"As a single parent with a young daughter, I face ongoing financial challenges. After leaving my marital home in Cassava, which was a difficult decision made in February 2024, I have been struggling to make ends meet. Unfortunately, my husband has not been providing much support for our daily needs, leaving my daughter and me in a financially precarious situation. To cope with this, I have resorted to various measures, such as selling Maandazi and assisting my mother in selling palm wine. These activities are not ideal, especially considering the environment they expose my children to, but I am doing what I can to provide for my family."

"In my opinion, there is nothing that GiveDirectly did not do well. From the beginning, the processes were clear, and we understood the project thoroughly. The communication was transparent, ensuring we knew what to expect at each step. The staff who came to the ground conducted themselves with dignity and respect, making us feel valued and heard. Their professionalism and kindness made the entire experience smooth and reassuring. I would urge the staff to maintain this same level of dignity and respect in all their operations, as it truly makes a difference in the lives of those they serve. This approach not only builds trust but also empowers communities to make the best use of the support provided."

"In the coming year, I aim to start maize crop farming to pave the way for a better future. First, I will prepare the land and plant maize, carefully tending to it throughout the growing season. As the maize flourishes, I plan to sell the harvest and save the earnings. With the proceeds, I will buy some goats to start goat farming, which I see as a long-term investment. Goat farming will provide milk and meat for my family and offer additional income through sales. This step-by-step approach from maize to goat farming will help me build a stable and prosperous future for myself and my family, ensuring food security and financial stability."

"As a family, our primary challenge is to find a suitable home that meets our needs. I am the owner of a small business that sells palm wine, but unfortunately, the income from it is not enough to adequately support my family. In addition to this, I have three school-going children who depend on me for their needs. Making ends meet has been a significant struggle for us. Last year, when the elnino rains hit, our house started leaking, and it was an incredibly tough time for us. Due to various family needs, we have been unable to allocate funds to construct a better and more secure house."

"As a family, our greatest challenge is finances. I have been illiterate all my life and have not been able to secure formal employment, which has had a significant impact on my household. The lack of finances has forced me to resort to various unsustainable methods of making a living, such as charcoal burning, even though I am aware of the health and environmental hazards it poses. I am grateful for my children, but they are all married and have their financial responsibilities, making it difficult for them to support me. For the past 3 years, I have been struggling to repay a loan for a solar panel, which has left me unable to afford electricity at times. There are occasions when I have had to go without electricity for consecutive weeks due to financial difficulties."

"As a household of five, one of our most pressing challenges is gaining access to clean drinking water. For the past three years, our community has been grappling with a severe water shortage, significantly impacting my family. Our area has been without tap water for over two years, despite having water pipes running through our compound. To obtain water, we have resorted to paying $1 for every trip using a motorbike to access water from alternative sources."

"As a mother of 2, having separated from my husband in 2016 my greatest challenge has been access to education for my children. My children have sometimes been required to stay back home due to fee arrears. They fully depend on me for everything which is a big task for me. Tailoring activities cannot meet the needs of the family so I have even resolved to do caretaker responsibilities to make both ends meet."

"Being a young couple where I do not have a stable job. I am facing a number of challenges. The first challange is food Insecurity. Being able to provide for my family has been hectic. Our house is not secure. When there are natural calamities like the rains, we are forced to move our beddings due to the leaking roof. My kids have no clothes too. Life is so hard to me I am just surviving on a leash"

"Food insecurity is what stands out as my biggest challenge at the moment. This is because I am the only breadwinner in my family of four and I am a widow. Considering that I depend on subsistence farming which has recently been affected by the inadequate rains, I am currently hopeless after experiencing a failed season. My alternative source of income is now the charcoal-burning, an activity that is energy-draining and low-paying. In most cases, I skip meals or survive on one meal in a day, a situation that has made me weak to perform my duties. What a life!"

"The challenge that I am currently facing is lack of money to buy nutritious food inorder to address my health deficiency. I was diagnosed with scleroderma disease since last year. A rare condition that has resulted to chronic hardening and tightening of my skin and connective joints. I was advised by the doctor to eat nutritious food together with fruit and vegetable. The condition has left me with severe pain in my heart because I am no longer able to continue with my hawking businesses in the village. Consequently, Relying on my firstborn who works as a casual in a construction site. His wages are not sufficient for all the needs of the household because sometimes he does not get the job, Making the situation worse."