"In the upcoming year and beyond, my plan is to purchase a sewing machine valued at $170. With my coursework completed, I am now able to open my own shop. This venture will serve as a source of income to support my family. Additionally, I intend to rent a shop near my location and stock a few additional items alongside my tailoring business. I am happy to report that I have saved up $100 towards the purchase of the machine, leaving only a small percentage remaining. I am truly grateful to Give Directly for their generous financial support, as it has given me renewed optimism in achieving my dream goal."

"Persevering in this house has been quite a challenge, especially during the rainy season. I built this house a long time ago, and since the roof is made of grass, it leaks a lot, making it feel like I’m sleeping outside even though I’m inside. My main focus for the upcoming year and beyond is to build my dream house. I’m happy to have acquired 16 iron sheets and am working hard to get the remaining materials to start the construction work."

"I am living an unbearable life, skipping a meal is not new to me. I am a casual labourer and I earn about $3 a day which is not enough to meet my daily end. My struggle does not end there, getting casual jobs is also another problem. I sometimes opt for charcoal burning to earn a living. An unstable source of family income has reduced my dignity as a man. I sometimes borrow food and other basic needs to survive which is heartbreaking. Truth be told, I am not happy with my life. I am hoping that one day I will get out of this unbearable life."

"My son Bidson Bartingat is pursuing a diploma course at Tambach teachers college. We are required to pay $230 each term to facilitate his studies. Apart from this, I am also working tooth and nail to pay school fees for my two sons and a daughter in secondary school. We rely on charcoal burning and subsistence farming to earn a living, this is not a stable source of income and has made our life difficult. Putting food on the table is another setback for me and my husband. We sometimes skip meals or borrow food from my neighbors. I feel unhappy as a parent and that I have failed to be a responsible parent."

"I have started preparing to cultivate my land as the rains are about to set in. I have two acres, and since we didn't harvest anything last season, I want to start early this time. If all goes well and we have a good harvest, it will greatly benefit our family and relieve my husband from the strain of burning and selling charcoal to support us. I really appreciate Give Directly for the financial support, which has been a great help to our family. Additionally, it has significantly contributed to our well-being, especially in enabling my children to continue attending school."

"Since separating from my spouse, I shoulder all the responsibilities. I plan to open a small shop to generate additional income to support my son's school fees. However, I haven't been able to start this project yet because we are currently facing hunger due to a poor harvest caused by the scorching sun. The little we get is spent on food. Once I have a good harvest, I will divert my monthly income towards this project. I am optimistic that once this idea becomes a reality, the extra income will allow me to comfortably provide for my son's education, bringing me peace of mind. I am grateful to be part of this program."

"Every day, my thoughts are focused on building a better house for my family. Currently, we live in a two-roomed slope house with an additional grass-thatched house. (one room for the girls, one for us, and the grass one for the boys). With my first transfer, I invested in crop farming, planting seed maize for the Kenya Seed Company. The maize is now at the tasseling stage across two acres and is doing exceptionally well. I anticipate harvesting about 40 bags, which should bring in around $3000. This income will help me pay my children’s school fees and start building a new, better house. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for making this possible and turning my dream into a reality."

"GiveDirectly operates in such a way that I find it commendable. I appreciate how they provide unconditional cash transfers, which gives me the freedom to budget according to my own needs. The follow-up on these transfers helps me and benefits other recipients in the community by encouraging responsible spending. The installment approach to distributing the transfers enables proper planning and reduces the risk of financial misuse. In my experience, there are no areas where I see a need for improvement. I believe continuing with this effective approach will continue to have positive impacts on individuals and families."

"I was at home, tending to my goats, when I heard a message notification, but I was busy with the goats and didn't check it immediately. Later on, I checked and realized I had received $183. Overwhelmed with joy, I thanked God and called my husband, who was at work. He sounded happy over the phone and assured me that we could now fulfill our plans."

"I buy and sell cows weekly to support my family, earning up to $18 each time. However, this income is insufficient to meet all our needs, including water. Before receiving GiveDirectly's support, my wife had to walk 5 kilometers to fetch water, which was incredibly challenging. Additionally, food scarcity was a constant issue, and there were times when we had to skip meals, despite having children. The impact of GiveDirectly's assistance has been profound; we now have our 5000-liter tank filled with water, and we have enough food to sustain ourselves. Life has improved for us, and we are grateful to GiveDirectly for their support."