"When I first enrolled in the GiveDirectly program, my family of four was living in a small cubicle house made of iron sheets on the roof and walls. I had been hoping to expand the house to provide an extra room for my children. With the first transfer, I couldn't afford construction materials due to other pressing obligations. However, with the second transfer, I was able to purchase 14 iron sheets for $147, which I plan to use for construction. Additionally, I used $300 to expand my retail shop in the nearby shopping center. Initially, my shop only offered a few items that met the needs of the immediate community. But with the additional funds, I was able to bring in packaged goods and fresh produce from the farm, including honey and vegetables. The expansion immediately picked up, with more customers visiting and asking for a wider range of products. This has been our ultimate source of income, which my husband and I run together, and we are hopeful that the business will continue to thrive."

"I was previously working as a shopkeeper but had to quit my job after a disagreement with my boss over salary increment. Since then, I have been relying on casual jobs especially in construction sites which are unreliable and not quite easy to find within the rural areas. This then forced me to relocate to Mombasa city where such jobs are easy to find. In the few months that I have been here, I have concluded that I do not want to work in this sector for too long as the job is tedious yet earns very little. For this reason, I have decided to take a driving course after which I can apply for a job in the transport sector as a pubic vehicle driver. This will give me a better a more stable income and also allow me to be with my family which I can later on relocate to the city as well once I have a decent earning. To achieve this, I have been saving part of my monthly transfers in a local savings group consisting of other recipients within the village and once I receive my share of the savings, I will use it as an enrolment fee in a driving school."

"I hope to buy a motorcycle so that I can transport my children"

"Being a single mother, I have been diligently supporting my son as he begins his education. Despite just being the two of us, life hasn't been easy due to our poor living conditions and insufficient food caused by my reliance on casual labor and small-scale farming. Since I received the support from GiveDirectly, positive changes started emerging in my daily life that I am proud of. I am currently in the process of constructing a new house, having used $390 from the second transfer to acquire materials such as 20 iron sheets, wooden and metal frames, and nails, which I hope will be sufficient for the construction. I am currently residing in a modest, mud-walled cubicle house that requires frequent repairs, especially during the rainy season. These repairs are time-consuming due to the rain washing away the mud and leaving gaps in the walls. The new house will provide a separate bedroom from the living area for me to set up a bed. Additionally, I spent $20 on transporting the construction materials home from the shopping center and the remaining $40 to purchase food supplies that are still sustaining us."

"When God gives me the grace to live, I hope to sell all the live stock, hire a house in bunamubi, and start a very good business"

"Having trouble reading was almost putting off my pleasure. Whether I heard the message tone or not is a memory I do not have. What I do know is that I overheard neighbors jubilantly announcing that they had obtained their transfer as I was returning home from the field. Given that we were both enrolled on the same day, I was interested and asked my husband to verify for me, who then confirmed that I had also gotten my transfer. I felt like a newlywed because, although the GiveDirectly personnel had assured me that I would get a significant amount of money in this case, $550 immediately, I had not anticipated doing so."

"I was in the forest, collecting animal feeds. I was so happy that I left the feeds In the forest, fast rushed home to confirm the message by checking the account through the help of my brother ,upon confirmation we all jubillated thanking God for directing give directly to shiteeka village. The first thought was to buy a solar for light at home since we were suffering with darkness in the house."

"Paid off the the plot of land in a safe place for me and my family members and paid school fees for the children"

"The only source I was anticipating money was through Givedirectly; the transfer that we had been promised, as I had leased a part of land for cultivation and promised the owner that I would pay him at a specific period. Therefore, when I received a message that afternoon while in the farm where I always am and confirmed that I had received the transfer as promised, I nearly danced and knew right away that I will take care of the lease payment issue. I was jubilant!"

"I was on the verge of losing my joy due to illiteracy. I do not know if I heard the message tone or not. What I do know is that I overheard neighbors jubilantly expressing the receipt of their transfer. I requested one of them, whom I trust, to check for me since I was intrigued because we were both enrolled on the same day. She attested to the fact that I had also gotten my transfer. Having just received a nonrefundable large quantity of money for the first time in my life, I was overjoyed. The bad condition of my domicile was what brought on my bliss. Sincerely, a solution had been found for the problem. To express my thanks, I ululated and danced joyfully."