"I was relaxing at home around 3 pm when I received a message notification on my phone. Curiosity sparked within me as I quickly grabbed the device and checked the message. To my amazement, I saw that I had received the promised $550 from GiveDirectly. A wave of joy washed over me, filling my heart with gratitude and excitement. I couldn't help but smile, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Instantly, my thoughts raced to my family's needs, and I envisioned building an extra room for our house. It was a dream I had longed for, a space where my children could have their separate room to grow and thrive."

"I am a widow with six children, and I rely on casual labor to provide for my family. When I received my most recent transfer, I knew I had to make some important choices. First, I decided to invest in building a house for my grown-up children so they could have their own space. We used to sleep in a cramped house, which made it hard for me to have any privacy as a parent. I spent $311 on building materials, and seeing the construction begin filled my heart with joy. My children are also happy that their new home is underway, and this has brought us closer together as a family. After putting money towards the house, I knew I needed to take care of my children’s education as well. So, I spent $100 to pay their school fees. Education is crucial for their future, and I want to ensure they have the best opportunities possible. The remaining $139 went towards buying food for our family. With all these expenses, I felt relief knowing that I was providing a better life for my children. These transfers have made a difference in our lives, and I am grateful for the support that allows us to build a brighter future together."

"My hubby is the sole breadwinner for our family. In April 2024, the flash floods caused extensive damage to Masai Mara resort, where he worked as a staff member. Due to the closures, he was unfortunately laid off. We were shocked by the news and had to prepare ourselves for the difficult times ahead, learning to adjust our budget and live within our means. We struggled a lot to put food on the table and meet our family needs. My two sons, Brian and Eugene, who are in secondary school, were also affected by the loss of our family's source of income. Covering their school fee arrears has become an additional challenge for us."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge because my husband and I depend on charcoal burning to make ends meet. Currently ,the government has placed strict measures to restrict selling of charcoal and this has greatly affected our income. If we had a stable source of income life would have been better."

"My biggest challenge currently is my disability and old age which has grounded me and I'm unable to work and provide for my family. This has left my family to depend on my wife. This has made life very difficult since its not enough and it is really stressful."

"My current house is small and not spacious enough to accommodate my family of seven. Because of this, my young children, who are currently in school, have to seek shelter elsewhere. This troubled me as their parent, and I felt they were too young to face such problems. When I received my first transfer, I decided to build a spacious two-roomed mud house that would accommodate some of my children and me while the others stayed in the old house. I purchased enough building materials, including 24 iron sheets, building poles, and nails, and I am now building the new house. I am at peace because my children will no longer struggle with shelter, unlike before when they would be looking for shelter from neighbors."

"My children are currently enrolled in school, and thanks to the first transfer that I received, they no longer face interruptions regarding fees. I have four children in different levels of education: one is taking a driving course, one is in high school, and the others are in primary school. With the transfer, I was able to handle the responsibility of paying fees for all of them. They are now comfortably in school, which has given me ample time to prepare for the next term's payment. Additionally, they did not have a decent shelter, so I purchased building materials such as building poles, nails, and iron sheets to construct a house for them. Their current house is in bad shape with a leaking roof, and the structure is weak and can easily be swept away in case of a downpour. Having a decent shelter will not only alleviate these challenges, but I also feel that it will help them to study effectively."

"I spend most of my time at home since I am sick and under medication. At around 3 pm, while chatting with neighbors at my house, I got a message on my phone. I have been eagerly waiting for the transfer from GiveDirectly, and since this was the week they had promised, I was alert to every notification that came on my phone. Upon checking the message's contents, I was instantly filled with happiness, realizing that it was my first transfer. I thanked them since I was awaiting a costly medical check-up, which was a relief for me."

"I am a small-scale farmer, and the income from farming is quite insufficient. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for the financial assistance as it has made it much easier for me to provide food for my children. Before receiving support from GiveDirectly, my children were frequently sent home from school due to unpaid fees. However, this is no longer the case. I can now pay school fees on time and also meet my children's basic needs. I am aware that the financial assistance will come to an end as we were promised support for five years, and time is passing quickly. To ensure that I am not in a difficult situation once the transfers end, I have decided to invest in a livestock business. Specifically, I used part of the transfer to purchase two goats. I intend to take good care of the goats so that they multiply quickly. Once I have a substantial number of goats, I plan to sell some of them in order to buy a dairy cow. The dairy cow will provide us with milk for both domestic use and commercial purposes. I will sell some of the milk to generate income to support my children's education and other basic needs. Therefore, to achieve this goal, I aim to continue purchasing more goats using part of my monthly transfers in order to realize my ultimate objective."

"We live in an arid region where finding casual jobs is challenging, and the harsh climate hampers crop production. This situation makes life increasingly difficult for us. Unfortunately, we lack a reliable source of income to support our family. We have to sell our goats cheaply in order to provide for my family of eight and meet our basic needs. This financial struggle forces us to skip meals and often share the little food we have among ourselves. I am happy that my firstborn, Purity Chepchieng, has been enrolled at Masinde Muliro University to pursue a degree in Education Arts. This came with a fair share of challenges to my family, we are struggling to pay school for our daughter."