"I am a mother of four, I run a small grocery stall around our area. Its my only source of income. My husband is a teacher and is our breadwinner. Because of the state of affairs due to the drought food was our biggest concern. Our earnings mainly focus on ensuring the family is well fed. So the transfers have been of a great help in sorting our our other needs, We used $15 in June and July, and $20 in August to settle school fee balance for our three school going children. I have also been able to reinvest in my business using the cash, $9 in June, and $10 in July.. I got chicken worth $2 each in July and got 4 chicken. I was able to have a wiggle room for food in August for $10 to go to food as I had sorted out my business through the profits."

"The Givedirectly transfers gave us a hope to hold on to. We have been struggling with a bad drought that meant we fully relied on purchasing food for nourishment. By the time we were receiving transfers in June I didn't have much on me since all my resources had gone into planting. I had accumulated a debt at the shop of about $17 which I cleared using my transfers. I also settled my children's school fees using $10, the remaining $8 went into restocking food at home. In July Seeing that I still had debts at the shop I reduced the debt I had of $13 and paid school fees for my 5 children I also bought a chicken from the market. The $8 left I bought some personal toiletries. I august I upped my chicken purchase to two as now we had vegetable and were no longer buying them, I also paid my debt of $14 at the shop and settled my children school fees by $10 as well."

"I am a student at college pursuing a Automotive engineering on a undergraduate level. Givedirectly transfers have easened my life with this pursuit in a way that allow me to concentrate on my school work. My monthly transfers are usually split to ensure that I reduce my school fees debt and also pay for my accommodation at school. I spent $10 from my June, July and August transfers to pay the rent for my house. I bought books worth $5 in June while reducing my then school fees balance of $570 by $19, I was also able to further reduce this in July by a similar amount. In July I also got two chicken which I added to my existing 3 to make 5 chicken. In August I fell ill and spent $10 to seek medical attention while $14 went into facilitating my fare back to school."

"I have been trying to build a herd of goats and chicken. I have always felt that animals were a good way of ensuring you had an emergency fund and grow your investments. Two of the goats I got have already given birth and now I have 7 goats. I want more of this. I plan to continue adding a few more animals to the heard as the year progresses to ensure they are sufficient even when trouble strikes."

"I received the GiveDirectly transfers during a time of desperate financial need. My two children had been sent home from school due to unpaid fees, one in Grade two and the other in Grade 1, and since my husband and I lacked a stable source of income, it became a very challenging period. Fortunately, GiveDirectly came to our rescue, and with the received funds, I was able to pay off the outstanding school fees, which amounted to $10. Additionally, I decided to invest in a chicken-rearing project, using $10 to purchase two chicks so that I do not face such financial challenges in the future. With the remaining amount, I bought school shoes for my two children at $5 each, as well as a pair for myself. The support from GiveDirectly was a tremendous relief, lightening the financial burden we had been facing."

"My goal is to secure a stable source of income once I complete my college education in December next year to alleviate financial challenges. To achieve this, I plan to expand my chicken-rearing project by investing in the purchase of improved chicken breeds and constructing additional coops. I am committed to channeling a greater portion of my monthly transfers towards the success of this project, ensuring its growth and profitability, ultimately providing me with the financial stability I desire."

"With the generous support from GiveDirectly, I have been able to make significant strides in my life. After completing my secondary education in 2022, I was burdened by an unpaid school fees balance, preventing me from obtaining my school certificate and pursuing an electrical course. However, GiveDirectly's assistance has been a lifeline. I've managed to reduce a substantial portion of my outstanding fees, with my most recent transfer covering $20 of the remaining $150. In addition to addressing my educational aspirations, I've also taken a step towards financial independence by investing in chicken rearing. I used $14.50 of the funds to purchase 5 chicks and feeds, which I added to my existing flock. This not only brings me closer to my dream of financial stability but also ensures that I can continue with my desired course. I am forever grateful to GiveDirectly for the support that has transformed my prospects and alleviated the financial challenges I once faced."

"Living as a family of two, we have always relied on farming to sustain ourselves. Unfortunately, harsh climatic conditions have taken a toll on our productivity, causing the loss of our animals over time. However, I am determined not to lose hope; life must go on. When the transfers came through, I allocated $240 to purchase sheep and $15 for chickens, hoping these investments would provide us with a source of food and income. With food shortages looming, I had no option but to buy food for my family, and I am grateful the transfers enabled this. I spent $108 on maize, beans, and peas to ensure we had enough to eat. The remaining funds fulfilled a long-held desire: I bought furniture to improve our home. Now, sitting in our comfortably furnished house, I cannot help but smile. Despite the challenges we have faced, I am content and grateful for the assistance that has brought comfort and happiness into our lives."

"Our family of eight always depends on the water vending business for survival, but it is far from enough to provide the stability we crave, so we need to diversify income-generating activities. Next year, for instance, I plan on venturing into crop and chicken farming to secure both income and food for my family. I will sell some of the goats so as to earn capital for this business."

"I have three children who are currently attending primary school. I am determined not to solely rely on my husband to support their education if I have the means to contribute as well. My husband primarily relies on casual labor and his chicken-rearing project to provide for our family. However, the income generated from these activities is sometimes insufficient to cover all our household needs, including food and school fees. Therefore, when I received the recent cash transfer, I allocated $23 to settle the outstanding tuition fees, which could have otherwise resulted in our children missing classes. Following this, I spent $7 to purchase a duck and expand our poultry-rearing venture, following in my husband's footsteps. I set aside the remaining $4 to cover posho mill charges, as we recently harvested maize that needs to be ground into flour for food preparation."