"I will be transitioning to my fourth form next year. Thanks to these transfers, I have been able to stay in school without being sent home, unlike before GiveDirectly arrived in our village. As a result, I have been performing well since I now have ample time to focus on my studies. With my recent transfer, I spent $54 on school fees to avoid being sent home due to an unpaid balance. I live with my father, who is our sole provider and depends on farming to support the family. To help him, I allocated $29 to buy food for family consumption. Additionally, I spent $10.20 to purchase two chickens as a form of future financial security. Lastly, I saved the remaining $8.50 for any emergencies that may arise."

"I am currently in Form One, and I am grateful to GiveDirectly transfers that have made me stay in school, as my parents are peasant farmers. When I began receiving these transfers, I took the initiative to support myself, allowing my parents to focus on covering the fees for my younger siblings. Since the transfers have a set timeline, I decided to invest them in a project to help sustain my education even after they end, knowing I still have a long journey ahead. Initially, I invested in a poultry project, growing my flock to nearly 50 chickens. Unfortunately, a disease outbreak wiped out all my chickens while I was at school, leaving me devastated. I have since revised my plan and now aim to invest in goats using my GiveDirectly transfers. This is my goal for the coming year and beyond, as goats multiply quickly and will provide me with future financial security. I have also started paying my school fees for next year to avoid a large fee balance, giving me the opportunity to save and buy goats, with my parents overseeing their care."

"With two children in school, my main priority has been to ensure that my children continue their education without interruption. To achieve this, I used $30 of my recent transfers from GiveDirectly to pay for their school fees making sure that they were not returned home to collect unpaid fees. In addition to their schooling, I also spent $10 to buy them new school uniforms. Their old uniforms were worn out, and I wanted to ensure they had the proper attire for school, so they could attend with pride and comfort. I have always dreamed of owning livestock that I can rely on in the future. To take the first step towards this goal, I used $5 of my transfers to buy two chickens, and I also spent $30 to buy a goat. My hope is that these animals will multiply and increase in both number and value, providing me with a valuable asset that will support my family in the future. Given the current situation in our region, where we are experiencing a prolonged dry spell and facing the threat of hunger, I used the remaining $27 of my transfers to buy food for my family. Our food stores were empty, and this support ensured that we did not go hungry during such a challenging time. I am incredibly grateful for the assistance from GiveDirectly. I feel hopeful and empowered knowing that I have the opportunity to work towards a better future for us all."

"The transfers from GiveDirectly came at a critical moment when I was unwell and in need of medical attention. I had to use $16 of my recent transfers to visit the hospital and get the necessary medication. I am so relieved to say that I am now feeling much better, and I can return to my usual duties. Additionally, my house was severely affected by strong winds that hit our region. The roof was blown away, and it was damaged beyond repair. Even though I tried to put the old sheets back, many of them were full of holes, and some were in such bad shape that reusing them was no longer viable. To address this, I used another $21 of my transfers to buy two iron sheets, which I will use to begin renovating the roof of my house. This is a step towards creating a safer and more secure home for my family. The drought in our region has made life even harder, and our food stores empty. To make sure my family did not go hungry, I spent another $31 of my transfers to buy food. This was essential, as we are facing extreme food shortages due to the drought, and I wanted to ensure my children and family were properly fed. Also, with three children in school, I also had to prioritize their education. I spent $20 of my transfers to pay for their school fees, ensuring that they would not be sent home for lack of payment. Education is very important to me, and I want to make sure that my children have every opportunity to succeed, despite the challenges we face. Lastly, I used the remaining $14 to buy two chickens, with the hope that they will multiply. My plan is to sell some of the chickens in times of emergencies, especially when I need to pay school fees or cover other urgent expenses. I am truly grateful for the support I have received from GiveDirectly."

"When I received my most recent transfer, I spent $60 on food for my family. We are currently experiencing a severe drought, and the little income I earn is used to buy water and partly on food. Accessing basic needs, especially water, is very challenging. I also purchased two chickens for domestic rearing, which will serve as future financial security. With the remaining $28, I bought two iron sheets. I do not have a house and currently stay at a relative's home. So far, I have acquired four iron sheets and remaining 22, I am hopeful about buying the remaining ones, as I need a total of 26 pieces."

"My father is partially disabled, leaving my mother as the primary breadwinner for our family. Due to the heavy financial burden, I could not proceed to college, as my mother had to prioritize paying school fees for my four younger siblings and providing for the entire family. She works as a peasant farmer and supplements her income by burning and selling charcoal, but her earnings are minimal, often requiring her to struggle to make ends meet. To help alleviate this burden, I have been using part of my transfers to invest in poultry and goat rearing. Currently, I have six chickens and five goats, and I am focusing on building a sustainable livelihood through livestock farming. My plan is to let the chickens multiply, exchange them for goats, and eventually trade the goats for cows. My ultimate goal is to acquire two cows, care for them, and sell them at a profit to fund my college education at KMTC. This aspiration motivates me to work hard, as I believe furthering my studies will lead to a brighter future for myself and my family."

"Receiving the cash transfers means so much to me and my family. We believe that it will be a life changer and a boost. For the first cash transfer we plan to build a chiken house and purchase six chicken. We intend to spend about KES 18000 of the cash transfers on this. This is important because once we sell the chicken we shall have income in the long term. For the second cash transfer, I intend to fence my land with the intention of growing grass. Since our village is dry with occasional rains and the inability to plant other crops growing grass will help us during the dry season. We intend to use about KES 45000 of the cash transfers on this. For the third cash transfers we intend to use KES 20000 to pay school fees for our children and the remaining KES 25000 we intend to purchase 5 goats. With the goats we shall have an investment which we can sell in future."

"My primary goal is to ensure my family has a stable source of income in the future, particularly during emergencies. To achieve this, I have been using my previous transfers from GiveDirectly to purchase goats and plan to buy more with future transfers. I hope these goats will multiply and grow in value over time, allowing me to sell them when needed to cover my family's necessities and support my children's education. Goat farming is a vital part of my plans, and I am determined to see it succeed because it holds great importance for my family's well-being. This vision of a secure and prosperous future motivates me to keep moving forward. To reach this goal, I plan to use part of my transfers to invest in these projects, starting with the one chicken and three goats I already have. I am deeply grateful to GiveDirectly for their financial support, which has made these aspirations possible."

"I used around $44 to buy one goat and two chickens, which I now keep at home as valuable assets. I purposely made this purchase to help cover the school fees for my four children who are still in primary school. It has been a great challenge for me since I work at a construction site, which is not a permanent job, and my wife is jobless. I believe having these animals will benefit me in many ways, especially when it comes to paying their school fees and meeting their other needs. Later on, I paid $20 for my children's school fees, as I had been warned by the teachers that they might be sent home anytime due to arrears. I was very worried because I didn’t have the means to raise the cash, and what I earn mostly goes towards buying food for my family. With $29, I bought enough food to last my family for a while, knowing that we would soon run out of stock. I had already used all the money I had to buy other essential items for the house. Without the cash transfers, we would likely have gone without food for days. I am incredibly grateful for this support, as I can't imagine where my children would be without it. I also used $9 to buy clothes for some of my children so they could at least look nice for the upcoming Christmas celebrations."

"In the coming year and beyond I want to invest in chickens for my poultry business. I love raising chickens because they multiply quickly and have a ready market, making them a reliable source of urgent funds in the future. I am also committed to ensuring my children stay in school and that we always have enough food. So far, I have managed to purchase ten goats and five chickens, and I am dedicated to taking good care of them. I plan to continue using part of my transfers to invest in these projects, as I see them as my future financial security. My primary focus remains on goat rearing, which I began expanding using previous cash transfers. This has already proven invaluable, as I was able to sell some goats to cover my son’s medical expenses when he was injured. This experience has reinforced my dedication to livestock farming as a dependable source of funds in times of need."