"The biggest change in my life is that I was able to finally harvest my maize, which had been sitting in the field for too long because I didn’t have the money. Now, I am expecting good returns from the harvest. Before, I wouldn’t have been able to harvest it on time, and the crops could have been damaged or lost. This support has made a huge difference, allowing me to take care of the farm and avoid losing what I worked so hard to grow. I am hopeful that the returns from this harvest will help provide for my family."

"The biggest change in my life since I started receiving money from GiveDirectly is how much it has improved things for me. I have been able to invest more in my farming, which is my main source of income. One of the biggest achievements was being able to afford an irrigation system, something that felt out of reach before. With this system, I can now pump water from the lake, which has made a huge difference in my farming activities. My crops are healthier, and I no longer have to rely on unpredictable rainfall. This support has made my life easier, and I am very grateful."

"The freedom to use my transfer according to my family’s needs has truly empowered our lives. With the support from GiveDirectly, I have been able to achieve goals that once felt like distant dreams. I have improved our home, and bought essential supplies without worrying about where the money would come from. This flexibility has given me a sense of control and confidence in planning for the future, something I didn’t have before. So far, I haven’t encountered anything that was done poorly. Everything has been smooth, from receiving the funds to using them in a way that works best for us. I am deeply grateful for the support, as it has made such a positive impact on our lives."

"Upon receiving my second transfer, I used around $260 to buy iron sheets and other materials to complete my two-room house, which I had started building with the first transfer I received earlier. The main reason for building a new house was that the current one is almost collapsing, and this has been my greatest fear. Additionally, the old house was made of grass, and it would leak terribly during the rainy seasons. It was distressing when it rained because we had no shelter and would get soaked until the rain stopped. I also bought a bed and mattress for $140 to replace the traditional one made of ropes, which I had been using my entire life. I used to experience a lot of pain every night, and I would wish for the day to come, as I dreaded the nights due to this discomfort. Furthermore, I paid school fees for my two children in secondary school, totalling $80. I was tired of always seeing them sent home because of the lack of school fees. It was disheartening, as I knew this affected their performance and was demotivating for them. With the remaining $52, I bought food. As a widow who depends on charcoal and casual jobs, providing daily meals for my two children has been very difficult. As has often been the case, I felt it was wise to buy enough food to ensure we don't run out."

"My main goal is to focus on my studies. I completed high school last year, and fortunately, GiveDirectly enrolled me in their program, which has provided me with a monthly income—a great relief. Since my father's passing, my mother has struggled to raise us. With the support from GiveDirectly, I am confident I will complete my coursework successfully. I plan to save enough from my transfers to ensure I can pay my fees on time, allowing me to concentrate fully and achieve the best possible grades at the end of college. I have a passion for plumbing, and I believe that once I finish college, I will secure a job that will help me support my mother in taking care of my younger siblings. This has always been my prayer. Achieving this will not only improve my own future but also uplift my family’s living standards."

"My primary goal for the upcoming year and beyond is to expand my goat rearing project. I'm happy to share that I have recently purchased four goats using my monthly transfers. I am passionate about raising goats because they multiply quickly and adapt well to our climate, making the project highly promising. Their fast multiplication leads to increased profits within a short period. Once I have a sufficient number of goats, I plan to sell some and eventually invest in buying a cow, which is my secondary priority. Owning a cow will provide several benefits, such as selling milk to support my children's school fees and utilizing cow dung as organic fertilizer, thereby reducing the cost of purchasing fertilizers. As my children are progressing to higher classes, and with my current lack of a reliable income source, I aim to maximize these two projects so that I can continue to sustain myself when my current financial support ends. Moreover, when I have a good number of goats, I can sell some to generate funds for my children's education. This is my primary goal for the near future and beyond."

"I have completed my dressmaking training and I am eager to finish my tailoring and dressmaking course in December. After completing the course, my goal is to launch my own tailoring business. I plan to use the savings from our merry-go-round group to purchase a sewing machine, which costs around $280. Once I have the sewing machine, I will invest my savings to grow and stabilize my business. My aim is to achieve financial stability by the end of this program so that I can support my family. I want to ensure that when the GiveDirectly program concludes, I will have accomplished something meaningful and have a lasting memory of the support it provided. Additionally, I am looking ahead to opening a tailoring shop in the next year as soon as I acquire my own machine. I am truly grateful for the financial support that has given me hope for a brighter future."

"This year, my primary goal is to complete the construction of my new house. My previous home was very small and on the verge of collapsing. With the support of the transfers from GiveDirectly, I have been gradually purchasing building materials, and I intend to use a portion of my future transfers to continue buying the remaining building materials needed to finish the house. I am very excited about the progress we are making, and I am very hopeful that soon enough we will move into our new house. Once we complete the house, my focus will shift to livestock farming. I intend to invest another portion of the transfers into buying goats, with the hope that they will multiply and increase in value over time. This will allow me to sell some of them in the future and provide for my family’s needs. With these livestock, I will have created a sustainable asset that I can rely on in the future, especially when this program comes to an end. I am genuinely grateful for the support that GiveDirectly has provided me and my family. Their assistance is helping me build a brighter future, and I am optimistic that my plans for both house and livestock farming will come to fruition. Each step I take brings me closer to achieving my dreams, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds."

"As I grow older and deal with age-related ailments that are affecting my already fragile health, my primary focus is to manage my medical expenses and receive proper treatment. At this moment, my main priority is to obtain the necessary medication and maintain my overall well-being."

"After receiving the second transfer, my priority was to settle the $400 debt I owed to a neighbour who had sold me a piece of land (1 acre). I’m glad I was able to clear this debt and now have peace of mind, something I had been yearning for. I don’t have a steady income, as my husband works as a driver, but his job is temporary. My family of three used to live at my grandfather's compound, and I feared what the future would look like, especially since my family is young and growing. I also used $100 to buy some building materials like poles and nails, and since I already had the other materials, I was able to build a new house on this piece of land. I will always be thankful to this organization for making my dreams come true. I now live happily in my place that I can call home, with no more stress about where my children will stay in the future. We are currently experiencing a hot and dry season, and food has been a challenge for us, as my husband isn’t paid daily. This has caused us to run out of food most days. I used $30 to buy enough meals to last us for a while, and for once, we enjoyed good meals."