"I started a business selling second-hand clothes with my son, and I'm delighted that it's doing well. Right now, the profits from the business have enabled me to pay for my children's fees and meet my basic needs, such as food, with ease. My dream has always been to create a stable source of income so that even when the program comes to an end, I'll be able to meet my basic needs without struggling. My current goal is to expand this business and generate more money from it. With this business, I'll no longer have to engage in casual jobs like fetching and selling firewood, which don't pay well. I hope to change my life and become financially stable through this business."

"I have five children, all of whom are enrolled in different levels of education. My primary focus is to ensure that they remain in school without any risk of being discontinued due to unpaid fees. Failing to pay their fees might hinder their academic journey, so I want them to have a seamless education. Currently, I do not have a source of income to pay for their education, so my hope is on transfers. I plan to use the transfers to educate my children and ensure that they achieve their educational goals. Witnessing their success in their studies is my biggest aspiration as a parent, despite the financial hurdles we face. I believe that this program will be of great help in achieving this goal."

"GiveDirectly has truly excelled by providing unconditional cash, allowing us to make our own decisions. Unlike other organizations such as World Vision, you haven't used brokers to reach us. Your approach is impressive and different, and we've seen the positive impact of your money in our area. You've educated us well, and we're grateful for it. For future visits to other villages, consider giving the money in two phases: $550 for the first phase and another $550 for the second phase. This way, people can make better investments. The initial $200 is often not enough to budget for a project, and sometimes we start a project and then have to wait for the second transfer, which can take a long time to come. This adjustment would greatly benefit the communities you support."

"I rely mainly on subsistence farming, which only ensures that food is adequately available in my household. I do not have a reliable source of income that I can depend on to cover expenses such as my children's school fees. To create a sustainable source of income, I plan to continue saving and invest in breeding goats. Owning a herd of goats is a good investment for me because I can sell them to generate cash when needed as they multiply. I currently own four goats, and I plan to purchase more in the coming year as a long-term investment for my children's education."

"I am currently a farmer growing crops on a two acre leased land in close proximity to Lake Baringo. Our area being classified under arid and semi-arid lands means drought is a regular phenomenon. Because of this, I do not do carryout rain-fed agriculture but rather irrigation farming. With inadequate capital to buy a water pump, I mostly borrow from fellow farmers own one. But because of competition, I sometimes fail to get one and during those times, I am forced to manually water the crops. This is a tiresome exercise and I am hoping that one day, I can own one."

"Living in a hut with a single room has been the biggest challenge for me and my family. I have a family of 3 and the space is so small that cannot hold household items let alone the sleeping area. I am forced to leave some items outside and set cooking arrangement in an open place outside the house. When visitors come, they have nowhere to sleep and as a result, I am compelled to hustle for them a place to rest in the neighborhood. This does not bond well with us as we feel we are unable to protect our privacy."

"Since the year 2004, I have been doing farming for both subsistence and commercial purposes. In the year 2013, we experienced flooding as a result of swelling of Lake Baringo. As a result, my entire 10 acres of land has since been submerged inside the lake. In order for me to continue with farming, I had to start borrowing idle land from my fellow villagers because I do not have the capital to lease. The land I currently farm is about an acre and the produce I get is insufficient to cater for all the basic needs of my family. If my capital situation persists, I am foreseeing a situation whereby I have to quit my passion of being a commercial farmer."

"After getting $450 from GiveDirectly, I made a choice to invest it wisely. I decided to put some of it into buying a cow. This decision was important because it means I'll have a sustainable source of milk, which I usually buy every day. Milk can be expensive, and sometimes I struggle to afford it, especially since I only do casual jobs. With some of the money, I also started a poultry venture. I used $40 to get started and bought 40 chicks. This was a big step for me. I know that taking care of these chicks can lead to a good income in the future. But to make sure they are safe and easy to manage, I used $70 to build a proper space for them. I'm focusing on this poultry venture because it offers stability. By selling eggs and eventually chicken, I won't have to worry about where my next dollar will come from. It's not just about the money; it's about being prepared for emergencies in the future. Now, I feel like I'm on the right track. These investments give me hope for a better tomorrow. With hard work and dedication, I believe I can build a brighter future for myself and my family."

"As a wife and mother of two toddlers, I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders to ensure my family has enough food. Cooking requires both firewood and water, which means I have to travel up to 5 kilometres to fetch them. It is a time-consuming and exhausting task, especially since I cannot afford the daily $1.5 for a motorbike. My husband Elvis, a carpenter, supports our family, but his income barely covers our food expenses, leaving nothing as surplus. Despite the challenges, I do my best to manage and provide for my family's needs."

"I am really grateful for GD because it gave us a lot of money, more than I have ever gotten before. This money has helped us do some really good things in our community. Now, people have better houses made of iron sheets,a shift from traditional thatched grass dwellings. Also, school going children who could not go to school due to lack of school fee have now reported back to school. One aspect I'm particularly proud of is the way the transfer has allowed me to enhance my farming activities. I never could afford to grow vegetables before due to the high amount of capital that is required for buying the farm input and maintaining it. I used to admire my neighbor's successful vegetable cultivation, recognizing its profitability with its quick maturation period and ready market. Thanks to GD, I have been able to invest in this venture and expand my agricultural endeavors."