"Paying school fees for my children who are in Secondary school is a great challenge that I am currently facing. Both of them have a huge balance totalling usd 230. I depend on Casual agricultural labour to earn a living. The jobs are hard to get. I earn around usd 46 per month. All the wages is receive go to food which is also not sustainable for a family of 5 members. Due to this, it has been difficult to finance the education expenses of my kids. Sometimes, they stay at home for long due to money. I am afraid of the future of my household bearing in mind that I dropped out of school when I was class 3."

"The lack of a job and the burden of taking care of my daughter single-handedly has made my life tougher. Working as a house help is the job that I used to do but I recently left it due to low payment. In a month, I was earning $80 which could not sustain my needs, especially paying for rent was a challenge. At home, I am currently engaged in laundry job that earn me a daily payment of $2. This amount is still very low and sometimes, I depend on my brother's support. Considering this kind of life, I usually feel stressed and it has devoured my happiness in life."

"My first born ( Edison Amani) completed high school last and got admission at a technical college just within our constituency to persue a certificate in electrical engineering. He was supposed to join May this year but because of lack of finance he could not join. Myself i did not get married but i have four children whom i got while I'm here at my father's home. I have a small business of selling palm wine at our trading center which earns me a monthly income of $50. This amount is not enough based on the needs i have for all my four children. So when my son missed his chance to join the college, all of us got really traumatized because that was our only hope."

"I have a family of 4 members. My source of income had been a tailoring business which has closed down due to the faulty sewing machine. This has forced us to depend on my husband who works as a maid in Mombasa. His wages of usd 38 is not sustainable for all the need of the household. This has caused a great threat in the Management of the domestic affairs. It is very difficult to provide food for the whole month. Sometimes, my children go to bed hungry because my spouse has not yet received his monthly pay. Therefore, the main challenge that I am currently facing is lack of a sufficient income to cater for our needs."

"In the coming year and beyond, I plan to invest in livestock purchases. Currently, I have six poultry birds and one goat, but my goal is to expand my livestock holdings significantly. By growing their numbers, I will be able to sell some of them and use the proceeds to address pressing needs. This shift to livestock promises to be a good venture for me, especially given the harsh climatic conditions that make farming untenable. I am very grateful for the financial support, which is enabling me to better care for my family."

"With my son having completed his college education, I feel a tremendous sense of relief, particularly regarding our finances. Now, I have the freedom to use my future transfers to achieve other important goals. In the coming year and beyond, I aim to purchase a new bed and mattress. Currently, I sleep on a makeshift bed, which is quite uncomfortable. Having a proper bed and mattress will ensure I get a good night's rest. Additionally, I plan to buy a water tank to store water. This will solve the recurring issue of walking long distances to fetch water for household use. I am incredibly grateful for the financial support I've received so far, which has significantly improved my quality of life."

"I am currently in Form Three, which means I still have one year ahead to complete my secondary school education. Since I want to become a doctor, I need to concentrate on my studies to achieve the best results. Therefore, in the coming year and beyond, I aim to focus intensely on my studies to meet my goals. To achieve this, I plan to use part of my transfers to ensure that I pay my fees on time, so I am not sent home for unpaid school fees. With the remaining income after paying my fees, I will support my younger siblings' education. I am grateful for the financial support, as it has also enabled me to invest in poultry farming, which will help secure my future financially."

"Around 4pm, I was at home splitting some logs when I heard a message on my phone. Seeing that the money we had been promised by GiveDirectly had arrived, I was overjoyed and immediately shared the news with my daughter. She was thrilled and said our dreams were finally going to come true. I had always wanted to buy my own place, but the cost was too high, so I decided it was better to build my house right here at home."

"I used $242 to buy 22 iron sheets, marking another significant step in our journey toward completing our house. These sheets were crucial for roofing, and they will help us achieve a more finished and secure home. I spent $60 to build a new pit latrine, replacing the old one that had collapsed. Previously, we had been forced to use the bushes, which was not only uncomfortable but also a serious health hazard. Additionally, I used $48 to purchase a bag of maize, ensuring that we have enough food for our family. I also paid $40 in school fees arrears for my three children, which was essential to keep them in school and prevent them from being sent home due to unpaid fees. I spent another $40 to hire a mason who took measurements and calculated the bill of quantities for the remaining construction work. The remainder of the cash transfer has been set aside to cover any potential emergencies that may arise in our household."

"I spent $200 sending it to my son in college to cover his school fees for this semester. His studies are important, and I wanted to make sure he can focus on his coursework without financial worries. I then transferred $350 to my husband, who is working in Kilifi. He used the money to buy construction materials for our house, which has been a long-standing project. For the past three years, the house has remained incomplete, with parts done in stone and others in mud. We decided it was time to finish the house properly by using stone throughout to ensure uniformity and complete the project we've been working on. The progress has been slow, but seeing the house coming together with each step is very rewarding. It feels good to know that both our son's education and our home are being supported, thanks to the unconditional cash transfer."