"The greatest change in my life is majorly happiness because I have been able to start the construction of my house even though it is not complete. The remaining part of the house is solely going to be my responsibility and thank Give Directly for laying the foundation to my journey of the house construction."

"When the text messages came, I was wide awake because of stress that. I read them and realized I had received money from GD. I left the bedroom and went to the living room where I re-read the messages one more time before repaying the loans I had with M-shwari.I felt so much relieved because the deadline for the payment was drawing closer and I was scared I would be blacklisted from ever getting a loan from that platform.M-shwari has been my refuge in times of need and being blacklisted by them would be a tragedy to me."

"The first thing I did with the money was to pay for my business licence which I had not paid for this year. This has always led to constant running battles between the city council officers and I which has negatively affected my business. I am a hawker in a local market in Nairobi, and here, we do everything possible to avoid paying for the permit because it very expensive. With the licence stress settled,I decided to expand my business by adding new items in my stall to increase my profits and it is actually paying off as I can say that my income has increased tremendously. I gave some of the money to my mother to help boost her own business,bought a few household items in my house then threw a party for my sister who just completed high school."

"When I received the money, I was so happy because I knew my dream of starting my own business was about to become a reality. This was also a chance to walk away from the bad company that I kept when I had no job. This group led me into drug use which made us do regretful stuff."

"My usual day begins at 6:00am when I wake up and do some house chores as I prepare breakfast for my children. I then get ready and have breakfast before I head out to Pangani Estate at a certain spot that we sit, to wait for any client who will require our services of cleaning their house or doing laundry. I sit there waiting with other ladies who are looking for work too. If I am lucky to get a job, then atleast I will have some income on that day, and I will usually leave for my house around 7:00pm. On some days, I wait around the whole day and I get no available jobs. On such days, I just head back to the house to prepare supper for my kidz. I then freshen up, have dinner and then we go to bed. In my free time, I enjoy playing football and listening to cultural and gospel music."

"Lack of sustainable source of income has been the biggest hardship in life. Of late I have been less productive due to chest complications majorly because of inhaling smoke and dust while working. I feel so bad when I fail to work since this the main source of income to my family. Everyone depends on me and at times am forced to even work while sick in order to provide food and other necessities. I feel relieved now knowing things are going to ease up a little."

"Receiving this money means that I will be able to buy cows and pay dowry. For a long time I have struggled to save money so that I be able to pay dowry but I have always used my savings either to buy food or medical expenses to my little children because they go to a public school where they contract communicable diseases like measules so at long last I will receive large money that will enable me achieve this milestone. In our culture before I pay dowry my woman is seen more as a girl friend than a wife and paying her dowry will give me a sense of ownership and full transition from youth to a married adult. I will use the second transfer to open my wife a saloon business next to where I have my Berber shop. In doing this we shall be able to raise more money to enable us transfer our children to private school where quality education is offered."

"I have been dreaming to have my own home since the demise of my husband. However, this has been unfulfilling dream. By receiving this money, I shall spend it on building a new descent house in my piece of land. This will relieve me from the burden of paying rent year in year out. "

"My usual day starts early in the morning at 5:00am when I wake up. I take bath and then prepare for morning classes that start at 7:00am. At 10:00am I have breakfast then resume to class until 1:00pm when I have my launch. After launch I go to the school studio and learn about video shooting. I leave the studio at 4:00pm and open my work of nail art until evening. I return home and prepare for my supper then I retire to bed. In my free time I learn how to make beads, read novels, listen to music or watch movies."

"My top concern is lack of a stable source of income because it will be very difficult for me to survive. I will be unable to sustain my life and I may end up borrowing or engage in prostitution to make ends meet. Paying rent for my house may become a problem and it may result to beg for a place to sleep or be forced to leave upcountry."