"I used $300 to buy building materials for construction of a poultry house and used the remaining amount to buy food and other basic household needs for my family. I had so many plans in my mind that required money as a form of capital and which I could not raise enough money to do all of them and when I received this cash, I made a decision to buy building materials that will help me put up a poultry house. I am a mother of four children who still looks up to me to meet their needs and this business will help me in meeting their needs and those of my entire family. Once I receive the second transfer, I will be able to buy chicken for keeping as well as meet other needs of my family. I am very grateful to GiveDirectly for the support that we were given."

"When I received my first transfer of $550, I withdrew $210 from my Mpesa and used the money to connect piped water to my home. This money was useful in buying pipes and digging a trench that w used to channel the water to my compound. I am so happy that I now have clean drinking water in my compound unlike before when I was forced to go borrowing or buying from neighbours. It was hard for me and my children to buy water from neighbours who already had piped water in their compounds and sometimes we would be denied to even buy the water. I am already assembling more building materials that will help me build a better house for us as a family. I have since saved all the remaining amount of $340 in preparation for this. We are three wives each with more than five children yet we stay in one house. This makes it so uncomfortable for us and it is for this reason that I am really looking forward to putting up my own house."

"I felt so much happy the moment I received money from GiveDirectly. I remember very well that I was in my house and it was around 4:00 pm when I heard my phone ring. After checking my phone, I found out that GiveDirectly had made good their promise of sending us cash. I made a call to my wife who was away from home at that time. She was extremely happy and even broke into a celebration mood as we conversed on phone. We had so many things that we wanted to do once we get money and on top of the list is getting money for our business that urgently needed a boost. My wife was running a chemist shop and the demand for medicine was so high that we could not meet with our supply. There was therefore an urgent need to increase our stock to gather for this demand and give us more profits"

"I will always be appreciative of the help that significantly raised my standard of living. Without asking for anything in return, GiveDirectly has significantly affected my life. I have not observed anything that is not done properly because the company is well organized in how they carry out their task. It made it possible for me to pay school fees for my children who were on the verge of dropping out of school as well as enabling me to put some food on the table. This made my family happy because hunger had been bothering us for so long."

"Having a mini-mart has always been a dream of mine. I've always been fascinated by the seemingly endless number of people the shop attendant would interact with while on duty. This always made me want to run a business selling cereals and other everyday items at reasonable prices and in plentiful supply and stock."

"My business is burning wood and selling charcoal. Not an easy job and certainly not easy money, but it's what I do. Selling a sack of charcoal at $4 makes it difficult to supplement my husbands income from his quarry job. The cassava, maize, kunde, and other cereals we grow on our 2-acre farm are barely enough for us, let alone for sell. Needless to say, meeting expenses was unsurprisingly, difficult. My Grades 6,5 and 2 children each pay $5 per term in school fees at Mwenge Primary School, while my Grade 1 ,last born, pays $8per term in tuition. Compared to the earlier figures I mentioned as my earnings, it's easy to see why I consider GiveDirectly the lighthouse that guided my family out of financial demise. With the remaining funds, I build a one-bedroom house with a scenic verandah where my guests and I can sit and enjoy the evening breeze. We planned out the remaining funds by purchasing three female goats, clothes for the family, and stocking up on food stuff for the house , GiveDirectly made our dreams come true in the most incredible ways."

"I want to go to college and study mechanical engineering. It's been a lifelong interest of mine. I'd love to be able to make a living while doing something I enjoy. Finding a wife and having children will come naturally with the extra, stable income."

"Nothing would make me happier than to see all of my children complete their education and achieve the highest levels of academic achievement. I know they won't forget about me and will take care of me if that happens. In the near future, I hope to open a hotel. Its main focus would be on selling high-quality local delicacies like chapati, ugali, pilau, and so on. I believe that this will be the beginning of us as a family having more income and, as a result, a better life."

"GiveDirectly's foresight in believing that recipients can plan for themselves what is urgent and trustworthy has been life-changing. The impact that GiveDirectly has had on my life and the lives of other villagers is immeasurable! We will be eternally grateful to GiveDirectly as an organization and as a member of our family. GiveDirectly succeeds in making all recipients feel like they are part of a community that cares and loves them, and that in itself is a miracle."

"I've had one desire pounding in my heart and consuming my waking thoughts. Nothing would make me happier than to purchase land and construct my own home. I am currently living with my parents, and I am more than ready for that to end. In the short run, one of my top priorities is to expand my salon business and, as a result , improve our family's financial situation. All i truly desire in life is to provide the best possible life for my children."