"In my view, the direct cash transfer approach used by Give Directly has had a tremendous impact on our villages. People now have adequate food, and most importantly, children are regularly attending school, as there's no longer any excuse for absenteeism."

"The most significant change in my life at the moment is that I'm in a transformative phase, constructing a new home and fostering comfort within my family. These were developments I hadn't anticipated occurring so soon."

"I'm planning and aspiring to construct a well-built, two-room house for my family of eight. Even though it's still rather small for our needs, it represents an upgrade from our current situation and offers potential for future expansion."

"Upon receiving my first transfers, the initial step I took was to secure ample food for the household, spending approximately $70. The second priority was to address the home renovations that were urgently needed, as our roof had some holes that required mending. I purchased iron sheets for $73, acquired posts for $15, and hired a professional for $13 to execute the repairs."

"Since receiving transfers from Give Directly, the most profound change in my life has been the increased sense of peace, particularly due to the significant reduction in my sons school fees arrears and the clearance of a personal debt. No longer will I need to avoid my friend out of shame for owing them money, as I have now settled the debt in full."

"My aim before this year concludes is to ensure we have a decent and comfortable home. We've been enduring harsh conditions in an old, small house that no longer accommodates my family's needs, so securing a larger and more comfortable home is my main objective. Additionally, I plan to venture into farming. As part of this plan, I will focus on preparing the land and acquiring as much expertise as possible in tomato farming throughout this year."

"Around 3:00 p.m., I was present at a farewell event for one of my children's teachers who had retired. Unexpectedly, I received an SMS from Mpesa confirming the successful processing of a GD transfer. This filled me with great happiness, as this meant I would have money to buy food for my family. I continued participating in the gathering while looking forward to sharing this delightful news with my spouse later in the evening, after returning home."

"I allocated a significant portion of my transfer, amounting to $125, towards purchasing food. This decision was influenced by my lack of a reliable income, as I only rely on infrequent casual work opportunities that pay only $250 per day. Considering the scarcity of such work in recent times, I anticipate that this food supply will sustain my son and me for an extended period. Furthermore, I invested $75 in acquiring five sheets for the initiation of a project aimed at constructing a small room. This room will serve as a sleeping arrangement for my son, who currently seeks shelter at my brother's children's house. This troubles me, as I am uncertain about any potential negative perceptions they might have of me, and I feel we are causing a disturbance to their comfort. I am pleased that this project is in its early stages and is not only about providing my son with a proper sleeping space but also about creating an environment conducive to his studies."

"Once I have secured the necessary building materials, such as iron sheets and building poles, I intend to build a new house with an iron roof. After years of living in a grass-thatched hut, my dream is to live in a respectable home with a sturdy iron roof. The hut's current deplorable condition, exacerbated by its susceptibility to leakage during rainfall, has made daily life a constant struggle. The need to replace the grass roofing on a regular basis has proven time-consuming and burdensome. I am happy that I have already procured 21 iron sheets, marking a substantial advancement towards realizing my objective of erecting the new house. This accomplishment was made possible through the accumulation of transfers alongside my spouse, who is also a recipient of this assistance. With these preparations in motion, I am eager to initiate the project at the earliest opportunity, aiming to provide our family with a respectable and comfortable residence, even at our current stage of life."

"In the coming year and beyond my objective is to ensure that my children stay in school and continue with their education. I currently do not have a job that could have otherwise helped me to take care of my children's education expenses. I am raising livestock and mostly doing small scale subsistence farming. All I want is to ensure that my three children continue with their studies without interruptions concerning fees. I solely rely on the transfers for this, I believe that my children will be able to realize their educational goals in the period that I will be in the program. I also want to save a portion of the money after paying fees so as to buy more livestock especially goats, which I can also rely when I need to raise my children's fee. I can sell the offspring as they multiply and take my children."