"I received a Mpesa message, and after reading it, I knew it was from GiveDirectly because I could easily understand the content. The indicated amount matched the promised amount, so I knew I had received the first transfer. I wasn't expecting any other money in my account at the time, and as such I went ahead and collected, confident that it was what I was expecting to use on my enlisted plans."

"The joy of seeing the construction of my new house moving along well and at a faster pace after a boost with the first transfer is the biggest difference in my daily life. I am hoping that the construction will be finished soon and that we will be able to move in within a month. The transformation would not have been possible were it not for the financial support that I am forever grateful for."

"For the past year, I have purchased at least two liters of milk daily for my family of four. This would set me back at least $8 per week. I spent $200 on a heifer after receiving the first transfer, hoping it will be productive when it calves. I am still buying milk and expect to do so for another year before it matures enough to provide enough milk for my family. I also spent $50 on household items, including food for my children. I decided to save the rest of the money in preparation for expanding a bakery business I am currently running. Even though I have been selling cakes locally, I have always wished to expand by introducing a mixing machine geared to reduce labor costs, improve quality, and expand a venture into a wider range of customers. The machine costs $700, and I am hoping that the second transfer will help me purchase one. I am thankful for the progress I have made with the first transfer and hope to see more transformation in the coming months."

"Cattles ( I want to involve ) My goal is to become a successful farmer especially in animal husbandry. Therefore, I used the money I have received from Givedirectly to pay school fees and to pay for cow as a startup."

"The biggest difference between then and now is that my wife and I were able to boost our earnings. This is mainly because we pumped the cash transfer into our business. I'm positive that upon receipt of my second transfer, I'll be able to complete my house. I'm grateful for the funds which have empowered us to a greater standard."

"My business was on the verge of collapsing yet we solely relied on it. The stock was so little. Luckily, GiveDirectly came at the right time to save us. I can ultimately say that the big difference now is the fact that I finalized building my house and raised my business. My husband and I are grateful for the support that's brought us joy and happiness in life."

"I am a single mother of 3, and they all look after me to fend for them. I depend on casual work on other people's farms to get money to buy food, these menial Jobs have become so scarce to come by. The situation has further been worsened by the increased cost of living, the price of commodities has shot up threefold, and life has indeed become hard and unbearable. We are forced to survive on one meal per day, we delay lunch meal to around 5 pm and the same meal also act as dinner. This is not the life I desire or wish my children to have. I am shaken again and again, the suffering is not going away."

"I am old and sick, due to my age I can hardly walk, and I suffer from lower back pain and gout. I also have chronic ulcers that have persisted for some time now, efforts to seek medication have not assisted much and I have not gotten enough medical attention for the health challenges I have been facing because of a lack of funds. This has made my normal life extremely difficult since I cannot do household chores, I am assisted to stand and I use sticks to move around albeit for short distances. I depend on relatives and the government cash transfers have assisted me a great deal although it is meager and delayed to be released. This has caused me a lot of pain and has left me to live a life of misery and destitution."

"Water has been the greatest challenge in this area. Even though there is the availability of piped water, in the nearby shopping center accessing it is challenging. We then have to purchase and it costs us a lot."

"I am a father of six working as a small-scale business owner while my wife is a subsistence farmer. Five of our kids are still in school, and I plan to raise more money to cater to their education needs. To realize this, I plan to expand my mini-shop with $500 to maximize my profits. I will borrow a loan from our merry-go-round group which I will top up with the income from the business to actualize this goal."