"By the end of this year, I hope to improve the condition of my house, which has been my sanctuary for the past five years. My plan is to buy one piece of iron sheet at a time until I have enough to conduct a complete roof makeover. I am concerned about the approaching rainy season and the potential for sleepless nights and damage due to the current state of the roof. Once my house is in good condition, I will be overjoyed."

"Next year, I have several goals that I would like to achieve. First and foremost, I plan to finish building the new room that will provide ample space for my four grandchildren. This way, my house will be able to comfortably accommodate all members of my family. Second, I would like to invest in livestock, particularly goats that can thrive in our harsh climatic conditions. As the goats multiply, I plan to sell some and use the proceeds to support my family's needs"

"Due to my current health condition, it has been difficult for me to provide for my family's essential needs and pay the mounting bills. This year, I have decided to prioritize my well-being, which means I will be using a significant portion of the transfer funds to purchase necessary medicinal drugs and make frequent visits to the hospital for treatment. In addition to taking care of my health, I have also decided to invest some of the funds in livestock. I believe that this will be a profitable future investment, as I can sell the livestock for a good price and earn additional income to support my family's needs. By prioritizing my health and making sound investments, I hope to improve my family's overall well-being and create a more stable future for us."

"My goal is to complete the construction of my house by the end of this year. Unfortunately, the building process came to a halt due to a shortage of funds. However, I have a plan to strengthen the house by building stone pillars around it to prevent the mud walls from collapsing. This will provide the necessary support and security needed for me to live peacefully inside my home."

"When I received my most recent transfer of $450, I used $230 to buy pesticides that were used in my farm and another $170 was used to improve my shop keeping and poshomill business. I then used another $50 to pay school fees for my children who are in their primary school level. We normally rely on irrigation farming as a source of livelihood here. We also keep goats that helps us to meet any huge financial needs moreso those that are an emergency. We received the money when we had tomatoes in our farms that required regular spraying to control pesticides. We were lucky to have received the transfer at around that time and this saved us from selling the goats that we own. This therefore means that we are in a better place to meet any needs in the future that may come by. It was however unfortunate since I made some huge losses from the tomatoes farm. I am so happy that my business of running a shop has been revived. This has not just made our lives easier but has also given me hope of expanding this business to make more money in future."

"Our main house that we stay in has been greatly invaded by termites. It is already at the verge of crumbling down and my initial plan was to repair it and make it better. I however have had to deter my dream of repairing this house and concentrate on paying school fees for my children who are in their secondary level of education. Once my children are out of their secondary school and into their tertiary level then I will be in a position to repair my house and make it more comfortable for me and my family. Right now I am more concerned about seeing my children clear their secondary education. I am happy that one of my daughter s was recently employed by government and she has promised to help me in putting up the structure. I hope that she will be able to do this before the end of this year since I avoided doing the charcoal selling business that I used to do just to concentrate on taking care of her two kids and my mother in law"

"Farming on a leasehold has proven to be a challenging task, as poor management practices often lead to significant losses. The harsh weather conditions, characterized by prolonged droughts, have made it even harder for me to irrigate my crops fully due to a lack of a generator. To address this issue, I plan to save up from my farm's proceeds and purchase a small but efficient generator that can pump enough water to irrigate my crops adequately. This investment will not only benefit my farm but also other farmers who may hire my generator for their farms."

"The timing of the second transfer from GiveDirectly was perfect, as I was facing several challenges at the time. My daughter was beginning her ninth-grade education at a nearby secondary school, and the list of requirements was extensive to the point where I had considered sending her to a local day school instead. However, upon receiving the transfer, I was able to purchase all of the necessary school requirements valued at $200, including two sets of school-branded uniforms, a metal box, shoes, bedding, and textbooks and exercise books. Additionally, I paid her $150 admission fees, allowing her to progress uninterrupted throughout the semester. I also used $90 to purchase two goats, which I intend to rear and sell in the future to pay for my daughter's education. Finally, I spent the remaining funds on a bag of cement to complete an unfinished part of my house."

"Currently, paying school fees for my three children is proving to be a challenge. In order to ensure that I can comfortably pay for their education, I plan to enhance my farming activities. This includes expanding my current plantation area from three acres to at least four and gaining better access to the competitive irrigation system that is vital for farming. With a successful harvest, I am confident that I can fully pay for their school fees and even have some proceeds left over to cover other household expenses."

"I used $35k to purchase a dairy cow. I have three young kids who depend on milk majorly for food and this is so costly. I am happy that the cow will calve soon and could cut the daily milk expenditure. I will as well sell the surplus to earn an extra income. My children had been ridiculed by their peers for awhile for wearing old torn clothes, so I spent around $80 to buy them new beautiful clothes. In addition, I used the remaining amount to buy food for my five family members which was a relief to my spouse who has been the breadwinner"