"Having five children, paying their school fees has been a great burden for me, especially since I've been unemployed for the past two years and have been relying on small casual jobs that pay very little. My two eldest children are now in secondary school, and the total cost of their school fees is $800 for the entire year, which is a huge amount that requires a stable source of income to pay. Additionally, there are exercise books and textbooks that need to be purchased to support their learning in school. My three other children are in primary school and still owe a debt of $25 that I have not yet paid. My goal for this year is to use the money from my transfer to pay at least part of the debt my children have at school, creating a good environment for them where they won't be sent home because of fee arrears. This will motivate them to learn, work, and go to school, ensuring they have a good future."

"Due to the dilapidated condition of my house, I am concerned about the safety of my family. The walls are constructed of mud and the polls have weakened over time, causing the house to lean to one side. Unfortunately, I am unable to construct a new house due to my financial state. Instead, I want to focus on farming to provide food for my family. If I am able to harvest enough, I hope to allocate funds towards building a new, sturdy house to accommodate all of my family members. However, my current financial situation only allows for basic daily needs, leaving no room for home repairs or construction."

"Previously, I relied on my relatives for financial assistance to purchase essential items, including food, before receiving my monthly stipend. However, I have since started a small business selling vegetables and silver cyprinids, which has enabled me to become financially self-sufficient. As a result, I am pleased with my progress and intend to invest my upcoming stipend in farming to increase my food supply. Furthermore, I am interested in expanding into livestock farming and plan to grow my herd before entering the livestock industry and generating additional income. With multiple streams of revenue, I will achieve financial stability and be able to meet all of my needs."

"I bought plank, assorted nails and four bags of cement to complete my house."

"I invested my last transfer in my farm."

"I was walking the farm when I noticed that I had unread messages on my mobile phone. Upon going through them, I realized that they were from Segovia, confirming to me that I had finally received my cash transfer that I had anxiously been waiting for. I was super excited, and without wasting even a second, I went back home and shared the great news with my family members. It took me two days to withdraw the cash, and since I had already discussed with my spouse how we would spend the cash, I started my new project, which was to build a new house."

"Being jobless has brought back all the challenges that I have been through for twenty years. One being that I have always delayed paying fees for my four children, who are in grades three, five, and six, respectively. Therefore, they have been in school for some countable days since the beginning of this year. This has dragged them behind academically, which I thought they would eventually drop out of. As a mother, I have felt the pain of seeing them miss classes regularly, which has been the worst experience. My spouse, who relied on odd jobs( earning $2 a day), could hardly cover all the family's basic needs. Getting the daily meal was sometimes not easy, let alone the school fees. I am now thankful to GiveDirectly for coming into my life at the time that I needed their aid, because if it were not for them, my children would still be at home with this rising cost of living. I am convinced that their future will be greener, hence eradicating poverty levels. "

"While we were at the farm, I overheard my neighbors discussing the arrival of their transfer. Curiosity got the best of me, and I asked them what they were talking about. That's when they informed me that they had received their funds from GiveDirectly. I rushed home to check my phone and was thrilled to find out that I, too, had received the money. This brought me great joy because I knew it would help me achieve the goals I had set. I shared the news with my son, and he was just as delighted as I was."

"I was overwhelmed with happiness when my grandson informed me that I had received a cash transfer from GiveDirectly. It was 4 p.m. and I was sitting outside my house, trying to escape the heat inside. I couldn't believe it because I had never experienced such a generous act before. The support I received came at a crucial time during the drought season and has greatly improved my life. I am incredibly grateful for this assistance."

"Due to financial hardship, my wife left me to seek better opportunities in the city, and I now reside with my son. The pain of losing my family to poverty was almost unbearable. As a farmer who also does casual work on other people's farms to earn a living, buying goats was an investment that I couldn't afford due to financial constraints. However, with the financial aid from GiveDirectly, I was able to purchase goats worth $120 which was a practical investment given the favorable climatic conditions. Previously, I only had one goat, but unfortunately, it was devoured by wild animals. Lastly, I bought foodstuffs and solar lights worth$40 and $15 respectively. The support from GiveDirectly came at the right time and has greatly impacted my life for the better."