"My life has been transformed for the best. I acquired tangible items that I did not own my entire life. I feel much happier and composed because I now own basic household items such as a solar lighting system. Previously, we had to use a small torch for lighting at night. This was inadequate and costly to maintain."

"I am so proud because my children are much healthier and happier. We sleep peacefully on comfortable mattresses. We also acquired livestock and a motorcycle which earns daily income for the family. Previously, we did not have any income generating activity."

"The cash transfers have uplifted me from poverty. I had no property of my own and I was miserable. Agriculture being our major economic activity, it was very demanding for me because I had no oxen then. However, I acquired oxen which have simplified farming at home. I am very grateful because I had no hopes of ever acquiring oxen."

"I sleep comfortably on a nice bed courtesy of GiveDirectly. I eat well and drink tea like a normal human being compared to the past when I had to toil and look for manual labour so as to get food. Life was very difficult and unpredictable."

"I was able to clear all the debts that we had accumulated while educating our children. We had secured a number of loans and three pieces of farm land had been attached as collateral. However, we repossessed them after paying off these loans. This has been a great achievement to the family. Secondly, we also paid our son's dowry since his inlaws had waited for over four years."

"For a 90 year old man like me, i am no longer able to engage in strenous activities such as farming and doing casual jobs, which is the biggest hardship i face. I fully depend on my children for financial support since the only thing i do is resting in my compound all through the day and night"

"Receiving this money means improved housing on my side.The hut i live in is too small and is one roomed hence 300usd of my transfers from Gd will enable me to build a more spacious and comfortable two roomed iron roofed house. I will then use 180 usd to buy a heifer for milking in future and the remaining part of my transfer will enable me to buy hybrid maize seeds and use some for land preparation to ensure improved yields during the next harvest period."

"I have a lot of financial challenges in my family, thus I am working extra hard to look for various ways to ensure I reduce the financial burden I have. I have school-going children both in primary and secondary, thus I still have fees burden. Having thought of leasing land farming probably could give a solution. In the next six months, I expect to have a bumper harvest thus I will be selling the surplus when prices shoot up."

"Before this project, I had never thought of owning any business of my own because I did not have any capital or skills to run any. After I received these transfers, I decided to take a course in hairdressing which has now given me the idea of opening a beauty salon where I can also be selling other beauty products. I was able to save some of my transfers, which I plan to add to the little savings I have been making from the domestic jobs I do to set up the business once I complete my course."

"My new goal is to start a hotel business. I feel the income from the Mpesa business will not be able to sustain all my needs effectively hence I want to boost it with the hotel business. I know from the two business, my life will be much better than what I have gone through all these years."