"Receiving $200 from Give directly was a game-changer for us. With our three kids in mind, I set aside $20 for a surprise, treating them to new clothes. Their smiles were priceless, making the support from GiveDirectly truly memorable. The remaining $180 became our lifeline for a bigger dream: transforming our barren one-acre land into a flourishing farm. We urgently needed a generator and pipes for irrigation, vital tools to kick start our agricultural project. The total cost stood at $80, leaving us with a crucial balance to achieve our goal. Struggling before to borrow tools brought constant inconveniences. Sometimes, they'd be taken back before we finished, impacting our crop yields negatively. With subsistence farming as our primary income source, a small shop alongside my husband raising 10 goats isn't enough to sustain our family's needs. With irrigation, our vision of a sustainable future feels within reach. The prospect of cultivating our land, free from uncertainties, holds the promise of stability. It's not just about growing crops; it's about securing a thriving future for our family." (Country: Kenya)

"My goal is to utilize my upcoming transfers to enhance my business, thereby expanding my customer base and increasing my income. In the coming year, I aim to enroll in college and acquire expertise in the building and construction sector, aligning with my career aspirations and long-term objectives. The support from the transfers has been invaluable, significantly improving my life, for which I am truly grateful." (Country: Kenya)

"At present, I possess six goats. My intention is to acquire an additional goat and then trade the total of seven goats for a bull. The bull will play a crucial role in preparing my land for planting during the rainy season. Furthermore, it will provide an opportunity for me to generate income by offering plowing services to others. The financial transfers have brought immense joy into my life, uplifting my circumstances." (Country: Kenya)

"As we approach the festive season, following a challenging year, I am determined to celebrate with my children. With the upcoming transfer, I intend to purchase quality food and clothing for my children, as well as acquire new clothing for myself. The ongoing financial support has been instrumental in aiding me to provide for my family. I am deeply appreciative of the assistance from Give Directly in helping me live a dignified life." (Country: Kenya)

"Being old together with the lack of a constant source of money is making my life very hard. I have 5 children that depend on me for food and other basic needs. Since I don't have the strength to provide for them fully, we are forced sometimes to go hungry without food. The lack of money has also led to my inability to provide other basic needs such as clothing which stresses me so much." (Country: Kenya)

"Currently, we are facing a lot of challenges, one of them being a lack of money. My husband and I solely depend on casual labor to provide for our family. This is challenging because when we don't get we have to sleep without food. This makes life so challenging and stressful since we have young children who depend on us. It saddens me so much when we have to go hungry." (Country: Kenya)

"The drought has been hard-hitting for the last three years. This has led to the loss of farm produce and livestock. The drought meant we had to be creative when farming. It could be through hiring water pumps for irrigation or planting short-term crops. It's more expensive compared with rain-fed agriculture. This has impacted our cost of production and time taken on the farms." (Country: Kenya)

"Currently, I have two major goals that I would love to start actioning on very soon. First, I would like to expand my current butchery shop. I am a member of our local merry go round group and it will be my turn to receive some funds( a sum of $150) before the end of this month. I am planning to use these funds to expand my shop as these will lead to an increase in my daily profits. This is because I'll have more customers and my daily sales will increase. I'll be saving my daily proceeds so that by next year May, I will use my profits to achieve my second goal of joining college. I recently applied for a course in orthopaedic and trauma in my dream college and I got a vacancy. I was to join during September in take but due to lack of finances, I had to defer until next year May. I believe that by then, I will have saved a good amount from my transfer and business so that I can use in paying for my school fees." (Country: Kenya)

"My major problem currently is capital otherwise, it has always been my dream to expand my poultry project buy buying more hens since it is a project that I can manage with less struggle. I depend mainly on building houses for people to earn a living. The pay is not lucrative and I have six children in school. Paying their school fees on time while making sure my family gets their basic needs has been next to impossible most of the time. Currently, I do not have money to achieve my dream of expanding the poultry project but I believe that I'll be able to with time." (Country: Kenya)

"As of next year, I hope to have accumulated enough building materials to begin constructing a one-room structure for myself. My brother has graciously accommodated me in his house for a long time, but with the cash transfers, I see a chance to have my own space and provide my brother with more privacy. After completing the house, I plan to focus on expanding my livestock venture. So far, I've acquired seven goats from the cash transfers, and my goal is to continue growing this number. In the future, these animals will serve as a crucial source of income for my family and personal needs." (Country: Kenya)