"I am a father of seven, and providing for my family through casual jobs has always been a challenge. When I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I knew I had to make decisions that would improve our living conditions and give my children a better future. The first thing I did was spend $70 on a good standard bed because the one I had was too small, and the mattress didn’t fit well. It was uncomfortable, and I wanted to ensure that I had a decent place to rest after a long day of work. After that, I used $200 to pay school fees for my children, who were constantly being sent home due to unpaid fees. I’m so relieved that they are now settled in school, able to focus on their education without interruption. I also thought it wise to clear a $60 debt at a local shop where I used to take goods on credit. This allowed me to regain my peace of mind and build trust with the shopkeeper. With the remaining funds, I spent $24 on two bales of maize flour to ensure we had enough food at home. The rest of the money, $196, I decided to save while planning to invest it in livestock, which will help secure my family's future. These transfers have given me a sense of relief and hope, as they allowed me to address urgent needs and make plans for long-term stability."

"I am a father of seven, and providing for my family through casual jobs has always been a challenge. When I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I knew I had to make decisions that would improve our living conditions and give my children a better future. The first thing I did was spend $70 on a good standard bed because the one I had was too small, and the mattress didn’t fit well. It was uncomfortable, and I wanted to ensure that I had a decent place to rest after a long day of work. After that, I used $200 to pay school fees for my children, who were constantly being sent home due to unpaid fees. I’m so relieved that they are now settled in school, able to focus on their education without interruption. I also thought it wise to clear a $60 debt at a local shop where I used to take goods on credit. This allowed me to regain my peace of mind and build trust with the shopkeeper. With the remaining funds, I spent $24 on two bales of maize flour to ensure we had enough food at home. The rest of the money, $196, I decided to save while planning to invest it in livestock, which will help secure my family's future. These transfers have given me a sense of relief and hope, as they allowed me to address urgent needs and make plans for long-term stability."

"It was mid-morning when a message popped up on my phone. I couldn’t read it, so I handed it to my daughter-in-law to interpret for me. As she looked at the screen, a bright smile spread across her face. She confirmed the good news that I had received my first transfer! At that moment, my heart filled with pure joy and relief, knowing that the promise had been fulfilled. A wave of happiness washed over me, and my mind immediately turned to my children’s school fees, realizing how this money could lift the burden and secure their education. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude."

"It was mid-morning when a message popped up on my phone. I couldn’t read it, so I handed it to my daughter-in-law to interpret for me. As she looked at the screen, a bright smile spread across her face. She confirmed the good news that I had received my first transfer! At that moment, my heart filled with pure joy and relief, knowing that the promise had been fulfilled. A wave of happiness washed over me, and my mind immediately turned to my children’s school fees, realizing how this money could lift the burden and secure their education. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude."

"I am a father of one, currently supporting my family through construction work. To earn extra income, I sometimes borrow a friend's bike, but there are times when they either refuse or charge me $5 per day, which is challenging. I own two goats and plan to breed them so I can sell their offspring. My goal is to use the proceeds to enroll in driving school, which will allow me to secure driving job opportunities in Mombasa, providing a better life for my family and securing my child's future. While I intend to buy more goats, my immediate focus is to repair the roof of my house. The walls are still strong, but the roof’s iron sheets are old and full of holes, causing us to get rained on during the rainy seasons. I’ve already purchased six iron sheets using part of my transfers, and I need twelve more to complete the project. I’m eager to speed up this building project and solve the problem once and for all, ensuring a more comfortable and safe home for my family."

"Initially, I had plans of buying a new grilled door to provide better security for the house that I am currently living in, as the existing door is infested with termites and is not secure enough. Currently, I live in my daughter's house and have always wanted to have a space of my own. Therefore, after some deep reflection and discussions with my daughter, I decided to shift my focus from replacing the door to building a home of my own where I can enjoy my own space. To make this dream a reality, I have been saving a portion of my previous transfers in our local savings group, and I intend to save even more of my future transfers that I will be receiving from GiveDirectly. Once these savings mature, I plan to use part of the funds to build my own house and make my dream come true. Additionally, I aim to allocate another portion of the savings that would have matured to purchase livestock, hoping they will multiply, increasing in number and value, providing me with a reliable source of support, especially when this program comes to an end. I am genuinely excited about my plans for a new house and my livestock project, and I hope they will come to fruition. I am truly grateful for the support I have been receiving from GiveDirectly, and I remain hopeful for the better future ahead."

"I am a father of six children and I understand that their education is the key to a brighter future. Without a stable job or business to rely on, my primary focus is to invest in their schooling. This coming year, I plan to dedicate my resources, both from my future transfers from GiveDirectly and the little income I earn from my unpredictable hustles toward ensuring they have everything they need for their education. After facing health challenges that kept me from running a business, I'm now on the road to recovery and eager to start afresh. I aim to use part of my transfers to launch a livestock-selling business, where I will be buying livestock from local villages and selling them at the market for profit. This venture will not only help me to support my family but also provide an additional income stream as I work toward bettering our lives. I am hopeful that all of these plans will come to fruition, and I am deeply grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided us."

"I take great pride in having launched my vegetable business with the support of my previous transfers from GiveDirectly. For this coming year and beyond my intention is to expand my business and introduce a diverse range of products that will attract more clients and boost my revenue. To turn this vision into reality, I plan to invest a portion of my future transfers back into my business, fueling its growth and potential. I also have dreams of building a herd of livestock, particularly goats and chicken. To achieve this, I intend to use part of my future transfers to purchase more goats and chicken, with the hope that they will multiply and provide me with a reliable source of support when needed. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that GiveDirectly has provided me. Their assistance has not only helped me start my business but has also inspired me to envision a brighter future filled with possibilities."

"Owning cows to plow my farm has always been a dream of mine, but because cows are expensive, I decided to take an alternative approach that would ease the burden and make it easier to achieve this goal. I therefore started by focusing on purchasing goats, hoping they would multiply and grow in both number and value over time. I therefore used my transfers from GiveDirectly to buy goats, and I plan to use my future transfers to acquire even more. Currently, I have ten goats, and I pray they continue to multiply and increase in number and value. In the future, I intend to sell or trade some of these goats to eventually acquire cows, bringing me closer to my dream of having livestock to work on my farm. Additionally, I will also be able to use the proceeds from selling some goats to support my family and also pay for my four children’s school fees, ensuring they can continue their education and build a better future."

"Living in a very small house, I’ve always dreamed of having a bigger place, a two-roomed house where I can live comfortably. To turn this dream into reality, I’ve been using my previous transfers to purchase building materials, and I’m thrilled to see my house finally taking shape. For the coming year and beyond, my goal is to continue the construction, using a portion of the transfers I receive from GiveDirectly to buy the materials needed to complete my house. I know that once it’s finished, I’ll be overjoyed to finally have a place I can call home. After that, I plan to invest a portion of my transfers into buying goats and chickens, hoping they’ll multiply and grow in both number and value. My aim is to eventually sell them and use the proceeds to support my family. I’m truly grateful for the unwavering support that GiveDirectly has given me, helping me move closer to my dreams."