"I have been living with my family, which includes my elderly spouse, my co-wife, and our six children, at my brother-in-law's compound. My desire has always been to buy my land and build a home for my family since the daily conflicts with my brother made us feel like a burden to him. However, due to the financial hardships I face as the sole breadwinner, relying on any job that comes my way, I lacked the resources to buy my land. When I received my transfer, I prioritized this goal and was able to acquire the land. This has made the biggest difference in my daily life because now my children will have a place of their own to build their homes, and it’s also a valuable asset for us. In addition, we will now avoid the ongoing family conflict, bringing peace of mind to my family."

"In the coming months, I plan to use the remaining transfers to pay the required labor fees to finalize the construction of the house. Once the house is fully completed, my next goal is to start a kiosk business. Establishing this business will diversify my income sources and provide me with additional financial stability to support my family. I am already a member of a savings group and intend to save more once the house is complete, so I can accumulate enough capital to launch the business next year. I am deeply appreciative of the support from GiveDirectly, which has empowered me to make significant strides towards my goals, especially rebuilding my home and planning for a more secure financial future."

"I spent my unconditional cash transfer wisely to improve my life. First, I bought four sheep for $80 because they multiply quickly. I already had four goats, so this will help me grow my livestock. Next, I purchased a mattress for $30. I had never owned a mattress since moving here and had been sleeping on sacks. Now, I sleep well every night, which makes a big difference in how I feel during the day. I also bought clothes for $30 because I wanted to look nice when going out. Before this, I didn't have beautiful clothes, and it affected my confidence. Now, I feel much better about myself and walk around with my head held high. Additionally, I bought two plastic chairs for $15 because I needed somewhere for visitors to sit when they come over. This has made my home feel more welcoming. Finally, I spent $16 on a water container to help with storage. Having enough water is important, especially during the dry season. With the remaining money, I bought household food items to ensure I had enough to eat. Overall, these purchases have improved my living conditions and made me feel happier and more secure."

"Financial constraints stands out to be my biggest challenge. This is because, I am currently a housewife despite having the desire to enroll in a technical college to learn beauty and therapy course. Being jobless has made me feel as a burden to my husband. The only job that we majorly depend on is his motorbike taxi which earns him very little, usually $5.4 per day. This income goes to food and we lack even a coin to save for our future. The feeling of jobless and the lack of money to venture into what I inspire to do in life is what has robbed away my happiness."

"I was at a burial in a nearby village when I heard a notification sound on my phone. I checked it and felt so happy to see that it was the GiveDirectly transfer! I was really glad and I could not wait to get home to share the news with my wife. I then knew that I could pay off some debts I had and also cover the school fees for my three children. "

"I remember very well that particular day as I was preparing lunch when I discovered that I had a new message on my phone. I was curious to know the content, as I was not expecting to hear from anyone. Upon opening it, I realized that I had finally received the cash transfers that I was promised due to the enrollment period. I was so happy, as I was sure I would finally be able to pay the fees for my three children, who are in college, secondary school, and primary school, respectively."

"I remember very well that particular day as I was preparing lunch when I discovered that I had a new message on my phone. I was curious to know the content, as I was not expecting to hear from anyone. Upon opening it, I realized that I had finally received the cash transfers that I was promised due to the enrollment period. I was so happy, as I was sure I would finally be able to pay the fees for my three children, who are in college, secondary school, and primary school, respectively."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, I had so many things on my mind. First, I used $40 to pay off some debt I owed for food. You see, being a farmer, we were hit hard by floods, and accessing food was tough, so I had to rely on credit. Clearing that debt was a huge relief for me because now I can walk into the shop without feeling embarrassed. Then, I sent $50 to my son who's in university, to cover his house rent and his upkeep. It's important to me that his stay in school is smooth, without any financial worries. After that, I used $20 to buy household food items, making sure my family had enough to eat. I also bought some new clothes and a pair of shoes for $25. I needed to look presentable, especially when I stepped out of the house or met with people. The rest of the money, I spent on buying a sheep. I used to have a few sheep, but I had to sell them to cover my children's school fees. Now, with this sheep, I hope to rebuild my small livestock. When the sheep give birth, I plan to milk them and when they multiply, they will be my emergency plan. In time, they'll help with any urgent expenses, and I can slowly build a more stable future for my family."

"When I received the cash transfer, the first thing I did was use $100 to pay the school fees for my daughter, Sheila, who is in Form 2. She had been sent home multiple times because I couldn’t make the payments on time, especially after the floods destroyed 1.5 acres of my maize crop. Getting this money was a huge relief, and it helped me sort out that urgent situation and keep her in school. I also bought two plastic seats for $14. Before this, we had been sitting on jerricans whenever we had visitors, and it was quite embarrassing. The seats have made a big difference, especially when guests come over. Additionally, I spent $20 on maize, rice, beans, and cooking oil to ensure that we had enough food to eat. This has eased the burden of worrying about what we will have for our meals each day. With  $48, I bought a new mattress because the one I had was old, and I wasn’t sleeping well at night. I used to wake up feeling tired and achy, but now I sleep much better. I also managed to buy two pairs of shoes for each family member. It’s important to me that we all look smart, and the shoes were something we needed. Overall, the money has allowed me to make improvements in our daily life and relieve some of the stress we were facing."

"I depend most on subsistence farming, a venture that is currently not reliable due to the bad weather patterns. For two consecutive seasons, we have failed to harvest from our farms. This has made life so harder because my household mostly forfeit or survive on one meal per day. What a harsh life! Failing in farming has forced me to depend on my son who is a casual labourer in Kilifi town. Since he has his family to support, he sometimes find it hard to send me some cash. The most he can sends me is usually $7.7 per month, an amount that goes to offsetting bills. Hence, I consider food insecurity to be my biggest challenge."