"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, I immediately thought about how to invest it wisely. I had recently secured a tender to supply vegetables to a nearby school, and I decided to use $510 of the money to cover the cost of the supplies. It was a good opportunity, but without the cash, I wouldn't have been able to fulfill the order. Now that the vegetables have been delivered, I expect to make a 50% profit, which will help me a lot. I'm grateful to GiveDirectly because, without the transfer, my business would have been at a standstill. Normally, I rely on income from my poultry farming and renting out houses, but business hasn't been doing well lately. The poultry farm's production has dropped, and tenants have delayed payments. I’m hopeful that as business picks up, I’ll be in a better position to manage my finances, but this assistance came at just the right time. With the remaining $40, I paid the school fees for my son, who’s in Grade 1. I hadn’t been able to pay this term, and I was worried he’d be sent home soon. The relief I felt after making that payment was immense—I didn’t want him to miss out on school because of money issues."

"I was at home doing some cleaning when I heard a message notification on my phone I opened the message immediately and when I saw that it was the GiveDirectly transfer, I was overjoyed. I told my husband when he got home about the transfer and he was very happy that we were going to fulfill the tenders we had placed at a school to supply vegetables."

"I was at home relaxing after lunch when I heard a message notification on my phone. Curious, I picked it up to check, and to my surprise and excitement, it was the GiveDirectly transfer we had been waiting for! I couldn’t believe it. I immediately called out to my husband and shared the news, and he was just as happy as I was. We had been talking about it for a while and already planned to use the money to buy furniture. It felt like such a relief like a door had opened to make things just a little bit easier for us."

"When I received the cash transfer, the first thing I did was buy a bed for $80. The one we had was broken, and we needed some comfort. I also bought a mattress for $78 since we had been sleeping on mats for a while, and it was high time we improved our sleeping situation. Getting both the bed and the mattress felt like such a relief, as we could finally sleep more comfortably. Next, we invested in two goats, spending $80. We didn’t have any livestock before, and I knew that goats would multiply quickly and should an emergency arise, we could sell the goats and get some money to cover the expenses. I also used $50 to clear my son's school fees arrears. He is in Grade 3, and I didn’t want him to be sent home again to collect money. Lastly, I used $200 to buy 24 iron sheets to repair the roof of my house. The old roof was leaking badly, and I had been putting off the repairs for too long. With the little that remained, I bought food items to sustain us as we continued with our charcoal-burning business. Having food in the house gave us some breathing space while we worked on earning more income."

"I had just finished washing clothes, and as usual, I picked up my phone to check for any messages or missed calls. To my surprise, I saw a message that I had received money from GiveDirectly! I was so excited. I immediately told my husband, who was right there with me, and he was just as happy. We had been waiting for this moment because we had already planned to use the money to boost his charcoal business, and now that the money was finally in our hands, we felt a huge sense of relief and gratitude."

"GiveDirectly excels at delivering unconditional cash transfers efficiently. Their follow-up after the transfers is thorough, ensuring recipients use it wisely. Sending the money in installments is particularly helpful, as it allows for better planning. You know the amount to expect and can prepare for it in advance. In my opinion, GiveDirectly’s approach works very well. I see no areas for improvement and would recommend they continue with this same method as they assist more people."

"I was walking to an event in my neighborhood when a random message popped up on my phone. It was from GiveDirectly, and they had sent me $200. I was so happy; this news brightened my journey. After attending the event, I returned home early to share the news with my wife and children so that we could plan together. The first thing that came to my mind was to use the money to pay the school fee arrears for one of my children in secondary school."

"When I got the cash transfer, it felt like a blessing. The first thing I thought about was my children's education. I used $100 to pay their school fees because I didn’t want them to miss out on school. My husband and I are casual laborers, but life has been hard since he got sick with tuberculosis. He can no longer do heavy work, so I’ve had to take on most of the work. Keeping my children in school was important because I know education is the way to a better life. After paying the fees, I used $75 to buy food for the family. We have 12 people in the house, including my two grandchildren, and we were really struggling. Before the cash transfer, we were often hungry and only eating one meal a day. But now, thanks to the help from GiveDirectly, we can eat three times a day.With the last $5, I bought clothes for my grandchildren. It hurt me to see them in torn clothes, but we didn’t have enough money to buy new ones before. Now, they look neat and comfortable, and seeing them happy makes me happy too. The cash transfer has changed our lives in so many ways, and I am truly grateful."

"Moving forward, my primary goal is to keep my children in school and ensure they continue learning without any obstacles. To achieve this, I plan to use part of my future transfers to cover their school fees. Additionally, I want to continue expanding my business by investing in more stock, which will help increase my income. I have also joined a savings group, where I contribute a portion of my earnings every month. Through this group, I hope to build up enough savings to qualify for a loan, which I can then use to further grow my business. I am truly appreciative of the financial support that has empowered me to pursue these goals and create a brighter future for my family."

"Without a stable source of income, it’s been a constant struggle for my husband and me to provide for our family. This situation has motivated me to start a small grocery business, which I believe will offer a more reliable source of income and help us meet our family’s needs. To achieve this goal, I plan to set aside a small amount from each transfer until I have enough capital to launch the business. Once I start, I hope to attract a steady stream of customers and generate a sustainable income. I am truly appreciative of the financial assistance, which has empowered me to work toward a brighter future for my family."