"This year, I set out to buy building materials to improve my house, which is made of mud. My goal is to reinforce it with bricks and cement to make it stronger and better able to withstand the extreme weather conditions in our area. I plan to continue using my transfers to purchase materials until I can complete the reinforcement. Once this is achieved, I will be very happy, as it has been my dream all along. Thereafter, I also plan to use my transfers to buy goats, hoping they will multiply and increase in number and value. This will allow me to trade them for cows, which I need for milk and for plowing my farm. I envision these cows multiplying as well, serving as a form of insurance for my grandchildren’s education. If necessary, I could sell some of them to fund their schooling."

"With my house aging and on the verge of collapsing, I set out on a mission to gradually buy building materials for a new one-room house. I’m pleased to say that I have acquired all the necessary roofing materials, and I’m impressed with the progress I’ve made so far. My current plan is to use my transfers to purchase building poles and kick off the construction process. Once I achieve this, I will be very happy. In the future, I also plan to use my transfers to buy more goats. My hope is that they will multiply, increasing in number and value, which I can then trade for cows and bulls. These cows will provide milk for my household and the bulls help with plowing my farm. I envision that the milk cows will continue to multiply, allowing me to sell some of them later on while also supplying nutritious milk for my family."

"My house was very old, and the aged roof, full of holes, was a constant source of distress due to leaks during the rainy season. The rest of the house was also on the verge of collapsing and slowly falling apart. Determined to build a new house for myself, I devised a strategy to save money. I saved my transfers in a local savings group to eventually take out a substantial loan for the building. I'm happy to share that I finally acquired the loan, and my house is making great progress. It will soon be complete. Once it's finished, I plan to continue saving my transfers in our group to repay the loan and then acquire another loan to buy goats. I'm hopeful that these goats will multiply and increase in number and value, providing me with a reliable source of income, especially when this project comes to an end."

"Financial constraints are the greatest challenge. I am a single mother and raising my children has been an uphill task since I depend on casual jobs. I have a differently abled child and a young one hence going a whole day for work is not possible because they require my attention. Sometimes I have to stay home to look after them forcing me to borrow from neighbors."

"I was doing my house duties at home alone. My husband had taken our goats to the grazing field, and my children were at school. My mother-in-law had come home earlier that day and told me she heard people had received GiveDirectly money; I confirm hers, which she had received. I continued my work, and later a message popped up confirming I had received the transfer. This was indeed the happiest news. A lot was bothering me at that period, and I knew I could finally sort out my problems. I patiently waited for my husband to return home and shared the news with him. He was happy and told me to call GiveDirectly immediately to say thank you, which I did."

"For about 11 years, I have been living in a one-room house. Part of the walls were iron sheets, and part were made of mud. Our living conditions were uncomfortable, as the muddy walls often broke, and my wife had to repair them frequently. The house was small, and as a family of six, our sleeping arrangements were limited. My older children slept in our small grass-thatched, muddy kitchen, while my wife and I utilized the space with our two younger children. When visitors came, it made things even tougher for us. For all these years, I have been unable to improve our living conditions due to financial constraints. I do casual jobs and sometimes make charcoal with my wife, but the income is limited and opportunities are inconsistent. To supplement our income, we do crop farming, but drought, which is common in our area, often affects our yields. During heavy rains like recently, we lost our crops to floods. Generally, climate change has always affected our income from crop production, making our dream of having a better house seem impossible. When I received my first transfer, I decided to start building a house. I bought materials worth $130, planning to continue construction with the next transfer. I spent $5 on fees for my child in elementary school. My wife bought three chickens for $12 to help generate income later by selling eggs and chicken as their numbers increase. Finally, the remaining money we used to buy a few food items and second-hand clothes."

"I used $111 to buy three goats, fulfilling a long-standing wish. Goats are a great asset because they are drought-resistant and can be sold during emergencies, such as for food or school fees. This investment is not just about immediate needs but also about securing a more stable future for my family. With $200, I purchased a heifer, another significant investment. The plan is to sell surplus milk once the heifer calves, and eventually, the herd will grow. The income from this will help pay school fees for my five children, ensuring they have access to education, which is a priority for me. I used $70 to settle a debt in a savings and loaning group, which allowed me to qualify for another loan to build a kitchen. Additionally, I paid $120 towards my children's primary school fees. The rest of the money was used to buy household food items, which was essential given the recent difficulties in food access due to poor weather conditions. This has ensured that my children can come home to a nutritious meal, giving me peace of mind."

"The biggest difference in my life since receiving the transfer from GiveDirectly is the immense relief and joy of having my son back in school. He had been home for a week because I could nt pay his fees. It was heartbreaking to see him every day, knowing I couldn't do anything. Our sheep had just given birth, and the other was too young to sell, so I had no way to raise the money. This was especially worrying since my son is in his final year of secondary school, and missing classes could affect his performance in the upcoming exams. GiveDirectly came through for us just in time. With the transfer, I was able to pay his school fees, and he is now back in school, focusing on his studies. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for bringing hope to our family"

"In the coming year and beyond, I have a dream I hope to achieve: expanding the rental house I own. This project will not only increase my income but also strengthen our financial stability. To fund this expansion, I’m relying on the monthly savings I contribute to our merry-go-round savings group through cash transfers, along with my husband's savings. Once the expansion is complete, I’m confident that the additional rental income will make it much easier to pay for my four children’s fees and meet their needs without struggle. I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to start this project within the next few months."

"While washing clothes by the river, I overheard my neighbors mentioning that the money had arrived. I was shocked because we were told the transfers would start in July, but they came earlier than expected. I was surprised but very happy, knowing that one of my biggest problems, having to borrow a generator from neighbors, would soon be resolved, as I could now purchase one. This thought kept running through my mind as I continued washing."