"I was relaxing at home around 3 pm when I received a message notification on my phone. Curiosity sparked within me as I quickly grabbed the device and checked the message. To my amazement, I saw that I had received the promised $550 from GiveDirectly. A wave of joy washed over me, filling my heart with gratitude and excitement. I couldn't help but smile, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Instantly, my thoughts raced to my family's needs, and I envisioned building an extra room for our house. It was a dream I had longed for, a space where my children could have their separate room to grow and thrive."

"It was around 3 PM when I found the transfer message on my phone, and my heart raced with delight. I couldn't believe my eyes as I read the message confirming that the money had been deposited. The warmth of joy spread through me like sunlight breaking through the clouds. The first thought that rushed into my mind was constructing a house for my children. They are grown up, and we have been sharing the same cramped space, longing for privacy and comfort. I could already imagine the new home, where they could thrive and feel secure. In that moment, hope blossomed in my heart, filling me with determination to make it happen."

"My hubby is the sole breadwinner for our family. In April 2024, the flash floods caused extensive damage to Masai Mara resort, where he worked as a staff member. Due to the closures, he was unfortunately laid off. We were shocked by the news and had to prepare ourselves for the difficult times ahead, learning to adjust our budget and live within our means. We struggled a lot to put food on the table and meet our family needs. My two sons, Brian and Eugene, who are in secondary school, were also affected by the loss of our family's source of income. Covering their school fee arrears has become an additional challenge for us."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge because my husband and I depend on charcoal burning to make ends meet. Currently ,the government has placed strict measures to restrict selling of charcoal and this has greatly affected our income. If we had a stable source of income life would have been better."

"My biggest challenge currently is my disability and old age which has grounded me and I'm unable to work and provide for my family. This has left my family to depend on my wife. This has made life very difficult since its not enough and it is really stressful."

"My seven children and I have been struggling with finding adequate shelter because our current house is too small for all of us. My main goal has been to provide my children with their own house, but due to financial constraints, I couldn't afford to buy the necessary building materials. As a result, my children have been seeking shelter from neighbors at night. When GiveDirectly came and promised to support me financially, I was overjoyed because this was my opportunity to build the house. Upon receiving my first transfer, I spent $330 on building materials, including 24 pieces of iron sheets, nails, and poles, to construct a spacious two-room mud house. The house is currently under construction, and I can't wait to move into it with some of the children, while the others can stay in my old house. Additionally, I used part of the funds to pay for my children's school fees, which amounted to $90. I also paid off a debt of $50 that I couldn't pay on time. I spent the remaining amount to buy foodstuffs, such as a bag of maize, ensuring that my family had enough food. With these provisions, we had enough food to last us for a month, making it easier for us to have three meals a day."

"As part of my usual routine, I burn and sell charcoal. On the day of the transfer, I went to check my charcoal to see if it was ready for sale. While I was busy and deeply engrossed in this, I received a message on my phone. Upon checking to confirm receipt, I was overjoyed to learn that I had received my first payment from GiveDirectly. I thanked them and started planning to use the money to pay for my children's school fees and ensure they could continue their education."

"I spend most of my time at home since I am sick and under medication. At around 3 pm, while chatting with neighbors at my house, I got a message on my phone. I have been eagerly waiting for the transfer from GiveDirectly, and since this was the week they had promised, I was alert to every notification that came on my phone. Upon checking the message's contents, I was instantly filled with happiness, realizing that it was my first transfer. I thanked them since I was awaiting a costly medical check-up, which was a relief for me."

"I am a small-scale farmer, and the income from farming is quite insufficient. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial assistance as it has made it much easier for me to provide food for my children. Before receiving support from GiveDirectly, my children were frequently sent home from school due to unpaid fees. However, this is no longer the case. I can now pay school fees on time and also meet my children's basic needs. I am aware that the financial assistance will come to an end as we were promised support for five years, and time is passing quickly. To ensure that I am not in a difficult situation once the transfers end, I have decided to invest in a livestock business. Specifically, I used part of the transfer to purchase two goats. I intend to take good care of the goats so that they multiply quickly. Once I have a substantial number of goats, I plan to sell some of them in order to buy a dairy cow. The dairy cow will provide us with milk for both domestic use and commercial purposes. I will sell some of the milk to generate income to support my children's education and other basic needs. Therefore, to achieve this goal, I aim to continue purchasing more goats using part of my monthly transfers in order to realize my ultimate objective."

"We live in an arid region where finding casual jobs is challenging, and the harsh climate hampers crop production. This situation makes life increasingly difficult for us. Unfortunately, we lack a reliable source of income to support our family. We have to sell our goats cheaply in order to provide for my family of eight and meet our basic needs. This financial struggle forces us to skip meals and often share the little food we have among ourselves. I am happy that my firstborn, Purity Chepchieng, has been enrolled at Masinde Muliro University to pursue a degree in Education Arts. This came with a fair share of challenges to my family, we are struggling to pay school for our daughter."