"The money came early in the morning at 5am. When I checked my phone at 5:30, I saw an M-Pesa message confirming the transfer had arrived. My husband was still asleep, but I woke him up immediately to share the news. We were overjoyed, especially because we had been struggling to find school fees for our children. They’d been sent home to collect fees, and with the term almost ending, the teachers needed the payments cleared. Without this transfer, we had no other options, and seeing the money brought us such relief and hope."

"My first goal is to lease a piece of land using the funds from the third transfer. I want to use this land to plant maize so that, come harvest time, we’ll have a reliable food supply. This will ease the burden on my children, who often feel the pressure to find casual jobs to support the household. With a steady harvest, they can focus on their studies and daily routines without the constant worry about how we’ll put food on the table. Alongside securing the harvest, I also want to make sure that my children are fully settled in school. I aim to pay their school fees on time, giving them the stability they need to thrive academically. By taking care of their tuition, I hope to lift some of the financial strain we've been under, allowing them to focus on learning and preparing for a brighter future. I believe that with these plans in place, our family will grow stronger, and the year ahead will bring us closer to stability and peace."

"I had always wanted to own a sheep—something I could call mine and that would be a lasting memory of this support. With $90, I bought two sheep, both as an investment for my family and as a reminder of the kindness shown to us by GiveDirectly. Education has always been a priority for me, but keeping my three children in primary school was becoming a challenge due to rising costs. I used $50 from the cash transfer to pay their school fees, making sure they wouldn’t be sent home and could focus on their studies. Seeing them stay in school, knowing they’re getting the education they deserve, brings me peace of mind. With $26, I bought half a bag of maize to help us through the shortage, and I used the remaining amount to buy basic household food items that would last us for the next two weeks. This ensured that my family had enough to eat, allowing us to focus on other pressing needs without the constant worry about our next meal."

"I have a brother who is currently attending Secondary school. As a family, we decided to support him in pursuing his education since our parents are peasant farmers, and their earnings are insufficient to comfortably cover his schooling costs. When I received my latest transfer, I used $45 to pay for his school fees. Additionally, I purchased food for our family that cost $52, as we were in urgent need of both food and water at that time. We are currently experiencing a drought, which has made water scarce, and the suppliers charge high prices. Thus, this financial support has been crucial in helping us afford the essentials we require as a family. Lastly, I spent $5 to clear the fee balance for my two younger siblings who are in primary school."

"When I received my second transfer from GiveDirectly, the first thing I did was clear my son's high school fee arrears of $200. He had been sent home multiple times and often missed classes because we couldn't afford to pay. I rely on charcoal production to make a living, but with a young daughter to care for, I could not go to work. The transfer allowed me to settle the fees, ensuring my son could attend school. In addition, I decided to invest in livestock, as it is something that has helped me in the past, especially when I need to pay fees. Unfortunately, a disease outbreak this year reduced my livestock to fewer than ten. To diversify my income and prepare for future needs, I bought three goats for $60 each. I see this as a long-term investment, knowing that as the goats multiply, I can sell them and use the money for things like school fees and other household expenses. Food was also a major challenge for my family of seven children. With my crops destroyed by floods and my dependence on charcoal production, it was difficult to provide for them. On top of that, my husband has many wives, so he provides very little support. I spent $70 from the transfer on food, which greatly eased the burden of feeding my children and helped us get through this difficult time. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"I am a farmer, but for the longest time, I had been planting on just one acre of land. When I received my second transfer, I decided to expand my farming activities by renting one and a half acres of land for $150. I spent $50 on plowing, $30 on making ridges and planting, and another $30 on maize seeds. My hope was that with the increased yields, I would earn more income to improve my house, pay for my children's school fees, and sustain my farming. Unfortunately, this year, floods destroyed all my crops, leading to a food shortage. To address this, I spent $56 on food, which included a bag of maize and other essentials like sugar. Luckily, we still have some maize left. Additionally, my two children, who are in secondary school, had accumulated fee arrears of $130. Every evening, they would remind me about the unpaid fees, which caused me stress. I used $100 from the transfer to reduce the arrears. Additionally, I bought clothes for all of us for $34 so that we could all share in the joy of receiving the GiveDirectly money."

"I have a daughter whom we have been struggling to raise her secondary school fees with huge arrears. We intend to clear the arrears and pay her school fees to avoid interrupting her education as she will be completing her secondary school next year. The first transfer from GiveDirectly will be spent on clearing her arrears of KES 10000, and the second transfer will be spent on next year's education expenses. I feel elated that my daughter will finish her secondary education without being sent home for school fees."

"When I received $450 from GiveDirectly, I felt incredibly grateful and saw it as a valuable opportunity to improve my life. I live in a mud house, and recent floods damaged it badly, causing it to leak and putting my family at risk as the structure is on the verge of collapsing. I used $300 of the transfer to buy building materials, including iron sheets and building poles, hoping to construct a safer, more stable home. I am eagerly awaiting the third transfer to complete the construction, providing my family with a comfortable and secure place they can truly call home, away from the risk of flooding and the discomfort of a leaking roof. In addition, I used $60 to pay school fees for my child, who is in Form One in secondary school. Paying this fee has helped me feel relieved from the worry and pressure of unpaid fees, allowing my child to continue their education without interruption. The remaining amount went toward buying food, an essential need for my family. Ensuring that we have enough to eat helps us all stay healthy, and being able to meet this basic need with the transfer brought us much-needed peace of mind."

"I am currently in form three and will be moving up to form four next year. I am grateful to GiveDirectly because, without their support, I would have had to drop out of school due to a lack of funds for my school fees. Fortunately, their assistance came just in time. With my most recent transfer, I used $55 to cover my fees as we were nearing the end of the term. If I hadn’t done this, I would have been unable to sit for my exams. Additionally, I purchased a pair of school shoes for $4 since my previous pair was nearly worn out. I also spent $5 on a school uniform and $9 for a bed, as I don't have one at home. I opted to pay for the bed in installments, and once I finish the payments, I will go and collect it."

"My primary objective is to make sure my children can pursue their education to higher levels, enabling them to have a brighter future. To reach this goal, I plan to allocate part of my transfers to acquire more goats while using other portions to cover their school fees. I am optimistic that by adding more goats to my resources, they will multiply over time. Eventually, I aim to exchange these goats for cows, which will also appreciate in value. When the opportune moment arises, I will sell the cows and utilize the profits to support my children's education, as they can yield a substantial return. I am very thankful to GiveDirectly for providing me with this chance to enhance my family's assets. This assistance will enable me to establish a sustainable approach to ensure my children can continue their education and achieve a better future."