"In the coming year and beyond, I have several goals that I hope to achieve. As someone who lives alone and is blind, collecting water can be a challenge, especially since it is expensive to buy from water vendors. Therefore, I plan to connect water from the nearby government line to my doorstep to make water collection easier. To achieve this goal, I will need to purchase a water tank, which may cost me $50, but it will be worth it since I will not have to go to the river anymore. In addition, I would like to improve my sleeping conditions by purchasing a bed and a mattress. Currently, I sleep on a tattered one over cold floors, which affects my quality of sleep. By investing in a bed and mattress, I hope to sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed."

"GiveDirectly has done an amazing job of providing financial support to those in need, which has helped to alleviate poverty. Thanks to their support, I have been able to accomplish a lot, including building a new home, improving my farming activities, and securing enough food to sustain my family of eight. I appreciate that GiveDirectly trusts us to budget the money on our own, as this allows us to prioritize our needs based on the specific challenges we are facing. However, while GiveDirectly's focus on financial support is beneficial, there may be some instances where material goods would be more helpful, such as during times of emergency or natural disasters like droughts that led to the extreme shortage of water both for our use and livestock's. Overall, I believe that GiveDirectly is doing an excellent job of providing aid to those in need, and they could continue to improve by offering more diverse forms of support when necessary."

"I had gone to the water pan to fetch water when I got a message on my phone. When I checked the contents to confirm receipt, I was overwhelmed with joy when I learned that it was a Mpesa message. I had received my first transfer as promised! I thanked God for bringing GiveDirectly to uplift our lives through the transfers."

"I am so grateful to have received unconditional funds, which have made a significant impact on my life. With the transfers I was able to address some of the most pressing needs for myself and my family. Firstly, I knew that water is essential, especially in the dry season when water is scarce. Therefore, I used $ 150 to purchase two water tanks with a capacity of 5000 liters each, as well as pipes and gutters. This has made it much easier to collect and store water, which has been a great relief for my family and me. I used $ 100 to buy food for my family. We had been struggling to make ends meet, and this came at a time when we needed it most. I was able to purchase enough food to last us for a while, which has been a significant relief. Lastly, I had been struggling with an old car that had been giving me a lot of trouble. With $ 200, I decided to repair the car, and it is now running smoothly. This has been a significant relief, especially since I use the car to travel to work every day and use it for taxi business at times."

"When I was building my house, I did not have enough funds to acquire iron sheets to cover the entire space. So, I borrowed some pieces from an old structure, which had been around for years. Following the ongoing rains, I noticed that the roof lets in rainwater. With the help of the cash transfers, I intend to replace the iron sheets in the coming years. Other than that, I also want to rear goats as a source of wealth that I could sell anytime to obtain money for my household's needs."

"After receiving the second transfer from GiveDirectly, I had several plans that I wished to accomplish before using up the whole amount. First, I restocked our food supplies by purchasing 50 kilograms of dry maize grains for $30 to sustain my family of three. Additionally, I invested $200 in purchasing four goats, which I plan to breed and sell in the future to fund new projects. Our community has vast land with shrubs and herbs that are suitable for goat farming. I also bought new clothes worth $20 for my spouse and our eldest child. Due to the shortage of animal feed, I decided to lease a plot of land close to the water point for farming purposes. Since the plot will require irrigation, I paid a leasehold fee of $100 and am currently preparing the land to plant maize. I sent the remaining $100 to my mother, who also required support in land preparation and planting. This will enable her to set up her land and buy seeds, which will boost her financial stability and reduce her reliance on other siblings who have been assisting her."

"My village has lacked rain for over four years. Early March this year 2023, it rained heavily and all water pans were filled with water. The drought ended and I am seriously doing crop farming. I am happy because holding factors constant I will be harvesting my maize in July. This will make my family get enough food that will sustain them for almost sox months."

"If I can describe last year with one word, I will consider "shame" as the perfect word. This is because my family was suffering a lot since we didn't have a toilet at home. We used to help ourselves in the bushes or seek help from our neighbors. This year, my husband blessed us with a clean toilet that we own at home. This has restored us with the happiness that we have lacked for a long time. In addition, he installed water pipes in our home and we currently have water just at the doorstep. What a happy life! I, therefore, consider all these achievements as what has brought me joy."

"In the coming year, I want to focus on renovating my house. The roof is badly damaged and perforated, which allows rainwater to enter the space and expose my family to cold infections. Before I can start the procedure, I want to assemble the building materials first and then hire someone to revamp the roof. Particularly, I need at least ten pieces of iron sheets. Since I do not have a stable source of income, I hope that the coming cash transfers will enable me to complete this exercise so that my family can have a safe shelter. Right now, am just banking on the rains to continue so that I can grow food crops. This will allow me to save enough funds from the transfers."

"I am very grateful. May God bless whoever led and directed Give Directly to my village. For years, the drought deprived us of the opportunity to grow food crops and harvest water, which brought severe hunger to my household. The situation worsened when my son (who was the sole provider) passed away last year, leaving behind five school-going children. Gladly, the monthly cash transfers alleviated the hardships in my family. Mostly, when I receive the money, I spend every penny on food and water alone. Am also happy that my younger son took on the responsibility of paying school fees for his late brother's children. This allows me to provide them with food through cash transfers since I do not have any other source of income. I am happy that we have never missed a meal ever since the year began."