"GiveDirectly excels at giving dignity ad respect to those who are needy , in that it allows us recipients to chose, how, when and where to use the funds as we see fit. An initiative where they had project managers, eg, if they give me funds and I choose to build, GiveDirectly could offer contractors, managed by them and who it could use the funds to pay, and help me realise the final [product. That way if funds aren't enough or the quality of work is wanting, they could guide the recipient to ensure all goes as planned and they get maximum return on the investment. I feel that one thing GiveDirectly could look into in terms of improving."

"When I started receiving Give Directly transfers, I decided to buy a piece of land so that I can start practicing farming. I was able to complete all the payment and I planted maize and beans that are already doing so well. With the transfers, I was able to buy one cow as well that is almost conceiving and hopefully, I will start a milk business soon."

"I have a money problem. The absence of job is to blame for this. Since leaving the Capital (Nairobi), where I was employed in an industrial sector, in the year 2020, I have not been able to find a steady employment that pays me enough to support my family. I had to relocate to the village because the arrival of the coronavirus made life in the city difficult. My current employer offers me a small salary that is insufficient to cover my family's essential necessities. Since my wife and I are expecting our second child in December, I'm concerned about tomorrow."

"Not being able to provide all the needs ( education, food, clothing, medication) of my family of seven saddens me. My husband is a cook at a nearby secondary school but he earns $60 only in a month. This is enough for food only hence we are forced to borrow loans to educate our children. I do casual jobs to supplement our family's income and repay the loans which take us years to complete. If we had a better source of income, we would live a better life than now."

"We live in a semi-arid area and due to scarcity of rain and unproductive land, we cannot do any farming. We have one meal a day and two when we are lucky to get casual jobs. Since my only child is three years old, I had to allow my mother to help me raise him because I cannot afford to give him balanced and nutritious food which is vital for his growth and development. I feel discontented when I am unable to provide basic needs such as food for my family hence food insecurity becomes a big challenge."

"The difficulty I'm having is a lack of water. There was water in the river when I purchased this plot of property in 2020, and I planted a lot of crops, which brought in approximately $500. However, the river has dried up since 2021, so I've been unable to grow anything. We occasionally receive piped water, but it is insufficient for irrigation. Since I rely on my farm for income, I am unable to buy some necessities like milk."

"During the past 3 years, my late husband was sick. He passed on 7 months ago, we experienced a lot of financial challenges. He needed special medical attention. We bought an oxygen cylinder for $150 after selling a plot of land. We also sold 3 cows and 3 goats to meet his medical needs. This has affected us up to today. I am sad since then we've not been able to till our land. This has affected our food supply."

"My husband Joseph, 39, fell down on a rocky and hilly terrain while heading to the forest in 2020. He had gone to cut trees for sell. Due to the impact of the fall, he dislocated and injured the right hand. We did not have the $600 hospital bill required to treat him. The arm healed that way without correction, this affected him. I was very sad since he could no longer do the normal jobs he used to. Before the injury my husband could make up to $3 a day. Now he can only manage $0.50, which is small. I am the only one who can work fully to provide for the family. I cannot always be able to get enough money to feed our family."

"In the last 3 years we've had very inconsistent rains in this village. Our farms have been mostly dry and getting food is hard. This year I planted one and half acres of land. I used $100 to prepare the land, buy seeds and plant. I grew maize, millet and groundnuts. I was very sad when I lost it all. This has made my life very difficult since I have to depend on my son's and daughters for support."