"I have so many good plans for the cash transfers which I believe will transform my life a lot. For the first cash transfers I intend to spend $180 of the transfers to renovate and improve my house. Since I have 14 family members, I intend to renovate an extra room and purchase beddings. For the second cash transfers, I intend to purchase a generator and a gas cylinder. I intend to use about $450 of the transfers on this. This will enable me to do irrigation farming in our farms since we depend mostly on irrigation due to instances of drought in our village. For the third transfers I intend to purchase a water tank which would cost me about $350 of the transfers. This will ensure that we have water in our home and we won't have to purchase water or use unclean water. With this transfers, I believe my life will be transformed positively."

"It wasn't always feasible for me to walk 7 kilometers to fetch water from a river, and sometimes I had to rely on my young kids, who could barely carry 5 liters. This challenge prompted my prayers for a breakthrough, particularly to purchase water collection and storage equipment. I was thrilled when GiveDirectly provided unique and generous cash support. Anticipating the second transfer, I had already invested $50 in materials like gutters and timber to construct a fascia board. With the second transfer, I spent $355 on acquiring a 5000-liter plastic tank, which is currently being installed. This tank will significantly reduce the frequency of fetching water from the river for my family of 9, eliminating the need to buy from vendors within the village. The transportation cost of $45 was worthwhile, and I am relieved that the tank reached home without any damage."

"I have ambitious plans for the upcoming year and beyond, primarily focused on expanding my goat herd. With this recent transfer, I have acquired one more goat, bringing the total to 16. Given that I live in a dry region with conducive thicket and shrubbery for goat rearing, it is a promising investment. These goats will serve multiple purposes, including providing milk and meat for consumption when needed and serving as a valuable asset for selling to cover expenses like food and school fees for my children. Additionally, I am looking to diversify my agricultural activities and plan to venture into groundnut farming on my 2-acre piece of land, leveraging the available water from the nearby river to manage this new venture efficiently. These plans signify my determination to enhance both my family's sustenance and financial stability."

"After receiving both the first and second transfers from GiveDirectly, providing for my family of nine has become much more manageable. The initial transfer allowed me to purchase essential items, and the second one came in handy. With a detailed list in hand, I prioritized spending $118 on food, ensuring a steady supply of maize and beans for my family. This has brought me a sense of peace, as I no longer need to rely solely on casual labor for our daily bread. Additionally, I invested $20 in a water container to facilitate storage during the rainy season, and $5 as a deposit for a rechargeable solar lighting system, replacing the kerosene lamp. I used $12 for clothes, providing new attire for my two daughters who were struggling with old and tattered clothing, and $65 for various household goods, including toiletries and kitchenware. I am delighted with the improved appearance of our home and the availability of these essential items, which were previously bought in small quantities or missed when funds were scarce. I saved the remaining $230, intending to use it to construct a pit latrine. This project aims to enhance our living standards by promoting better hygiene and proper waste disposal, avoiding contamination of the environment, especially after rainfall."

"In the coming year, I aim to build a new house. The walls of the existing structure are nearly collapsing due to damage from short rains, which allow water in. I plan to use the upcoming cash transfers to purchase essential building materials like iron sheets and building poles before hiring someone to undertake the construction. This effort is aimed at securing a more stable and comfortable home for my family and I hope the cash transfers will make this possible."

"At around 3:00 p.m., I was returning from my daily work on my neighbor's farm, where we had been planting tomatoes, a tiring task. Despite my exhaustion, I needed to stop by the river to collect water from the 20-liter jerrican I had left in the morning. While carrying the water, my phone suddenly beeped. I quickly pulled it out of my pocket and checked the message. To my surprise, it was an Mpesa notification confirming the receipt of a GD transfer. Overwhelmed with joy, I hurriedly made my way home, already thinking about how to wisely use the money."

"A lack of employment and a constant source of money has been my biggest challenge now and even in the past. This has forced us to depend on farming which is sometimes unpredictable because of droughts and lack of water for irrigation. This has led us to do casual work to cater to our needs which is very challenging. This has made life very difficult for us since we sometimes don't have money to purchase basic needs such as food."

"Since we've had challenges with farm irrigation, receiving these transfers will assist us greatly. We plan to purchase 2, 100 meter pipes which we shall use to fetch water from the nearby river Molo. This will cost us about $450 of the transfers. We also intend to fence our compound with barbed wire since we've had challenges with dogs and other wild animals killing our livestock. This will cost us about $150 for the transfers. Finally, we intend to use the remaining amount for farming. We plan to plant either green grams or maize when the season comes. We expect to use about $400 of the transfers on this. With all these plans we believe that our lives will improve greatly and we thank God for GiveDirectly and their consideration to come to our village."

"I have a clear plan for my upcoming transfers, to purchase the necessary building poles. Acquiring these poles might be a challenging and costly endeavor, but I am resolute in my determination to obtain the required quantity. My ultimate goal is to construct a house where I can finally settle and find comfort. Enduring the harsh cold weather and sleepless nights caused by rainwater seeping into my current dwelling has been a long-standing hardship. However, I am overjoyed and grateful for the financial assistance I have received thus far. It has provided me with hope and optimism for a better future ahead."

"I run a motorbike taxi business to provide for my four children. However, I recently had an accident and broke my arm. Due to the cold weather, it has been challenging for me to run the business because of the pain in my arm. I used $10 to pay school fees for my three children. They were due to sit for their end-of-year examinations, and there were outstanding fees at their school. I also bought three chickens for $15. My goal is to build a larger flock of chickens and exchange them for goats in the future. I also bought a goat for $34, although I had to top up with some savings I had accumulated because the goat was more expensive than the transfer amount. I'm happy that I now have a total of eight goats purchased through the cash transfers. Owning goats will ensure that I can sell some of them to provide for the needs of my wife and four children in the future. I also used $34 to obtain iron sheets. My goal is to build a new house when I have accumulated enough building materials. The state of my current house is poor, as the tin roof has corroded over time and developed perforations that let in water when it rains. I spent the remaining $9 from the cash transfers to buy more food for the household."