"I want to express my gratitude to GiveDirectly for the financial support. Through these transfers, I was able to acquire a motorbike, which I now use to earn a living and support my family. With my most recent transfer, I spent $61 on school fees for my five school-going children. I divided the amount among them to ensure they are not sent home due to unpaid fees. I also allocated $41 to purchase food for my family’s consumption. The ongoing drought has made food and water our primary focus, as the little income we earn is mostly spent on these essential needs. This support has been a lifeline for my family during these challenging times."

"I am currently in Form Three, with one more year to complete my secondary school education. My goal is to join KMTC, so I need to focus on my studies to achieve excellent results. In the coming year and beyond, I plan to dedicate myself fully to my studies to reach this goal. To ensure this, I intend to use part of my transfers to pay my school fees on time, avoiding the risk of being sent home for unpaid balances. With any remaining funds after covering my fees, I will support my younger siblings' education. I am deeply grateful for the financial support, as it has also allowed me to invest in poultry farming, providing a foundation for my financial security in the future."

"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."

"Lack of money is the biggest challenge I am currently facing.For the past 4 years I have been working as a fisherman in lake Baringo,with my family of 3 the income I earn from this work is insufficient to pay for my daughter school fees as well as buy adequate household requirements.Although I have several business ideas it has been difficult for me to put them into practice because of limited finances . Operating on a hand to mouth basis is so discouraging and unpromising,most especially now when my family is growing and I have to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of my 4 siblings, my single mother and my disabled grandmother.I barely have savings from my monthly income of KES 15000, this stresses me a lot because time is moving ,I am getting old and I foresee a dull future for my family."

"My son is growing up, and soon he will need his own space to live in, as it is no longer appropriate for him to sleep in the same house with me. I therefore have been buying building materials, but I still have more to purchase. I plan to continue using a portion of my transfers, along with the savings from the groups I am in, and take small loans to keep buying the materials I need. My goal is to eventually build him a house, and once this is achieved, I will feel an immense sense of happiness and relief. In addition to this, I am committed to continuing to support my children's education. I plan to use part of my transfers to pay for their school fees, ensuring that they can continue learning and working towards their future. Education is a priority for me, and I want to give my children the best opportunities I can. Once I finish building the house and hand it over to my son, I intend to focus on expanding my livestock. I plan to use some of my transfers to buy more goats, adding to the ones I already have. I am hopeful that they will multiply, increasing in number and value, so that I will have a reliable source of income in the future, especially once this program comes to an end. I am deeply grateful for the support I have received. It has been a lifeline for me, enabling me to work toward these important goals for my family’s future. With this assistance, I feel empowered to make lasting improvements in our lives, and I am filled with hope for what is to come."

"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."

"The roof of my house is very old and badly in need of repairs. Unfortunately, buying all the necessary roofing materials at once is far too expensive for me to afford. To work towards this goal, I have been saving in our merry-go-round group. With the recent transfers I received from GiveDirectly, I was able to set aside $50 in our savings group. Once the pooled funds are available, I will use them to replace the roof of my house. I cannot wait for the day when my house is fully repaired and I finally feel secure and comfortable under a new roof. In addition to the roof situation, our region has been going through a challenging time due to a harsh drought and widespread hunger. To ensure my family did not go hungry, I had to use another $42 of my transfers to buy food. Without this assistance, I do not know how we would have managed. I am deeply grateful for the support that has allowed me to feed my family during such a challenging time. Lastly, I spent the remaining $10 of my transfers to pay for my daughter's school fees. I wanted to make sure she could continue her studies without interruption. I am so happy and thankful for the assistance that GiveDirectly has provided. This support has made a tremendous difference in my life, and I am filled with gratitude."

"I have always dreamed of owning a pair of bulls that I could use to plow my farm. Thanks to the support I have received, I was able to get one bull, and now I am focused on acquiring the second one. To make this possible, I have been diligently saving a portion of my transfers in our local savings group. Recently, with the transfers I received from GiveDirectly, I was able to set aside $50 towards the purchase of the second bull, which has been a long-held goal of mine. I am excited about the possibility of using these bulls to plow my land, which will help me cut down on farming costs and increase my efficiency. At the same time, our region has been hit by a severe drought, which has brought with it a real threat of hunger. To ensure that my family does not go without food, I used $33 of my transfers to buy food for them. This drought has made life difficult, but I am thankful that with this assistance, I am able to keep my family nourished during this challenging time. Additionally, I used $9 of my transfers to pay my child's school fees. I did not want my child to be sent home, so I made sure to cover the fees so that they could continue their education. Education is important to me, and I am determined to keep my child in school. Lastly, I was unwell and in need of medical attention. I spent the remaining $9 of my transfers to visit the hospital and receive treatment. I am relieved and happy to report that I am now feeling much better and able to resume my normal duties. I am truly grateful for the support I have received from GiveDirectly. Their assistance has made a significant difference in my life, especially during such a difficult period."

"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."