"In the coming year and beyond, I hope to transform my home into a safe and sturdy refuge for my family. I have been diligently saving every monthly transfer for the past three months, determined to renovate my house, which feels weak against the strong winds we’ve been facing. As I continue to save, I also wait patiently for the rains, knowing that the renovation will need water, which is currently scarce due to the ongoing drought. With every saved penny, I dream of a stronger house, a place where my family can feel secure and protected, no matter the storms that may come our way."

"In the coming year and beyond, I hope to transform my home into a safe and welcoming place by renovating the roofing, which has become old and rusty over the years. I feel a deep sense of pride in my home, and I know that a new roof will not only protect my family but also bring a fresh look to our living space. To achieve this, I plan to buy one iron sheet every month, slowly but surely making progress toward my goal of 14 sheets. This journey of improvement will not just be about fixing my house; it will be about creating a loving environment where cherished memories can flourish."

"My children's education will always be my top priority, and in the coming years, I am committed to supporting them as it will greatly benefit their future. To achieve this, I plan to continue using a portion of my future transfers from GiveDirectly to pay their school fees and ensure they receive a proper education, just like their peers in the village. Also, given the current drought and hunger we are facing in our region, I also intend to allocate part of these transfers to buy food for my family, preventing us from starving until we receive good rains and can harvest from our farm. Once we have a stable food supply, I will redirect the funds previously used for food toward purchasing more goats. This will add to the goats I already own, which I bought with hopes of them multiplying in number and value. My ultimate goal is that these goats will help me support my children's education and care for my family, especially when this program comes to an end."

"I previously had a mission to buy a dairy cow, and I’m happy to say that I achieved that goal! Now, I am enjoying the fresh milk I always wanted. Looking ahead, I aspire to own a piece of land where I can build rental houses, providing me with a reliable source of income each month. To reach this goal, my plan is to continue using a portion of my transfers from GiveDirectly to buy goats, hoping they will multiply in both number and value. In the future, I aim to trade some of these goats for male cows. I hope that these male cows will grow and increase in value, allowing me to sell them later and purchase a two-acre piece of land. I intend to use part of that land to build the rental houses I have always dreamed of. Additionally, I pray that the cows I already have will also multiply so that I can sell some of them in the future and use the proceeds to build the house I envision. I am hopeful that my ambitions will come true, leading to a future with strong financial security."

"Now that I am back home and unable to work due to my health, I plan to start livestock farming again. Unfortunately, the animals I previously acquired died because they didn’t receive the care they needed while I was away. Before diving into livestock farming, I want to focus on serious crop farming when the rains come. I intend to use a portion of my transfers for this purpose, aiming for good harvests that will sustain us until the next planting season, so we won’t have to rely on buying food. Once we have a stable food supply, I will redirect the money I was spending on food toward purchasing goats and turkeys. My hope is that these animals will multiply, providing me with a reliable source of income and resources in the future when this program comes to an end."

"Just before I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly, I felt overwhelmed by stress. My two children were in school, with arrears of $100 for high school and $180 for university, and I honestly didn’t know where I would get the money for their school fees. As a farmer, this year was particularly tough because I lost my two acres of maize to floods, and my husband’s salary was limited due to existing loans, which meant we had to rely solely on his income. With my first transfer, I was able to reduce their fees by $50 each. Additionally, I bought a plastic table for $18 and four plastic chairs for $34 because our area is hot, and we often sit outside in the shade during the day. My old plastic chairs were worn out, leaving me with only three, not enough for our family of six. Finally, I spent the remaining money on food essentials like sugar, rice, beans, cooking oil, and maize flour, as food was a major challenge after losing our crops. We had to rely solely on my husband’s salary, which could not sustain us. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for this support."

"Receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly was truly timely. It felt like a blessing from God. My daughter had been in the hospital for a week, and the doctors wanted us to transfer her to the county referral hospital, but I didn’t have the money for it. Thankfully, the cash transfer came just in time, and I spent $100 to cover her referral and hospital bill. I’m relieved to say that her surgery went well, and she has already been discharged and is recovering nicely. While I was in the hospital, my husband and four grandchildren had to take food items from the shop on credit since I was away, which resulted in a debt of $60 that I was able to clear. With the remaining $20, I covered transport for my granddaughter, who is now in primary school in another county. Her parents passed away, and she received a scholarship for her education, so I only have to manage her transport and minor expenses. Thank you, GiveDirectly, for your timely support!"

"The biggest difference in my life after receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly is the ability to purchase plastic chairs. Before, I only had one old and broken chair, and whenever visitors came, I had to borrow chairs from my neighbors. I still remember the day I heard that GiveDirectly officers were in our village for enrollment; I rushed to borrow chairs from my neighbor, feeling embarrassed each time. My prayer has always been to have enough chairs for my family and guests, and I am truly grateful to GiveDirectly for making this a reality. Now, I can host visitors comfortably without worrying about borrowing, and it brings me so much joy."

"I solely rely on crop farming, but it can be quite unreliable, and I was feeling anxious about how to pay my son's college fees this semester. With the maize I recently harvested, I was expecting payment from Kenya Seed in two months, but that felt too far away. I even thought about taking an advance from Kenya Seed or borrowing money, but then I received cash from GiveDirectly. With that support, I was able to clear my son’s fees for this semester without taking on any loans. Now, I am at peace, knowing that my son can continue his studies without any financial worries hanging over us."

"Last term, my three children in elementary school ended with arrears of $65 each, and honestly, I was overwhelmed by the thought of handling that alongside the upcoming term's fees. As a businesswoman, I relied solely on my second-hand clothing business to meet all our family's needs, including school fees, and I knew I would not manage to raise that amount. However, thanks to the support from GiveDirectly, I lifted that heavy weight off my shoulders and reduced their arrears to $15 each. This support also boosted my business, increasing my sales significantly, which allowed me to clear the outstanding fees, including those for this term. Thank you, GiveDirectly; if it were not for your help, I honestly don’t know what I would have done."