After experiencing flash floods in our location, my life has never been easy. I am struggling to put food on the table for my family of five. We also lost all of our clothing and bedding to floods. I see hope with GiveDirectly's cash transfer, I will plan my first transfers $140 to buy food and clothing for my family. I feel ashamed that we are living in a tent after losing our house during flash floods. I will prioritize building a habitable house for my family and this will cost me $400 of my transfers. To be food secure, I will set aside $230 to lease a piece of land and cultivate maize crop.

It was at midnight when the whole village was flooded with water. The water was flowing violently and the air was filled with screams. I was desperate and worried about losing my three children aged seven years, five years and two years. Lucy enough some youths in my village came to our rescue and we were taken to the higher ground as we waited for the evacuation team. I was filled with happiness to see all of my family members safe.

I am not formally employed and therefore casual labour is my main source of income. We experienced flash floods in April 2024 and this came with a fair share of challenges. It is now difficult to get any casual job as all our farms were swept away by floods. I used to get employment on those farms as a farm attendant and this helped me a lot to feed our family. This has exposed my family to extreme hunger. We at times take porridge as a meal. I was forced to look for an alternative source of income and I ventured into charcoal burning. We had one house which was brought down by flash two months ago. I am struggling financially and I cannot afford to build a decent house for my family. We are now living in a tent which is not habitable.