"For a long time my plan has been to venture into goat farming. Especially recently, my desire for goats was strengthened when I lost over 1 acre of maize plantation to flush floods. Crop production has proven to be an unreliable and high risk investment, thus the change of mind. Upon receiving this money, I therefore prioritized KES $110 to buying 2 goats to add into another existing flock of 2. I have also spent $15 to partly clear one of my child's fee arrears, $15 and $10 on food and clothes respectively for my children."

"To earn a living, my husband and I rely on casual jobs, each earning $4 a day, though these jobs are not always guaranteed. Sometimes we also depend on charcoal production. Our focus has been strictly on basic needs like food and education for our children. With this income, saving or investing in other areas was difficult. In our area, goats thrive, and our home was almost the only one without them, so this was a key investment for diversifying our income. With my first transfer, I prioritized buying two goats worth $100. Additionally, I purchased a mattress for my children, costing $40, as the old one was so worn out that you could feel the bedboard, which was disheartening for me as a mother. I also bought two plastic chairs to add to the two we already had for $12, as it was not enough, especially when we have visitors. Furthermore, I spent $32 on food, specifically maize, which is our staple food and sustained us for some time. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"With the support from GiveDirectly, I was finally able to address some of the most pressing needs in my home using my first transfer. First, I purchased a bed and mattress for my son, costing $62, as he had been sleeping on a worn-out mattress on the floor, which was not only uncomfortable but also dangerous in our snake-prone area. I also bought a bag of maize for $40, as food had become scarce after I lost all my maize to floods, which had been my main source of sustenance and other essentials. To commemorate GiveDirectly’s support and to help diversify our income, I decided to buy a goat for $50, symbolizing our gratitude and offering the potential for future financial stability as the goats multiply. Additionally, I spent $8 on transportation, and with the remaining funds, I bought clothes for my children. It had been a long time since I could afford new clothes, and this was essential, especially after losing some of our belongings to the floods. These improvements have brought us relief and hope. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"After separating from my husband a few years ago, I moved back home with my three children. My brother kindly let us temporarily live in his house, but the thought of eventually having to leave has never been easy. Receiving GiveDirectly's support brought me hope, and all I could think about was building my own house, especially since my parents are willing to give me a space to build. I spent about $150 from my first transfer to buy building materials like iron sheets and nails, planning to use my next transfer to buy the remaining materials and start building. The rest of the money went toward food for my children. As a single mom with no formal job, I can't abandon my duty to provide for my kids. I've been doing casual jobs and charcoal production. Thanks to GiveDirectly, the cash gave me a break from these jobs, although I had to resume since the food didn't last long. But I am hopeful that by the end of my transfers, things will be better."

"My plan was to sell my goat to cover the cost of leasing land and transplanting my vegetable seedlings. Instead, I received my transfer from GiveDirectly, which not only facilitated these expenses but also allowed me to buy an additional goat. This was truly a blessing. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"This transfer has been life-changing. Before, I was constantly worried about how we would recover from the floods, but now I have something tangible that provides security for my family. The sheep are an investment for the future, and the additions to my shop are helping to stabilize and grow my business. The relief I feel knowing that I have taken steps to protect my family and our livelihood is immeasurable."

"Before I received this cash, I was under a lot of stress and had no peace of mind since the floods came and set us back to zero, causing almost all of our plans for the year to fail. The floods swept away my children's clothes and shoes, but the biggest impact was that my toilet sank completely, making the hygiene conditions in my compound very poor. I immediately allocated $100 to repair my toilet, and now it's restored, ending the shame of having to use the bush.Additionally, I used $40 to harvest my maize farm, where I harvested 25 bags of maize. I sold 15 bags and kept 8 bags for us to continue eating at home. The market price of maize had dropped since many people were harvesting at the same time, but fortunately, my farm wasn't affected by the floods because the maize had grown tall. With the remaining $40, I bought new clothes for my kids to replace the ones that were washed away by the water."

"I am a widow; my husband passed away nearly 50 years ago when my three children were very young, but I struggled to make ends meet. Now, all of my children are grown and married, but they left me with grandchildren. One is at Maseno University, and the other is in secondary school. When I received the cash, I used $100 to pay for their fees to help their mother, who had been covering the costs.When the floods came, water entered my house and stayed for a very long time, leaving it wet and cold. I had to sleep in that damp house, and the coldness caused me to suffer from pneumonia, leading to constant coughing. I allocated $5 to seek medication at Marigat District Hospital because it is more affordable compared to private hospitals.Additionally, I spent $50 on purchasing food to ensure I had enough stock at home. Previously, I relied on casual jobs, working on other people's farms to harvest tomatoes. With the remaining money, I allocated $30 to buy chairs and a sofa set, as I didn’t have any furniture before. I also spent $15 on a solar panel because I had no lights in the house and was using my phone's light, which I had to charge at my neighbor's home. That was causing me a lot of stress."

"I was at my farm around 3 PM on Sunday, looking after my maize crop. I was sitting under a tree, scrolling through my phone, when a message popped up. At first, I thought someone had sent me money by mistake, as it didn’t show up as received from GiveDirectly; instead, it mentioned something about "technologies." As I continued to ponder this, my son called and asked if I had received money from GiveDirectly. I told him I had received money but not from GiveDirectly. He insisted that it was indeed from GiveDirectly, and when I realized he was right, I became very happy. Since I had initially planned to purchase sheep, that dream finally came true as I went to buy them the following day."

"Since then, I have been working as an ECD teacher, earning only $80 per month, which is not enough to meet the basic needs of my seven children. I have been struggling to ensure they have everything they need. So, when I received the transfer, I used $100 for school fees to make sure my kids could stay in school until the end of the term. I also spent $70 on food for my family, as my wife mainly does casual jobs and burns charcoal to help us get by, while my small salary goes toward covering school fees. With the remaining $30, I bought clothing for my children, as their old clothes were worn out, and they needed something new for visits or vacations."