"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."

"The house I had been living in for many years collapsed on one side during heavy rains last year. It was a small two-roomed house with a dilapidated and weak roof, which led to its collapse. The house was in really bad condition with several openings in the roof and walls, making it uninhabitable. Since I lacked the financial resources to rebuild, I had no choice but to continue living in it, hoping for change. However, after enrolling in a program and receiving my transfer, my priority was to improve my living situation, starting with the house. I purchased enough building materials, including 24 iron sheets, building poles, timber, and nails to build a new decent iron-roofed house. I am currently in the process of building the house, and I am happy that I will no longer face challenges of shelter once it's complete. Moreover, I also upgraded my sleeping arrangement with a new mattress and bed to replace the old ones for more comfort."

"I live with my two grandchildren in a two roomed iron sheets house. It's in a bad state, with a leaking roof and mud floor. When it rains, it's difficult sleeping. We fetch water from inside using a container to reduce spillage inside. This has affected my family since we cannot sleep in peace, we're always worried about the next rainfall."

"Education is a key to a better future, I believe that. I've been pushing to educate my five children well. Two of them are currently in secondary school and paying their school fees is hectic. Sometimes they are sent home due to fee balances. It worries me because of the time wasted instead of them focusing on their studies. The floods frustrated my efforts in farming hence diminished my returns. My one acre plantation of maize was swept away. This has led to financial constraints affecting my children's education."

"I am currently dealing with a problem regarding the size of my house, as it is too small for my growing family of eight children. The lack of privacy and comfort due to it being just one room has prompted me to aim to build a four-room house. To achieve this, I am diligently saving in our savings group to ensure that I raise a reasonable amount of money to build my dream house. This new dwelling will provide a safe and secure shelter for all eight members of my family, ensuring their well-being and peace of mind. I am deeply grateful for the financial support that has greatly improved my life and has helped me work towards this crucial goal of securing a suitable home for my family."