"I have aspired to pursue academic excellence. This goal seemed too hard to achieve before I was enrolled in GiveDirectly's program owing to the poor financial state of my parents. Now that I am sure of my monthly transfers, I shall always strive to use my transfers to pay my school fees. Therefore, my primary goal is to spend my transfers supporting my studies. I am optimistic that with a success in my academics, I shall be able to realize my full potential."

"I'm hoping of achieving a very decent house for me and my family. I'm so thinking of starting a business that will help me for the next coming year. To build myself a house was great things for me."

"After the death of my parents in 2020, I assumed the responsibility of raising my younger brother at a very tender age. I was forced to cut short my studies after form 4 to engage in casual labour to feed and pay for school fees for my younger sibling. After receiving my transfers from GiveDirectly, I used $100 to pay school fees for my brother who is in form 4. In addition, I desired to study for a certificate in social work and community health, so I used $220 to enrol myself on a college in the nearest town. With the remaining amount, I saved to support me and my brother on our daily upkeep in school needs and family basic needs like food."

"I decided to finish my house when I got the second and final transfer, as we had been informed. Since I trusted my son to oversee the construction, I am unable to determine how much money I spent on finishing the house. I'm glad to see that he performed as I had anticipated. I then invested $134 to begin raising livestock. To begin with, I purchased four goats because, in contrast to cows, they can withstand difficult climatic conditions. I used some of the remaining money to cover my grandchildren's school expenses and the rest to maintain the household."

"GiveDirectly has made it their mission to identify those in need of help and to provide that help. I've seen water tanks, kids going to school, cattle being purchased, and so on all around my village, thanks to GiveDirectly. In countless ways, they have made many people's dreams come true."

"I started finishing the roofing on my house with the second transfer after starting it with the first. For $228, I purchased 24 pieces of iron sheets. Cost of labor was $100. My house is now complete, and I'm content to have a place to call home. I spent $70 on a sturdy door because I wanted one. After that, I spent $60 for my five primary school-aged grandchildren's tuition. I also spent $50 to purchase two 200-liter storage tanks due to the lack of water. I bought some food for the family with the balance."

"The biggest problem we experience here is the long drought. We have not had rain for the last 6 months. This has dried most of the vegetation. Since we depend on livestock, it's difficult raising many. At this moment you only raise 5, unlike when it's raining. One can raise over 10. This has affected our income as a family. This year we sold our cow cheaply because it was not healthy. Sold it for $90. Normally it would cost at least $150. This has affected our ability to pay school fees."

"The challenge I'm facing at the moment is a lack of money. I have seven children and two are in high school and both need school fees. However, I haven't been able to pay for their tuition because I lack money. The small business I run in the village is not as productive as well but gives me something to feed my other children that have not joined secondary school. We also lack food which is a challenge since this place is very dry and we haven't had rains for a long time. We sometimes have to go with one meal a day or even go hungry whenever we don't get food."

"Both my husband and I are farmer and we have been depending on the same to earn living since we got married. For the last two years, the rains have not been reliable and we have only been able to harvest enough for family consumption and left with nothing to sell. Since all our children are in school, we have been forced to sell the food to pay school fees and therefore look for casual jobs in the neighborhood to get daily food. Water has also become scarce therefore at times, we have to walk for kilometers in search of it. When I received my second transfer, I spend $220 of it to buy 5000 litres of water so that I can store enough water once it rains, $100 to clear fees arrears for my son who is in high school and the balance to buy food and other household items."

"Currently, I only have one house that is not spacious enough to accommodate all my children. I have not been having a kitchen, and as a result, my younger children are often forced to spend in the neighborhood. My goal is to build a spacious kitchen that will serve the purpose of cooking and a sleeping area for my younger children. It will save them from the stress of spending in the neighborhood. I also hope to use part of the transfers to promote my farming practices immediately after we begin experiencing some rain."