"As a widow sustaining my livelihood through farming, the financial support from GiveDirectly has made a significant impact on my life. Residing with my youngest daughter, who is still pursuing her education, I carefully deliberated on how to utilize the transfer for our betterment. Prioritizing my daughter's education, I saved $364 a portion of the funds to ensure she has the necessary school fees once schools reopen. Additionally, I invested in essential household items, purchasing a water drum for $20 and a blanket for $80. Recognizing the importance of supporting my daughter at the university, I sent her $80. The remaining $28 was wisely spent on securing our daily food needs. I am filled with happiness and relief, knowing that the funds have not only addressed our immediate necessities but have also secured the education of my daughter for the upcoming school term."

"My goal is to initiate a vegetable-selling business in my village. In my area, people have to walk for almost a couple of hours to find a market or a vegetable-selling stand. I am confident that starting this business will give me an advantage due to the demand for vegetables and the lack of competition. To kickstart the business, I need at least $60 to acquire the initial stock. Before starting the business, I plan to set up the stand by purchasing building materials. Once everything is in place, I aim to begin building a new dwelling space for my family. The current house, with a grass-thatched roof, leaks water during rainfall. I am certain that obtaining a completely new house will provide better shelter for my family."

"GiveDirectly's support during the severe drought was a beacon of hope in our community's darkest hour, offering crucial assistance when life became unbearably expensive. The transfers provided a significant boost to our financial standing, particularly when I allocated them to enhance my wife's business, creating stability during tough times. While I am immensely grateful for their aid, I believe additional support, like more boreholes, could transform our lives further. Access to more water sources would alleviate the struggles caused by drought, easing the burden on families like ours. Furthermore, an empowered healthcare system would be a game-changer, ensuring that vital medical services are accessible to everyone in our community. If GiveDirectly could extend their support in these crucial areas, it would not only alleviate immediate hardships but also pave the way for a more resilient and prosperous community, lifting us beyond the challenges imposed by nature and circumstances."

"Due to our high dependence in agriculture, we face a lot of challenges. The main one is the inadequate water supply due to the elongated drought period. It's better now, but with time the water becomes inadequate due to many farmers with large farms. It's also hard getting enough farm materials such as fertilizer, chemicals to spray our farms or money to support labour needs. These challenges has led to low family income, making our lives difficult. It's hard raising school fees for our children."

"Since we have been farmers for a long time. The drought has led to limited water supply to our farms. This led to low productivity to zero over the last decade. When there's enough water, life generally becomes easier because our farm produce gets high. It has affected our life's since low productivity leads to hard life. We're not able to support ourselves. Irregular water supply has made our life's difficult since we cannot plan well and also due to losses."

"Farming has been my main source of income. Due to its profitability when the production is good. It depends on how you take care of your plants and availability of water for irrigation. I plan to enhance my farming by adding more farm under irrigation. The transfer has come at an opportune time, will invest $500 to plant maize next season. It's enough to fully fund 2 acres of land. This will support my family's income going forward. My children have started going to school at primary level. They need education support in terms of books, fees, uniforms and other school items. Will spend about $400 on them. It will ensure they get good education for a better future. Due to food insecurity sometimes, I plan to save the rest of the transfer to cushion us during difficult times."

"My livelihood is primarily dependent on farming, but the profitability of this venture has been hampered by the persistent lack of rainfall in my region. The scarcity of funds has posed challenges in accessing essential resources such as food and water. Gratefully, the support from GiveDirectly transfers has alleviated these concerns, ensuring a stable food supply for my family. This assistance has also enabled me to send my children to school without the constant worry of them being turned away due to unpaid fees. To address a lingering school debt, I allocated $34 from the transfers towards settling my children's school fees. Additionally, I invested in a sustainable source of income by purchasing goats with the intention of raising and eventually selling them for profit. Prioritizing the urgent needs of my household, I utilized another $34 to acquire rafters and poles for the much-needed repair of my dilapidated house. The remaining funds were dedicated to farming and land cultivation, taking advantage of the significant rainfall to grow essential crops. I express my gratitude to GiveDirectly for facilitating these positive transformations in my life."

"Receiving the first transfer came at a crucial time when I had a significant debt for my children's school fees. With competing financial priorities, I deferred settling the fees but was relieved to clear the $120 arrears, $31 for the three pre-school children, and invested $28 in school uniforms with the second transfer. This ensured my children could complete the term without disruption. Additionally, I acquired 5 iron sheets for $66, intending to construct a new house for my two sons who had been sharing space with neighbors, hindering their study environment. I also bought a bed worth $38 for the extra room to provide a comfortable space for visitors. Allocating the remaining funds, I spent $70 on foodstuff, invested $22 in a 100-liter water tank, and dedicated $2 to toiletries. I incurred a $17 transport cost from the shopping center to my home, wisely saving the remaining amount for potential household emergencies. The support from GiveDirectly has not only relieved immediate financial burdens but also contributed to the well-being and education of my family."

"Before the cash transfers come to an end, my goal is to have a new house. Our current dwelling is in poor condition, with a corroded roof that lets in water during rain, making the space uncomfortably cold. To achieve this, I plan to continue saving part of the cash transfers through my self-help group. When the group dissolves after one year, I intend to use the savings to purchase building materials like iron sheets and building poles. Additionally, I wish to continue buying goats; with one already acquired, I aim to accumulate at least five. As they reproduce, I can sell them to support the ongoing needs of my family."

"The fact that GiveDirectly has given people the opportunity to make their own decisions on how to use the transfers has yielded good results, I can see people from my village are constructing good houses, others are connecting water pipes to their homes, the school children who are not able to attend their classes are now comfortably attending because their fees are being paid. sincerely they have made long-term investments that will result in economic sustainability. Continue doing well by improving the lives of people."