10 each, three bags of cement for $20, and building poles for $30. I have not begun construction yet because I need to pay the construction costs and purchase additional materials that are still missing. My husband and I have been doing casual labor for a pittance, barely enough to support our family of six. We agreed to spend a portion of this first transfer on a motorcycle. We were fortunate to obtain a used motorcycle from a neighbor who was selling it after being involved in an accident and being unable to ride it any longer. We agreed to pay in installments, with the first payment of $100. We are currently renovating it before using it to provide transportation services. In addition, I used the remaining funds to buy food for my family to supplement the wages we were receiving from casual labor."

"I am employed as a casual cook at a nearby school where I earn $25 per month. My husband is a motorcycle rider and he gets at least $4 - $5 daily, but since the bike is a hire purchase he has to pay some amount weekly to settle the pending debt. Together we are blessed with two children, but only one is in school at the moment. The house we live in is not in a good condition, the roof is old and leaks during rainy days. Upon receiving the second transfer, we agreed with my husband to have our house renovated thus we spent $300 to buy all the required materials and to pay the mason. We also bought a solar panel for which we only paid a deposit of $50. With the remaining money, I bought some new pairs of school uniforms for my child and other clothes for the entire family. I also replenished foodstuff in the house that would last us for a month."