"I was just relaxing near the watering hole like I always do while looking after some livestock when I got a message confirming that some money had been sent to my account and on further scrutiny realized that it is the amount that Givedirectly had promised to send us. I was so excited and immediately went to a nearby M-pesa agent to have it confirmed. I immediately knew that the plans of buying a dairy cow would finally materialize!"

"I purchased a single iron sheet for $9.50 to address the deteriorating condition of my house. The current state of my house is concerning, as the corroded iron sheets allow rainwater to enter, causing leaks. My goal is to accumulate enough funds to acquire approximately 18 iron sheets to construct a new house. At present, I do not have a stable job, and I occasionally engage in charcoal-making to provide for my family's needs. My husband also participates in this activity, which yields a very low income to help build the house. Additionally, I used $22.40 to buy maize flour as my household had run out of food three days before receiving the transfer. During that time, my seven children and I faced hunger and had to rely on borrowing food from neighbors. With the remaining funds, I bought a chicken intending to let it breed and then sell the grown chickens. Not only will the generated funds support the needs of my family, but they will also help me buy a goat. Am certain that rearing goats is a valuable opportunity to build wealth for my family."

"I have always wanted to have water at my doorstep, and this is something I'm looking forward to attaining. We decided to set aside a certain amount of money every day for the purpose of buying the water pipes and ensuring that this goal is fulfilled. This means that I will no longer buy water and will redirect the money we spent on water every day to something else because we will just be paying a monthly fee. I also want to finish the pit latrine so that I can protect myself and my family's health. To add to that, there are times when you really need to use a toilet, but there is someone else inside which will force you to go to the nearby bush, which annoys me."

"I plan to buy a cow at $134.31 whose cow dung I will be able to use for manure for my garden. I will also acquire land for staying at $ 537.25 because where I am the place is affected by water from the most top hill causing fear in us."

"I am a widow responsible for supporting my small family. Historically, I have made a living as a crop farmer, but due to unfavorable weather conditions, our harvests have been consistently poor. To improve our situation, I decided to venture into poultry farming after being accepted into a program. Today, I am delighted to have over 30 hens, which are gradually increasing in number as they reproduce each month. I invested $18.5 in purchasing animal feed for the hens. Once they reach maturity, I sell them at a profit in the market, using the proceeds to pay for my son's secondary school fees since he started this year. Besides acquiring the animal feed, I also bought provisions for our household, including three packets of maize flour, one kilogram of beans, one kilogram of sugar, and water. The recent heavy rains have encouraged us to return to our fields and try our luck, hoping for a successful harvest this time. I allocated $5 for land preparation, which involved clearing the land and removing bushes and thickets from the farm."

"The condition of my house is run-down and the iron sheets on the roof have many holes, which results in significant water leakage during rainfall. In the past, I had to endure harsh cold weather and deal with property damage due to rainwater seeping into the house. My primary objective for this year is to achieve a major milestone by completely renovating the roof. I intend to purchase iron sheets gradually until I have enough to replace the damaged ones. Additionally, apart from renovating my house, I plan on using my monthly funds to pay for my children's school fees, and I aim to clear any outstanding balances by the end of the year."

"The drought that has persisted for three years now has impaired food crop production in my region. Mostly, we survive by buying food and water, which is becoming expensive by the day because of a lack of money. My son, Rashid, shoulders the responsibility of providing for our family of seven by taking up casual jobs in house construction. Sadly, the money he earns is often insufficient to provide daily food for the entire family. When I received the transfer, our household was facing a shortage of maize flour. Consequently, I used the entire $34 to purchase food that lasted us for at least two weeks. Fortunately, since then, my son has been able to provide us with additional food, and we have not missed a meal up to this day."

"I am extremely thankful and pray that God blesses whoever facilitated Give Directly's assistance to our village. For years, drought deprived us of the opportunity to grow crops and access water, which led to severe hunger in my household. The situation worsened after my son, who was the sole breadwinner, was diagnosed with Tuberculosis last year, leaving me in charge of providing for his eight children. Thankfully, the monthly cash transfers have eased the hardships faced by my family. When I receive the money, I typically budget it to secure food and pay school fees for my grandchildren. From the recent cash transfer, I spent $15 to clear school fees for the children as they were constantly being pulled out of class. Am happy that they remained in school longer until they closed for the holidays. Also, I used the $19 to buy food, which served my family for at least five days. Though I cannot entirely depend on the cash aid to support my needs throughout the month, am happy that they help lift a weight off my shoulders for some days. "

"I still clearly recall the moment my daughter-in-law informed me that I had finally gotten my first transfers as I was watering the flowers at my farm. There were a variety of feelings at that time because it seemed like a dream. In my excitement, I forgot to remember the duty I was handling and hastened back home. I shared the good news with my family, who could as well not hold their joy. I knew that my kids would finally return to school after missing classes for almost three weeks due to the arrears."

"The biggest difference in my daily life is the abundance of food and reliable access to clean water. Before receiving the first payment, we used to rely on buying small quantities of food that could barely sustain us for a week, but now we can afford to purchase food in bulk that can last us for a long time. Additionally, since I purchased a plastic container worth $37 to collect rainwater, we no longer have to walk long distances to fetch water, especially during the dry season. Moreover, the gutters that we fixed now channel rainwater from the roof directly into the tank, making it much easier for us to collect and store the water. The peace of mind that comes with not having to worry about food and water every day is indescribable, and I am grateful for the support from GiveDirectly."