"One morning when I woke up, I saw a message on my phone showing I had received money from GiveDirectly, and I couldn’t believe it at first—I had to read it twice to be sure! I felt this wave of happiness wash over me, and the first thing I did was tell my wife, who broke into a big smile as soon as I shared the news. She was just as excited as I was because, finally, we could begin working on the house we’d been dreaming about for so long. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off our shoulders, and at that moment, we knew things were about to change for the better."

"When we received the cash from GiveDirectly, the biggest change we noticed was the peace that came into our home. Before, it was a constant struggle—some days we had to skip meals, and it hurt to see the kids go without basic things like decent clothes. My wife especially took it hard; she felt like she wasn’t fulfilling her role as a mother, and that frustration would sometimes boil over into arguments between us. But now, with enough food and the children well-dressed, we’re all more at ease. You can see it in the kids—they’re happier, and it brings us joy just seeing them like that. Our relationship as a couple has also improved a lot. Back then, every small problem felt bigger because of the stress we were under. My wife and I would argue about things we couldn’t control, like what to eat or how to pay for school supplies. Now that those worries are behind us, we argue less. We laugh more, spend more time together, and support each other in ways we couldn’t before."

"GiveDirectly has done an excellent job in impacting both my life and the lives of my neighbors. What stood out to me the most is their inclusivity during enrollment. They show no discrimination or favoritism, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to benefit from their program. However, one recommendation I have is that they enhance their follow-ups, especially when addressing individual cases. It would be better if they solved issues on a personal level, rather than relying solely on information from neighbors, who might sometimes be biased."

"For this year and the years to come, I am determined to focus on farming and move away from the hand-to-mouth lifestyle of doing odd jobs. I have already leased a farm, and I’m eagerly awaiting the third transfer to fully invest in my farming plans. Farming has always been my dream, but I never had the capital to make it a reality. Thanks to the support I’m receiving, I now have the opportunity to pursue this goal. I believe that farming will provide me with a stable income and allow me to save money for my children's school fees. This marks a significant step toward building a more secure and prosperous future for my family, and I am excited to see these plans come to life."

"I am really struggling right now because I do not have an income-generating activity. I have to rely on my husband, who is an electrician, but he is currently not employed and only gets calls for work occasionally. On a good week, he might do one job, and that income barely covers school fees and food for our family of five. On the days when there is no work, it is incredibly stressful not knowing where our next meal will come from. Casual jobs on the other hand are unpredictable as they are occasional so I cannot always rely on them."

"Our village is heavily affected by the long drought period, and it's majorly rocky. Planting crops for food is a challenge. They dry due to the scorching sun and hot climate. We only depend on casual jobs for a living, which are also hard to get. If successful, the pay is low. I'm paid $2 per day. It can hardly meet our daily food needs. This has affected my ability to provide consistent food. We sometimes only have one meal a day."

"The quick deterioration in my health is the greatest challenge am currently facing. It was in the year 2020 when I started feeling pain in my waist and leg joints, on visiting the Marigat District hospital the doctors discovered that I had diabetes coupled with the weakening of joints due to high levels of florides in the body .The high florides level has been caused by the Lake Baringo water we have been using since our childhood.Since the onset of these joint pains I have been unable to vend for myself and my grandchildren because movement from one place to another is now a challenge to me .I stopped selling tea, porridge and Sweet potatoes around the construction sites in the village because I cannot not walk well .To make matters worst I still have to endure the pain for a lifetime because the doctors have said there is no remedy to this condition."

"Diabetes, as powerful and invincible as it may seem, is a mere fraction of a person's life. In the year 2016, our third born son was diagnosed with diabetes. We have been in and out of hospital for medication which has drained us financially. Being a university student, a forth year to be specific, has catapulted our financial constrains as we depend on livestock for upkeep which has proven to be an almost futile source of income during this time of drought. Getting this transfer will play a major role in meeting his medical expenses and part of it, we will pay for his education. I believe this will give him emotional and mental strength to escape interruption and continue living a normal life."

"Financial constraints are the biggest challenge at the moment. I lost my job in 2017 and since then, I depend on the honey business to earn a living. Recently ,the supply has gone down hence affecting my income greatly forcing me to compliment the charcoal business which is also costly to operate. The income is not enough to meet the basic needs of my family as opposed to if I had a stable source of income."

"Since my separation from my spouse about 5 years ago, my life has never been the same. Currently, I fend for my 3 children whom I live with. This is challenging for me because I don't have a permanent job and I only depend on casual work which is not enough fore to cater for all my household needs."