"My goal for this year is to restart my business selling vegetables and omena. It has been unstable for a while due to financial constraints, but I am hopeful that things will get better. Having a business that provides a steady source of income will significantly boost my family's finances. I plan to use my transfers to revive this venture in the near future. I am deeply grateful for the support my family has received so far. Restarting this business will not only improve our financial situation but also provide stability and security. I look forward to a brighter future and the opportunities it will bring for my family."

"I was at home resting in the afternoon at around 3pm when I heard a message beep on my phone. Since I don't know how to read, I asked my son to read the message for me. He told me it was the GiveDirectly transfers, and I was so excited that I immediately told him to keep it a secret. Later, I shared the news with my husband, who stays in Kilifi town, and together we planned how to use the money to pay for our children's school fees."

"Since my husband passed away two years ago, I have shouldered the responsibility of covering our children's school fees, clothing, food, and other essentials. Our house was already in poor condition when he passed, making it difficult to meet all their needs with the limited profits from my charcoal business. With the current increase in prices of essential commodities, the situation has become even more challenging. My children used to be sent home for fee balances, so I decided to allocate all my transfers toward paying their school fees. Renovating my house is my second priority. Once they complete their education, I plan to invest in goat and chicken rearing projects. After establishing these two projects, I will focus on repairing our house. Although the transfers allowed me to replace the roof, our safety is still at risk due to the cracked walls that let in insects. My immediate goal is to rebuild the walls, and I plan to allocate $4 each month for purchasing construction materials. I can't save more than that right now because I have other basic needs to address. This is my goal for the coming year and beyond."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, the first thing I did was buy a bed for $85 and a mattress for $65. I had not had a bed for a very long time, and sleeping on the floor was very uncomfortable. With a proper bed, I finally experienced restful nights and felt more energized during the day. Next, I took my three children to school. They had not started school due to financial constraints, so I used $60 for their school fees and $10 to buy their uniforms. It was a moment of immense joy to see them in their new uniforms, ready to learn and grow. To ensure they could attend school without any issues, I spent $80 to fast-track the process of obtaining birth certificates for all four of my children, as these documents were necessary for their enrollment. I spent $40 on household food items, ensuring we had enough to eat and maintain our health. I saved the remainder of the money with the intention of starting a grocery business. This venture would provide a stable income for my family, allowing us to become more self-sufficient and improve our overall quality of life."

"owning tailoring shop, have enough stock for customers to am saving in merry go round-with gd transfers-once established i will bwe able to invest in poultry and had passion"

"I want to express my deep appreciation to GiveDirectly for their financial support. It has greatly helped me become more self-reliant while I am still in college. For the coming year and beyond, I plan to save $20 from each transfer to achieve my goal. I currently do not have a house and sleep at my brother's place, but I know that soon he will want to marry and will need his space. Therefore, I'm setting aside $20 each month to save up for building my house, and I am very optimistic about achieving this goal. Once I accomplish this, I want to start investing in goats. This is a good initiative because goats multiply very quickly and are highly marketable. If they increase to a substantial number, I can sell some to address any financial challenges that may arise."

"I vividly remember that day around 3:40 in the afternoon when I was at my savings group meeting in the village. My phone suddenly vibrated loudly, and I was both curious and eager to find out what the notification was about. To my great joy, it was an Mpesa message from GiveDirectly. I knew this meant I could finally look forward to sleeping in a better place, as I planned to buy a new bed and mattress after years of using traditional beds and sometimes even sleeping on the floor."

"When I received the cash transfer, my first thought was about getting a bed. Since getting married in January, my spouse and I had been sleeping on the floor. It was uncomfortable and unsettling, and we longed for a proper bed. With $900, I finally bought one, bringing a sense of comfort I had never experienced before. Having a bed now feels like a significant improvement in our quality of life. However, we decided to hold off on spending the rest of the money. My father-in-law was recently admitted to the hospital, and we felt it was best to pause our plans until he is out and recovering. Once my father-in-law is back home and doing better, we can resume our plans and use the money to further improve our living situation. For now, we're grateful for the bed and the sense of security the cash transfer has provided us."

"In my opinion, GiveDirectly is doing an excellent job by providing financial assistance unconditionally to each deserving household. This approach is brilliant because everyone has unique needs, and our needs are never the same, so unconditional support is the best way to address them. Thanks to this assistance, I was able to send my children to school, as they had been sent home repeatedly due to unpaid fees, and some had been out of school for a while. I don't see any need for GiveDirectly to change their operating methods because they are doing a perfect job. I hope they continue their work of financially helping those in need and blessing others, just as they have blessed me."

"We separated some years ago, and since then, I have raised our three kids alone. Meeting our daily needs has been a challenge since I resigned from my job due to an illness I am still battling. We lived in a single room, and our sleeping arrangements were difficult. We used to share a bed, but as the kids grew older, they started sleeping on the floor. With my final transfer, I decided to build them a house, which cost $300, and now they are comfortable. Additionally, a relative pays the fees for one of my sons in high school, while I am responsible for the fees of another son. I managed to reduce his high school fees by $50, and with the remaining money, I secured food that sustained us for a while. I used to rely on crop farming to feed us, but for the past three years, I had no success due to drought. This year it rained, but I was unable to plant, leading to a food shortage. Despite these challenges, GiveDirectly's support has been a great help, and I am grateful. Thank you so much."