"Supporting my 2 children in school has been a very challenging task for me because of the financial crisis in my household. It pains me a lot to watch them desperately at home when they lack school fees. This means they spend most of their time out of class, a situation that has directly affected their performances. Since my main source of income is charcoal work, the earning of $20 is hardly enough to cater to all our basic needs. As a mother, I have felt the pinch because the future of my children is at stake. What a life!"

"What a life! In our area, the only immediate source of income is charcoal burning, a very energy-intensive and time-consuming job. Its income is not reliable because I usually make utmost $20 per month, which goes only for clearing my bills. This means I am left with nothing to depend on for my future and this worries me the most. I have always been in stress wondering how life can become tough if trees get depleted. The call to stop deforestation has lacked meaning in my life and I have felt being a detrimental factor in making changes to our area. I, therefore, consider the lack of a reliable source of income as my biggest challenge."

"I am more focused on building a new house than I have ever been before. Sharing a space with my married cousin feels very uncomfortable because am depriving them of privacy. Things have changed from when we were both bachelors co-habiting in a room. I want a permanent and more spacious structure, which is why I am going for a two-room house made with bricks instead of mud walls. I have already started saving $24 from every transfer to effect this project. If it were not for the financial aid, this would have probably just remained as a dream because I cannot work to raise funds by myself; am mentally unstable."

"A few years ago, I lost a herd of three cows and some goats as a result of the drought that dried up vegetation and water pans. It was a low moment in my life as these animals were the backbone of my financial stability; I used to sell them for money. After the tragedy, I was not able to acquire more livestock because I did not have funds. I am grateful that the financial aid opened an ideal door toward reviving my livestock-keeping venture. So far, I have obtained two goats and two chickens from the transfers. By next year, I wish to have increased the number of goats. Despite the harsh climatic conditions, I believe these animals are more resilient in such weather."

"My life is becoming better because of the financial support from Givedirectly, I was able to buy a big pig and the rest of the money was used in buying food and other home necissities."

"Other than ensuring my husband and I have enough meals in the house, am also focused on building a decent house. The decaying grass thatches on my roof not only lets it rainwater but also harbors dangerous insects. Besides, the mud walls of the house could crumble from strong winds or heavy rains. I believe that building a new house, especially with a tin roof becomes costly by the day. At my age, I cannot work to raise enough money for the project. I intend on saving half of each monthly cash transfer, with support from my husband, to establish a more stable structure."

"Apart from making sure my spouse and I have adequate food, I'm also working on building an effective shelter. In addition to allowing water to leak in when it rains, the withering grass thatches on my roof also harbor harmful insects. Moreover, the house's shaky mud walls might collapse due to severe winds or heavy rains. Sadly, constructing a new dwelling, especially one with a tin roof, is becoming increasingly expensive. At my advanced age, I am unable to work to generate sufficient funds for the project. With my wife's help, I plan on saving half of every monthly financial transfer to build a more secure structure."

"Ever since my house crumbled last year, I was compelled to move to my son's house, where I have resided to this day. Fortunately, he works and lives with his family in Mombasa. It only gets troublesome when they come to the village and I have to find another place to sleep. To prevent this from happening again, I intend to construct a one-room home for myself. Am glad that the cash transfers allow me to save money for construction materials and labor compensation."

"I've always desired to own livestock, but financial restraints have limited my ability to do so. Because of my physical vulnerability, I am unable to actively work for an income; thus, owning livestock is the greatest alternative for me. I'm particularly thankful for prior cash transfers, which enabled me to purchase three chickens and three goats. I hope that this herd will grow in the coming years so that I may sell them to support the education of my three younger siblings."

"I have always wanted to acquire more goats since I believe they provide the family with financial stability. My current objective is to purchase a goat every two months and keep it in my compound. I do not currently have a reliable source of income. After the goats multiply and become more numerous, I think I can easily sell them to meet my financial needs."