We own an acre of land, which my husband and I use for crop farming. However, water has been a constant challenge due to frequent droughts, which limits our production. Currently, we rely on a generator to pump water, using furrows to channel it to the farm. This process is slow, tedious, and also expensive since the generator consumes a lot of oil. My plan is to invest in irrigation pipes, which will make irrigation easier and more efficient and also allow us to plant crops throughout all seasons. This will ultimately increase our income and help us better sustain our family.

GiveDirectly is a highly transparent organization. During the baraza (community meeting), the officers clearly explained everything about the money and the organization's processes, leaving no room for doubt. I appreciate the fact that the transfers are unconditional, giving us the authority over how to spend the money, as long as we use it wisely. Additionally, there is no discrimination in the enrollment process; everyone is treated equally. I believe GiveDirectly should continue expanding their support to reach more people because their approach has been excellent, and I have not identified any areas for improvement.

A year ago, I bought an acre of land in a nearby location for $1,500, though I managed to pay only half the amount. My current location is prone to floods, and this year, despite my maize being destroyed by the floods, I was fortunate to harvest 300 kg, which I expect will bring in about $200 to $300. When I received my second transfer, my maize was ready for harvest, so I spent $70 on harvesting it. I had initially planned to use some of the money to reduce the balance on the land, but the owner insisted on full payment. As a result, I now plan to use the income from the maize along with my final transfer to clear the arrears. Additionally, I used $300 from the transfer to construct a pit latrine and a birth room on the new land, as sanitation is essential since I plan to relocate there. I also spent $30 on labor for the construction and used $15 to cover transportation costs for the construction materials from town. Lastly, I spent the remaining $35 on food items like legumes to balance our diet, as we only had maize, and my children, being young, need proper nutrition. Thank you, GiveDirectly.

I had just taken my son to the hospital and was on my way back when I saw a message on my phone—it was from GiveDirectly, showing that I had received the transfer! I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and relief, and without wasting a second, I called my husband, who works in Nanyuki, to share the good news. He was equally thrilled, and we both knew that this was the answer to our prayers—we could now complete paying for the piece of land we had already deposited on.

When I first received the cash from GiveDirectly, my main goal was to complete paying for a piece of land that I had already placed a deposit on. Although I wasn't able to achieve that, something truly unexpected happened—I was able to afford to buy a cow much sooner than I ever imagined. Owning a cow has always been a dream of mine, but I never thought it would become a reality this quickly. Thanks to GiveDirectly, that dream has come true, and now I look forward to the day it calves so that I can start selling surplus milk and improving my family's income even further.

When I received the unconditional cash transfer, my initial plan was to pay for a piece of land that we had placed a deposit on. However, the landowner insisted on receiving the full payment and not installments . With that option off the table, I decided to invest $150 in buying a dairy cow to add to the one I already owned. I've been spending money on buying milk, and I thought owning another cow would be a wise decision, as it would save me some expenses. Now, with two cows, I won't need to buy milk anymore, which will ease my financial burden in the long run. I also had a small but pressing hospital debt of $5, which I owed because my son had received treatment, and I hadn't been able to pay it off at the time. Being able to fulfill that promise made me feel relieved and at peace, knowing I had honored my word and removed that worry from my mind. With the remaining amount, I bought essential household items like a bag of maize and some sugar. Having them on hand gives me a sense of security, knowing that we have enough food to sustain us for a while.