"My house is not in a good condition. It's made of mud, and it's hard maintaining it. Termites eat up the wood used to build, making it weak. It also leaks, when it rains. This makes it hard to stay comfortable when it rains. This affects me a lot because when it rains I'll have to fetch the water from inside using a basin. Then pour the water outside to minimize the damage inside."

"For the past three years, there has been a consistent drought. I have not harvested anything from my farm since 2019 forcing me to purchase food staff. I do casual jobs to make ends meet and the $ 2 I earn per day is only enough to purchase maize flour. My children sometimes fail to go to school when they do not get something to eat for a day. It pains me when I see them crying due to hunger yet I cannot do anything to put enough food on the table."

"With old age comes a lot of challenges since I cannot fend for myself. I depend on my children to provide for all my basic needs. Sometimes it is difficult to get three meals a day and other days I sleep hungry. This has affected my ability to do simple chores since I lack enough strength. Food insecurity is the main challenge."

"Food insecurity is the greatest challenge die to the prolonged drought. I do casual jobs to earn a living, and this earns me an average of $9 a week. With the high cost of living, it's not enough to sustain all my needs including food. Sometimes I am forced to take one meal a day and this has deteriorated my health. If I had a well-paying job, I would be able to purchase enough food, and also with consistent rain I can harvest enough maize from my small farm."

"I have plans to start a grocery business once I get some money. The goal of the business is to serve as my primary source of income since I currently live as a dependent. I hope that using the savings from the casual labor I will manage to accomplish my goal soonest possible."

"Food shortages and raising fees have been my major financial challenges, which the transfer has so far helped me overcome. The little earnings from the casual construction jobs that I normally do have not been enough to effectively buy food as well as school fees for my children. I have eight children, and two completed their primary education, but due to a lack of money, they couldn't join high school. I was hoping for a sponsorship, but it failed. I am planning to enrol them in a vocational training college to pursue a tailoring course, in which I believe they will gain some skills that will enable them to be self-reliant in the future. Three of my children are also currently in school, and my goal is to ensure that they complete their primary and high school studies as I continue receiving the monthly transfers. I do not want them to end up like their older sisters. I am currently engaged in farming since the rains are now adequate, and I am hoping to get a good harvest. Once I have enough food in my household, I will no longer spend much on food. This will give me an opportunity to fully educate my children through the transfers."

"I aim to save enough money to acquire five goats for rearing purposes. Additionally, I plan to sell these goats at the local market. This will provide me with additional streams of income and help me achieve greater financial stability. To facilitate the transportation of the animals to the marketplaces and increase my income opportunities, I aim to secure a motorcycle on a loan basis. With a motorcycle, I can transport livestock to the market more efficiently. Furthermore, on other days, I can utilize the motorcycle to operate a taxi business, supplementing my overall income. "

"Currently, my primary goal is to complete the construction of my house. It has been damaged for the past year, and I fear that it may completely collapse from the ongoing rains. Building a new structure is the only thing that is on my mind right now. I would be happy if I built a shelter with at least two rooms, that are made of mud walls and a tin roof. Once this objective is achieved, I can consider pursuing other endeavors. However, building the house is my current focus, and it occupies my thoughts more than anything else."

"I hope that the current rainy season persists, allowing us to have a bountiful harvest. This would enable me to utilize the cash aid I receive to invest in either goats or chickens for rearing. Previously, I had goats, but I had to sell them all to cover the educational expenses of my children. Presently, I have one child in secondary school and another in primary school, both of whose expenses come with their financial burdens. My husband retired from his job a long time ago, resulting in a reduction in our cash flow. Therefore, engaging in goat and chicken rearing could potentially serve as a viable source of income to support the education of my two children."

"To achieve my ultimate goal, I invest my monthly transfers in purchasing livestock. The aim is to amass a substantial herd, which I can eventually sell. With the proceeds, I plan to acquire bulls that will be utilized for tilling and plowing farms during the rainy season. Currently, our areas have started receiving rain, but the absence of machinery presents challenges when working on the farms. As a solution, we rely on the bulls for plowing the land. This approach enables me to generate income by utilizing others' land, providing a means to support my family's needs."