"Our biggest challenge is food access. We have been growing our farm every year. But end up with low to zero productivity. The year 2019 was the last I remember we harvested well. Over the years we've been depending on selling our goats to sustain our family of 8. This has strained our stock numbers. We buy all food items and sadly the cost of living has been getting expensive every passing day. This has affected our ability to give our children stable food access. It has affected their health."

"Due to the existing economic conditions and the drought, the cost of living has significantly increased, leading to a substantial portion of our income being allocated towards food expenses. However, with the onset of rainfall, we have embarked on farming and cultivated crops like maize and green gram. Once we harvest these crops, our food expenditures will be reduced, allowing us to prioritize improving our living situation by constructing an additional room. Currently, my mother and I live in a cramped one-room house, and the new extension will serve as a bedroom for my children."

"I am currently working on saving money to buy a motorcycle, which I intend to use as a taxi. By August, I expect to have saved enough for the initial deposit and fuel expenses, at which point I plan to purchase the motorcycle on hire purchase. Hopefully, I will be able to pay off the loan within a year. After that, I will start making further plans."

"I have two main objectives in the near future. Firstly, I am focused on ensuring that my son successfully completes his final year of secondary school by taking care of his school fees and providing him with all the necessary materials for his education. Additionally, I am determined to secure a new home for our family since we are currently residing in a cramped one-room accommodation that belongs to our son. Our previous house was unfortunately destroyed by strong winds due to its age, and thus it is essential for us to rebuild and improve our living situation."

"I intend to acquire a minimum of five additional goats for investment purposes in the near future. Subsequently, my plan involves constructing a house for the well-being of my children. Presently, we reside in a one-room dwelling with my five children, consisting of three boys and two girls. The construction of this house will provide a sense of privacy and comfort for my children."

"My main goal is to own a motorbike. I am currently employed as a motorcycle rider by one of the neighbors and with the income I get from the business, we have to divide with my employer. It had always been my dream to have my own motorcycle so that I fully fend for my family, but I had never been lucky to get enough money. I had been saving $30 of my monthly transfers towards achieving this goal and I believe that by mid-next year, I would be a proud owner of a motorbike courtesy of GibveDireclty. I would also want to venture into livestock rearing. and I would ensure that I spend $4 every month to buy at least one chick to add to the ones that I already have."

"Food insecurity is the greatest challenge currently. I rely on goat farming to meet my needs but the prolonged drought has resulted in reduced productivity. As a result, I am forced to supplement my income with casual jobs which is hardly enough to provide enough food for my family of eight."

"I was filled with joy when I received the transfers while on duty. I am a teacher by profession, and having three children for whom I must pay school fees is no laughing matter, even though the amount I am paid does not allow me to do so, so I usually have to do something extra to get money so that I may run financial responsibilities at home."

"To me, I notice a shift within myself; the need to have money with me at all times so that I can buy food on a daily basis has subsided, and I am relieved. I would plunge into deep thoughts every day and perhaps lose it all if all of these challenges continued, and as a pastor of the community, we have been praying for aid, and I can confidently state that the Lord has answered us through GiveDirectly."

"When I received the transfer notification from Segovia Technologies, I was on my way home from the farm after a long day of work. I forgot how tired I was and dashed home to tell my spouse, who is now elderly and unable to participate in physically demanding activities. We were starving, and I couldn't remember the last time we ate a full meal. We'd be surviving on wild fruit from wild trees, so eating was the first thing that came to mind, and when I got home, my husband couldn't contain his enthusiasm, fighting to stand up and hugging me."