"The challenge I'm facing currently that is making my life hard is the lack of food and work. Due to the prolonged droughts, finding work has been a painstaking job since they are scarce. I would get only work such as charcoal burning which is occasional and unpredictable. This has led to a lack of money and food. This greatly affects me since I can't have enough food and I'm forced to go without eating the majority of the time."

"There are many challenges that I face currently. However, the challenge I consider to be the most pressing of them all is the lack of food. Since we have experienced prolonged droughts which took us about 3 years ago, we've not been able to grow nor harvest any produce. This, together with the high cost of food products in the market has created a shortage. We sometimes have to skip meals since we lack food or money to purchase the food. This is increasingly difficult for my three children who are still young."

"I have been running a shop that has not been doing well because I could not keep it stocked. Despite not doing well, it has occasionally assisted me in providing for my family. Other than this shop, I have no other source of income. Thus, one of my goals for the coming year and beyond is to use the transfers to buy more stock to ensure that my shop runs smoothly and profitably. This will be possible because I am currently actively engaged in farming, which I believe will solve my household's food shortage once I have a good harvest. As a result, I will be able to redirect the money I was spending on food toward restocking my shop. I also plan to purchase a new bed and mattress because the ones I am currently sleeping on are worn out. They are no longer providing comfortable sleep, so my top priority is to replace them."

"My son is currently enrolled in junior high school and as his parent, my prayer is to ensure that he succeeds in his education. Currently, I do not have any source of income that I can rely on to pay for the school fees, I majorly rely on the monthly transfers which have ensured so far he stays in school. My plan is to pay his fees promptly so as to avoid him being sent home. I remember sometimes back he could stay at home for some days since I could not raise the fees on time using my own means. With the transfers, I am assured that his studies will not be interrupted through the transfer. I am convinced that this is the only opportunity for him to stay in school despite my financial challenges. I believe that once he completes his studies, he will be successful even in securing jobs, thus my goal is to use the transfer to pay the fees on time."

"Food problem has elongated due to the persistent drought. The last time we planted our farm and harvested well was in the year 2020. This has made it difficult for us. We don't have food due to low to zero productivity of our farms necessitated by the unforgiving drought. It's always a big worry on our next meal as a family. This has affected our ability to feed well my family of 4. We now depend on casual jobs which are hard to get. This has made our lives hard. We've also sold a lot of our livestock."

"My biggest problem is the house. It's leaking, and we get rained on during rainy season. This worries me since my family cannot stay comfortably. It's made of grass roof and mud on the wall. It stresses me a lot. It's also risky because of the grass. I am always worried of my children. They may torch it by accident when we leave them alone."

"I'm interested in buying goat to support my college education and fulfill my dream of becoming a secondary teacher. I'll carefully consider the purpose of the goat, choosing a breed that holds good market value, such as dairy or meat goats. It's important to plan a budget that covers the initial investment and ongoing expenses, including shelter, food, and healthcare. Balancing my responsibilities as a goat owner with my studies will be a priority. I'll also develop a strategy for selling the goats when they reach an appropriate age or size. While raising goats for profit can be challenging, I'm ready to put in the necessary effort. Exploring alternative funding options will be beneficial as a backup plan. Ultimately, my goal is to gain the qualifications and experience required to become a successful secondary teacher. I'm excited about this opportunity and will work hard to achieve my aspirations."

"I have a goal to save a significant amount of money to assist me in the future, in paying for my college fees as I have a vision of attending an engineering school. I am truly passionate about physics, and my ultimate aim is to establish my own venture and contribute positively to society. To accomplish this, I recognize the importance of saving diligently. As I approach the completion of high school, I am determined to pursue my dreams and enroll in an engineering program. I understand that this journey will require financial planning, and I am prepared to seek scholarships and financial aid opportunities. I will remain dedicated to my studies, striving for academic excellence. Along the way, I will seek guidance from mentors and professionals in the field of engineering to gain valuable insights. My focus is unwavering, driven by my love for physics and my desire to make a meaningful impact in the society."

"Having a family of six children, two of whom are at university and two of whom are in secondary school, has been one of the most exhausting experiences I've had. The amount of money required on the first day of school may drive anyone mad, and I am no different. My firstborn daughter, who is currently enrolled in university, graduated from secondary school with a massive amount of debt, making it extremely difficult for her to continue her education, and I would never want the same scenario for my other children. I was extremely impressed when I received the transfers, and instantly I cleared the debt in schools with $150. This felt so fantastic, and my children were excited about it. The whole term, they will be in school reading with the other children. I took $50 and used it to buy food for the house, and this has brought us enormous delight. We have a small business where we sell food commodities, and every time we would remove some portion of the stock to the house so we could cook, slowly our business was dwindling down. We are extremely grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling us to save the remaining part of the business by having enough goods in the house."

"Upon receiving my final transfers, I experienced a profound sense of happiness. This was primarily because I had the opportunity to complete the projects initiated with the first and second transfers and settle outstanding debts. Utilizing $450 wisely, I allocated $100 to procure two months' worth of food for our family of three. Furthermore, I utilized $150 to clear the school fee arrears that had accumulated over the past year. Lastly, I invested $200 to finalize the construction of our two-bedroom house. Now, my family and I are fortunate to enjoy the privacy and comfort provided by our newly completed home."