"In the coming year and beyond, my primary goal is to repair the roof of my house by replacing the old and rusty iron sheets. This will ensure the safety of my property and family members from the rain. Joining the merry-go-round group will help me fast-track the repair process due to the large sum of money I will receive at once. After completing the renovations, I plan to invest the money from the cash transfers into purchasing livestock. Currently, I have 45 goats and 45 hens, and I aim to grow the herd even more. In the future, I will be able to sell some livestock to address my most pressing needs. I am very grateful for the financial support, which is helping me achieve my goals, such as renovating my house and securing a stable income through livestock farming."

"In the coming months, I aim to accomplish several key goals. First, I plan to open a kiosk business in my village. Currently, I rely on the sisal business for income, which is labor-intensive and involves long-distance travel for selling, with modest profits. As I get older, starting a kiosk seems like a more manageable and promising option. Additionally, I already own one ox and intend to purchase another to complete a pair. With a complete set, I’ll be able to plough my farm more efficiently, as opposed to the exhausting manual labor I rely on now. Moreover, I plan to rent out the oxen to neighbors for extra income. I intend to achieve these goals with the upcoming transfers and the modest earnings from my sisal business."

"With the transfers I’ve been receiving, I am driven by two significant dreams. The first is to build a better house for my family, as our current home is in such poor condition that it feels like it could collapse at any moment, with holes visible from the outside. Realizing this dream will not only restore my dignity as a family man but also greatly enhance our security. My second goal is to expand my goat herd and purchase chickens. I believe this will be crucial for my financial stability, especially once the GiveDirectly project ends. Having these animals will provide a reliable source of income to support my family. I plan to grow my herd to at least 20 goats, which will serve as a vital financial safety net for us."

"As a widow who has depended entirely on farming, life has become extremely difficult due to the severe drought in my region. I have envisioned raising more goats, believing they will be a crucial asset if I face future challenges. Currently, I have two goats, and my goal is to expand this number to ensure a better future for my children and future generations. I plan to save a small amount of money each month to support this goal, and I am confident that I will achieve it. I truly believe that this investment in goats is the key to overcoming the persistent poverty that has plagued my region for years."

"Floods have been persistent over the past four months, we have been displaced. During this period we've been forced to ask for hosting by neighbors from safer villages. Additionally, we also lost some of our household items such as utensils, beddings and ten chickens as a result. It has really made our lives hard and feeding our family is an uphill task. We depend on aid which hardly covers our needs and getting casual jobs or burning charcoal is difficult during the flood season."

"My current living situation is neither conducive nor safe, as my house is on the verge of collapsing. My greatest wish has always been to have a new, safe, two-room house where my family can sleep safely. I had already started building a house with my previous transfers, and now my focus is to make sure that it is complete. To make this dream a reality, I plan to use a portion of the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly to gradually purchase the necessary building materials and pay labor for it to be completed. By steadily investing in the construction, I am hopeful that, without any major setbacks in the near future, I will be able to complete this house and provide my family with a safe and comfortable living space. Once the house is finished, I intend to redirect a portion of the transfers to buy goats. I am hopeful that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value over time. In the future, when this program comes to an end, I want to have something valuable that I can rely on as a source of income to help me whenever needs arise and to take care of my family."

"Since I have a really particular place in my heart for livestock farming, I have always dreamed of being one. Growing older has made me realize that I won't be able to support myself just through hard labor, so I need to make sure I have a steady source of income, especially when this program ends. My plan for this year and beyond is to keep buying goats with the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly in the hopes that their number and value will grow over time. These goats will be traded for female cows, which will be essential to my dream of being a farmer. I already have a bull that I acquired from trading my goats, so getting a female cow will enable them to breed and grow in number.This growth will not only create a valuable asset for me but also provide me with financial security for the future. In addition to the financial benefits, having a female cow will also provide milk for my household, enhancing our diet with fresh, nutritious dairy. This is particularly important for my health and well-being as I age. I am committed to nurturing this dream and working towards a sustainable livelihood that will support me in my later years. With dedication and careful planning, I believe I can create a thriving livestock farm that will serve as a dependable source of income and nourishment for years to come."

"My mother has been unwell for quite some time, and her health and welfare are my top priorities right now. I plan to use the transfers that I will receive from GiveDirectly to buy her the necessary medicine and nutritious food to aid her recovery. My goal is to ensure she regains her strength and fully recovers so that I may turn back and take care of my family as well. Once she is well, I plan to redirect my focus to helping my son, who recently got married but has not paid the dowry yet since he is unemployed and struggling to raise the money. In our tradition, it is not acceptable to live with someone's daughter without fulfilling this obligation, and I, as a mother to my son, would lose respect in our society. I therefore want to earn the respect of my community and proudly call my son's wife my daughter-in-law, so I have decided to help him raise the money. I intend to save a portion of my transfers until I accumulate a substantial amount, then take it to the girl's parents to pay part of the dowry. This will not only fulfill our cultural tradition but also show my support for my son and his new family."

"With my house construction in progress, my priority is to utilize my upcoming transfers from GiveDirectly to complete the building. I plan to use a portion of these transfers to acquire a few more building materials and pay for labor, with the goal of completing the house by September this year. Once the house is finished, I will allocate a portion of the transfers to pay school fees for my children, ensuring they can continue their education without interruption and also use a portion to address the hunger issue in our region by purchasing food until we are blessed with harvests to sustain us. By strategically allocating the transfers, I aim to provide a stable home for my family, ensure my children's education is not disrupted, and mitigate the effects of hunger until our crops are ready. I am grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, which enables me to make progress on these important priorities."

"My house was blown away by strong winds that encountered our region, leaving me homeless and inneed of a new house. Currently we are living in a makeshift shelter which is not quite good for my family. I therefore have a plan of acquiring building materials to construct a new two-room house for my family. For me to achieve this, I plan to use a portion of the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly to gradually buy the necessary building materials and eventually build a new home for my family. In addition to this, I aim to acquire a substantial number of livestock, starting with chickens and goats. I hope that the chickens will multiply, allowing me to buy more goats. As the goats increase in number, I plan to trade them for a cow, which I also hope will multiply so that I can eventually sell some of these animals to help fund my children's education in the future. I believe that with the strategic use of these transfers, I can achieve my dream of having a stable home and livestock, which will serve as valuable assets, especially when this program comes to an end."