"I had three children whom I was unable to enroll in school due to financial constraints, despite reaching the required age to start school. I have been trying to save from my casual jobs but to no avail. As the date for them to be enrolled was fast approaching, I found myself having saved nothing that would allow me to pay for their admission. I thank GiveDirectly for the transfer that came on time, as it allowed me to enroll all of them in school. I bought new school uniforms and books and paid for their admission fee. Witnessing them continuing with school has given me peace of mind as a parent, because this would have been delayed if I had not received the transfers. Additionally, I also have two others who are already in school, and to ensure that they also stay in class, I cleared the arrears on time. I am happy that they are now comfortably in school, and this alleviated the risk of them being sent home for lack of fees."

"I've been struggling with housing for years, living in a small house with a leaking roof. I have nine children who did not have a place to stay because I couldn't accommodate them in our house, so they had to seek shelter in the neighborhood. Due to my financial situation, I couldn't save enough money to build a decent house, and a spacious house was impossible for us. I don't have any income to allow me to save enough to buy necessary materials like iron sheets. My husband does casual construction jobs and is the breadwinner, but most of his earnings go to food and the children's education, so saving to build a house was out of the question. We lost hope of upgrading to a better house while the children had no choice but to continue sleeping in the neighborhood with friends. However, I am grateful to GiveDirectly for sending the financial support that empowered me to build a spacious and decent iron-roofed house. I used the support to buy necessary building materials, including 24 iron sheets, building poles, nails, and timber and built the house. This would have taken us years to accomplish without the transfers, and I am thankful for the help. Currently, my family and I enjoy decent shelter, and I am at peace knowing that even when it rains, we are safe along with our belongings."

"My eldest son finished high school last year and did well in his final exams. He is scheduled to start university this September, and I need to cover his admission costs, fees, and buy him some supplies for his studies. This has been a challenge for me given my limited finances - I am just a subsistence farmer in the village, while my husband takes care of our livestock. However, receiving the financial support from GiveDirectly has provided a huge relief for us. I was able to save $180 in my account, which I plan to use for my son's university admission and to buy him what he needs. I used the remaining amount to buy building materials, including 14 iron sheets, building poles, and nails to build a house for my three sons. They have been struggling with shelter and had to stay at a friend's house in the neighborhood. I couldn't bear to see them go through this every night, so I wanted them to live with me on my compound. It's a relief that I was able to build them a decent iron-roofed house, and now they live with me."

"My greatest challenge right now is the lack of finances to pay school fees for my children and to start a farming venture for income. This difficulty arose after my husband and I separated, leaving me as the sole provider for my six children in primary and secondary school. It breaks my heart to witness my children being sent home from school due to unpaid fees. I had aspirations of cultivating a farm, but those plans were thwarted when floods devastated our area. The savings I had earmarked for agricultural investment had to be used for our immediate needs in the aftermath of the floods. The setbacks have been overwhelming, and I'm navigating these challenges with a heavy heart, hoping for a breakthrough to secure a better future for my family."

"Currently, my biggest challenge is the lack of capital, which is preventing me from rebuilding my house destroyed by floods and from starting agricultural ventures. Relying on casual labor in others' farms earns me approximately KES 300, which is inadequate for my family's basic needs. Every day, I pray for the means to cultivate crops like maize and tomatoes on our one-acre farm. I hope to use the proceeds to invest in a goat, securing our future needs."

"Currently, my greatest challenge is facing homelessness and food insecurity. The floods destroyed our one and a half acre farm where I had planted maize to prepare for the upcoming dry seasons. Sadly, all crops were lost. Moreover, the floods also wrecked my house, leaving me exposed to the cold and mosquitoes. This situation has heightened my risk of contracting malaria and pneumonia. I look forward to receiving my transfers, as they will provide me with the means to rebuild my life and improve my circumstances."

"It's unfortunate that an outbreak killed almost twenty of my chickens, leaving me with only five. Despite this setback, I am determined to acquire more chickens to continue with my poultry farming project. While my main priority remains providing my six children with a quality education and ensuring their school needs are met promptly, this project will also allow me to build up a good number of chickens. This will ensure that even after my transfers end, I can sell some to support my children's education expenses. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their support in this endeavor."

"With the cash transfers I'm receiving, my main goal is to save a portion of this money and start poultry farming to generate income. Poultry are in high demand and can be easily sold, either in the market or within our village. This venture aims to secure a sustainable source of income for the future. Additionally, I'm determined to use the transfers to ensure I complete my high school education without financial constraints. Moreover, this project will enable me to support my mother in providing necessary basic needs for my younger siblings. I truly appreciate the financial support as it has been immensely helpful to me."

"Moving forward, my plan is to continue using the transfers I receive to expand my existing business ventures. I am determined to keep investing in the growth and diversification of my operations. In addition to maintaining a strong focus on my current business selling sardines and sugar, I also intend to add coconuts to my product base. By expanding the range of goods I provide, I can cater to a wider customer base and increase my overall revenue. Alongside the business expansion, I will also allocate a portion of the transfers to growing my herd of goats. This livestock investment represents a long-term strategy to build financial security for my family. As the goats multiply and increase in value over time, I can sell them when needed to support my household and I am happy with these plans because with them I will be able to comfortably take care of my grandchildren."

"Moving forward, my plan is to continue using the transfers I receive to simultaneously expand my thriving shop and food preparation business, while also ensuring my child's education remains uninterrupted. By consistently investing in the growth and development of my business, I can increase profitability and secure a stable income stream for my family. At the same time, allocating funds towards my child's school fees will open doors to a brighter future through the power of education. However, I also have my sights set on a long-term investment that will further diversify my family's assets and provide additional financial security. In the future, I plan to use a portion of the transfers to purchase a goat, with the hope that it will multiply and increase in number over time. When the need arises, I can then sell these livestock and utilize the proceeds to support my family in whatever way is most beneficial, whether it be covering unexpected expenses, investing in my business, or providing for my child's educational needs"