"On Sunday, around 3 p.m., I was at church when I received a message on my phone confirming that I had received cash from GiveDirectly. I immediately went outside because I couldn't contain my happiness and just needed to breathe in the fresh air. I was super excited and thought to myself, 'Tomorrow, I must go to town to buy iron sheets so I can start constructing a better, small temporary house.' This was especially important because I had been living in tents ever since my house was destroyed by floods."

"The biggest difference in my life right now is that I finally have something to call my own—two sheep that I bought with my own money. Before, I only had three sheep that were left to me by my late husband, and while they are technically mine, they never really felt like they belonged to me in the same way. But these two sheep are different. They are something I chose and purchased myself, and that gives me a sense of pride and ownership I didn’t have before. These sheep represent more than just livestock; they symbolize my independence and I cannot be grateful enough to GiveDirectly."

"We lost all our clothes to the floods. They were soaked in the house, and there was nothing we could do to salvage them. After being temporarily relocated, we returned home to find that the only clothes we had left were the ones we were wearing. We managed to wash and wear them, but it was difficult to get by, especially with the limited clothing available. Receiving the GiveDirectly cash made a significant difference. It allowed us to buy new clothes for everyone in the family."

"After my two children, a boy and a girl, were sent home for school fees two days before the transfers, I was desperate. I didn’t have the money and was about to sell my goats to raise the funds. Fortunately, GiveDirectly's support arrived just in time. I used $100 from the transfer for their fees, giving $50 to each child to reduce their arrears. We have five plastic chairs, but with a family of eight and frequent visitors, they often aren’t enough. So, I decided to use $48 from the transfer to buy four additional plastic chairs. I had also planted maize on my 5-acre land, but the floods that struck our community didn’t spare my crops; I lost it all. Knowing that maize is our staple food, I decided to use the remaining amount from the transfer to purchase two bags of maize, which will sustain us for about three months."

"Before receiving the transfer, life was incredibly challenging. I didn’t have money, and I had lost my maize and vegetables to floods, which I was relying on for income. With my children’s school fees due, and since they had been sent home two days before the transfer, we were planning to go to the school and speak to the head teacher, unsure of how we’d manage to pay afterward. The total fee was $110, and it felt overwhelming. However, thanks to the GiveDirectly transfer, I was able to reduce that amount significantly, and now I’m only left with $30 to pay for this term. This has brought me relief and peace of mind."

"My day started with blessings that morning, and I had no idea another blessing was waiting to close the day. I had just given birth to my baby boy in the morning, and later that day, I received a transfer from GiveDirectly. As I was watching my baby sleep, a message came in confirming that I had received $200 from GiveDirectly. I was overjoyed; it was truly a special day for me. Shortly after, I received some calls from home asking if I had received the transfer, and I happily said yes. Knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about food upon discharge was a huge relief."

"I have three children in high school and had total arrears of about $300 for them, with balances of $110, $130, and $70, respectively. My plan was to save from my business and gradually reduce their fees, as I had been doing before. Unfortunately, my business has been struggling lately, especially after the floods struck our community. Many people in the area, whose main source of income was farming, suffered huge losses, and since they are my target customers, I was badly affected as well. I had just restocked my shop before the floods, but sadly, I lost a bag of rice, 10 kg of cooking oil, four cartons of milk, and six bags of maize from my posho mill. I also lost over 50 chickens. These losses were a huge setback for me, as they were my primary sources of income to support my kids, particularly in paying their school fees. Being a single mom, this hit me hard. However, I was fortunate that the GiveDirectly cash came at the right time. I spent the entire $200 to reduce their fees, paying $70, $60, and $70, respectively. Now I have a balance of $100 and I’m planning to start reducing it next week."

"When I received the unconditional cash transfer, I knew exactly how I wanted to spend it. The first thing I did was buy two sheep for $120, something I had longed to do for a while. I already had three sheep, but adding more to the flock would be beneficial for us in the long run. Seeing the flock grow was a great feeling, knowing that this investment would help secure our future. Next, I used $35 to buy a new mattress for our bed. The mattress we had was old and worn out, and my pregnant wife often woke up with back pain. It was hard seeing her in discomfort every morning, especially with the baby on the way. The new mattress made a significant difference in our lives; we started getting better rest at night, which was especially important when our son was born. Now that he’s three weeks old, we all sleep much better, and I can see how it has improved our overall well-being. With the remaining money, I decided to spend $20 on clothes for myself and our soon-to-be baby. It was comforting to know that we were prepared for his arrival with everything he needed. The last $25 went toward buying food for the household. Ensuring that we had enough to eat was crucial so that I could focus on other important matters without worrying about our daily sustenance. The cash transfer allowed me to make thoughtful decisions that improved our quality of life in multiple ways."

"My goal in the coming year and beyond is to see a specialist who can provide the treatment I need to improve my health. Currently, I am unable to do anything for myself and fully depend on my family members for support. With the money I receive from the transfers next month, I plan to seek better medical care. Additionally, I want to purchase more goats with the transfers so that even after the financial aid ends, I will have a sustainable source of income. I am truly appreciative of the financial support, which is helping uplift my life and that of my family."

"My goal in the coming months is to purchase new iron sheets and construct the roof of my house. Once the roof is ready, I will move forward with covering the walls with mud and fixing a door. This will ensure that I can safely move into the house, providing a secure place to live and peace of mind. I will no longer have to worry about the house collapsing on me during the heavy rains at the end of the year. I am very appreciative of the financial support, which is helping me achieve this goal of building a new and safe house for my family and me to stay in."