"When my mother passed on in 2016, I took over her responsibilities of raising my 2 siblings. My father remarried and he then abdicated his father's duties to us. Therefore to make ends meet, I attend casual jobs like charcoal burning and land cultivation to earn $2 daily. All of this only caters for the food for the household and I have nothing to pay for school fees for my siblings. It pains me to see my family's anguish in poverty as tomorrow is almost uncalled for we live from hand to mouth."

"When I received the first transfer, a large portion of the money came in handy when I started building an extension to my current house to create two more rooms. I needed a separate kitchen area as well as a bed area for my children, who had been sleeping on the kitchen floor after we finished cooking every night. I spent $170 on purchasing and transporting 16 iron sheets, $35 on construction materials, and $65 on labor after the construction work was completed. I am relieved that we now have enough space under a good roof that keeps raindrops out. I also spent $60 on two goats that I am currently raising to sell in the future, $40 on groceries, $25 on a storage box that I am currently using to store clothes, and the remaining $20 on the solar panel that I had been paying in installments. I am grateful for the assistance and eagerly await the second transfer, which will enable me to purchase a new bed and bedding for my children."

"The first deposit on a piece of land that we are currently purchasing is the most significant step we have taken since receiving the first transfer, and hopefully it will make the most difference in my family's daily life once we begin farming on it. Because all four of my in-laws needed a piece of land to farm on, the family land was too small for extensive farming."

"I had already built a house for my family of five when I received my first transfer. Despite the fact that it had taken me more than a year to build, I had to move in before it was finished. The main door I had installed was too weak and made of whatever materials I could find at the time. I had to spend $70 on a new door with a pre-installed knob lock. In addition, I paid $13 for two bags of cement used in repairing the new door and $23 for the labor force that replaced the door. At the moment, I am also building a pit latrine, for which I spent $45 on materials and have yet to add some meant for wall construction. I have been leasing small plots of land to farm on and feed my family for a long time. This had been very costly and, in most cases, ineffective. I paid my neighbor, who is currently selling an acre piece, with the first transfer of $220, and I am grateful that he immediately allowed us to begin farming on it while he awaits the pending $400. I spent some of the remaining funds on groceries, purchasing a sack of dry maize grains for $62 and a sack of beans for $140. In addition, I spent $15 to pay off my children's school arrears, $50 to settle a debt with a neighbor, and the remainder to buy new clothes for my three children."

"I spent $180 on 19 iron sheets used in the construction of a new house to replace the single old one that served multiple functions. My children had been sleeping in poor conditions due to a lack of space in the house; after building a new house, they now have more space and clean bedding. I also purchased $30 worth of wood to complete the wall construction and $20 worth of roofing frames. We could not afford to spend a lot of money on labor because my husband is a contractor, except when we needed to roof the new house because he didn't have much experience fixing roofs. I also paid $40 in school fees for my four primary school school children. I later spent the remainder on foodstuffs that we still use today."

"I used a portion of my first transfer to build a new house after purchasing 22 iron sheets for $10 each, paying $50 to the contractor who raised the walls, and purchasing nails and wood to complete the entire house's construction. We had been living in a single house with my large family of 12, so building a new house with more space has been a huge relief for us. I also purchased two goats for $35 each, intending to breed and sell the offspring when they reproduce. In addition, when I was admitted, I paid $50 to the hospital to cover my medical bill and saved the remainder, which I have been using to buy food for my family."

"My life long dream would be expanding my business into a much larger outfit. I make a living primarily from buying fruits at Bamba and selling them at Kasimbijini at my little kibanda. The plan is to one day grow it into a walk in grocery store. The likes of which I have seen in town, with shelves, a till and a wide selection of all veggies that one would need. That's my plan."

"The funds from GiveDirectly were instrumental in changing the quality of life for my wife. son and myself. Prior to receiving the funds, we were living in a mad house that was far from ideal for us. When it rained the house leaked, and that in itself is enough to paint a picture of how dire things were, construction wise on the house. After receiving the funds, it was all hands on deck, and in no time we had constructed a semi permanent house with iron sheets , ending our battles with leaks whenever it rained. Further more, my 13 year old can now have early morning showers using piped water which we were able to bring to the house, thanks to said funds. It made his morning preparation to go to Maeba School, where he is in Grade 6, much more conducive to him. We are eternally great full for GiveDirectly's assistance."

"One thing that Give Directly did well, was considering to go an extra mile to provide phones to us who did not have to make sure that we are not left out regardless."