"I recently received a transfer; therefore, I spent KES 1500 on two plastic seats. I made this choice so that whenever guests come over, they will always have a comfortable seat available. In addition to this, I spent KES 9000 on a sack of maize, 3 kg of beans, and more food to last us a few weeks. With the money that was left over, I purchased some laundry detergents and four pieces of iron sheets that I intend to use to construct a more opulent house for the family."

"Due to the draught that devastated our area, there is currently an inadequate supply of food and the price of food has increased as a result of this. I bought groceries for my family with more than half of the $200 transfer that I received. I also paid about $65 to lease some land inside the village and to purchase and sow millet on the farm. Compared to other crops, millet has been seen to be more drought-resistant. My daughter and my wife both use medication, so I used the remainder of the transfer to buy some for them as they are required to take the drugs on daily basis."

"The main issue our family and community are currently facing is the lack of food. The production of crops from our farms has been hampered by the unpredictable and difficult rains that have been falling. So, we have no choice except to buy our food from stores and markets. About $100 of the $200 I was given went toward buying food for my family of five. I also settled a $20 bill that I had accrued from food purchases. I spent the remaining money on fencing my property after purchasing nine posts at a cost of $4 each as part of the materials I need to build a house."

"One evening, while I was away from the farm, I overheard my villagemates talking excitedly about receiving the transfer from Givedirectly. Because I had been taught to keep my M-Pesa information safe and to only allow one person to assist me, I went in search of him and asked him if I had also received the transfer. When I received confirmation that I had also received my transfer, I shared the villagers' elation and thanked Givedirectly for the gift."

"My major purpose is to construct a shelter for my livestock. Currently, my goal is to finish assembling the remaining materials, which are the iron sheets. I have already collected all of the other materials. To do this, I set a goal of saving $20 over the next five months to save money for both the iron sheets and the contractor's labor fee. This will allow me to meet my objective before the end of the year."

"I want to utilize the following transfer to fix a door to my house for security reasons now that I have finished restoring my collapsed house, which was a huge issue. I will then be relieved to focus on establishing a goat and chicken-rearing business. I regard these endeavors as potential sources of money because I do not have anybody else to rely on for support. I may raise money by selling the cattle as they grow and use the proceeds to cater to my multiple needs and expenses, mainly food. I will have a more reliable source of income and financial freedom thanks to this project."

"I have been taking refuge in a small hut with a sagging roof. I was staying in the small hut with my co-wife and our grandchildren. Even for us two, there was not enough space. It was even worse when it rained because all of our belongings, including our clothes, were rained on, and water poured all over the hut, rendering it uninhabitable. I did not have a close relative I could go to for help, so I had to endure the cold with my young grandchildren. The only solution was to build an iron-roofed house, which became possible after I received the transfer. I was finally able to purchase iron sheets and building poles, and I was able to construct a spacious and decent house. Moving from a grass thatched house that had served as a shelter for decades to a decent iron roofed house has been the most noticeable difference in my daily life."

"My house was destroyed by fire, and I have not been able to rebuild it since. I was forced to stay in a small grass-thatched hut that was on the verge of collapsing. I tried everything I could think of to save money and buy building materials for a decent house, but nothing worked. My meager earnings from burning and selling charcoal and, at times, working on other people's farms were insufficient to support my family. The program has greatly improved my standard of living by allowing me to construct a decent iron-roofed house that is more stable than the grass-thatched house that has been my shelter for years. This is all I prayed for every day and could not achieve on my own. After years of attempting and failing due to financial constraints, I have finally moved into my new iron-roofed house."

"For many years, I had never felt the comfort that comes with living in an iron-roofed house. Every day, I hoped and prayed for a change of residence. However, as a widow with nothing to rely on, even selling and charcoal burning, which had been a source of income, could not allow me to build a house. As a result, I had no choice but to stay in a shaky grass thatched hut for decades, frequently replacing the roof with new grass. When I received the transfer, my prayers for owning a decent house were finally answered; this was all I had hoped for. I purchased enough building materials, such as iron sheets, nails, and building poles, to construct a new house. In addition to the house, I spent KES 15000 on medical expenses. I am old, and I have to go for regular health checks, which the transfer accommodated. I was well taken care of because I had enough money to cover my medical bills."

"This chicken project is the big picture project for me. I own over 70 chicken and these are in good health due to the way we feed them and make sure they have medicine whenever need arises. I do not want to start on another project before this actually starts to bring in a profit. My aim is to continue investing in this chicken business until it can stand on its own then maybe do other things after. I want the earnings to help me take care of my children in terms of food and education. My wife's business is also doing well and I hope it grows furteher."