"We are grappling with several challenges that have made our lives difficult. We were displaced by bandits in our ancestral lands in Arabal. We live like squatters here since we borrowed the land just to occupy it until peace and normalcy return in Arabal then we can go back to our homes. We struggle here day in and day out, putting food on the table is hard. We used to depend on charcoal burning but it has since been banned by the County government of Baringo therefore denying us our source of livelihood. We are forced to trek for long distances in search of casual labour which are hard to come by. It's hard to survive here."

"We are trying to settle and reconstruct our lives after we were displaced by bandits from Pokot on our ancestral lands in Arabal. Life took a nosedive and it has never been the same, my family disintegrated as a result. My wife left me after the displacement since she could not stand to start a new life in a different land. I am left to fend for my two children on my own which is not easy since I have to play both roles of a mother and a father. This makes my life hard and it pains me a lot. I lost everything I had, they stole almost all the livestock I had save for a few that escaped and so I had to start again which has not been easy. I am far from recovering."

"Financial constraints is the greatest challenge because I do not have a stable source of income. I am a farmer and I sell maize to make ends meet but for the past three years, I have been incurring losses due to harsh climatic conditions. If I had a supplementary source of income things would be better as I would meet all my basic needs and that of my family."

"It was during the commencement of the planting season when I received the final transfer from GiveDirectly. I was committed to investing the entire sum into a profit-yielding venture with enduring benefits. I leased a 2-acre parcel of land at $100 and promptly initiated the land preparation. The plowing phase incurred an expense of $60, while the subsequent tilling and harrowing amounted to $100. During this period, I spent $30 on food provisions to the hired labor force. Since I already possessed all the necessary inputs, I proceeded to plant without any additional cost. Given the limited rainfall, I combined the remaining $160 with my savings to purchase a water pumping generator, facilitating consistent irrigation throughout the growth cycle of the maize plantation. As a single mother of four children, it was a demanding endeavor to prioritize intensive farming over other needs, but I am content with the outcome - a harvest of 17 sacks, each weighing 90 kg. Presently, I am in the process of drying the maize, preparing to bring it to the market and utilizing the proceeds to fulfill various needs I had initially foregone, including payment of school fees for my three children. It was unfortunate that, my elder daughter had a miscarriage and was admitted in recent weeks, resulting in a medical expenditure of $250 from my savings. I am relieved that she has been discharged and is recuperating at home."

"In the upcoming year and beyond, my aspiration is to leverage the income generated from goat farming to acquire a parcel of fertile land that will enable me to engage in subsistence farming. This endeavor holds the promise of providing ample sustenance for my family of eight and alleviating the high expenses associated with purchasing food. A driving factor behind this decision is my eagerness to expand my involvement in subsistence farming, a practice I had not previously pursued. Over time, I have heavily relied on buying food from neighboring farmers, incurring substantial costs. This challenge can only be resolved by venturing into productive farming on more fertile land, distinctly different from the rocky terrain we currently possess."

"We have children in secondary school, two girls. It's difficult raising their school fees. We've sold most of our livestock, now they are very few. We have about $200 fees areas. As a family, we believe that educating our children will give them a better future. This means we're worried and find it stressful when we cannot clear their fees. The school's administration sends them home when the fees is not fully paid."

"I had been facing difficulties in paying my grandchild's secondary school fees, and the arrears had accumulated to $400. I have been taking care of him since he was a young child, as his mother left him with me when she got married to someone else who isn't his father. Being his grandfather, I took on the responsibility of raising him and ensuring he continued his education. When the second transfer arrived, he was at home due to the unpaid fees. In a decision that felt right, I used $400 of the transfer to clear his fees, settling the entire outstanding amount. This choice was logical because I had no remaining assets to sell; I had already exhausted all my cattle to support my children's education. I am now relieved, knowing he can focus on his studies without the burden of unpaid fees. I utilized the remaining $130 to buy essential food for my family of seven, which includes my spouse, my three children, and my two grandchildren."

"What I loved the most about GiveDirectly is their direct transfer approach, where they send the funds directly to the recipients' accounts without involving a third party. This method ensures that we receive all the transfers without any uncertainty or doubt. We are truly grateful for that."

"Plans to buy a cow graze it to grow, and thereafter, by next year, she buys another piece of land"

"I am currently working at a butcher shop and I have set my sights on financial success. I have taken the first step by investing in three goats, with a goal of expanding to ten. I am looking forward to their growth through breeding, which will create a steady income source. Alongside this, I'm also focused on growing my poultry business. Raising more chicks and selling them once they're fully grown is my plan to establish multiple streams of income. This journey is shaping up to fulfill my dreams of prosperity."