"For the past three months, I have been grappling with an eye disease characterized by teary eyes, blurred vision, and intense pain, rendering it challenging for me to work on the farm. During this period of illness, I relied heavily on my son, who works as a motorcycle taxi driver, to meet our immediate needs, including purchasing food and medicine. Fortunately, my condition has improved, allowing me to return to the farm and work comfortably, although some discomfort persists. Nonetheless, I am relieved and grateful to feel much better now. In preparation for the future, I have managed to save $40 with the intention of purchasing a goat later this month. Despite the high cost, I am determined to acquire goats because I recognize their potential to generate income and provide for my needs in the long term. Additionally, I allocated $28 towards purchasing food, ensuring that my family of eight never went hungry during this period. Earlier this year, I invested $40 in purchasing a goat, although unfortunately, a goat I acquired last year succumbed to disease. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that the goat I currently own and any future acquisitions will multiply and serve as valuable assets in the future. I am grateful for the financial support provided by the transfers, which enabled me to obtain medication for my condition and facilitated my overall well-being."

"Changing the livelihood of my family is basically what receiving this money means to me. The status quo is too worse and I wish to have my children get the best in their studies. With this money, I am planning to spend a big portion of it to support my children in school. A huge amount ($700), will help my son to start his campus studies in September 2024 who intends to do a medicine course. The remaining amount will help to sort other household needs like repairing our houses which are in bad condition and also to support those my two children who are still in lower classes. Hence, achieving all my ambition will mean a better future for my family."

"I finished high school in 2019, but I have not been able to continue my education due to my parents' low income as they rely on selling traditional medicine and farming. I aspire to pursue a Diploma course in Laboratory Technology. To achieve this, I have been saving $10 of my monthly transfers, and will continue to do so until I reach my goal. Additionally, I am working on expanding my small business to generate more income for my family and save up for my education. I plan to use part of the transfers to add new items to my business inventory. Once the business becomes stable enough, I'll increase the amount I save for my education fund to accelerate my plan of joining college. Through strategic financial planning and entrepreneurial initiative, I am determined to overcome financial barriers and realize my aspirations for higher education. By taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the transfers, I am paving the way towards a brighter future for myself and my family."

"Givedirectly transfers have had a transformative effect in my life. I have moved from a point of having no source of income to having 30 chicken which I rear to sell. I take care of them using Givdeirectly transfers. The new castle disease has been the biggest cause of lose of animals. I have used about $10 on medicine over the past few months as well as ensuring the chicken are well fed buy buying chicken feed which has cost me $20 in the last three months. I added three chicks in December to my flock at $1.5. I have siblings who are still in school I spent $$50 on getting them to school over the last few months."

"I used to work for a mining company, but unfortunately, I was laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it has been challenging to provide for my family of nine, particularly my six children, who are all currently in school. I have been struggling to find another job, so I have been doing odd jobs in construction and also engaging in subsistence farming. Unfortunately, these jobs have not been enough to support my family. To address this issue, I started a poultry project, which has become my main source of income. I currently have over 30 birds, and I normally sell them for $8 each to settle my financial needs. This has allowed me to pay for my children's school fees and to buy food and medicine for my poultry. With the recent transfers that I received, I spent on my family's needs and on my poultry project. I used $50 to buy medicine and feed for my chickens, which has helped to ensure their health and growth. I also used $10 to pay for my children's school fees, which has allowed them to continue their studies without interruption. With the remaining money, I hired a pair of oxen to plough my acreage during the planting season. This has resulted in a good harvest, which has provided food for my family. I am grateful for this financial support, and I hope to continue to grow my poultry project to be able to provide for my family with ease."

"In the past three years, our reliance on farming has become increasingly challenging. Despite our best efforts, we've struggled to put food on the table due to a scarcity of casual labor opportunities and my advancing age, which limits my ability to work. To make ends meet, I have resorted to gathering herbal medicine and firewood from the surrounding forests, occasionally selling these items to provide for my five grandchildren, whom I care for. Recently, three of my grandchildren underwent circumcision rites, and while their parents covered most of the expenses, I contributed $20 towards the costs. Additionally, I spent $105 in purchasing two sacks of maize, which we are currently relying on while hoping for alternative sources of sustenance. I also purchased a goat from my son for $10, aiding him in his financial struggles amid his son's court case. Although I haven't brought the goat home yet, knowing that I have supported my family brings me solace. With my spouse, we used $57 on personal items such as new clothes, shoes, and toiletries. While managing various expenses in the shopping center, I incurred transportation costs totaling $80, cleared a debt of $83 at a nearby shop, and utilized the remaining funds to repair a chicken coop with plans to expand our poultry holdings in the future. Despite the challenges we face, I am grateful for the support provided by GiveDirectly, which has eased our burdens and provided essential support during these trying times."

"I am very grateful for the support GiveDirectly has provided me with. It has been a lifeline for me. I cannot thank them enough for bringing me much-needed relief and easing my biggest worries about how I would survive at my age without external support. I have been blessed with daughters, but they are all married and cannot provide much support since they have their own families to take care of, and are not well off. Last year, I was diagnosed with stomach ulcers, and the doctor advised me not to engage in any activity that involved a lot of physical strength. Subsistence farming has been the only activity I have been engaging in to ensure food is available in my household, and now I cannot do it anymore. This has been a great challenge for me, and I am happy that the transfers have been my only hope. With the recent transfer, I spent $55 on buying enough food that could last for a few weeks. I also spent $10 on treatment and buying some medicines since I am still under medication, and I am glad that I am in the process of recovering. I have been saving $15 for the past few months, and I recently bought a goat with my accumulated savings. Finally, I spent $20 on buying two iron sheets, and I plan to use them to build a new house since the one I am currently living in is in bad shape. My goal is to have a decent house where I will no longer suffer the painful effects of heavy rain."

"I recently spent $34 from my transfers to cover my daughter's school fees as the new term began. This has significantly reduced the outstanding fee balance and provided me with a sense of tranquility. I now have ample time to prepare for the upcoming payment, ensuring my daughter's education is uninterrupted. Apart from supporting my daughter's education, I also manage a successful poultry project that has proven to be a lucrative investment. Currently, I have 40 birds in stock, and I recently invested $40 in purchasing chicken feed and medicines while seeking veterinary services to maintain their health. This venture has not only generated income but also allowed me to acquire four goats, further diversifying my resources. In addition to my poultry project, I operate a general shop stocked with various products and groceries, which has provided another stream of income. At times, whenever I ran out of stock, selling the chickens has proven to be a reliable source of capital, restocking and reinforcing the sustainability of my shop. Consequently, the well-being of my family has significantly improved, and the challenge of paying for my daughter's education has become more manageable as a result of the proceeds from the shop. Lastly, I spent the remaining amount on paying for DStv monthly subscription for my son who operates a movie shop. I am pleased that his shop is now thriving, contributing to his financial independence."

"I have about 20 chicken, I have bought them over the period of time I have been a beneficiary of the program. I buy them chicken feed and sometimes buy them medicine or vaccination using the transfer. I spent $15 in November buying chicken feed, $8 in January buying some more chicken feed and medicine for deworming them worth $2. I also have had members of my family sick over the last three months, my child in November and myslef in January. I was admitted and hence ended up using $20 for hospital bills, in November I spent $10 for my child's treatment. A portion of my land needed tilling in November I spent $9. During the festivities I spent $25 on clothes for my children and $9 for buying wheat flour."

"I have been in a savings group for as long as I have been in the Givedirectly project. I save a monthly amount of $14. In November the remaining $19 went into buying clothes for myself, my then 5 month child and my wife. I also got some toiletries using that cash. In December I got three chicken at $3 each and hence got three chicken, I bought medicine for my child at $5 and also got diapers as well as food for my family as need arose. In January I spent $20 paying a debt I had taken, I had been stuck and needed finances as some emergencies came up. I also spent the money to buy some shoes for me and my child at $3.5 while the rest was used on food, toiletries and diapers as the need arose."