"I used $250 from the initial GiveDirectly transfer to purchase a dairy cow, even though it's not producing milk currently, with hopes that it will provide a plentiful supply of milk in the future. As the youngest of four siblings and an orphan, I am the current head of the family, since my brothers have all moved on to start their own families. I have been purchasing milk from the neighborhood and casual work has sustained me with a reliable income. I also spent $140 on new clothing to replace my tattered, old ones. Having the ability to dress well now boosts my confidence while interacting with friends who always dress nicely. Additionally, I allocated $28 to buy foodstuff, and saved the remainder to use for daily household necessities."

"Since receiving the first payment from GiveDirectly, the biggest difference in my daily life has been the ability to purchase a dairy cow and a sack of maize for sufficient food. This has been a great relief as I am unable to work on the farm due to my age and have been relying on livestock farming. With the additional cow, I am now able to produce more milk to sell and pay for household bills. Additionally, the sack of maize has been helpful in ensuring there is enough food for me and my daughter. The support from GiveDirectly has made a significant impact on my livelihood and I am grateful for it."

"Having a family of four, I found buying milk from the neighborhood on a daily basis to be a costly affair since I didn't have my own cow. However, upon receiving the first transfer, I was delighted to spend $500 on purchasing two lactating cows, which completely resolved the problem of buying milk. This new addition not only provided enough milk for my family but also allowed us to share some with my mother. Before the transfer, I relied on the motorcycle taxi business, which I obtained on credit and had to pay $4 daily. To make ends meet, I had to work beyond my usual hours to make extra money for my family's upkeep. However, since receiving the transfer, my household costs have reduced, and I am no longer under as much financial strain. I utilized the remaining funds to buy foodstuff for my family."

"Upon receiving a message confirming the first transfer from GiveDirectly, I felt a great sense of excitement. It was around 3:00 pm when I was at home preparing supper, and I had to pause my activities to ensure that what I saw was true. Although my husband was not present at the time, I celebrated the receipt of the transfer with my sister-in-law, and we shared in the joy together."

"Even though we had been working hard on casual labor with my spouse to put food on the table for my family of 9, it was never easy to get one every day that would cover both the household needs and school fees for our children. I was relieved to receive the first transfer that I had been looking forward to using to pay off tuition arrears for my daughter's and son's schools. The debt was $300 at the time, and it had to be paid off on the second day after receiving the transfer. I am glad they are now getting enough time in school and have not been sent home since. I also paid $80 for a sheet that I am currently rearing on my farm. In the future, I plan to breed and multiply to help pay for school fees and other household expenses. In addition, I spent $120 on clothing for all nine family members and spent the remainder on food shopping."

"Upon receiving my first transfer, I bought a pig worth 50 $, a piece of land for 200 $, a mattress, a bed cover, food and some clothes. I spent most of my transfer into purchasing a piece of land spacious enough for me to grow enough crops to consume and spare some to sell on the market."

"There was a very big change since we received the first transfer. We could hardly afford food for our family and for the first time in her life, my youngest daughter ate rice all thanks to GD. Not only do I plan on completing the construction activities we started but I also plan on reviving the shop my deceased son had and let his sister take over to start making money. I whole heartedly thank GD for all of this."

"I convinced my husband in buying some land that was on sale for 200 $, spent 80 $ to build a house, bought a pig and a goat for 40 $ and 20 $ respectively. I chose to spend most of my first transfer in buying some land because agriculture is the primary source of income in our sector. In other words, you have a tangible asset when you have some land in our village."

"Having no alternative sources of income sufficient for my children's educational expenses, I resolved to divert all my transfers to paying school fees. I, therefore, hope to ensure that all my children have ample time. As the year progresses, I will be sacrificing all my transfers to offset their fee arrears to limit the possibility of them being sent back home. Consequently, they will experience positive academic progress, courtesy of the monthly transfers."

"Ubu turyama heza kuko naguze matelas namashuka kandi umwana akaba yarakoze exams kubera nahise nishura"