"Living in a dry environment has more drawbacks than advantages. First, in order to find water for irrigation and domestic usage, one must always trek a considerable distance. Food is also an issue since, if we don't use irrigation, we always have to get used to harvesting nothing. I purchased a water tank for KES 21500 to store water with my second batch of the transfer. Rainwater will be collected and used in my home for domestic reasons. In order to prevent my kids from being taken back home, I also spent KES 7,000 on paying a portion of the fee arrears. I purchased 40 kg of corn for our consumption and other food products with the remaining money."

"I spent a significant amount of my transfer money on upgrading my residence. I chose this since we have been residing in a one-room house, and occasionally, our grandchildren do come to visit. Our tradition forbids us from sharing a room with them, which frequently results in me feeling uneasy. Due to a lack of resources, I had not been able to build a larger house, so I am grateful that GiveDirectly has made this possible. In addition, I paid KES 8,000 to purchase two goats for breeding and KES 4250 to purchase food that would sustain my family for a few weeks. The goats are an investment in me that will benefit me in the future."

"To develop while living in Baringo County, one must either start a business, conduct irrigation farming, or raise cattle. If one wants to implement irrigation, he or she must rent land close to the irrigation-producing areas; otherwise, one is forced to rely on unreliable small-scale farming. Due to my advanced age, practicing farming will be quite challenging as I can no longer complete the majority of tasks on my own. My life's work will therefore be focused on raising livestock. I currently have plans to purchase more goats to raise. This will give me access to a steady supply of milk, and I can occasionally sell one of the goats to make some money."

"What I appreciate about Givedirectly is that I have complete control over how I spend the cash; no one can make me do anything against my will. My opinion was that everything was done well and keep doing the good work!"

"Building myself a separate house to serve as a kitchen took up a significant portion of the initial transfer. We have always cooked outside because my family of five, which includes four grandchildren, only has one house where we can all sleep. We frequently had to wait until the rain stopped during the rainy season for us to cook because it is impossible when it is raining. Because of this, I made the decision to build a kitchen which cost $320. The remaining of the transfer was used to till my land after I also paid $57 towards the school fees for my grandchildren, who are currently enrolled in various stages of education, with the eldest being in form three."

"Because of financial constraints, I was unable to attend school, and I would not want my children to face the same fate. Despite my financial difficulties, all I want is for my children to excel in their studies. My son is in college and is currently pursuing an ICT course, and I have two children, one in high school and one in primary school. They had fee arrears that I could not afford to pay. When I got the transfer, I took KES 45000 and paid for all of them so that they could continue their education. This not only kept them from being dropped from their classes but also gave me plenty of time to plan for the next payment. In addition, I spent KES 5000 on a new mattress to replace the old one, which was worn out and no longer provided comfortable sleep. I am now sleeping soundly and comfortably thanks to my new bedding. I used the rest of the money to buy food, including a bag of maize flour, to ensure that there was enough food in the house."

"I had been living in a grass-thatched house that was in really bad shape for a long time; even before I was enrolled, the roof was already dilapidated, and the grasses were no longer helping. The roof was riddled with holes and patches, and the walls were sagging. It was leaking during the rain, and I could not afford to renovate it myself. I am a subsistence farmer with no source of income. I assumed I would continue in this manner, possibly ending up homeless and seeking refuge with my neighbors. When I received the transfer, my first priority was to construct a decent iron-roofed house for my family to live in. I was able to purchase enough construction materials, such as iron sheets, building poles, nails, and wood, to begin my project. I will be living in an iron-roofed house soon after spending years in a grass-thatched house, which required frequent grass replacement."

"I remember my neighbour visiting my home and inquiring whether I had also received funds from GiveDirectly. Caught up in my farm work, I hadn't checked my phone for some time, so I promptly did so. To my delight, I discovered a Mpesa message indicating that I had indeed received money from GiveDirectly. It was the most uplifting news I had received in quite some time. Knowing that I could now prepare my land during the planting season filled me with immense gratitude. I recognized this as a tremendous blessing and felt truly thankful for the support I had received."

"The most significant difference now is my newfound ability to invest in farming without financial struggles, which was not possible before. I am thrilled to have finally realized this dream, as it gives me hope of securing an ample food supply this year. I am eternally grateful for the incredible gift I received from GiveDirectly, which has made all of this possible."

"Both my wife and I work as teachers, and we have two children in our family. The support we received from GiveDirectly felt like a blessing from above, especially because it arrived during the planting season, precisely when we needed it most. As soon as we received the transfer, my wife and I mutually agreed to allocate the funds toward our farming endeavors. We spent $135 on land preparation and an additional $52 on purchasing seedlings. With the remaining funds, we acquired fuel for the generator, enabling us to pump water from the nearby river. Without the timely assistance we received, none of this would have been possible. I am filled with joy, knowing that soon we will have an abundant food supply to sustain our family."