"My happiness will be to see my grandson Kelly study all the way to college without worrying about his tuition. I hope this season’s rains support the growth of crops so that I can cultivate enough food. This will allow me to save the money from the transfers for Kelly’s school expenses. Also, in the next few years, I wish to have renovated the roof of my house. I am not happy about how damaged and unsteady it looks right now; it can be easily blown away by the wind. "

"Am focussed on building a new house within the next year. My current house is in a poor condition, as the rusted and loose iron sheets allow water to enter the space whenever it rains. This exposes my family to cold infections sometimes and it gets me worried. My plan is to secure building materials like iron sheets and building poles, then hire someone to construct a two-room house. As I work on the construction project, I also wish to continue supporting the education of my five children, who are still in elementary school. I believe that education is the surest way to brace their future so that they may not end up in hardships like I did. "

"We are a family of 7 and we are faced with numerous challenges that are insurmountable but top on the list is food insecurity. Lack of enough food has been biting and it has seriously affected us. We used to sell charcoal as a source of livelihood but at some point, the government banned the burning of charcoal and it made our lives so difficult. The situation was further worsened by the ever-increasing cost of living, the cost of 1 kg of maize flour is $0.8, which is very expensive for us, and at times we cannot afford it and we are forced to sleep on porridge. Everytime I think of it my stress level rises."

"Food insecurity is a major challenge that we are facing at the moment. This was occasioned by a prolonged drought that ravaged our crops and vegetation. The aftermath of it was so devastating and as a result we have suffered untold suffering. Some of our goats could not withstand the adverse effects of drought and have since died due to lack of enough pasture and water. We have been so helpless and we have borne the greatest brunt. We have been forced to purchase foodstuff at very high prices that we sometimes cannot afford. The cost of 90 Kg used to retail at $30 but has since doubled to $60 which is very expensive. We live from hand to mouth and we have constantly lived in abject poverty. So bad is the situation that we have lived a miserable life full of destitution."

"Food insecurity is the major challenge that I am grappling with at the moment. We had been experiencing a prolonged period of drought due to 3 failed rainy seasons. The effects have been disastrous and have resulted in lack of enough food. The livestock has suffered a great deal because of insufficient water and pasture. I am a person of little means who depends on casual work to be able to afford a meal. Sometimes the jobs are intermittent and hard to come by and so sometimes I go to bed hungry, when I am lucky to get one it is hardly enough to buy the foodstuffs since the cost of living has risen."

"We are a family of 5, I am a pastor in the local Pentecostal Assembly of God church, and I also engage myself in the motorcycle business to make ends meet and be able to put food on the table. All my children are school-going and they are in various levels of studies. My daughter, Purity, is in Kuinet Secondary School and it is an uphill task paying her school fees. I have been navigating through the stress of raising the school fees all year, she is currently in Form 3 but it has never been easy. I am halfway glad that the Give Directly cash transfers is in the offing, the idea of it has moved us a great deal. We are so elated that for once we will be able to pay the school fees without a struggle."

"Most children look up to their mothers for provision, and as one, I have to fulfil their needs. Since my husband is away most of the time, I am the one who always responds to their needs. This can only be possible with a constant source of income. Therefore, for this to bear fruit, I hope to utilize $100 on opening up a grocery business at Kapkwen to operate on market days to earn income for my family of three. Meanwhile, on non-market days, I will attend to my dairy farming to continue providing food for my family. I will be happy to be financially stable, busy, and food secure."

"In addition to paying school fees and buying food for my family of seven members, I aim to save part of my transfers to acquire goats. Though I do not own goats now, I am optimistic that keeping goats will be a promising investment. From them, not only will I be able to raise money for an emergency, but I will find it easy to support my children's education by occasionally selling part of my flock. I do not have any business now, and I hope that if I succeed in raising livestock, it will be easy for my family to maneuver through its financial constraints. I am indebted to GiveDirectly for its monthly transfers."

"Because I do not have an alternative source of income except to rely on my cows. I have a goal of increasing my herd. I had suffered a big blow by losing over ten cows to drought. I have been using oxen to help me to plow so that I can earn a little income. I also obtain free milk from my cows. For the rest of this year, I hope to buy more goats that I will sell later to buy additional cows. Newly acquired livestock will add to the current three that have survived the prolonged drought in our area. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for its cash transfer that has made me resilient to the dry spell witnessed in our region."

"The biggest challenge facing me is the lack of adequate security. My compound is open and other people's livestock can enter freely. This has hindered me from planting crops. Currently, I use tree cut-offs which dry up and decompose easily. In addition, livestock can force entry with such kind of fencing. This has made my life hard because I get worried about my home when I am out. I'd have wanted to plant some maize, millet, or peas when there is rain."