Even though farming has been challenging due to the persistent lack of rain, I find that managing a small piece of land is still possible, despite the narrow profit margins after harvesting. Currently, and in the months ahead, I am focusing on small parcels of land that I plan to cultivate in rotation over the coming years. Right now, I am preparing a half-acre plot with the intention of planting lentils. Since lentils are a short-season crop, I will be diligently irrigating the land every evening from the nearby river, with the hope that it won't dry up soon, considering it is a shared resource for the entire community, especially those with farms adjacent to it.

GiveDirectly has truly done a great job, and it is making a significant impact on people who are in desperate need of help. Many in our village have been able to construct houses, while others have been able to pay school fees for their children, providing hope for a brighter future. We are grateful to this organization for saving us from succumbing to drought and hunger, which had been a constant source of stress for us. The unconditional transfer they provided to every household in the village solved the problems we faced, without leaving anyone behind. Unlike other forms of support we sometimes receive, GiveDirectly was not selective, and their assistance was truly unconditional, allowing us to address the specific needs of our families.

With four children currently in school, paying their fees had become quite a challenge, especially when we faced a prolonged drought that hindered farming activities, which could have otherwise helped cover some bills. Although I also engaged in livestock farming, relying solely on it significantly reduced our options and posed the risk of exhausting resources quickly. I am grateful that GiveDirectly provided a cushion against this challenge through their unconditional transfers. Out of the final payment, I spent $200 to cover part of the school fees. Additionally, I settled a $100 debt with a neighbor who had lent me money when I was sending my children back to school. I purchased a $60 sack of maize, which has been essential as food for my family of six. The remaining $90 went towards household items, including toiletries, a few pairs of shoes for my children, and kitchen essentials that were missing, making it more comfortable to prepare better meals in our kitchen.

My current goal is to fence my farm within the next 12 months. This is because I'd like to have a situation where I may walk wherever I please without worrying that the goats will trample my crops. Even though I know it won't be enough, I intend to use a portion of my upcoming transfer to accomplish this. Nevertheless, I have faith that God will provide a means in due time.

GiveDirectly should occassionaly visit people, identify those who did not spend well their first transfer and maybe use their next transfer to do something for them. I believe that by doing so, the company will be able to achieve the aim of alleviating poverty in the society so that once ones transfer have completed, they will not remain the same.

Living in a dry environment has more drawbacks than advantages. First, in order to find water for irrigation and domestic usage, one must always trek a considerable distance. Food is also an issue since, if we don't use irrigation, we always have to get used to harvesting nothing. I purchased a water tank for KES 21500 to store water with my second batch of the transfer. Rainwater will be collected and used in my home for domestic reasons. In order to prevent my kids from being taken back home, I also spent KES 7,000 on paying a portion of the fee arrears. I purchased 40 kg of corn for our consumption and other food products with the remaining money.

I felt so happy and grateful when I received my first transfer from GiveDirectly. I heard my phone ring and it was around 5:00 pm when the money was sent to me. I took another three days before I could withdraw the money since I had other commitments here at home that I had no one to take care of those commitments. I felt happy that I was finally going to solve most of the things that had stalled for a long time

There has been a very serious hunger threat in my area since we did not have any harvest last year and the year before. Even people who relied on irrigation were dealt a blow since all the rivers dried up. GiveDirectly came in handy and people were able to buy maize in bulk and save themselves from the serious effects of this drought. Today as we speak there has hardly been any rain on these sides yet we see other places experiencing heavy downpour. We are so happy that GiveDirectly has cushioned us a great deal from these effects of drought.That is a change enough to be proud of as a family and as a village as well.

I used $80 to buy gathers that I will use to collect rain water in my house. Another $30 was used to meet medical bills for my grandchild who was admitted in hospital at that time. The remaining amount of $90 was used to buy food and other basic household needs and to pay school fees for one of my children. I am a mother of 6 children and I rely almost entirely on goat keeping to make ends meet. My husband supports me with goat keeping and it is a challenge sometimes since we have people who prey on these goats. Sometime last year my goats were stolen and I have other neighbours who have suffered the same fate several times. It is a huge challenge over here yet it is supposed to be the main economic activity that we rely on.