"A few months ago, I had my own house, but after the floods, I was left homeless when our home was swept away. I had no option but to seek temporary shelter while figuring out what to do next. Luckily, a neighbor offered me her house to stay in with my four children. Receiving my first transfer from GiveDirectly relieved my stress, and I couldn't think of anything but constructing a new house. I bought eight iron sheets for $82, and the transport cost from town for these iron sheets was $10. I found a plot where I plan to pay a deposit of $200 with my second transfer and clear the rest later; with the balance, I will buy the remaining materials and continue construction. Additionally, our clothes were worn out, and I couldn't afford to buy for everyone, so I purchased clothes for my husband and my three children, which cost $40. Food was another issue; currently, I am unwell and can’t do heavy work, and my husband has two wives. I spent a total of $30 on food and paid $8 toward a debt we had at the shop where we had taken food items on credit. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"My maize on an acre of land was ready for harvest, but I did not have the money to facilitate the process. What worried me even more was the rain that was present at the time; further delays would have led to the loss of the maize as it would have been ruined. The arrival of the GiveDirectly transfers was a blessing for me, allowing me to prioritize harvesting, which yielded 710 kg of clean maize. Now, I am awaiting payment from Kenya Seed Company. If it hadn’t been for GiveDirectly, I would have surely lost my maize. I am grateful."

"I had attended a burial in the nearby village. As we were finishing the ceremony, I heard a message buzz on my phone. I checked immediately, as some of my neighbors we were with had received their transfers from GiveDirectly, and I saw that I had received it as well. I was filled with happiness. I could not wait to get home and share the good news with my husband and my children. My first thought was to buy food for us, as getting food at that time was a problem. Thank you, GiveDirectly"

"My phone was charging while I was outside relaxing with my husband when my neighbor came to ask if I had received the transfer from GiveDirectly. I didn’t know, so I rushed inside to check my phone, and yes, I had received $200! I was so happy. My husband, who was curious, saw the smile on my face, and at that moment, he knew I had received the money. We were both excited because I was finally going to pay off a loan that had stressed me."

"I am a farmer, and I usually plant maize for the Kenya Seed Company. The day I received my transfer from GiveDirectly, we were in the process of harvesting maize from my 3-acre land. I had lost 1.5 acres to floods, but I was grateful because some people lost everything. I spent $80 to complete the harvest and transport my maize from the farm to the assembly point for drying, shelling, and quality checks. I harvested 4,628 kg of clean maize, and I am now waiting for my payment. During the drying process, I needed a waterproof tarpaulin, which cost $40. Additionally, my bed was old and worn out, and I didn’t have a mattress. I used to sleep on rags and a worn-out tarpaulin, which made my nights uncomfortable and long. I spent $80 to buy a new bed and mattress, and now I can sleep comfortably. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"Getting food has been a struggle, especially after I lost my maize on an acre of land to floods, and since then, I’ve been relying on casual jobs, which are not always available. On the day I received my transfer, I had gone out early to look for work but found none, and we had nothing to eat that day. Thankfully, the transfer arrived just in time, and I spent $30 to buy maize, which sustained us for a while. Despite losing my crops, I didn’t give up. I used part of the transfer to rent half an acre of land for $50, spent $30 on preparing it, and another $40 to buy butter bean seeds, which we planted as a family to save on costs. My son, who is in high school, was about to return to school, and since I didn’t have any other income, I used $32 from the transfer to pay for his fees. Thank you, GiveDirectly."

"My two children in high school had a total debt of $200, with each owing $100. When I received my first transfer, schools were about to open, and honestly, I had nothing to give them since the crops I relied on were swept away by the floods. I used $100 to reduce their fee arrears, paying $50 for each child. Furthermore, after losing my maize crops, I didn't give up on farming and decided to replant melons. When I received my transfer, my melons were at the top-dressing stage, so I bought top-dressing fertilizer worth $20, hoping it would help us recover financially. Unfortunately, after the harvest, we incurred a loss because the market price was extremely low—half of the normal price. In addition, food was a constant worry, so I bought a bag of maize for $30 and condiments worth $20, which sustained us for a while until our melons were ready for harvest. Finally, I spent $10 on transportation for the maize, my son, and myself from the market."

"Transforming my home was my top priority, so I decided to invest the cash transfer wisely. I used $100 to buy chairs and curtains, which my house desperately needed. For too long, we had been living without proper seating, and the lack of curtains made our home feel bare. Furthermore, I spent $50 on iron sheets to build a separate house for my daughters, who are now adults and need their own space. It felt wrong for them to sleep under the same roof as us, so this was an important step toward their independence. In addition to the furniture and building materials, I allocated $30 to buy new clothes for my children. They had been wearing worn-out clothes for far too long, and I wanted them to feel proud when they went to church or on vacations. Seeing their smiles when they tried on the new outfits brought me immense joy. I love to see my family happy, and this money allowed me to meet their basic needs. With a family of six, life can be challenging, especially since my husband and I rely on casual jobs for our income. However, this cash transfer from GiveDirectly has given us hope and a chance for a better life. I now feel a sense of relief, knowing that I have provided for my family's immediate needs and created a more comfortable living environment for us all."

"Before receiving the transfer, I lived in a small one-room house that was too cramped for my family. My children were growing up, and we had no privacy as parents. I always dreamed of having a proper house where my children could have their own space. However, I struggled to gather enough materials to make this dream a reality. After receiving support from GiveDirectly, I now have some materials for construction, which gives me hope. I may not have finished the house yet, but I can see a future where my family can live comfortably and happily. Thank you so much Givedirectly for such a great support."

"When I received my cash transfer, I felt a wave of hope wash over me. I immediately decided to spend $50 on a bed and a mattress for my children. Before this, they had no proper place to sleep and often went to our neighbor's house at night. It was not safe for them to walk outside our home after dark, and I wanted to change that. Additionally, I spent $110 on a new cupboard because the old one was too small and often left my things disorganized. My children would accidentally knock utensils down, making a mess, and I knew I needed a better solution to keep our home tidy. With the remaining money, I decided to purchase more food stock for my tailoring business. I make a modest income from my tailoring work at the local center, earning about $2 per day. This extra food stock allows me to save some of my income instead of constantly buying groceries. My husband works as a court clerk, bringing in a net salary of $350 a month, and together we strive to provide for our two children. Life has been challenging since we lost our two acres of maize in the floods, but we are learning to balance our finances. Furthermore, having a proper bed and a well-organized cupboard has brought peace to our home. My children are now sleeping soundly in their own bed, and I feel more at ease knowing they are safe. I also feel proud that I can manage my tailoring business better with the new supplies. Each improvement, no matter how small, makes a big difference in our lives. Thanks to this cash transfer, I feel more confident and hopeful about our future."