"Four years ago, after spending many years living in a mud house, I began building a permanent home for my family. With the small savings my husband managed to make from his carpentry job, we were able to buy bricks, sand, and cement to construct a spacious two-room house. The structure was nearly complete, but we were unable to afford the remaining iron sheets needed to finish the roofing. We had a deficit of 12 pieces, and the walls, though built, were still rough and unplastered. Then came the timely relief of the transfer. With this support, I was able to purchase the necessary cement and sand to plaster the walls and buy the remaining iron sheets to complete the roofing. My house is almost finished, and I am at peace. This project would have stalled for a long time without the transfer, but thanks to this help, we’re close to having a safe, permanent home."

"In my honest opinion, Give Directly could not have picked a better time that it did in offering as money in the form of aid. One of my daughters was lucky enough to have completed her high school education back in the year 2022, but unfortunately, I could not manage to enroll her for further studies in college, yet she had performed quite well. Therefore, this transfers allowed me to finally push my daughter to the next level as she had wanted and had qualified to be in. I ended up spending 200 usd to pay for tuition as she enrolled for nursing college, and as I am narrating this, she is pursuing that endeavor. Apart from that, I went ahead to settle a tuition debt for my other daughter who is still in high school, I settled on paying the debt of 65 usd and paid an extra 60 usd for the next term. What followed is I decided to do a bit of renovation and improvement for my house which cost me about 154 usd. The renovations included finally doing some flooring and plastering of my house, especially the kitchen and bathroom. I installed a sink, tap and a couple of drawers in the kitchen as well. Lastly I proceeded to spend the remaining amount of 53 usd on nutrition just because due to my age, I can barely hold a job and having a meal was compulsory. That amount afforded a couple dozen packets of maize flour, some vegetable and cereals."

"The first thing that came to mind the minute I received the cash transfer was to provide a better home environment for my children. For the longest time, my children have been sleeping on mere remains of mattresses that I bought ages ago, therefore, I intentionally changed this by spending 120 usd on two mattresses and bedding covers. Afterwards I proceeded to spend 148 usd on nutrition. As I had mentioned earlier I am a farmer, but unfortunately due to the terrible climatic conditions, I literally could barely reap anything from the farm last season, which pushed me to spend the above stated amount on feeding for my family and I. With the money, I bought a few sacks of maize, about 30 kilograms of rice, more than half a dozen packets of wheat flour, cooking oil, some vegetables every now and then and lastly a few kilograms of different cereals. Since I preferred creating a form of stability, I decided to spend 150 usd on starting a new business where I sell fruits, and so far it is doing quite well. Five of my children also had tuition arrears, which left them on the verge of almost being kicked out of school, so I paid 62 usd to sort that out. I purposely saved 50 usd in case of a rainy day and spent an extra 18 usd on medication because a couple of my family members not excluding myself had Malaria. Lastly the remaining 20 usd ended up being used mostly on transport."

"As soon as I found out that the transfers were in my account, I was completely over the moon. I felt an almost immediate surge of energy and fire in me that frankly I have not been able to feel for quite some time. The reason being, I have been utterly stressed out due to my family’s responsibilities, especially considering that I am the breadwinner. I was in debt over my kid’s tuition and my means of putting food on the table, which was farming, was becoming almost non dependable since with the ongoing drought I managed to harvest nothing. This funds were the boost I needed to feel alive again."

"For the first time, I’m on the verge of a long-awaited change that will make my daily routine so much easier. I’m finally installing my very own water tap within my compound—a step that will transform how my family accesses water for our everyday needs. Until now, we’ve had to rely on a distant water source, which meant buying water every day at a high cost. The expense was a constant strain, and there were days when shortages left us struggling. It was a frustrating situation, one that weighed heavily on my shoulders. Determined to find a solution, I decided to install a water tap of my own. I’ve already applied, and now all that’s left is to lay the pipes and install the meter. It’s so close to becoming a reality, and I can’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. This wouldn’t have been possible without the financial boost I recently received. My work as a casual labourer in a quarry never earned enough to make such a goal achievable. But thanks to this opportunity, I can now bring clean, accessible water directly to my family."

"I am deeply grateful that the first transfer has significantly improved my living conditions, which were previously in a pitiable state. My home lacked many necessities that I simply couldn’t afford. I didn’t have enough utensils or chairs, and I was sleeping on an old, worn-out mattress. When I received the transfer, I decided to prioritize improving my living conditions. The first thing I did was buy a new mattress for $40 to replace the old one I had been using. I also purchased new chairs, a table, and utensils, which altogether cost $60. In addition, I spent $60 on new clothes for myself and my children. This not only gave my home a fresh and uplifting look but also boosted my children’s confidence and sense of self-worth. Beyond these purchases, I paid $30 in school fees to ensure my children could continue their education. Knowing they can stay in school gives me great peace of mind. I also made a long-term investment by buying a goat for $50, adding to the single goat I already owned. I’m excited about the prospect of this growing into a herd over time, which could provide a sustainable source of income soon. Another important step I’m taking is installing a water tap in my compound. I have already paid $80 for the meter application and will soon lay the pipes. This will make water easily accessible for my family, which is a huge improvement. The remaining transfer went towards purchasing food staples, including bags of maize and other cereals that should last us for several months. This has eased a significant burden, as my work as a casual labourer in a quarry often doesn’t provide enough to fully support my family. With food secured, I can now allocate my earnings to other pressing needs."

"My current house is in very poor condition. It was built a long time ago, and the walls are now very weak, making it prone to collapse at any time. Therefore, I have decided to focus my transfers on purchasing building materials to construct a better and more spacious house. Having a secure home will bring me peace of mind, as I will no longer live in constant fear that the house might harm us. We have no other place to go, so we must persevere until we can build a safer home. Alongside this, I also plan to invest in livestock keeping. This will serve as my future financial security once the transfers come to an end. If my livestock rearing project succeeds, it will also make it easier for me to educate my children. I am deeply grateful for the financial support from GiveDirectly."

"I am grateful that I used my transfer to build a beautiful small house for my son. I get emotional when I reflect on where he used to sleep, which is why I prioritized this project. Now, I have started working on building my own house. In the coming year and beyond, I have two priority projects: completing my house and investing in goat rearing. I am saving through our merry-go-round group, intending to use my transfers partly for construction and partly for buying goats. I have already purchased a lorry of building stones, which shows I am on track. I have seven children—six girls and one boy. My current house is a single room and too small to accommodate me and my six daughters. That’s why I am building a two-roomed house to provide us with a more comfortable living space. As a tailor, my income is modest, so I joined a village loan and savings group to support my savings efforts. Once I finish building my house, I will focus on buying goats to secure my future financial stability when the transfers eventually come to an end."

"I completed my secondary school education in 2021. Since my parents are casual laborers, they cannot afford my college fees, which is why I haven’t joined college yet. However, I am optimistic that with the transfers from GiveDirectly, I will save enough money to pursue my dream of studying hospitality. I had hoped to start college this year, but the money I saved wasn’t enough. Therefore, I plan to continue saving and investing in poultry and goat rearing projects. I am confident that if these projects succeed, I will raise the funds needed to begin my college education. I aspire to study ICT, inspired by my uncle, who has been successful in this field. With my savings and income from my goat investment, I believe I can afford my school fees and fully focus on my studies. My goal is to excel academically, earn good grades, and eventually start my own business after graduation to secure a better future."

"Our house is very small, it cannot comfortably accommodate my growing family, and this has been a constant challenge for us. My dream has always been to add another room to our home, creating the space and comfort we so deeply need. To turn this vision into reality, I have been saving a portion of my transfers in our local savings group. Once these savings mature, I plan to use them to kickstart the house-building project. I know the funds will not be enough to complete the construction all at once, but I am determined. I plan to continue setting aside a portion of my future transfers to gradually work toward finishing the house. Right now, my husband is unable to contribute to the project as he is still paying off the debt for the motorcycle we acquired to give him a source of income. Although it has been a difficult journey, I am proud of the steps we have taken together to improve our situation. I look forward to the day when our house is complete. Having the space and comfort we have always longed for will mean so much to my family and me. I am incredibly grateful for the support from GiveDirectly, as it has given me the means to dream bigger and work toward this goal."