"My husband passed away over ten years ago, leaving me with the immense responsibility of raising our two children, a boy and a girl, on my own. Navigating life as a widow has been a journey filled with trials and tribulations. My son, who had to drop out of school due to financial constraints, never had the opportunity to complete his education. This lack of formal education has hindered his ability to secure a decent job. He now works as a herdsman in a neighboring village, earning a meager salary of $100 a month. This small income barely covers our basic needs, leaving us constantly struggling to make ends meet. The situation became even more challenging when my daughter, who had been married, returned home with her five children after the tragic death of her husband. As a mother and grandmother, I now have to support not only my son but also my daughter and her five young children. The financial burden has become overwhelming, as my son’s modest earnings are insufficient to provide for such a large family. Every day, I face the harsh reality of trying to stretch a limited budget to cover food, clothing, and other essential needs for eight people. The cost of living continues to rise, and the pressure to meet our daily requirements is relentless."

"Julius, my husband, earns $3.10 per day working as a casual laborer on construction sites. But because there is so little work and fierce competition in the village, the kind of work he does is extremely uncommon. We do not have the luxury of being able to meet the majority of our basic needs as a family because he is the only one who makes money. Right now, the inconsistent nature of my spouse's work to support us financially is what is making my life more difficult."

"I was working my usual job as a laborer on other people's farms when I received a message on my phone. Upon checking, I realized it was a Mpesa transfer. I was overjoyed to learn that it was my first transfer from GiveDirectly. This transfer brought huge relief to my family as we were struggling with the effects of floods that had destroyed our crops, making it hard to afford food."

"I am dealing with multiple challenges within my family. Our difficulties range from limited access to clean water and food insecurity to my health issues. In 2021, I started experiencing health issues with my right eye. The problem persisted, prompting me to seek medical attention. However, with our financial situation making it difficult to even afford necessities like food and water we were unable to fund the medical expenses. We don't have formal employment and rely on charcoal burning and farming as our main sources of income. Despite this, the issue with my right eye continued until August 2023 when an NGO from Kwale stepped in to cover the cost of an operation, which was over $200. I am grateful for their support, as it greatly improved my health. Unfortunately, in June 2024, I began experiencing pain in my left eye, and the problem has since worsened. I am now dealing with recurring pus in my eyes, causing significant pain. Both my spouse and I are currently unemployed and can only find work as casual laborers. Due to my health condition, I am unable to work, which has left me feeling drained and helpless."

"I have always wanted to keep livestock, which do well in our region, but I could not afford to buy them on my own. I rely on casual jobs for my livelihood, and I have always considered livestock as assets that I can rely on for my financial needs. When I received my first transfer, I bought a sheep for $60. I plan to keep it and intend to buy more of these to grow a herd. In addition, I also paid school fees amounting to $50 for my sibling, who is currently in high school. This has allowed him to stay in school and no longer face interruptions due to fees. Lastly, I spent the remaining amount on buying foodstuffs that could last us for weeks and also did shopping for new clothes for my family of four. The recent floods destroyed our belongings, including the foodstuffs we had stored and clothes, and we could only salvage a few items. I am glad that as the situation returns to normal, my family has enough food to last, even as I look for a job to sustain my family."

"In the coming year and beyond, I am eager to plaster the interior of my house to enhance its durability and appearance. I have already obtained the necessary plastering materials for this phase of the project. Once I finish the interior, I will take a brief break to save up again for the next phase of plastering. This renovation will strengthen the long-term stability of my house and elevate its attractive. After completing this task, my intention is to venture into livestock farming. At present, my primary focus is on nurturing my five goats, which play a pivotal role in my future endeavors. Regrettably, I experienced significant losses due to disease in my chicken flock previously. My immediate aim is to ensure the multiplication of my goats, creating a reliable source of income through sales when necessary. Concurrently, I am in the process of constructing my envisioned brick house. Once this construction is finished, it will facilitate the expansion of my livestock investment, particularly in goats. This carefully planned approach ensures that once my house is completed, I can seamlessly transition to expanding my goat farming endeavors without encountering unnecessary obstacles."

"In the near future and beyond, my main focus is on paying school fees for my children. As a peasant farmer, my income is not consistent, so I need to plan carefully to ensure my children can continue their education and meet their basic needs when external financial assistance ends. Before GiveDirectly came to our area, life was challenging, and my children were often sent home from school due to unpaid fees. This was because I lacked a reliable source of income. As the external support is soon coming to an end, I am considering expanding into livestock farming. Currently, I have five goats, and I'm delighted to see that they have multiplied since starting with just two. Investing in goats is beneficial as they can reproduce quickly, providing a simple path for growth. My aim is for their numbers to increase, allowing me to eventually trade them for cows and sell some to generate income for my family's needs."

"In addition to the charcoal business I am currently running to support my family, my plans for this year are to open my own tailoring workshop. I attended tailoring college and acquired all the necessary skills to start my own workshop. My plan is to acquire a sewing machine that costs $120, purchase some materials, and eventually launch my own business. To achieve this, I started saving a portion of my transfers in our merry-go-round group, hoping that once I receive the pooled funds, I could use them to acquire the machine. However, after some time, I realized that this strategy would take me longer, so I decided to restrategize. Currently my plan is to continue saving a portion of my transfers in our Merry Go Round group and then use my pooled funds to buy goats, hoping that these goats will appreciate in value and also increase in number. In the near future, I will sell the appreciated goats and use the proceeds to buy the sewing machine. Having my own tailoring business will not only provide me with a stable income but also allow me to better take care of my family. The prospect of achieving this goal fills me with hope and determination for the future."

"As I look ahead to the coming year and beyond, I aim to expand my livestock venture. I plan to continue using my transfers to purchase more goats, with the hope that they will multiply and increase in both number and value. Eventually, I intend to trade some of these goats for cows. My aspiration is that these cows will also grow and increase in value, providing me with the financial means to support my children's education as they transition to higher levels of schooling. I am genuinely excited and grateful for the opportunity that GiveDirectly has provided. I believe that once this program concludes, I will have established a sustainable source of income that will enable me to care for my family and secure our future."

"I work as a cook in a nearby school, and my main goal is to provide for the education and daily meals of my four children. I am thankful for the cash transfers that have been crucial in helping me achieve these goals over the past few years, but I am aware that this support is not permanent. To establish a sustainable source of income, I have devised a plan for the upcoming year and beyond to create a livelihood through livestock farming, with a focus on raising chickens and goats. I aim to sell the offspring of these animals to generate additional income to support my children's needs in the long run."