"With the money I received, I decided to invest $360 in building two rooms made of iron sheets. Living in my brother's house after he moved to town in search of work, I realized that relying on someone else's home was hard; he could ask me to leave at any time. Two years ago, my husband and I separated, leaving me to care for our three children alone.With the remaining $90, I bought food supplies to ensure my family had an abundance of food. Initially, I worked on neighboring farms, earning $3 per day, which was insufficient to cover our expenses. In the mornings, I worked on the farms, and in the afternoons, I ventured into town to run my small business, blending juice and cooking chips to sell. I combined the profits from my business with the earnings from my farm work to pay my children's school fees and provide for their basic needs.I'm grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to have my own home, something I never imagined possible. I am filled with joy and appreciation for this opportunity."

"The recent payout from the merry-go-round has addressed one of my foremost concerns regarding our sleeping arrangements. With this financial boost, I have been able to procure a bed and proper mattresses for both my children and myself, significantly improving our comfort and quality of rest. Inspired by the success of this saving strategy, where I allocate $20 of my transfers monthly, I am now looking to expand and enhance our living space. Our current residence, with only two rooms, is inadequate for my large family of seven. Consequently, my children are forced to seek sleeping accommodations elsewhere, which is far from ideal. With the next payout from the merry-go-round, scheduled in six months, I intend to initiate improvements to our home by purchasing necessary materials. Subsequent payouts, including the year-end one, will allow for the completion of these renovations. My ultimate goal is to provide a more spacious and comfortable living environment where all my children can reside under the same roof. This will not only foster a greater sense of family unity but also enable me to closely monitor and support my teenagers as they navigate their formative years."

"I spent $33 from the support to finish building our toilet. I had already bought the materials with my second transfer. Sharing toilets with neighbors was a problem, especially when they locked it, leaving us without access. I was particularly awkward when we had guests. Furthermore, I invested $100 in farming our one-acre land, allocating $60 for plowing and $40 for buying vegetable seeds and pesticides. Focused on vegetables, including black nightshade, collard greens, and spinach. I've always worked as a farmer, but I never had enough money to start planting on my own. Previously, I did contract farming under Kenya Seed Company. With the funds from GiveDirectly, I chose to work independently. I didn't go wrong venturing into vegetable farming because of its ready market and good returns. Brokers visit our farm to purchase produce at fair prices: a 90kg bag of black nightshade and spinach sells for $45, and collard greens for $36. Education is a priority for our seven children. One of them joined a private secondary school, so I used the remaining funds and some of my savings to pay the $600 required for my son's admission into Form One. We never completed our education, explaining why we don't have formal jobs. We are committed to ensuring our children have a better future. Before the support from GiveDirectly, We depended on making charcoal for our farming capital which we no longer do. We now focus on our successful crop production to support our family."

"I'm planning to plant fruit trees, specifically mangoes and bananas, as they do well in our area. My husband and I, now growing older, will take care of them together since we won't continue our farming activities. This project is important to us because, when the trees mature in the coming years, they will provide a source of income. We intend to sell the fruits to support ourselves in the future."

"I am considering investing in chickens. Currently, I have six chickens and forty chicks. My strategy is to nurture them until they mature, then sell them to purchase goats. Raising chickens is relatively simple, and providing them with feed is easy. I aim to save a significant portion of the proceeds from selling the chickens to improve my family's quality of life."

"I currently reside in a one-room house made of mud. However, I have a dream of constructing a stone house. My aspiration is to provide my family with a larger home, comprising at least two rooms. As my children are growing, I desire for them to have ample space and privacy. Presently, I work as a conductor, shuttling between Mtwapa and Mombasa Town. My plan is to diligently save from my work earnings and also allocate funds from my transfers towards realizing this dream."

"I aspire to start my own business and provide for my family. My vision is to open a shop offering a diverse range of products, including vegetables, charcoal, and more. Currently unemployed and at home, I am diligently saving up the $150 needed to kick-start this venture. My ultimate goal is to not only generate sufficient profit but also to save up for future endeavors."

"As a single mother, my children rely solely on me for support. I take on any casual work I can find, like washing clothes for others or helping out on farms. On good days, I might earn $3, but there are also days when I can't find any work at all. This constant uncertainty makes it difficult to provide for my family. The place we previously lived was in terrible shape. Its roof was full of leaks, making rainy days uncomfortable, and the door was in such bad shape that water would pour in. When I received the transfer, I saw it as a golden opportunity to finally make our living situation safer and more comfortable. I decided to invest a significant amount, $440, into building a new house. This covered the cost of materials and labor. Now, I am incredibly grateful that the new house is complete, and we have already moved in. No longer did I have to worry about my children getting sick from the dampness or feeling unsafe during the rainy season. Now, we have a place we can truly call home, a sanctuary where we can feel secure and comfortable. Seeing the smiles on my children's faces as they explored their new surroundings filled my heart with joy. With the remaining amount, I purchased sugar, which had been lacking in our household for some time. We had been drinking plain tea for a while, but now, with sugar in stock, our simple daily rituals feel more complete."

"My primary goal revolves around expanding my livelihood by investing in more livestock, particularly goats, which I intend to procure using the proceeds from my current hotel business. With careful planning and dedication, I believe that this expansion will yield significant returns, providing me with a consistent income stream. This newfound financial stability will not only alleviate the financial burden of supporting my family but also enable me to comfortably afford the education of my three children. By prioritizing their education, I aim to provide them with the tools and opportunities they need to thrive, setting them on a path towards a brighter and more prosperous future."

"I am going to buy land because i sleep in a very risky area"