"I was in a difficult financial situation, unsure of how I would come up with the money for my daughter's enrollment in a medical training institute to become a community nurse. The costs were substantial, and I could only cover part of them. As a parent, I was determined to support my daughter's career ambitions and hoped that she would be able to attend college despite my financial challenges. When I received my first payment, it was a huge relief. I was able to pay for all her supplies and covered her enrollment fee, which amounted to $300. I'm happy that she's now enrolled in college and pursuing a path that I believe will lead to good job prospects after she completes her studies. I also paid $20 for my other daughter's high school fees and used $150 to renovate my kitchen, which was in bad shape. I modernized it with concrete, installed a new kitchen sink tap, and now it looks brand new. The remaining funds were used to purchase household items like utensils that were needed in my home."

"My daughter completed high school and was set to join a medical training institute for a course in community nursing this year and receiving the transfer was a huge relief for me. It's every parent's dream to witness their children succeed in their lives and academics, so my priority was to ensure that her college enrollment was seamless. Being a subsistence farmer in the village and occasionally doing some casual jobs, it would have been difficult for me to meet all her requirements, including paying the fees on time. I am grateful for the support, which enabled me to pay for her fees, stationery, uniform, and other necessities, and my daughter was successfully enrolled in college. I can't thank GiveDirectly enough for helping my daughter join the college and pursue her career. Otherwise, I would have delayed her enrollment while waiting to gather financial resources."

"My house was in very bad shape and had weakened over the years. I was afraid that it might collapse at any moment. The rooftop, which was built using iron sheets, had become old and dilapidated, and it used to leak whenever it rained. My husband and I were very concerned about this, but we lacked the financial resources to renovate the house, so we had no choice but to continue living in it despite its condition. My husband is the breadwinner and works as a watchman. His earnings mainly went to food and fees for our four children, with one in high school and three in junior high school. Therefore, saving to upgrade the house was out of the question. Receiving the transfer was a turning point for us. I used $330 of it to buy the necessary building materials, which included 24 pieces of iron sheets, nails, and building poles, to renovate the house. We also built an extension of one room to make it more spacious. I am happy about this huge achievement, which was made possible by the transfers. The support was crucial, and I am grateful for it. Additionally, my children had been sent home from school due to some pending arrears that I could not clear on time. Therefore, I spent $90 toward clearing the fee balance and also bought new school uniforms for each of my three children. I spent the remaining amount on buying foodstuffs, which included a bag of maize that could last us for a month, and some other items that I lacked in my household. I am also happy that this has relieved my husband of the burden of providing everything for the family this time, which was overwhelming him, considering that his job does not pay well."

"My house was in very bad shape and had weakened over the years. I was afraid that it might collapse at any moment. The rooftop, which was built using iron sheets, had become old and dilapidated, and it used to leak whenever it rained. My husband and I were very concerned about this, but we lacked the financial resources to renovate the house, so we had no choice but to continue living in it despite its condition. My husband is the breadwinner and works as a watchman. His earnings mainly went to food and fees for our four children, with one in high school and three in junior high school. Therefore, saving to upgrade the house was out of the question. Receiving the transfer was a turning point for us. I used $330 of it to buy the necessary building materials, which included 24 pieces of iron sheets, nails, and building poles, to renovate the house. We also built an extension of one room to make it more spacious. I am happy about this huge achievement, which was made possible by the transfers. The support was crucial, and I am grateful for it. Additionally, my children had been sent home from school due to some pending arrears that I could not clear on time. Therefore, I spent $90 toward clearing the fee balance and also bought new school uniforms for each of my three children. I spent the remaining amount on buying foodstuffs, which included a bag of maize that could last us for a month, and some other items that I lacked in my household. I am also happy that this has relieved my husband of the burden of providing everything for the family this time, which was overwhelming him, considering that his job does not pay well."

"I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial support they have provided to me and my children. It has been a lifeline for us. Previously, I made a living by selling vegetables moving from house to house in the village. Only in Wednesday is when I was selling the vegetables at the market place. For the other days, I had to walk long distances to sell and supply fresh vegetables. This has been my only source of income and it has helped me take care of my family's needs. Although it was tiring to do door-to-door deliveries, it was still better than my previous work of burning and selling charcoal. To reduce my movements, I have chosen a suitable and strategic place to build a small premise for my business. I have already purchased the necessary building materials such as iron sheets, nails, and building poles using the first transfer. I am also planning to expand my business by stocking a variety of products such as maize flour and other fast-moving items. With these improvements, I hope to serve more clients and increase my profits, making it easier to sustain my family."

"I have four children who are currently in various levels of academics, and it was causing me a lot of pain because I could not build them a nice house to shelter in. I could not accommodate them in my small house either, especially as they are now older and need their own space for privacy. However, I could not afford the cost of constructing a new house for them, so they frequently sought shelter from a neighbour every night. I am grateful that upon receiving my first transfer, I was able to build them a new house, relieving them of the trouble of staying elsewhere. I spent $180 on purchasing 18 iron sheets, building poles, nails, and constructing the new house. It brings me peace to see them all under one roof, no longer facing the struggle of finding shelter elsewhere. Additionally, I improved my sleeping arrangements by acquiring a new bed and a mattress for $140. This replaced the old bedding I was using, which no longer offered the comfort that I needed. I also paid fees for my four children, clearing the arrears amounting to $80. I am glad they were allowed to stay in school without interruptions due to fees. The remaining amount was spent on food, including a bag of maize for my family, ensuring that we never lacked food as it was enough to last us for several months."

"The house that has been my shelter for many years is currently not spacious enough to accommodate my growing family. I had previously started the process of acquiring the necessary building materials, but due to a lack of finances, I was stuck. I could not afford to buy the remaining materials such as iron sheets, timber, and nails to construct the new house. I was, however, relieved when GiveDirectly came and promised to send us the transfers. Receiving the transfer empowered me to build the new house, a spacious and iron-roofed one. I finally managed to buy the remaining materials such as iron sheets, timber, nails, and even paid for the labor cost. The house is now almost complete, and I can't wait to move into my new spacious house and leave the old house to my children and grandsons to shelter. This would have taken me years to achieve, and I am grateful for the support which enabled me to fulfill this timely, and now my children will have a house too once I move out."

"I spent a significant portion of my first transfer to purchase building materials which included 22 iron sheets, timber, nails, and building poles. These materials are being used to construct a new, spacious house. Previously, my family and I lived in a small one-room house that could not accommodate my two children and two grandsons. The cost of the building materials was $350, and I am currently in the process of constructing the new house. Once completed, I intend to move into the new house, leaving the old one to my children and grandchildren. This would have been very challenging for me to achieve using my own financial resources, and I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to build a new house. Furthermore, I spent $40 on purchasing new school uniforms for my two children who are currently in primary school. They had been wearing old and tattered uniforms, and replacing them with new ones has positively impacted their confidence at school. The remaining amount was used to buy foodstuffs, including a bag of maize which ensured that my family had enough food for a month. This has helped us greatly as I primarily rely on burning and selling charcoal for income in the village, which is not always profitable. Knowing that my family's well-being is secure even when I do not sell charcoal brings me peace of mind."

"I wish to increase my flock of goats with the next quarter's transfers. This will gladden my heart, as it will not only increase my wealth but also help me educate my grandchild well, since I believe education is the key to success. I don't want them to be stranded later in the future, like I was, due to a lack of education."

"In the coming months and years, I wish to build on my son's plot in Malanga because I feel Malanga is more secure and will keep my family safe. Since I believe the challenges we face, like illness, are not godly sent, I trust that with effort, things will improve. I plan to bank on the GD transfers, saving weekly, so that I can eventually assemble all the resources I need to start my business and secure a better future for my family."