"My wife and I are both subsistence farmers, cultivating maize and beans primarily for our own consumption. In the past, we faced challenging years marked by persistent drought, making our lives exceedingly difficult. Affording our children's education and even securing enough food was a constant struggle. However, since GiveDirectly initiated its monthly transfers, our circumstances have significantly improved. I can now cover school fees, invest in livestock, and complete the construction of our house. I allocated $64 to purchase three chickens and a goat, which I plan to raise to maturity. Additionally, $19 was used to acquire cement and other building materials necessary for the house construction. Another $15 was directed towards settling a pending school fee debt for my son in secondary school, ensuring an uninterrupted education. The remaining funds were utilized to purchase food for our family, as we were facing shortages. I am immensely thankful to GiveDirectly for providing hope and support during these challenging times."

"Relying on farming as my primary source of income, I've found that it often falls short of meeting my needs. Previously, my husband and I struggled to make ends meet, resorting to the physically demanding work of clearing tree stumps and selling charcoal. The support from GiveDirectly has been a lifeline, enabling me to invest in livestock and construct a new, safer house. With my children grown, except for one still in need of financial assistance for school fees, I allocated $18 from the transfers to settle an outstanding school debt for him. Additionally, $44 was used to purchase food when supplies were running low. Another $16 was invested in buying chickens, which I plan to raise and sell at a profit. The remaining $24 was directed towards purchasing medication for my grandchild, who fell ill and required urgent medical attention. I am content with the progress we have made so far, and I am grateful for the positive impact of GiveDirectly in our lives."

"Due to my advanced age, I am no longer able to engage in strenuous work as I once did, relying instead on the support of my grown children. I engage in subsistence farming on a smaller scale to provide food for my family. Life was challenging in the past, marked by the inability to afford basic necessities. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their monthly transfers, providing us with a consistent source of income for purchasing both food and livestock. I have allocated the entire $102 received from these transfers to acquire livestock— an investment comprising four chickens, a goat, and a cow. These animals, manageable in terms of care, are intended to be raised to maturity, and I plan to sell them if the need arises. This, to me, represents a worthwhile investment, and I appreciate GiveDirectly for providing us the opportunity to positively transform our lives."

"My brother, who works as a carpenter, is the primary provider for our family. However, his income from carpentry is often insufficient to cover all our needs such as food and my school fees. That is why over the last three months, I have utilized the cash transfers to manage my school fees and sanitary supplies, as my brother's earnings are often stretched thin. I directed $65 towards clearing my school fees balances that had accumulated over the academic term. I also allocated $31 for my sanitary supplies, recognizing their importance for me as a girl. The cash transfers have been a crucial support, ensuring that I can sustain my education and basic personal needs. With the remaining $6, I invested in three chickens, hoping that they would reproduce and provide a source of income for my future needs."

"Looking ahead, my goal is to venture into agribusiness, with a focus on cattle rearing and livestock trading. Currently, I own three cows, and I aim to continue raising them. As they reproduce, I could sell them during financial emergencies to cater to the needs of my family. Additionally, I plan to explore livestock trading, involving activities such as buying and selling chickens to further enhance my livelihood and support the education of my five children."

"Looking ahead, my goal is to grow my income stream, particularly by venturing into livestock rearing, focusing on goats and chickens. I've already started building a few goats with the recent transfers, and I aim to continue expanding this venture. Livestock keeping will not only help me meet the needs of my family but also ensure financial security for emergency expenses."

"Currently, my son serves as the main provider for the family, relying on the sale of chickens and eggs. However, the income generated is just sufficient to meet our food needs and nothing more. I am extremely happy that I recently used $68 from the cash transfers to purchase two goats. The timing was ideal as we had already harvested our crops, and concerns about food were alleviated. I am grateful that this happened because financial constraints had hindered me from buying goats before. I aim to rear these goats and create enough wealth through them that I could use in the future to generate funds for my family's basic needs. Additionally, I invested $20 in buying building poles to repair a wall of my house that had collapsed due to the rains. Thanks to the cash transfers, my house is now fully repaired, and the living space is more stable. The remaining funds were utilized to buy essential household items, including food, to lighten the burden on my son's shoulders."

"With the initial transfer from GiveDirectly, I made had lots of ideas to improve my family's life. I invested $50 in purchasing a sack of maize and beans, ensuring a stable food supply for my family of five. Allocating $50, I covered the school fees for my two daughters in secondary school, a responsibility my goats have traditionally helped with. Beyond dependence on them, I engage in subsistence farming, and the surplus aids in paying part of the school fees. Facing health concerns, I spent $10 on a hospital visit, and I am grateful to be on the getting better following the prescribed medication. Seeking to expand my income, I used $3 to buy another chicken, adding to my existing six with the plan to sell them later to support the education of all four of my children. Additionally, $10 went into purchasing clothes for my two children, while saving the remaining money for unexpected emergencies. This support from GiveDirectly has made a meaningful impact on various aspects of my family's well-being."

"I thank God for being considered in the cash transfers since I believe this will make life easy for me and my family. For the first $180 of the cash transfers, I intend to purchase 2 sheep at $50 each and also 4 chickens at $5 each. This will act as my investment into the future. For the second transfers, I intend to pay school fees for my 2 children who are in forms 1 and 3 respectively. I also intend to use the remaining amount to do maize farming on my small farm. For $450, the third transfer I intend to build a new house since my current house is made of mud and iron sheets which is not in a very good state."

"My main goal is to establish a business focused on buying and selling chickens or other livestock like goats. Being at a young age, I aim to create a source of self-reliance beyond the cash transfer period. I believe this business will generate income to support my family's needs and alleviate the pressure on my grandmother, our main provider. I've been saving $20 monthly from the cash transfers, and I plan to continue saving, aiming to accumulate a lump sum next year to kick-start the venture."