"I had traveled to a nearby town, approximately a 2-hour drive from my home, to undertake some casual work for the day in hopes of earning a little extra money for my family. Around 5pm, while engaged in my tasks, a notification appeared on my phone. Upon opening it, I discovered that GiveDirectly had sent us money. Immediately, I called my wife to share the wonderful news and she received them with immense joy. It had been quite some time since we had encountered such uplifting news, which rekindled our spirits and reminded us of life's wonders. In our household, I live with my wife and 7 children. Among them, 4 are my biological children, and 3 are the children of my late sister, who passed away 4 years ago. I assumed responsibility for my late sisters' children as they had no one else to care for them. Among the 7 children, there are 5 girls and 2 boys. They currently share a single room, which isn't ideal, especially considering that some of them are entering their teenage years. Providing separate rooms would afford them the privacy they need as they continue to grow. My wife is currently unemployed, and I earn a living as a local palm wine vendor. However, our earnings are modest and do not suffice for adequately providing for our family and building a house."

"My husband serves as a procurement officer at a secondary school, while I operate a tailoring business in our village. Almost all of my earnings and husband's salary is channeled towards loan payments, a loan we took to buy a Shamba so that we could have a place to do farming. We have 4 children whom we live with, and they have been in dire need of beds and mattresses because they have been sleeping on worn-out bedding, and the beds were not comfortable for them to have a restful sleep. Upon receiving the transfer, I dedicated $500 towards purchasing 2 beds, 2 mattresses, and bed linen for my four children, with whom I reside. It saddened me deeply to see them enduring discomfort on worn-out mattresses and beds. The loan repayment made it difficult for us to raise money to buy them good beds and mattresses. Upon receiving the transfer, I dedicated $500 towards purchasing 2 beds, 2 mattresses, and bed linen for my children. Witnessing their peaceful sleep in their new beds, free from tossing and turning, filled me with immense joy. Prioritizing their need for new beds has always been my top priority, but our financial situation made it seem unattainable.With $47 remaining from the transfer, I chose to reinvest it in my tailoring business, which has been my livelihood for nearly a decade. This additional capital infusion has boosted my business's revenue, allowing me to generate supplementary income to meet our family's daily needs."

"I want to put up a business and grow more crops, do poultry"

"Throughout the day, I dedicated most of my time to tending my farm, focusing on weeding as my crops were struggling. Upon returning home in the evening, I glanced at my phone and noticed a mobile money notification. Given my limited literacy, I reached out to my nephew to read and interpret the message for me. To my delight, he confirmed that I had received money from GiveDirectly. The realization of this news filled me with immense excitement as it signified the actualization of my dreams. As a widower, my wife having passed away some years ago, I found myself left with our daughter. According to our cultural norms, it wasn't acceptable for a man to live alone with his daughter, and as a result, she was taken away from me. My deepest desire had always been to reunite with her under the same roof, but financial constraints hindered me from taking another wife. Despite my efforts of burning charcoal and saving for the dowry that had been requested, the prospect seemed distant, leaving me feeling depressed as I missed out on witnessing my daughter's growth milestones. Upon receiving the funds from GiveDirectly, my initial instinct was to add on to my dowry savings in pursuit of marrying a wife and bringing my daughter back home. GiveDirectly's intervention brought this aspiration within reach, and I am filled with immense joy, as I had never fathomed the possibility of obtaining such a substantial sum of money"

"Currently, I find my life so tough because I do not have any reliable source of income to support my family of 6. Since my husband passed away 4 years ago, he left me with all the responsibilities of being the sole breadwinner. Charcoal burning and other casual community jobs are what I have depended on for a long time. The income from these activities is what has been supporting my children in school but their studies have always been affected due to spending more time out of school. As I speak, my daughter who is supposed to join high school is still at home due to lack of money. Hence, I consider financial constraints as my biggest challenge."

"For a while now, I have been struggling with vision loss, which eventually led to blindness, making life incredibly challenging. The support I used to provide for my family ceased as I became unable to work, relying instead on selling assets and occasional assistance from my older children, who are also facing their own struggles. I am deeply grateful for the consistent and unconditional support from GiveDirectly, which has been a lifeline during these difficult times. With the latest transfer, I spent $100 on purchasing food for my family of three. I also used $100 to cover school fees for my two children in secondary school, who previously depended on uncertain bursaries and occasional community fundraisers for their education. Additionally, I invested $125 in chain links to complete fencing around our land, ensuring the protection of our grass from neighborhood livestock intrusion, a project initiated after receiving the second transfer. With the field now secure, I eagerly anticipate seeing the grass flourish with the upcoming rainfall. I saved the remainder of the funds to address other household needs and educational requirements for my children."

"The support we received unconditionally has transformed our lives significantly. It has ensured a steady food supply for our table and enabled me to fence my land, construct a house, and pursue other beneficial endeavors. This assistance has given us financial independence, helping us fulfill essential needs and establish a secure foundation for our family's welfare. We deeply appreciate the positive impact it has had on our lives."

"The support from GiveDirectly has left a lasting impression on me, and I am deeply grateful. Without their assistance, my family wouldn't be experiencing the comfort we now enjoy. I pray for the company's continued growth, hoping they can extend their help to others in need, just as they have helped us."

"Since I am the sole provider for my five children, my husband stopped supporting us after marrying two other wives. I plan to focus on farming to meet my family's needs. I aim to plant maize and beans and ensure I do timely planting. We depend on a seasonal river, and I want to minimize losses. I plan to sell the produce and use the money to invest in growing horticultural crops, specifically tomatoes. Although the cost of producing tomatoes is high, the returns are promising. The market price for tomatoes is favorable, and they take only one and a half months to mature, unlike maize. With proper timing, the seasonality of the river will not be a problem. The market for tomatoes is also reliable, as brokers from other countries come to buy directly from the farm. With this investment, I believe my family will be sustainable."

"Has bought livestock"