It is amazing how the village that was known for poverty and charcoal burning as the main source of income has improved. Giving people the chance to spend their transfers however they want has empowered most people. The majority have ventured into poultry and livestock farming while some have improved their houses and others have taken their children back to school. Everyone in the village is happy and contented with the way GiveDirectly did their selection of the beneficiaries. There are no complaints but to encourage them to support more people.

I am a single parent and I do not have a reliable source of income but a small retail shop where I make a maximum of KES 300 sales per day. This can not afford to sustain the stock and meet our household needs too. In most cases, we end up spending the money meant for restocking which has led the business to flop. When I received the second transfer, I had to prioritize foodstuffs since they are the most expensive yet most basic need. I, therefore bought cornflour, detergents, and other dry foodstuffs, at KES 1500. One of my children had a torn pair of school uniforms therefore I used KES 500 I used to purchase a new pair for him. L still have KES 1000 that I will be used to meet daily household needs.

It was one of the early mornings when I was at home with no idea of how I would raise money for breakfast then all of a sudden I got a text message confirming that I had received money from GiveDirectly. That was one of the best mornings I have ever experienced in my life. I was so happy and appreciated the support. Before I could call my neighbor to confirm if she had received the cash there were celebrations all over the village. The money rescued us from going without breakfast and that was the day I had one of the most healthy breakfasts ever.

The pride and happiness that comes with the cash transfer are immeasurable. I do not have a reliable source of income but casual work especially helping people out on the farm for pay. Due to the prolonged drought, we have experienced this season, no farm activities are leaving us with no option but to burn charcoal for sale. Since everyone is doing the same, charcoal demand has gone down leading to lower prices. This has made it challenging to even afford a whole day's meal. We are glad we now have additional income from GiveDirectly.

When I received the first transfer I spent KES 2400 on different kinds of foodstuffs that can take my family for some period before budgeting for more. Due to the prolonged drought, food has become scarce and more expensive. We are glad that GiveDirectly came to our rescue because it has not been easy for most people in our area. KES 600 I spent on two chickens for rearing. I had some, but they all succumbed to the poultry infection that raided our area sometime back. They are not only a good source of income but food to both for eggs and poultry meat.