"In the quiet village where we live, our family of five grapples with a daily struggle that’s woven into the fabric of our lives. My husband, a dedicated motorbike rider, is the backbone of our household. Each day, he ventures out, navigating the rough roads and uncertain conditions in hopes of earning enough to sustain us. Yet, despite his tireless efforts, his earnings can be as meager as $4 in a day—a sum that barely covers a fraction of our needs. We have three children, each bright and full of promise. Our eldest is just 9 years old, and like his younger siblings, he is in school, where education comes with its own set of financial demands. Every term, we are required to pay $30 per child for school fees—a burden that, while seemingly modest, adds up quickly when multiplied by three. This recurring expense feels like an anchor, dragging us further into financial uncertainty. The weight of these challenges bears heavily on us. Each term, as the school fees loom, we find ourselves scrambling to make ends meet, prioritizing between essential needs and educational expenses. The joy of seeing our children learn and grow is often overshadowed by the anxiety of how we will manage the next bill or how we will stretch our limited resources just a little bit further."

"Lack of a reliable source of income is the challenge I am facing in life. I am a retired teacher living with my family. However, my wife has been sick for the past 15 years. I have used all my savings for her medication but in vain. This has made me unable to raise school fees for my children at Magogoni Secondary. The little pension of $100 caters to food and school fees though not enough. My daughter has been out of school for two weeks now."

"The challenge that I am currently facing is fiod insecurity. I am a widow and very old relying on my brothers son. We have been living together since he was a kid. He completed his primary school education 4 years ago but did not get marks to that could enable him join secondary school. He then turned to buying charcoal and sell them in Mombasa. In a month he can make two trips and can earn $ 23 each. However, due to the ongoing showers of rains the roads are not passable. As a result it has been difficult to put food on the table for the entire household of 5 members. Besides, there are no longer big trees to produce quality charcoal due to most bushes being cleared for farming. This has worsen the situation that sometimes we eat once per day which breaks my hear."

"One of the greatest challenge I am facing is lack of finaces for development. I am a teacher and I would love to establish myself further in life, therefore the lack of enough finances for development has hindered my life goals. The other challenge is food insecurity.We are at an area where there are harsh climatic conditions.Therefore there is no harvest at all. Making us lack food due to lack of rains."

"My spouse, Stephen, and I have divided household responsibilities based on our daily income so that one person does not bear too much of the burden. I own a tailoring business that pays well during the holiday season, particularly in December and January. But most of the time, I can go for up to a month without earning a single penny. My husband, on the other hand, works a casual job and earns $31.07 per month. Lack of money to support our family, as our combined resources are not always enough to meet the majority of our needs, is what is making my life difficult."

"Karisa, my husband, owns a barbershop and earns $1.55 per day when there is power. However, this has not always been the case due to the frequent power outages in this area. The limited income he earns from his business makes it more difficult to provide a good life for our family. What is currently making my life more difficult is that, as a young family that is still expanding, we are not in a position to ensure our children's future because of financial difficulties."

"My husband has been working as a security guard at a nearby primary school for almost three years now. When he got the job, we were relieved as a family of four, knowing that he could help support our basic needs, including school fees for our two children. Unfortunately, things have not gone as expected. Despite his hard work, the school often pays him far less than his full salary of $90. Sometimes they pay him as little as $15 for an entire month’s work. This has made it difficult for us to keep up with our children's school fees, and they are frequently sent home due to unpaid arrears. Financial challenges remain our biggest hurdle."

"One of the main challenges I am currently facing, that are making my life harder is food insecurity. The past harvest we did not get food since there were no rains in our area. The harsh climating conditions are making it so hard for the growth of any crop around. This makes us survive on a leash and making me do odd jobs just to put food on the table for my family. That I would say is my main challenge."

"Life has always been a journey filled with challenges, but our family's path has felt particularly arduous in recent times. We are a family of four, navigating each day with resilience, yet struggling against the tide of financial hardship. My husband works tirelessly as an office messenger in Mombasa. His role, though essential, earns him a modest salary of $250 a month. This amount, while crucial, is barely enough to cover our daily expenses, let alone the additional costs that arise. His unwavering commitment to his job is a testament to his dedication, yet it is not enough to relieve the financial pressures we face. Our first two children, full of potential and dreams, have completed their schooling. Their achievements are a source of pride for us, but their future remains uncertain. They have not yet joined college, a step we had hoped they would take to further their education and build a better future. The financial constraints have held them back, leaving them in limbo and casting a shadow over their aspirations. Our youngest, just in grade six, has become a poignant symbol of our struggles. Recently, he was sent home from school due to unpaid fees. The look of confusion and disappointment in his eyes when he realized he couldn't continue his lessons broke our hearts. Education is a crucial stepping stone for him, and seeing him deprived of it is a heavy burden we bear daily. The weight of these financial challenges is a constant strain on our family. We live in a cycle of hoping for a break, a change in circumstances that would ease our burdens. Yet, each month, we find ourselves grappling with the harsh reality that our means are insufficient"

"The challenge that I am currently facing is the burden of life. I am a single mother of 3 who depends on charcoal burning business as the source of income. The job is very involving and time consuming considering the process of making them. You have to cut loggs, dig a big hole and arrange them inside before yo cover them with soil. Eventually, you put fire and let it burn inside for around two weeks. After all that you can get approximately 4 bags which sell at $ 3 each. In a month you can get $15 which is not sustainable for a family of 4 members. Due to this, it has been difficult to finance the education of my kids. One of them completed primary school learning and did not proceed further because of lack of fees. Besides, effort to have him join a vocational training has not been successful. I am scared that the future of my household may be affected if the situation does not change anytime soon."