"After being displaced by flooding six years ago, I decided to borrowed land from a relative and constructed a simple structure for my family to live. With no reliable source of livelihood, I am only able to work from hand to mouth and as a result, I cannot save anything substantial in order to buy land and relocate. This meant that I had to continue staying in the borrowed land without doing anything useful as I am not allowed to carryout any development by the owner."

"I am a widow with no passive income. I solely depend on casual jobs from other people's farm in order to fend for my family. The jobs are unreliable to an extend of only getting them during the weekends. This means that I have to venture into charcoal burning in order to supplement on my family's needs. I am also forced to lease my only 2 acres arable land that I could have cultivated crops for both subsistence and surplus for commercial purposes. My biggest worry is that I am running out of energy to be able to continue carrying out these menial jobs because of my age and having no hope of breaking this cycle."

"Thanks to GiveDirectly, my life has taken a positive urn. With the $450 I received, I invested wisely in my future. I used $250 to buy tomato seedlings and prepare half an acre of land for farming. Tomatoes thrive here, and they fetch a good price in the market. The income from selling them will sustain my farming and provide for my family. I spent $60 on food, relieving the food scarcity my kids and I faced before. Also, I bought a goat for $50, which will multiply and increase my assets over time. This support has transformed our lives, ensuring sustainability and prosperity for us.""

"Give directly did well its processes of offering help directly. I recommend the same process in the next village."

"The recent changes in Kenya's economy have family hard. The prices of basic commodities such as food have increased, making it difficult for us to afford our daily needs. As a family of five, we rely on charcoal burning as our main source of income, earning $5 per bag. On a good month, I can harvest up to 10 bags, which we use to buy food and pay for our children's high school fees. But it is not easy. Charcoal burning is physically demanding and highly competitive, especially since it seems like everyone in the Ng'ambo sublocation is doing it too. And to make matters worse, the middlemen involved in the business often exploit us, driving down our profits even further. I am worried about the future of this job. It is becoming increasingly tiresome and less lucrative, and the market conditions are not helping either. I know I need to find a solution soon before things get even worse for my family. It will not be easy, but I am determined to find a way to provide for my family and secure a better future for us all."

".I can't help but express how happy and excited I am. GiveDirectly has truly changed my life. Before, my life was hard to explain. When I got the money, the first thing I did was use $150 to pay off my two children's university fees. Before, I relied on government grants and community donations to pay for their education. But now, thanks to the money I received, I don't need to depend on those sources anymore. I also used $50 to buy food because I used to work selling firewood and water door-to-door, but it didn't pay much. It was hard to support my two grandchildren with just that money. My husband passed away nine years ago, so I'm the only one my kids rely on. Life has been tough since then.With the rest of the money, I built a small room made of Ironsheets for my grandchildren. Before, they lived in a house made of mud and grass, which wasn't good when it rained. Since I got the money, my life has changed. I don't have to work odd jobs anymore; I can stay at home and take care of my grandchildren."

"After I got some money, I spent it all on food for my wife's burial. She was sick for a long time with something called deep vein thrombosis, which caused her a lot of pain from her head to her legs. I spent about $3000 on her medical bills, but despite all our efforts, she passed away. Now I'm living alone because my children are married. Sometimes my grandchildren visit me during holidays and help me with house chores.Before GiveDirectly started helping me, my life wasn't so good because I relied on my children for everything. But now, thanks to GiveDirectly, I can afford to eat comfortably. I like green grams and potatoes, so when I got more money from GiveDirectly, I bought a lot of them because they're my favorite foods. I'm grateful for the help GiveDirectly has given me, especially for support with my wife's medical bills from the beginning."

"Life at the moment is so tough because I do not have a reliable source of income to depend on. Looking at my husband's health condition, it has pushed me to assume the household responsibilities. My hope has been on my son who is a driver but his support is minimal due to the nature of his income. It is a great feeling of pain to have involuntarily forced my elder son to postpone marriage since he carries the burden of supporting his siblings in school. Hence, I consider financial instability as my biggest challenge."

"I have nothing but praise for GiveDirectly. Their programs have helped me tremendously, and I'm filled with joy and gratitude because of it. I love everything they do, and I'm so thankful for the assistance they've provided me."

"Once, I got $450 from GiveDirectly. It made me really happy. I knew exactly what to do with it. First thing, I used $230 to build a toilet. It was important for my family's health. We're a small family, just me and my kid. Now, we don't have to worry about sanitation anymore. Then, I took $150 to pay off some school fees. I needed my KCSE certificate. It opens up doors for me. With it, I can grab opportunities when they come my way. Next, I spent $45 on a gate. It's for safety. We're farmers, and we store our produce here. The gate keeps our belongings safe. I didn't forget about the farm. I used $10 to buy fuel. It helps me irrigate the maize. Good irrigation means good crops. Finally, I set aside $15 for food. It came at just the right time. We were facing a food crisis. Now, we can eat without worrying. That's how I used the money from GiveDirectly. It changed things for us. We're healthier, safer, and more secure."