"It was around 5:00pm when the transfer message popped up on my phone. I usually don't carry my phone with me while doing house chores around the homestead. One of my kids came to find me and informed me that I had received a message and I immediately opened to read. I was super excited and I went ahead and told my husband who was also super excited. We both sat down down and thanked the lord for the blessings. The first thing I thought of was to give out a thanksgiving offering at the church and buy food since we had been really struggling to get even a simple meal in a day."

"Living a solitary life is the biggest challenge I am currently facing. I am a young and energetic person and coming home in the evening after work to the usual household chores with no one to talk to is giving me hurdles in life. I aim to get married, have children, and live a life of bliss but lack sufficient funds to marry has weighed down my efforts. Being one of GiveDirectly's beneficiaries will be a stepping stone to living a life of happiness because I will get married, pay a dowry, and start my own family."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge. I depend on livestock to earn a living and since I have two children at secondary level, it has been difficult to raise enough money from a single source of income. I hope to diversify my income so as to be able to meet all the basic needs comfortably."

"We are currently living in a small and crowded single structure. This is making our life increasingly difficult and uncomfortable. The lack of privacy is particularly distressing, and it saddens me deeply. While casual jobs have allowed me to provide food for my family of four, the low pay from these jobs makes it impossible to afford building a decent, livable home for us. I am elderly, and my health is deteriorating daily. This has made me vulnerable and unable to work, which in turn has made it difficult for me to provide for my family."

"My primary goal is to expand the businesses I currently operate: selling vegetables and small fish. By next year, I plan to kickstart this goal, and I am confident that I will make it a reality. I intend to achieve this dream by using my saved profits and a portion of the monthly transfers I receive. Although the business has been unstable for a while due to financial constraints, I remain hopeful that things will improve once I secure enough capital to expand. I believe the profits I will earn from an expanded business will be enough to support my family comfortably. This includes paying school fees for the two children still in school, ensuring their education continues uninterrupted."

"The money came in while I was at home. I heard the notification from my phone and checked the message to confirm the transfer. I felt incredibly happy and grateful, as this money meant I could finally build a proper house for my family. My previous home was a grass-thatched mud house that made me feel ashamed, especially because it required constant repairs I couldn’t afford. Knowing I could now provide a safer and more dignified home filled me with pride and hope for a better future."

"The construction of my house marks the most significant change in my life so far. Although it’s not entirely complete yet, I’m filled with anticipation and excitement for the day I’ll finally move in. It’s hard to believe that I’ll soon have a better home, something I never thought would be possible. Thanks to Give Directly, this dream is coming to life, and I can’t wait to experience the sense of pride and comfort that comes with having a proper home."

"At around 5 PM, while I was cleaning the compound, I received the money. I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness because it was unexpected. For a long time, I had dreamed of starting projects that could change my life, and this transfer gave me the opportunity to make those dreams a reality. The excitement was so intense that I could barely contain it. It felt like a new beginning, knowing that I now had the means to improve my living conditions and take care of my family."

"I spent $440 on building materials, including 22 pieces of iron sheets and timber, to construct a new house. This was necessary as I was living in a small, cramped house with seven children, some of whom were teenagers. I also invested $60 in two goats for financial security and used the remaining $51 to buy food supplies, including maize, cereals, and groceries, to ensure my family had enough to eat."

"The house I built has been the most significant improvement in my life. In our village, it has been raining heavily for the past week, and I can’t imagine how I would have coped with my old house. It would have been a nightmare trying to stay dry and safe. Now, I feel protected and secure, and I am deeply grateful to Give Directly for making this possible. My family and I can now face the future with confidence and hope."