"Receiving this money means completing building a shop and starting a business. I have been constructing it over a long period because of little income. I will start a restaurant and a shop. Spending about KES 20,000 will be enough. I will buy a cow to diversify my income sources and complete paying for the land that I occupy, I will use about KES 50,000."

"Having been struggling with school fees for my children, this transfer came right on time. I have five children; 2 are in college while 3 are in primary school. After withdrawing the money, I took KES 40000.00 and paid for the 2 college children so that they can focus on their studies without fee stress. Thereafter, I tool KES 6000.00 and paid for the primary school children to curb the movements of being sent back home on regular basis. After settling the school fees issue I bought some food for the family and kept the remaining for their upkeep."

"While grazing my cows in the field, I received a message at around 9am. Upon confirming what the message was all about, my legs froze and I didn’t make even a single step due to the happiness that engulfed me. I had received KES 55000.00 from GiveDirectly. I was so grateful hence didn’t proceed in the grazing work I was doing after picturing the difficulties I left at home that morning. There was no water both for us and the cows as well as no food. I tied the cows in the field and left for home to sort the issues that required quick attention like water and food."

"Before GiveDirectly, I was getting it rough in terms of shelter. I had no place I call house, hence I used to sleep outside during dry seasons but the biggest challenge was during the rainy season. But on the very day I received the transfer I made the arrangements and the construction is now on going. I am happy that I will no longer sleep outside and this is through the aid from GiveDirectly."

"The biggest challenge is financial constraints. Where my wife does her job of tailoring is rented and she pays KES 1500 per month. Her work is not consistent sometimes she only gets clothes repair clothes at KES 20 per garment and the same money she gets to become her transportation fee and purchase. This has been a challenge to sustain her business yet I do a casual job as a masonry paid KES 700 per day only when there is construction work."

"Receiving this money means that I will be able to walk again soon because for the last 6 months I have been nursing a serious injury from a motorcycle accident that affected my left limb. I was taken to hospital and they only fixed my leg partly this is because the amount of money which is needed to rectify the bones is too much. I cannot afford to pay KES. 200,000 even if I sell all my belongings. The initial amount of partly fixing the injury has already cost me KES. 100,000 which we got by organizing a funds drive in the village. With GiveDirectly transfers I shall be able to pay a deposit and I hope the hospital will accept to book me in for a surgery as we look with my relatives how to fundraise for the other half."

"The income I get is too little to meet my needs. I have the fear that my newlywed wife might even leave me soon due to the poverty levels am currently in. I cannot afford necessities like cookware and furniture. The situation here is just dire and I have been so much worried even about the future that I might sink more into poverty."

"I do not own any animal and I desire to buy a cow. Receiving this money means that I will be able to get one for dairy. I plan to build a house with KES 30000 for my son who is now a grown-up because he sleeps in my neighbor's home and also fence my compound in over to restrain animals from straying into my farm and destroying crops."

"Receiving this money will mean that I will be able to buy a piece of land. I stay in my uncle's land and he can get it back anytime so buying 2 points of an acre with KES 40000 of the money will be great to me since it will give me the flexibility to do farming or any activity that I want. I plan to buy a dairy cow that I will take care of and sell the milk to Siongiroi Dairy and earn something to sustain me when the money that I get from my motorcycle taxi is less."

"Financial challenges are what hinder me to achieve so many plans. I rely on casual jobs to feed my family, my wife, daughter, and her two children but the money that I earn cannot enable us to buy food, and sometimes we sleep without food."