"Living in a semi-arid area is the biggest challenge due to persistent drought. For the past three years, there has been inconsistent rainfall hence no food is produced from our farms. We rely on purchasing foodstuff and with the rise in the cost of living, making ends meet is hard. I do a motorcycle business that earns me an average of $3 which is not enough to cater to all the needs up to school fees of my five children."

"I have a son at the University of Nairobi. It's difficult paying his fees and supporting his education. We also support our grandchild who's in secondary. We need at least $600 to support their education for a year. This has led us to sell most of our livestock. It has drained our only source of livelihood. Education is very expensive and hard to sustain."

"Paying school fees is a big challenge for us. We'd like to educate all our children. Currently, two are in secondary school and the other three are still at the primary level. It's difficult for us raising the money to pay for their education. As of now, we have $400 fee areas. This must be paid in the next month for our children to return for the next term. This is very stressful for us. We depend on casual jobs such as weeding, and harvesting amongst others. One is paid $2.50 per day. The amount is too little to pay sschool fees."

"As a single mother of five, receiving transfers from Give Directly for the second time was a huge blessing for my family and me. I had nowhere to live, so my mother took me and my children in, and we've been living with her for a year now since I separated from my husband, who was abusing me and threatening my life. So receiving this amount of money was a great way for me to start over by building a home for my family and providing basic needs such as education. I utilized $388 on building materials and constructed a two-room house, $38 on clothes, and $24 on school tuition arrears."

"As someone who is skilled in crop farming, my goal by the end of the year is to buy a water pump that will enable me to practice my skills more effectively. Unfortunately, poverty and harsh weather conditions have prevented me from doing so in the past. I have had to purchase water at very high prices to irrigate the vegetables I grow near my home, which has made it difficult to make a profit. With a water pump, I will be able to grow vegetables on a larger scale and lower the cost of production, which will increase my profit margins. This investment will not only help me financially, but it will also enable me to use my skills to their full potential and contribute to my community's food security. I am hopeful that this purchase will be a stepping stone towards a more sustainable future for me and my family."

"My goal is to explore livestock rearing as an alternative source of income since my farm has been unproductive. By raising a herd of livestock, I plan to sell some at the market at higher prices as they multiply, generating significant profits. Through this venture, I aim to achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency, which is my ultimate goal in the coming years."

"I have witnessed a significant difference between GiveDirectly and any other sort of assistance I have received so far. Aside from the transfer send, I was also guided on the ways which I can utilize the transfers on . Also was advised not to spend the transfers on illegal things not living out the household conflict, which is taken so seriously that it equalizes the family set up by allowing them to discuss how to spend the transfers, this brings about family togetherness. I haven't observed any fights between families who generally fight since GiveDirectly came into play. I must tell you that our community has changed dramatically; the way people interact with one another is admirable, and we would like to keep that way forever so we can support and protect one another. We have improved our housing and enlarged our cattle and poultry farms. We are honored that GiveDirectly chose us to be a part of the program."

"The GiveDirectly transfer arrived just in time as we had exhausted the little amount of flour we had left. I was worried about how we would purchase more and feared that we may have to go hungry for a few days until my husband could sell one of our emaciated goats to raise money. The drought had greatly affected our goats' health. Upon receiving the transfer, I was filled with joy and immediately went to buy a sack of dry maize with $60. Additionally, I had four children who had already returned to school without clearing their fees. I used the remaining $140 to pay their school fees, ensuring that they could stay in school until the end of the term. This assistance came as a huge relief to my family during these difficult times."

"My health has failed me a lot, I have been suffering from Brucellosis and typhoid that has persisted for long now. I am so feeble and can hardly catch sleep during the night. It has really bothered me for sometime now, previously I had undergone medication at Kabarnet which helped but it has kept recurring again. I am hurting and in constant pain, I have always wanted to go to hospital to sick medication but I lack the needed money. This week has been particularly worse, since yesterday I have been thinking of going to my parents place in Riwa to borrow money from my brother, Zacharia, who works in Kapsabet to enable me attend to my health. I cannot withstand the pain any longer."

"The main challenge that I'm facing currently is the lack of money. This has been prompted by the lack of employment. I completed my college studies as an Early Childhood Development Educator (ECDE) in 2022 and since then, I haven't secured employment. This has greatly affected my family financially since we depend on my husband for everything. This has made life very difficult since we can't meet some of the basic needs of our family. I sometimes feel so stressed since as a wife there are things I should do but I cannot because I don't have money to do so."