"Financial constraints have become a real hurdle for me lately, especially in farming. Every day, I see the costs of essential inputs like fertilizers and seeds climbing higher. Depending on farming for my livelihood means I constantly feel the squeeze of these increasing expenses. It is challenging to keep up with the rising costs in Kenya's economy, but I am exploring different strategies to cope, like searching for more affordable inputs and considering diversifying my crops to lessen the impact of these expenses.It is a struggle, but I am hopeful that with perseverance, I can navigate through these tough times."

"Since I'm a window my biggest challenge currently is providing for my family. I only depend on casual work which I don't get enough money to provide for my family. This makes my life very difficult."

"My biggest challenge currently is a lack of money and the tightening cost of living. This has made my life very difficult because I lack money to pay for my three children's school fees and also purchase food for our family. This has made life difficult since what I get from the small business I have is not enough to cater for all our needs."

"The challenge we are facing is that we are living in a small one roomed house. This has forced me to go to sleep in my neighbours house while my wife and daughter sleep in our house. This makes it very difficult for me and I sometimes feel ashamed because I'm getting old and yet I have to go to my neighbours to sleep."

"After receiving $180 from GiveDirectly, I immediately thought about buying a plot of land. I live near a river and was severely affected by recent floods that caused a lot of destruction, especially to homesteads that were swept away. I knew right away that if I didn’t permanently mitigate this threat, I would risk continued losses and disturbances from floods in the future. With this in mind, I spent $100 as a deposit to secure a plot in a safer area. I also spent $55 to buy a sheep as a long-term investment. My vision is for the sheep to multiply so I can use it to meet my family’s emergencies in the future. Additionally, I spent $13 on medication for both me and my kids. The floods had caused my children to suffer from common colds and malaria, but with GiveDirectly’s assistance, I was able to address these health issues immediately. I used the remaining money to buy food. During the floods, it was extremely hard to find any work, and the best option was to seek refuge in a camp. Thanks to GiveDirectly, I could address these urgent needs and ensure my family's well-being."

"During the prolonged drought a few months ago, the extreme heat caused our farms to wither and seasonal river to dry up. I did not have food in my farm and could not find jobs from my neighbors as well. Consequently, my children have often missed school due to food security and lack of income."

"I depend on my farm produce to support my 4 children's education. However, unpredictable weather patterns have pushed me into losses due to extreme weather conditions. For example, flash floods destroyed my maize plantation 2 months ago. I am so worried that my children will face food insecurity and will no longer consistently attend school. This is making my life hard at the moment."

"I operate a small food kiosk in the village. For the last 2 months I have hardly made profits due to tough economic times. Flash floods that swept into the village have rendered many people jobless because the farms they depended on for casual work were swept clean. Without money in circulation, the ripple effect has become dire to people in businesses. My worry is that with this kind of trend I would not be in a position to educate my 4 children."

"In the coming years, my greatest hope is to fully own the piece of land I bought for crop farming. It cost $2500, and so far, I have managed to pay $530. Completing the payment is a mountain to climb, but I am determined to make it happen. I plan to set aside a portion of my earnings from burning charcoal. My son, who does mechanical work, promised to help me with the payments. With his support and my relentless focus, I can gather the remaining amount bit by bit. Once I fully own the land, I will be able to grow more crops, increasing our food supply and income. This will secure our family's future and allow us to dream even bigger in the years beyond."

"I had been struggling with housing after my house was destroyed by heavy rains last year. The roof was dilapidated and the entire structure had become weak, unable to withstand the heavy downpour. I couldn't afford to buy the necessary building materials for renovation, and as a result, it collapsed on one side, making it unsafe to live in. However, when I received my first transfer, I was finally able to build a new house after years of hardship. I spent $450 on the necessary building materials, including 24 iron sheets, building poles, and nails, and I am now in the process of building a two-room iron-roofed house. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for enabling me to build a new house, which has brought peace of mind to me and my household. Additionally, I also purchased a new bed and a mattress to replace the old traditional bed that no longer offered the comfort I needed. Finally, I bought enough food to last us for weeks, ensuring that my family had enough to eat and never lacked food."