"One of the major challenge I am facing currently is food Insecurity. The inability to fend and put food on the table for my kids has really made me sad. I was previously working at a mine in kadzandani and due to the closer early this year I have been unable to get a stable job. School fees has been also a major challenge. My kids have oftenly been out of school due to impending areas.Life itself is challenging because when we had Cyclone Hidaya, my house was swept away by the strong winds leaving me to start over in this economy.I had to be sheltered by my younger brother for sometime.I am grateful because I have been able to build a small house where I stay with my kids peacefully now."

"I am a single mother of five kids. My husband and I separated six years ago forcing me and my kids to go back to my parents house for refuge. One challenge I am facing as a mother is the inability to provide sufficiently for my children. lack of a stable job has made me unable to get a sustainable income to make ends meet. My first daughter is in highschool. The school fees are a burden to me considering I work at the mines and whenever there is rains we do not report to work due to security reasons. The rest are in primary and to me is a struggle just to make them have the good life they desire. I haven't loosed hope yet, I believe I will meet their needs eventually."

"Lack of reliable sources of income is the challenge I am currently facing in life. I do casual jobs which are rarely available and the income caters to food only. I share a house with a cowife but I am not comfortable. I need my own house but due to a lack of funds, I am limited."

"As a widower responsible for caring for a family of 5, we are facing various challenges, the most significant of which is unemployment. This situation has deeply impacted my family, making it difficult to meet our financial needs. Since my wife passed away in 2013, I have taken on the sole responsibility of raising and providing for our children. Being unemployed has prompted me to explore alternative means of earning income, such as engaging in charcoal burning and herding, to ensure that we can make ends meet."

"Ever since I started receiving payments from GiveDirectly, my life has changed in ways I never imagined. As a roofing contractor and a father of one, I was struggling under the weight of a motorbike loan that seemed impossible to pay off. The money I received not only helped me clear that loan, freeing me from the constant worry and stress, but also allowed me to start irrigation farming. This new venture has brought a sense of stability and hope to our lives. My family is now more secure, and we have a steady source of income and food. It's incredible to think that we can now plan for the future with a sense of confidence and possibility that wasn't there before."

"When I received the first transfer of $550, I knew I had to make every dollar count. The drought had hit us hard, and we struggled to find enough food. So, I joined forces with two family members, and we contributed $150 each to buy a water pumping machine. We aim to start irrigation farming at the nearby river Rare, hoping it would help us grow food despite the harsh conditions. The thought of finally being able to provide fresh vegetables and food crops for my children fills me with hope and relief. With $100, I cleared the motorbike loan that had been hanging over my head for far too long. The weight of that debt lifted off my shoulders, and I felt a sense of freedom I hadn't felt for a while. I then used $150 to buy 15 pieces of iron sheets, dreaming of adding an extra room to our small two-room mud wall house. It would give us more space and the comfort of accommodating visitors without feeling cramped. The remaining $120 went straight into savings for any emergencies that might come our way. It was a small safety net, but it gave me peace of mind, knowing we had a little cushion for unexpected challenges."

"Ever since we started receiving payments from GiveDirectly, our lives have changed in so many ways. As a mother of three, relying on my husband's casual jobs was always uncertain and stressful, but now, we can put food on the table every day, which is a huge relief. We no longer worry about going hungry, and my children have proper clothes instead of the worn-out ones they used to wear. This newfound stability has brought a sense of peace and happiness to our family. We feel more secure knowing that we can meet our basic needs, something we couldn't always count on before. We cherish the assurance of a daily meal and the dignity of having decent clothes."

"Upon receiving the initial transfer of $550, I felt a surge of relief and excitement. The first thing I did was purchase 15 iron sheets and building poles for $230. Our current house is far too small and cramped for our family of four, and I believe that creating a more spacious home will provide us with the comfort and space we desperately need. The new materials were a significant first step toward making that dream a reality. I also bought two bales of maize flour to ensure that we would have a steady supply of food. It was reassuring that my family wouldn't have to worry about where their next meal would come from. After that, I used $90 to pay for school fees for my two young lower primary school children. It was important to me that they could attend school without any worries and focus on their studies. Their education is a priority, and I want to provide them with every opportunity to succeed. Additionally, I bought new clothes for the family since the ones we had were worn out and tattered. Witnessing my children in fresh, comfortable clothing brought me a sense of pride and joy. With the remaining $240, I decided to save it for the ongoing construction of our new home. Having that money set aside gives me peace of mind, knowing that we can continue working towards a better living space."

"My husband is working as a motorcycle tax operator and I work at the quarry. we are getting very little earnings with a gross daily wage of ksh. 300. I have a child to care aged 3 years old. getting daily food for the house is the greatest challenge because the amount of revenue isn't consistent to have a fixed food budget for my family."

"I am a father of four and I depend on subsistence farming for survival. However, farming has been a challenge due to drought. This makes it hard to get even enough food for family use leave away selling the surplus and earn income. Lack of income has affected my children's education thus the first child finished form four but she has not got her certificates due to a school fees balance of $365."