"The support I've received fills me with immense gratitude, given the deep impact it has had on my life. Navigating through financial limitations had posed challenges in covering my daughter's medical expenses. Nonetheless, the aid I obtained, particularly the generous contribution that played a pivotal role in easing this burden, has infused me with renewed hope. I can now glimpse a brighter future ahead, and for that, I hold genuine appreciation."

"Receiving the transfer during my old age was the most significant blessing I encountered, primarily due to the pressing need for food in supporting my extensive family which includes children and grandchildren. The longstanding dream of ensuring an ample food supply within our household has been hindered by financial constraints, given my age and reduced ability to rely solely on farming and my children's income, which barely met our basic necessities. However, upon receiving the transfer, I promptly spent the entire sum to purchase essential food items. The impact of this milestone on my life has been profound, leaving me immensely thankful for the remarkable improvements it has brought about."

"I utilized the second transfer by acquiring new clothes for my five children, who had been putting on old and worn-out clothes, spending a total of $150. Furthermore, I spent $135 on buying three goats as part of a long-term strategy: my intention is to breed them and eventually sell their offspring to cover forthcoming expenses such as school fees and other household necessities. I incurred a $5 cost for motorbike transportation while bringing the goats home from the market. With a family consisting of 10 members and having previously allocated a portion of the initial transfer for sustenance, I supplemented it with an additional $10 worth of food that we are currently using while also replenishing our supplies. In readiness for my son's upcoming college enrollment in September, I reserved $150 to ensure a seamless transition without needing to sell any assets. I am also content that, subsequent to receiving the initial transfer, I made an investment in planting beans, anticipating a bountiful harvest in September that will contribute to financing my son's college tuition."

"Being a single mother, I have been diligently supporting my son as he begins his education. Despite just being the two of us, life hasn't been easy due to our poor living conditions and insufficient food caused by my reliance on casual labor and small-scale farming. Since I received the support from GiveDirectly, positive changes started emerging in my daily life that I am proud of. I am currently in the process of constructing a new house, having used $390 from the second transfer to acquire materials such as 20 iron sheets, wooden and metal frames, and nails, which I hope will be sufficient for the construction. I am currently residing in a modest, mud-walled cubicle house that requires frequent repairs, especially during the rainy season. These repairs are time-consuming due to the rain washing away the mud and leaving gaps in the walls. The new house will provide a separate bedroom from the living area for me to set up a bed. Additionally, I spent $20 on transporting the construction materials home from the shopping center and the remaining $40 to purchase food supplies that are still sustaining us."

"Previously, our daily meals were limited to just one, not by preference but due to the scarcity of food. Upon receiving these transfers, we've been able to increase our meals to at least twice a day, resulting in noticeable improvements in our overall health. I've been able to alleviate the burden of excessive manual labor, only engaging in such activities when I choose to. Our gratitude towards Givedirectly is immeasurable, as they have truly uplifted us from our challenging circumstances."

"A few days after receiving the first transfer, a distressing situation arose within our family. Collins, my 31-year-old son, commonly known in the village as Lukas, became unwell and required immediate hospitalization. Despite our best efforts, Lukas's health unfortunately deteriorated, and he eventually passed away during. Consequently, the remaining funds from the received transfer, after allocating $120 towards food for my family of three, were directed towards settling the hospital bills and covering other associated expenses."

"Relying predominantly on manual labor for income meant I had to constantly be away from home, engaging in tasks that would generate earnings to fulfill my basic necessities. However, with the arrival of the transfer, this dynamic has undergone a transformation. I am no longer required to seek manual employment outside, allowing me to redirect my attention towards personal endeavors like developing my land – a long-standing aspiration that was previously hindered by my limited time at home. As I gradually prepare my farm, I am now gearing up to cultivate fruit plants in the upcoming days."

"The biggest challenge we face is a lack of food. In the last 3 years, there has been little rain. This has not been enough for growing maize. This has affected our ability to get food. We also depend on irrigation but the water doesn't get to our farm because people upstream use it all. All these have made it difficult to get food. We mainly depend on casual labour which is hard to come by. One is paid $3 per day which can hardly support our family due to the high cost of living. This has made our lives difficult, affecting our ability to put food daily on the table."

"For the past three years, the rains have been minimal, and as a result, we do not have enough food for our family which forced us to do casual jobs to purchase from the market. If there was enough water for farming, we would have food and use the money we get for other needs like school fees for our children."

"Lack of a stable source of income is the greatest challenge. I was employed by the county government but unfortunately, I lost my job two months ago, and securing another one has been difficult. My wife had to drop out of school to help me sustain our family's needs something that saddens me. If I could get another job I will be glad because my wife will go back to school comfortably."