"When I received $200 from GiveDirectly, it was timely support, and I am truly thankful for that. I used $78 to harvest the maize that I had planted in partnership with the Kenya Seed Company. My plan is to use the money from the farm to buy a safer place to relocate to, as I have been a victim of floods, and I want to mitigate this risk permanently. I also allocated $65 to pay rent for my younger sibling in college and provided him with pocket money because, as the firstborn, I have to take responsibility and ensure that my siblings' well-being is well taken care of. I spent the rest of the money on my personal needs, such as clothing. I am so grateful to GiveDirectly; may God bless you for this support!"

"The biggest difference in my life since I started receiving cash from GiveDirectly has been my ability to address two important needs: food and education. My children no longer go to bed hungry as they used to before, and this has brought a great sense of relief to my household. Additionally, my child in secondary school, who was on the verge of being sent home due to unpaid school fees, has been able to stay in school. This has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and made me feel less stressed. Overall, my family is now full of joy, and I am grateful for the positive changes GiveDirectly has brought into our lives."

"What I like about GiveDirectly is how organized they are, which makes it easy for us to understand their process and trust them. Their transparency and fairness stood out, as they didn’t show any bias in how they handled things. However, I have noticed that some people in my village haven’t been enrolled yet. My recommendation is for GiveDirectly to follow up and inquire if these individuals truly qualify for the program, as they might need the support too. Overall, I appreciate their work and hope more people can benefit from it."

"I received $450 from GiveDirectly very early in the morning, and I was so happy that I couldn't sleep. My family has been greatly affected by floods, and I lost all of my livestock due to this disaster. To get back into livestock keeping, I used $180 to buy three goats. Since losing my livestock, my family has struggled with a lack of milk, so restoring this source of nutrition was essential. I hope these goats will grow into a larger herd in the future. After that, I used $100 to pay a deposit for the land I currently live on. I have been living on borrowed land, and I want to pay the full amount to become a landowner. Thanks to GiveDirectly, this is now possible. With the final transfer, I will be able to clear the balance, and the plot I have been staying on for seven years will finally be mine. Next, I turned my attention to my living situation. I currently live in a one-room house, which is not enough for me and my children. I used $130 to buy iron sheets so that I could extend my house to two rooms, providing enough space for my family. With no job and a family of four kids, food is crucial and often hard to come by. I used $40 to buy enough food for my family, and now we are all happy and content."

"Recently, I received $450 from GiveDirectly, and I was incredibly grateful for the support. I decided to use the money to improve my life and that of my family. I spent $380 to buy construction materials because my old Manyatta house was not sufficient for my family of five children. I built a new house made of iron sheets, which provided enough space and privacy for my family. Now, with two houses, we can better meet our household needs. After completing the construction, I realized I didn’t have any livestock before receiving help from GiveDirectly. I used $40 to buy one goat, which I plan to take care of. This goat will provide milk for my family, and I hope to grow my livestock in the future. Getting food has always been a challenge, and relying solely on casual labor was not enough. To ensure my family has enough to eat, I used $30 to buy food, and since then, we have never lacked food."

"Upon receiving $450 from GiveDirectly, I decided to use the entire amount to buy construction materials, including frames and iron sheets. My reason for this was that I previously had only a one-room house, which wasn’t enough for my family, as I have two children. I have now added another room, contributing some of my savings from my kiosk shop. When GiveDirectly sent their transfer, I was also able to collect payments from people who owed me money, and with that combined, I was able to complete the construction. Now, everyone in my family has privacy, and we can sleep comfortably and with dignity. This improvement has truly transformed our living conditions, and I’m grateful for the support that made it possible."

"I was overjoyed when I received $450 from GiveDirectly, and I immediately set to work on the plan I had in mind. I used $350 to buy five sheep. I had never owned livestock before, and with the high cost of buying milk, these sheep will help me cut down on that expense in the long run. Additionally, I’ll be able to generate income from raising livestock. I already have grass available for grazing, so providing pasture won’t be a problem. I also spent $40 to build a secure space for the sheep, ensuring they are safe from theft and predators. With that done, I turned my attention to poultry farming, another project I’m excited to start. Although I’ve never done it before, I used $34 to build a proper space that will accommodate a good number of chickens. Now, I am waiting for GiveDirectly’s final transfer so I can buy the chickens. This project will provide a steady income, as I plan to sell eggs and chickens. Lastly, I spent $20 on food to make sure my family had enough to eat. The recent drought affected my harvest, so this was necessary to keep us going. GiveDirectly’s support has been a blessing, and these projects will help secure my family’s future and create a sustainable source of income."

"Recently, I was overjoyed and deeply grateful to receive $450 from GiveDirectly because I knew this would help bring my plans to life. I used $160 to buy two goats, as they thrive in my area and are a long-term investment that will generate income even after GiveDirectly's support ends. Additionally, I spent $99 on construction materials, specifically poles, to rebuild my house. My previous home was damaged by floods, and I want to use these poles, along with other materials from the damaged house, to build a new one on higher ground, safe from future flooding. Food has always been a challenge for my family. We often had to skip meals, so I used $88 to buy food that would last us for two months. This has given me peace of mind, knowing my family won’t have to worry about where our next meal will come from during this period. I also have two children in primary school, and I used $30 to pay their school fees. This has ensured they stay in school consistently, unlike before, when they would miss days due to unpaid fees. Finally, I spent $12 to buy ten chicks, as I plan to start poultry farming. This will help ensure that my assistance becomes sustainable, providing a steady income for my household. With poultry farming, I can meet my family’s daily needs without struggling as much as before. GiveDirectly’s support has truly transformed my life, enabling me to invest in long-term solutions for my family."

"I want to express my deep gratitude to GiveDirectly for their financial support. It has significantly helped me become more self-reliant, even while I’m still in college. For the coming year and beyond, my plan is to save $20 from each transfer to reach my goal of building a house. Currently, I don’t have my own home and stay at my brother’s place, but I know that once he marries, he’ll need his space, and I won’t have a place to stay. That's why I’m saving $20 each month towards building my own house, and I’m optimistic about achieving this goal. Once I have my house, I plan to start investing in goats. This is a promising initiative because goats multiply quickly and are easy to sell. If I grow my herd to a good size, I can sell some to help with any financial challenges that come up."

"My goal moving forward is to use my subsequent transfers to purchase more goats. Once they multiply, it will increase my investment, and in the future, when the transfer program ends, I can sell some of the goats to meet pressing financial needs. To achieve this goal, I plan to start saving money next year specifically for purchasing goats. With the festive season approaching, I also hope to sell many hens, and the profit from those sales will help me reach my goal. I am very happy and appreciative of the financial transfers so far, which have been a lifeline for my family."