"As a mother of one, my goal is to expand my shop, where I currently sell items such as flour, oil, sugar, rice, and soap. Previously, I relied solely on farming, which left me without work during dry seasons. Thanks to GiveDirectly and my husband, I was able to start this business, which keeps me busy and increases my income. I plan to save my transfers and the profits from my shop to expand my inventory. I aim to add new products like beans and greens and increase my stock to boost my profits and grow the business."

"I currently have ten goats and ten chickens, a venture I embarked on as soon as I received the GiveDirectly transfers. My plan is to let the goats breed so I can sell them to cover my children's school fees and also trade them for cows. I also care for my neighbor’s chickens and use my skills to tend to my own flock. I am confident that, over time, both my goats and chickens will thrive and multiply. This will provide opportunities to sell some or trade them and help establish a reliable income stream to support my family’s needs. Ensuring my children receive the best education is very important to me, and this will help make that possible."

"I am a father with one child and currently live in a one-room house. As our family grows, I want to expand our living space. My plan is to build a larger two-room house. Whether it will be made of metal sheets or stone will depend on how much money I have available. I joined a merry-go-round to save enough money for this house construction project. As a driver, I believe that with my earnings and the contributions from the merry-go-round, I will be able to reach my goal. I have also started purchasing metal sheets, and I currently have fifteen. I am confident that this new house will provide the comfort and happiness that my family deserves."

"Driven by my passion for turkey rearing, I invested my most recent transfer into this venture, knowing that turkeys are both marketable and profitable. Before GiveDirectly's support, I had the idea but lacked the capital to start. Thanks to their assistance, my dream has become a reality—I now have six adult turkeys and twenty chicks. I've already begun to see the benefits, as selling a few turkeys has provided enough money to support my family and pay school fees. Given the profitability and potential for growth, I am confident that turkey rearing will be a successful endeavor. With school-going children, I am committed to securing their future through this investment. Over the coming year, I plan to reinvest the profits from my turkey project to expand the business. This growth will enable me to earn more income, ensuring I can continue supporting my children's education."

"It was late evening, and I was busy doing laundry when my phone suddenly beeped, signalling an incoming message. With excitement, I grabbed the phone from the stool nearby. I had been promised by the GiveDirectly enrolling officer that I should expect my transfer that week, and I eagerly anticipated it. I immediately checked the message, and indeed, it was the transfer. Just moments later, my neighbour came to ask if I had checked my phone for the transfer since she had received hers too. We both broke into wide grins as we celebrated the arrival of the transfer."

"Right now, I have two main goals. First, I want to expand my business of selling new clothes. This is my only source of income since I am the breadwinner, so expanding it is very important. If I can grow the business, I will be able to pay bills more easily and won’t need to rely on others for help. Second, I want to start a vegetable business in the village. The drought has made vegetables scarce, so I see this as a good opportunity. I plan to use the profits from my clothing business to start this new venture. I believe it will provide additional income and reduce the financial strain, especially when it comes to paying for my children's fees."

"GiveDirectly does well by providing unconditional cash transfers, allowing recipients to address their own challenges without external planning or interference. The organization ensures fairness by distributing funds to everyone in the village without discrimination. Additionally, the enrollment process was conducted entirely by GiveDirectly staff, eliminating the risk of corruption. This was achieved by visiting homes individually, offering recipients the opportunity to express themselves freely and without fear. In my opinion, GiveDirectly should continue supporting more people in poor regions using this effective approach."

"I used to live with my five young children in a house that was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as they grew older. Our living space was not spacious enough for all of us, which meant some of my children had to seek shelter in the neighbourhood at night. When I received my second transfer, I used $400 to build a new mud house for them. I am happy that my children no longer struggle with shelter, and we can all live together peacefully. I was able to purchase 16 pieces of iron sheets, building poles, and nails and covered the labour costs to facilitate the construction. With the remaining funds, I bought food and ensured that my family had enough to eat and also paid school fees in advance to ensure my children's education was not uninterrupted due to fees. I am grateful for the financial support that made it possible for me to build the house and to also effectively provide for my family."

"My goal for the coming year is to expand my poultry business. Previously, I faced a significant loss when nearly half of my flock was wiped out by Newcastle disease. To prevent this from happening again, I have taken preventative measures and purchased medicines to protect my next stock. I also plan to buy chicken feed to ensure their proper growth. I will be utilizing upcoming transfers to achieve this goal of restocking my flock. Having my own business provides an additional source of income, rather than relying solely on the seasonal work of tilling other people's lands. I am looking forward to a financially stable future for my family and am deeply grateful for the support I have received so far."

"My goal is to build a new house for myself, as I currently live in a small one-room house that was given to me by my son. I want to upgrade to a two-room house and am happy to report that I have already started the process. I have been purchasing construction materials such as iron roofing sheets and building poles using my transfers. I look forward to using my upcoming transfers to buy more materials and cover additional building costs. Having my own home will restore my dignity and provide much-needed peace of mind. I am pleased with my progress so far and am optimistic about achieving even greater things in the future."