"When I received my GiveDirectly cash transfer, my priority was my three children's education. With $60, I paid off their school fee arrears, ensuring they wouldn't be sent home anymore. I wanted to make a lasting investment, so I bought a cow for $130 and a goat for $30. These animals would provide milk and eventually more income. For the first time in years, I also treated myself to some comfort, spending $50 on a mattress and $60 on a nice bed. Finally, I could rest without waking up in pain every morning. I used $16 to renovate our mud-wall house by putting in a cement floor, reducing the lice and termites that plagued us and weakened our house. With the remaining $50, I bought food to support my son, who works as a casual laborer and carries the heavy burden of providing for us. The relief and joy I felt were immense. Thanks to GiveDirectly, our lives have improved, and I can finally see a brighter future for my family."

"I live with my daughter and six grandchildren in my one-roomed house, which also doubles as our cooking place. This tiny space is not enough to accommodate us all. I plan to use my subsequent transfers to build an extra room to better accommodate my large family. I am very appreciative of the support from the transfers, as they have significantly uplifted my life."

"I have a growing interest in starting a turkey rearing project. In fact, I have already managed to purchase two turkeys to get started. Although turkeys are a bit more expensive compared to chickens, they yield a higher profit when sold. This makes them a valuable investment opportunity. Given the profitability and potential growth of this venture, I am confident that turkey rearing will be a successful endeavor for me. With school-going children, I am committed to securing their future through this investment. Over the coming year and beyond, I plan to use the profits from my turkey rearing project to cover their educational expenses. By reinvesting my monthly transfers into this project, I aim to ensure that my children have the financial support they need for their schooling. This approach not only supports their education but also helps me build a sustainable source of income for the future."

"I had gone to assist my neighbor who was having visitors that day to receive them. This involved cooking, welcoming, and serving them. I vividly remember that evening; we were done with all the preparations and were just making conversation with the visitors and my neighbors. Suddenly, my phone buzzed, notifying me of a message. Without hesitation, I reached into my skirt pocket to check whose message it was. I was so happy to see it was an Mpesa message indicating that I had received a transfer. I did not let my excitement show since I was in front of people. I just kept the happiness inside, eagerly waiting to return home to inform my family of the good news. Later that evening, upon reaching home, I informed my spouse about the good news, and he was also very happy. We had longed to prepare our land for planting but did not have the money for it. So, that was the first thing we did with the received funds."

"In the coming year, I hope to accomplish my dream of starting a goat farming investment. To achieve this goal, I have been diligently saving $10 every month since January. By December, I will have saved enough to purchase some goats and begin building my herd. This investment is very important to me because it represents a stable and promising future. With goat farming, I can create a sustainable source of income that will help me support my family and improve our quality of life. My passion for this project grows with each passing month, and I am excited to see my hard work and savings turn into a thriving farm. This will not only provide financial security but also a sense of accomplishment and pride in what I can achieve with careful planning and determination."

"I am aware that the financial aid will soon end. My goal in the coming year and beyond is to use my subsequent transfers to invest in purchasing livestock. Livestock increase in value over time, making them a suitable investment that will provide me with income even after the financial aid ends. I am very happy with the financial transfers and how they have transformed my life for the better."

"I have been a farmer for almost 10 years now and one of the factors of production that is giving me sleepless nights is capital. I have 2 acres of land that is situated close to a water source. I have been doing irrigation farming on this land for all that time and the cost of production has been increasing regularly. This is because dry periods are longer than rainy ones and as a result, I have to hire a water pump frequently which is quite expensive. On average, I spend close to $50 in hiring one to irrigate the short seasoned crops. This greatly reduces my profit margin in the long run."

"I am a subsistence farmer growing short term crops in my one acre piece of land. With a family of 11 members, I am unable to cater for all their basic needs from the proceeds I make in the farm. Paying for their basic education and purchasing of farm inputs tops the list of things making my life difficult. This is because the returns I get from the harvest is far less than the amount I require to sustain the basic needs of my family. This means that together with my wife, we have to embark on other side hustles like casual jobs in order to try and reduce the deficits."

"I had been on the farm all day preparing my land for planting. When I was about to leave for the house, my phone rang with a message. Since I could not read, I waited until I got home so my daughter, Pendo, could help me. When I got home that evening, she checked and confirmed that my transfer had arrived. My heart skipped with happiness. I was very tired from the day's farm work, but the money relieved me somehow, and I even forgot about the fatigue. In my mind, the goals I had planned would come to fruition now that I had money."

"We used to live a happy life with my family until three months ago when everything took a different turn. My husband who is the sole breadwinner of the family had gone for a casual job to earn a living for the family. This turned out to be tragic, he was lifting a 90 kg bag of maize to a lorry when he felt a sharp pain on his back and paralyzed him. He was rushed to Marigat for medical attention where he was diagnosed with blood cloth in the vein. He was later referred to Eldoret for specialized treatment. He was required to have KES 250,000 for treatment. It is unfortunate that we were not able to raise that amount of money and we decided to come back home. I am now struggling financially to provide for my family and put food on the table. I am also feeling sad when I see my husband in pain and his health worsen each and every day."