"Due to the persistent rains and recent floods that have ravaged the village, my grass-thatched house has become unsafe, as it is heavily affected by both the floods and rainwater. I cannot afford to build a more secure home for my family. With no steady source of income, I also struggle to provide enough food for the family because of financial constraints."

"Financial constraints is the greatest challenge. I depend on charcoal burning to make a living but due to rains and flooding it is not viable. As a result of loss of income, I strain to provide for my children and this saddens me."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge because I depend on casual jobs to earn a living. Due to its uncertain nature, I hardly save up any amount for future use. My children lack enough school utilities like school uniform and books and this makes me feel bad."

"GiveDirectly has expanded our understanding of how to manage our money effectively by following up to ensure we are using it appropriately. I am also impressed by the fact that you have very humble officers who speak to us kindly. Additionally, the way you provide money directly after enrollment is remarkable; once we qualify, we start receiving cash immediately, which allows us to begin planning projects right away. As a company, I have not seen any areas for improvement. I continue to see beautiful and excellent work from GiveDirectly."

"I have some pending bills that need to be paid by the end of the year. My plan is to use the income from my tomato harvest to complete the plot of land I initially bought but haven’t finished due to a lack of funds. Once that is done, I will use the remaining amount to start constructing rental houses on the plot. This will lead to better and greater investments in the near future."

"I took a loan from the Kenya Seed Board to invest in planting maize, and I plan to repay it once I harvest and sell the maize. With the remaining amount, I intend to open a small kiosk at home to sell foodstuffs. This will help ensure we have something to eat and allow us to continue with our lives."

"The biggest difference in my life now is that I am planting crops like other farmers, and I expect a substantial maize harvest by the end of the year—around 60 bags. When I sell them, it will definitely transform my life. Capital was previously hard to come by, but now I have it, and I thank GiveDirectly for making this possible."

"What I am impressed by with GiveDirectly is how you fulfill your promises. The money arrives exactly when promised, and there is no bribery or corruption involved in acquiring the funds. However, one area for improvement would be to provide the cash in two larger phases, such as $550 initially and $550 as the final amount, rather than in three phases. The first phase is often too small to plan a significant project, and waiting for the subsequent transfers can lead to emergencies that deplete the funds before they can be fully invested."

"My husband passed away last year, but fortunately, my children were old enough to manage. I have four children: two are married, and the other two are in their final year at university. At home, I only have three grandchildren, all of whom are in boarding school and only come home during holidays. I try to cover their school fees and food with the income I earn from my grocery business in town.When I received the money, I used all of the $200 to purchase 14 plastic chairs, a mattress, and kitchen utensils. As someone who regularly hosts church visitors, I wanted to make sure I would never have to borrow chairs or sleeping arrangements. Thank you for your support—it truly makes a difference."

"When I received my second transfer, I bought a motorbike to use as a boda boda for business. This has been a great help, providing us with daily income to meet our needs. I am very thankful to GiveDirectly for such great support.Although my husband has been out of the country for about two months and hasn't started providing for us yet, I am very happy because we never lack anything to eat, thanks to the motorbike.Initially, I thought of buying a tailoring machine, but it was too expensive, so I invested in farming instead. With my last transfer, I used $320 to plant watermelons. Watermelons grow well here and will bring in a good profit when harvested. I plan to use the profit to buy a tailoring machine, as I have the skill to make clothes.Lastly, I used the remaining $130 to stock up on food at home to ensure we never run out while waiting for our crops to ripen. I am very thankful and appreciative to GiveDirectly for improving our lives. I am confident that by the time my child is old enough to attend school, I will have enough savings to cover her school fees."