"At the end of this year, I would hope to have completed one important goal. My home is in such bad shape that it's on the verge of collapse. The mud walls have developed large gaps that allow cool nighttime air to enter. The house is tilted to one side due to the flimsy building pillars supporting it. Every time it rains, the grass-thatched roof leaks severely, causing damage to my possessions and keeping me awake at night. Prior to the year's end, I intend to construct a new home."

"I'm planning to begin constructing a new home before the end of this year. My current home is in a terrible state. I am really concerned that my house would collapse as the rainy season approaches, leaving my family homeless. I want to set aside a sizable sum from my upcoming monthly transfers, which I will use to buy necessary building supplies like cement, sheets, and building stones, all of which are important for constructing a sturdy home that will last for a very long time."

"My goal is to purchase additional goats using my monthly payment before the end of the year. This will increase the number of goats that I own, which would be a valuable addition. I am also aiming to acquire dairy cows, which would significantly enhance my source of income through the sale of milk in the village. By doing so, I will be able to achieve financial stability and provide for my family's needs."

"The retrenchment from work at Kenya Port Authority (KPA) in 2021 marked the beginning of challenges in my life. Since I lost my job, my marriage was also at stake. This caused the separation between my wife and me because I could no longer provide for our needs as usual. The separation pushed me to come home to take care of my children since my mother was also sick. It was so stressful taking care of them single-handedly. I decided to look for jobs within our area and fortunate enough, I managed to find one. I am currently a security guard at our nearby health center. The income from this job is usually $80 per month, which is also not consistent. As I speak, I have not received payments for the whole of last year. What a life! This has forced me to engage in other casual jobs like outreaches conducted by the hospital to earn some cash. It has always been so tough to provide for my family's basic needs. This situation has robbed away my joy as a father and hence, the financial crisis stands out as the main challenge."

"Supporting my 2 children in school has been a very challenging task for me because of the financial crisis in my household. It pains me a lot to watch them desperately at home when they lack school fees. This means they spend most of their time out of class, a situation that has directly affected their performances. Since my main source of income is charcoal work, the earning of $20 is hardly enough to cater to all our basic needs. As a mother, I have felt the pinch because the future of my children is at stake. What a life!"

"What a life! In our area, the only immediate source of income is charcoal burning, a very energy-intensive and time-consuming job. Its income is not reliable because I usually make utmost $20 per month, which goes only for clearing my bills. This means I am left with nothing to depend on for my future and this worries me the most. I have always been in stress wondering how life can become tough if trees get depleted. The call to stop deforestation has lacked meaning in my life and I have felt being a detrimental factor in making changes to our area. I, therefore, consider the lack of a reliable source of income as my biggest challenge."

"I am more focused on building a new house than I have ever been before. Sharing a space with my married cousin feels very uncomfortable because am depriving them of privacy. Things have changed from when we were both bachelors co-habiting in a room. I want a permanent and more spacious structure, which is why I am going for a two-room house made with bricks instead of mud walls. I have already started saving $24 from every transfer to effect this project. If it were not for the financial aid, this would have probably just remained as a dream because I cannot work to raise funds by myself; am mentally unstable."

"A few years ago, I lost a herd of three cows and some goats as a result of the drought that dried up vegetation and water pans. It was a low moment in my life as these animals were the backbone of my financial stability; I used to sell them for money. After the tragedy, I was not able to acquire more livestock because I did not have funds. I am grateful that the financial aid opened an ideal door toward reviving my livestock-keeping venture. So far, I have obtained two goats and two chickens from the transfers. By next year, I wish to have increased the number of goats. Despite the harsh climatic conditions, I believe these animals are more resilient in such weather."

"My life is becoming better because of the financial support from Givedirectly, I was able to buy a big pig and the rest of the money was used in buying food and other home necissities."

"Other than ensuring my husband and I have enough meals in the house, am also focused on building a decent house. The decaying grass thatches on my roof not only lets it rainwater but also harbors dangerous insects. Besides, the mud walls of the house could crumble from strong winds or heavy rains. I believe that building a new house, especially with a tin roof becomes costly by the day. At my age, I cannot work to raise enough money for the project. I intend on saving half of each monthly cash transfer, with support from my husband, to establish a more stable structure."