"I do not have a stable source of income and this has affected me. I am not able to invest in anything because I use the money I earn to support my parents and purchase food and clothing for myself. If I had consistent income I would have done livestock keeping to supplement on the casual jobs."

"Scarcity of food is the biggest challenge in my area. I do not have land where I can farm to get food meaning I purchase all the food stuff. It is difficult to ensure that my family of three gets three meals a day.If I had a fertile land, I would ensure my family gets enough and nutritious food."

"Financial constraints are the greatest challenge because i do not have a stable source of income. I depend on the fish business to earn a living, due to its perishable nature, I mostly ran at a loss for lack of cooling systems. If I had a stable income I would be able to meet my children's basic needs comfortably."

"I operate a small business of selling fish. After collecting them from fishermen, I deepfry and pack them for my customers in nearby towns. Due to economic strains, business has been poor this year and I did not make enough sales to sponsor my children's education. As a result, I have been forced to take loans to supplement my income in order to pay school fees. Since I have not repaid the loans, I am worried that my children's education for next year will be in jeopardy."

"Receiving my first transfer, I knew I had to prioritize the most pressing needs. Food had become a significant problem for us, especially since my job looking after livestock for someone was not enough to meet our family’s demands. My wife stays at home taking care of our disabled child, so the responsibility of providing food mainly fell on me. With the transfer, I decided to spend $90 on food items such as maize, beans, rice, and other essentials, ensuring we had enough to last and replenish them when needed. I also set aside $50 for any arising needs, knowing that supplies could run out quickly. Part of the money went towards settling a $25 food debt that I had accumulated on credit. The remaining amount was used to buy three chickens to add to the four I already had, as I believe this will be a valuable investment. Raising these chickens will help us, especially with our daily needs."

"I was busy working with my children on our charcoal production activities when the message came through. Curious, I checked my phone and saw that I had received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I was so happy and felt a sense of relief. Later in the evening, when we were all gathered at home, I shared the good news with my family. Our first thought was how we could finally address the food problem that had been troubling us for so long."

"I was at home in the evening, washing utensils, when I heard my phone buzz with a message. I decided to finish what I was doing first before checking it, and when I did, I saw it was my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I could not believe it! I immediately told my daughter, who was just as excited as I was. My first thought was to buy goats, something I had been wanting for a long time to help us build a more stable future."

"I had just gotten home from looking after my goats when I heard a message notification on my phone. I checked and confirmed that it was my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I immediately called my husband to share the great news, but his phone was off, so I had to wait until he returned that evening from his motorbike riding job. When he came back, I shared the news, and we were both so happy. As a family, we felt a huge sense of relief, knowing that the funds would help us fulfill our plans."

"Together with my husband, we have always relied on casual jobs, which were unpredictable. Despite maize being our staple food, we have never been able to buy a whole 90 kg bag; we could only afford a kilogram at a time, just enough to get us through the day, always searching for another the next day. Our area is extremely dry, and we don’t have land near a river to grow our own maize; our land is rocky and not suitable for farming. But for the first time, after receiving unconditional cash from GiveDirectly, we were able to buy a whole 90 kg bag of maize, and we still have some left to sustain us for a while. This made a huge difference, allowing us to focus on other food essentials without the constant worry. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"My son, who is in high school and preparing for his final exam, was sent home due to $250 in unpaid school fees. Thankfully, I had received GiveDirectly cash just the previous day, and I used it to reduce the arrears immediately. Without that money, I would have been forced to sell my goats, which I am desperately trying to grow in number after losing about 40 to rustlers. Worse still, my son’s return to school would have been delayed, yet he needed to focus on his final national exam. I am so grateful for GiveDirectly; it came at the perfect time, allowing my son to return to school immediately."