"Being a widow is an experience that has forced me to live a very desperate life with my family of 3. The jobs that are available in our community are strenuous and require a lot of energy. These include charcoal burning, seeking casual jobs in neighbours' farms among others. The payments from these activities are very low, usually $5 in a day. It's worse when I have to focus on charcoal work since it takes me three days to make the $5. Considering this little income, meeting our very basic needs is a challenge and the most affected sector is the education of my children. This pains me most and I usually feel, the lack of a reliable source of income as my biggest challenge."

"In the coming year and beyond, with the support from GiveDirectly, I have a vision of acquiring a second plowing ox. Currently, I only have one, and to effectively plow my fields, I need a pair. My journey to this goal will be gradual, as I save bit by bit from the funds I receive. This second ox is not just a luxury; it's a necessity. Without it, I cannot fully engage in farming, which is the cornerstone of my livelihood. With two oxen, my fields will be plowed more efficiently, boosting my harvests and ensuring my family is well-fed and secure. Beyond that, the second ox will open new opportunities for me. I plan to offer plowing services to other farmers, which will generate additional income and help strengthen our community’s agricultural productivity."

"As a mother of seven children, my biggest challenge lies in the struggle to afford the school fees required for my children's education. Despite my husband being a hardworking plumber and my own efforts, we still find it difficult to meet the financial demands of our children's education. Each term, we are faced with the daunting task of coming up with over $750 to cover the educational costs for our children - one in college, two in secondary school, and four in primary school. This ongoing financial strain has had a significant impact on our way of life, forcing us to constantly devise new strategies to make ends meet. As a result, my personal development has been put on hold as I try to juggle our family's financial responsibilities with other pressing needs."

"Being a mother of a differently abled child is stressful and challenging most of the time because he requires special care. My prayer has always been that he will be able to walk and talk like other children his age. I have been taking him to KEMRI for physiotherapy for the past 2.5 years to help him walk again, but financial constraints have been my main obstacle. Due to financial constraints, I have not been consistent in taking care of him, which is why it has taken him this long to recover. I need to pay $13 for transportation and a hospital visit every other week."

"A reliable source of income is the challenge I am currently facing in life. I started a small business selling fish in the village and it is now three months old. The business has a capital of $10 and it has not generated profit yet. My husband works as a casual laborer at Mombasa . His income caters for food only since he does not secure a job every day. The financial instability has affected my family thus we lack bedding. I sleep on the floor and during the rainy season there are a lot of snakes and other moving animals ."

"GiveDirectly's approach is amazing. The community meeting organized before enlightened us about the organization and its source of finances. During enrollment, we were informed in advance about the transfer amounts and dates, which gave me hope and allowed for early budgeting. The officers were respectful, and the unconditional money gave me the freedom to plan with my family based on our needs. I am happy with everything; all promises were kept. The approach is unique and the best, and I hope you continue with the same method as you touch more lives."

"Since I received money from GiveDirectly, the biggest difference in my life has been the ability to repair the roof of my house. Before, whenever it rained, I had to place sacks and reeds to prevent water from leaking inside. It was a constant worry, and the situation was especially hard on my son, who is in Grade 6. Now, he is so much more excited and happy because we have a great place to live. The old roof was not only leaky but also made a lot of noise whenever it was windy. The iron sheets were worn out, and the roofing nails were so tattered that I feared they would fall off any moment. This improvement has brought a sense of security and comfort to our home, and I am immensely grateful for the positive change it has brought to our lives."

"I used $80 to pay the school fees for my son, who is in Form One at a day secondary school. This ensures he can stay in school and not miss his studies by being sent home for unpaid fees. Education is very important to me, and being able to keep my son in school brings me great peace of mind. It reassures me that he is getting the education he needs for a better future. With $40, I bought four plastic chairs and a plastic table, which we didn't have before. Before this, some of my children used to sit on the ground, and it was uncomfortable and disheartening. Now, we have enough seats for everyone, and it has made a significant difference in our daily lives. Additionally, I am particularly happy because I no longer need to borrow seats from my neighbours when I receive visitors, which used to make me feel uneasy and embarrassed. Having our furniture has improved our sense of dignity and comfort in our home. I also purchased a new mattress for $40 to replace the old, worn-out one my children had been sleeping on. This has greatly improved their sleep quality. I used the remaining amount to buy food for my family, ensuring that we had enough to eat and could focus on other important aspects of our lives, such as tilling my land, without the constant worry of where our next meal would come from."

"I had a very different experience in terms of education from many of my peers. I got pregnant while in primary school and couldn't continue my studies to high school. Since then, I've been struggling to provide for my child while relying on my parents, who are subsistence farmers. I used to even beg for basic necessities, which was due to our financial struggles. Having a child at a young age made my life very challenging, as I had no one to rely on for support. However, things started to change when I received the support from GiveDirectly. With the first transfer, I used $250 to start a home-based clothing business. Although I haven't been able to rent a space yet, I move from house to house selling clothes. The profits from the business now enable me to take care of my family's needs without having to ask for help. I'm also training to be a hairdresser as a part-time student, with the hope of gaining skills that will help me earn a living. I used $50 to pay for tuition and I am now able to attend classes without interruption on fees. Additionally, I spent $ 70 on purchasing two goats, which I plan to breed, let them multiply and be able to sell in case of a financial need. I spent the remaining amount on buying food for my family and covering medical expenses for my child."

"Our area is ideal for keeping livestock, and not having any animals of my own left me feeling unsettled. I've always seen owning livestock as a way to build wealth, especially since I mainly earn a living as a casual laborer on other people's farms. When I received my first payment, I spent $106 on two sheep and two chickens, which I am now raising. I see them as valuable assets that I can sell for money in case of financial needs because they can multiply. I also needed some nice seating for my home, so I bought two plastic chairs for $6, which has made a big difference in my household. Now, my family and visitors have comfortable chairs. I bought food and new clothes for my family with the remaining money. Despite my financial challenges, I am grateful that my family has enough food to eat. We are now able to have three meals a day without much difficulty. If I had to rely solely on my income to provide for my family, we would likely be skipping meals. I am thankful that the payment has lifted this burden, and even if I fail to find work, my family will not go hungry."