"I haven't spent the transfer yet"

"In my family of five, we often rely on daily casual jobs, like land cultivation, to earn just $2.5, but these opportunities are scarce, and we sometimes go days without food, leaving us hungry. GiveDirectly has been a beacon of hope for us, as I used the $65 of the transfers to buy food for the entire household. Additionally, our one-room mud-walled house was on the brink of collapse after being battered by harsh winds and rains. Thankfully, the transfers came to the rescue, and I used the remainder to construct a sturdy two-room iron sheet-walled house. Now, my family has a comfortable and secure place to call home, and we no longer worry about the weather's fury."

"Empowerment surged through me as I resolved to secure my family's financial future. My husband's motorcycle taxi business has carried us thus far, but the weight of our financial responsibilities is becoming overwhelming. I yearn for independence, a desire that has long been my beacon. Over the next year, I will embark on a journey into extensive goat rearing, a venture that promises to provide the financial stability we crave. I will nurture our current flock, allowing it to multiply and creating a safety net for our family in times of need. I envision the peaceful pastures where our goats will thrive, the income they will generate, and the pride in knowing I can contribute to our household's well-being."

"I live in a grass thatched house and the walls are covered with mud. It can easily be destroyed by termites and doesn't last longer. It's one room and we share with my family of three. This is not enough for us and my children also struggle studying in this small house. This has affected my ability to stay comfortably or even host visitors."

"It's been a difficult period for the last 3 years. We've had a long drought cutting across seasons. This has led to severe water shortage. Due to our dependence of irrigation for farming, it's hard harvesting. Most of the time my farm dries due to lack of rains or water to irrigate. This has really affected my ability to establish myself. It has led to low farm productivity and I also grow a small portion of the land. This is because of inadequate water supply."

"My biggest worry is educating my children. I am a window with two children in university and college. It's difficult paying their school fees. I depend on casual labour to support them and also through selling my livestock. This has led me to loose most of my cattle. I now have only 6 cows. It's really difficult educating children, but it also gives them a better future."

"Since I'm single and not married with children, I'm faced with so many challenges. However, the greatest challenge I'm facing currently is providing for my small family. I depend on casual work which does not give me enough money to meet all the needs I have. It saddens me so much whenever my children don't get what they want."

"My greatest challenge is the lack of school fees for my son Kangor Komen. Since I depend on casual work to look for money, paying for his school fees and providing for his siblings has been my greatest challenge."

"The main challenge we are facing currently is a lack of money. We depend solely on casual work which we get occasionally. Since my husband is deaf this makes it even more difficult for me and my family."

"Currently, we are facing a lot of challenges. One of the most pressing challenges is school fees. We have four children who are in different levels of education whom we pay school fees for. With the current difficult economic conditions, we can barely manage to pay for their school fees."