"I previously had a mission to buy a dairy cow, and I’m happy to say that I achieved that goal! Now, I am enjoying the fresh milk I always wanted. Looking ahead, I aspire to own a piece of land where I can build rental houses, providing me with a reliable source of income each month. To reach this goal, my plan is to continue using a portion of my transfers from GiveDirectly to buy goats, hoping they will multiply in both number and value. In the future, I aim to trade some of these goats for male cows. I hope that these male cows will grow and increase in value, allowing me to sell them later and purchase a two-acre piece of land. I intend to use part of that land to build the rental houses I have always dreamed of. Additionally, I pray that the cows I already have will also multiply so that I can sell some of them in the future and use the proceeds to build the house I envision. I am hopeful that my ambitions will come true, leading to a future with strong financial security."

"Now that I am back home and unable to work due to my health, I plan to start livestock farming again. Unfortunately, the animals I previously acquired died because they didn’t receive the care they needed while I was away. Before diving into livestock farming, I want to focus on serious crop farming when the rains come. I intend to use a portion of my transfers for this purpose, aiming for good harvests that will sustain us until the next planting season, so we won’t have to rely on buying food. Once we have a stable food supply, I will redirect the money I was spending on food toward purchasing goats and turkeys. My hope is that these animals will multiply, providing me with a reliable source of income and resources in the future when this program comes to an end."

"Moment  I was at home washing dishes after we had finished our lunch when I suddenly heard a message come through on my phone. I picked it up to check, and to my surprise, I saw that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I immediately prayed and thanked God for the blessings. I felt so happy because I knew that my worries about school fees for my children in high school and university were finally over. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"Receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly was truly timely. It felt like a blessing from God. My daughter had been in the hospital for a week, and the doctors wanted us to transfer her to the county referral hospital, but I didn’t have the money for it. Thankfully, the cash transfer came just in time, and I spent $100 to cover her referral and hospital bill. I’m relieved to say that her surgery went well, and she has already been discharged and is recovering nicely. While I was in the hospital, my husband and four grandchildren had to take food items from the shop on credit since I was away, which resulted in a debt of $60 that I was able to clear. With the remaining $20, I covered transport for my granddaughter, who is now in primary school in another county. Her parents passed away, and she received a scholarship for her education, so I only have to manage her transport and minor expenses. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for your timely support!"

"I was in a women’s community group meeting when I heard a message on my phone, but since I can't read, I just ignored it. When I got home that evening, I heard there had been celebrations; they were dancing and singing because people received money from GiveDirectly. I handed my phone to my helper to check for me, and when she confirmed I had received money too, I felt so happy! I thanked God and started planning how to use the money that evening."

"I am a farmer, and when I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I decided to plant green grams and beans in my kitchen garden. I had many needs, but I knew that if I spent the money all at once, I would run out quickly, so I chose to think about tomorrow instead. I spent $50 on seeds, land preparation, and planting my beans and green grams because, with the success of these crops, we wouldn't have to worry about food in the future. Additionally, I bought an improved breed of male chicken for $10 because I only had female chickens, and this rooster would help with reproduction. I spent $20 on household items, such as cooking pots and utensils, and another $20 on food items like maize and sugar, as we had run out of stock at the time I received my transfer. Finally, I set aside $100 for my son, who is in college, to ensure he has fees for the next semester. His education is my priority, and seeing him in college is my pride as a mother."

"Receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I prioritized my children’s school fees because I have three children in elementary school at a private institution. I paid their school fee arrears of $40 each, reducing their debt to $15 each, as I knew that carrying the entire balance into the next term would make it hard for me to pay. As a businesswoman and a single mom, I buy and sell second-hand clothes to support my family of four, which is my main source of income. I spent the remaining $61 to add to my stock, which helped me improve my sales. I used to earn about $30 every market day, but now I make up to $50, thanks to GiveDirectly. Through my business, I have been able to pay my children’s school fees and address our daily needs."

"For three years, my shop had been struggling due to low stock. I started with very little inventory, and while we relied on the shop for daily needs, we sometimes had to deal with unpaid debts from customers. Our customers often missed out on items they needed. Even though we weren't doing too badly with daily sales of up to $50, I knew things could be better. After receiving support from GiveDirectly, I was able to add more items to my shop, and now my business is thriving. My daily sales have increased from $50 to $80, and for that, I am deeply grateful to GiveDirectly."

"I had just returned from the farm and was relaxing at home after a very busy day around 3:15 PM when I saw a new message on my phone screen. I asked my son to check it for me, as I was unable to read it. As soon as he checked, he realized that I had received my first cash transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt happy to know that I had received the cash and could buy food, as I had run out of supplies in my household and we were at risk of going to bed with empty stomachs."

"I had just returned from the farm and was relaxing at home after a very busy day around 3:15 PM when I saw a new message on my phone screen. I asked my son to check it for me, as I was unable to read it. As soon as he checked, he realized that I had received my first cash transfer from GiveDirectly. I felt happy to know that I had received the cash and could buy food, as I had run out of supplies in my household and we were at risk of going to bed with empty stomachs."