"The recent floods destroyed everything that I had including livestock and crops in the farm. I rely on farming to earn a living especially chicken, but since I lost all of it I do not have any other alternative apart from casual jobs. It is difficult getting enough money to sustain the needs of my household with casual jobs."

"I had three children whom I was unable to enroll in school due to financial constraints, despite reaching the required age to start school. I have been trying to save from my casual jobs but to no avail. As the date for them to be enrolled was fast approaching, I found myself having saved nothing that would allow me to pay for their admission. I thank GiveDirectly for the transfer that came on time, as it allowed me to enroll all of them in school. I bought new school uniforms and books and paid for their admission fee. Witnessing them continuing with school has given me peace of mind as a parent, because this would have been delayed if I had not received the transfers. Additionally, I also have two others who are already in school, and to ensure that they also stay in class, I cleared the arrears on time. I am happy that they are now comfortably in school, and this alleviated the risk of them being sent home for lack of fees."

"I was at home in the evening, resting after gathering firewood in the forest for domestic use when I received a notification on my phone. Feeling very tired, I didn't immediately check to see what the message was. It wasn't until my son came home from school and checked my messages that he exclaimed there was an M-Pesa notification. I got up to verify this, as I wasn't expecting money from anyone, not even a family member. Upon confirming, I was overjoyed to find out that I had received my first transfer. I couldn't contain my happiness, and I celebrated with my children. The idea that I could now build a new house, as the old one was in bad shape, made me smile non-stop."

"I am grateful that the recent transfer has enabled me to build a house for my three sons after struggling with housing for quite some time. My previous house was not large enough to accommodate them, so they often had to stay with friends in the neighborhood. I couldn't afford to build them a house due to the high cost of building materials such as iron sheets and poles. I'm now at peace because I wanted to live with them on my compound, and I've managed to build them a decent house. Providing them with a proper home has greatly relieved them from the stress of finding shelter elsewhere. Furthermore, my eldest son finished high school last year and is set to join university this year. I've managed to save $180 for him, which will make it easier for him to cover his expenses and admission fees. I consider this a significant boost for me, and it will help my son get admitted as he plans to further his studies."

"My greatest challenge right now is the lack of finances to pay school fees for my children and to start a farming venture for income. This difficulty arose after my husband and I separated, leaving me as the sole provider for my six children in primary and secondary school. It breaks my heart to witness my children being sent home from school due to unpaid fees. I had aspirations of cultivating a farm, but those plans were thwarted when floods devastated our area. The savings I had earmarked for agricultural investment had to be used for our immediate needs in the aftermath of the floods. The setbacks have been overwhelming, and I'm navigating these challenges with a heavy heart, hoping for a breakthrough to secure a better future for my family."

"Currently, my biggest challenge is the lack of capital, which is preventing me from rebuilding my house destroyed by floods and from starting agricultural ventures. Relying on casual labor in others' farms earns me approximately KES 300, which is inadequate for my family's basic needs. Every day, I pray for the means to cultivate crops like maize and tomatoes on our one-acre farm. I hope to use the proceeds to invest in a goat, securing our future needs."

"Currently, my greatest challenge is facing homelessness and food insecurity. The floods destroyed our one and a half acre farm where I had planted maize to prepare for the upcoming dry seasons. Sadly, all crops were lost. Moreover, the floods also wrecked my house, leaving me exposed to the cold and mosquitoes. This situation has heightened my risk of contracting malaria and pneumonia. I look forward to receiving my transfers, as they will provide me with the means to rebuild my life and improve my circumstances."

"It's unfortunate that an outbreak killed almost twenty of my chickens, leaving me with only five. Despite this setback, I am determined to acquire more chickens to continue with my poultry farming project. While my main priority remains providing my six children with a quality education and ensuring their school needs are met promptly, this project will also allow me to build up a good number of chickens. This will ensure that even after my transfers end, I can sell some to support my children's education expenses. I am grateful to GiveDirectly for their support in this endeavor."

"With the cash transfers I'm receiving, my main goal is to save a portion of this money and start poultry farming to generate income. Poultry are in high demand and can be easily sold, either in the market or within our village. This venture aims to secure a sustainable source of income for the future. Additionally, I'm determined to use the transfers to ensure I complete my high school education without financial constraints. Moreover, this project will enable me to support my mother in providing necessary basic needs for my younger siblings. I truly appreciate the financial support as it has been immensely helpful to me."

"Moving forward, my plan is to continue using the transfers I receive to expand my existing business ventures. I am determined to keep investing in the growth and diversification of my operations. In addition to maintaining a strong focus on my current business selling sardines and sugar, I also intend to add coconuts to my product base. By expanding the range of goods I provide, I can cater to a wider customer base and increase my overall revenue. Alongside the business expansion, I will also allocate a portion of the transfers to growing my herd of goats. This livestock investment represents a long-term strategy to build financial security for my family. As the goats multiply and increase in value over time, I can sell them when needed to support my household and I am happy with these plans because with them I will be able to comfortably take care of my grandchildren."