"I'm faced with the big challenge of lacking money. There has been an increase in the cost of living within our country which has seen household commodities and food staffs have high prices. Since we depend on casual labor for sustenance it has been very difficult to purchase food. The situation had been made even worse by the prolonged drought that has affected the productivity of our farm. The food we take is not enough for our family and we are forced to skip 1 or 2 meals occasionally to survive."

"I've been using $20 of the recent transfers to pay school fees for my two children, who are currently in high school. One is in form four, and the other is in form one. Though I usually get help from my sons, it hasn't been enough, and the monthly transfers have ensured that my children enjoy going to school. As their parent, I am relieved that their studies will not be disrupted due to a lack of fees. I was able to pay their fees on time, and they are now able to attend school. In addition, I spent $14 on food for my family. I've been buying at least 5 packets of maize flour and sugar to last us a while, as well as personal items like washing soap and other necessities. I am relieved that, despite the difficult economic times and rising prices for basic commodities such as flour, I can still adequately provide for my family."

"When my husband died, I was devastated, unsure how I would raise my six children on my own without a source of income. Since then, I've mostly been burning and selling charcoal, which only brings in $20 every two weeks. Looking at my needs, fending for my family, and paying their school fees—some of whom are in high school—this was insufficient to adequately provide for the family. I have also relied on subsistence farming, which has long failed us due to insufficient rains. I am grateful to be a part of this program because when I started receiving transfers, my priority expenses, namely food and fees, were met. I've been paying $20 on fees and the remainder on food whenever I receive a transfer. I am relieved that my children's studies were not disrupted by fees. Furthermore, I had enough maize flour and cereals to ensure that we did not go hungry despite the current difficult economic challenges of rising food prices and other basic necessities. It would have been difficult for me to be at peace at this time if it hadn't been for the monthly financial support, for which I am grateful."

"The money is timely, we have a food problem. The drought has made it difficult. We plan to buy 4 bags of maize costing $200. This can sustain us for almost a year. It will mean we don't have to worry about our next meal for some time. My house is incomplete, I lacked some money. It's a 2-roomed house, one room is complete. I plan to use $200. Will also cement the floor for easy cleaning. This will give us enough space to rest and sleep. Goats do well and breed faster. They fetch good prices in December. We plan to buy 4 more and it will cost approximately $300. The goats will help us in the future, we can sell and also get more milk for domestic use. Our compound is not secure. We need to plant it when it's secure from livestock attacks. Fencing it well will cost $200. A secure compound means we can plant millet, ground nuts, and fruits such as mangoes. They can be sold for a profit when mature."

"After the rainfall stopped, I ventured into livestock farming and abandoned my primary farming income. Unfortunately, selling livestock has been challenging due to drought conditions, resulting in lower market prices. Despite the difficulties, I used my transfers to purchase three goats for a total of $90. However, I still owed $56 to the owners. To repay them, I sold the goats for $120, making a profit of $30. Currently, I have three goats and I am pleased with their growth in their numbers. My goal is to build a large cattle herd, which I can eventually sell for a substantial profit. This profit will be used to provide education for my three children who are currently in primary school."

"I operate a small kiosk business located in Mnazimwenga Center, where I sell household goods and food products such as flour, biscuits, and more. On good days, my profits can reach up to $20, but on bad days, I may only make as little as $2 per day. As the sole breadwinner of my family, consisting of my wife and four children, the income generated from this business is insufficient to meet all our needs, including purchasing food, paying school fees, and covering medical expenses. When I received my May transfers, I allocated $20 to buy food for my children. Unfortunately, the drought at the beginning of the year resulted in high food prices, making it challenging for us to afford the necessities available at inflated store prices. This situation has led to occasional meal-skipping, as we often have to survive on just one meal per day. Despite these difficulties, I am grateful that the monthly stipends have provided some relief by ensuring that my family does not go to bed hungry, even though we are unable to have three meals a day as recommended. In addition to purchasing food, I used part of the funds to partially pay my children's school fees. . Since receiving these funds, my children have been attending school consistently, as I plan accordingly and strive to pay off the fees promptly, minimizing the risk of accumulating a significant debt that I cannot afford to repay."

"After six years of enduring harsh climatic conditions that prevented us from growing crops on our farms, we were forced to purchase all of our food at exorbitant prices. My meager earnings from selling vegetables and silver cyprinids were insufficient to cover my basic needs, including food, clothing, and medication. Despite my best efforts, I often struggled to make ends meet. However, heavy rains began at the beginning of last month, signaling that we could return to farming and potentially reap a bountiful harvest in three months. Using $20 from my April transfer, I tilled the land, cleared bushes and branches, and planted maize seedlings on my 3-acre farm, with hopes of generating ample food and surplus income for my family through market sales. The remaining $14 was spent on food, as I had very little left in my home. I am deeply grateful for the monthly stipend, as it has been a lifeline for us during our six-year period of hunger. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the organization for their continued assistance, which has positively transformed and sustained our lives."

"The transfers have greatly helped me to effectively fend for my family especially right now that prices of basic commodities like food are high. It would be a huge challenge for me but thanks to the transfers. I could not afford to buy daily food at my own cost.I used to engage in subsistence farming that ensured I had enough food for my family but currently it doesn't do well. I rely solely on the transfers for my household's basic needs. On the recent transfers, I purchased enough foodstuffs which include maize flour and daily vegetables. In addition to the foodstuffs, I also managed to buy 5 chickens that I am currently keeping in my homestead. Owning livestock is one of the best investment that I can venture into, since upon multiplying, I can readily sell and earn some money. Also, in case of a financial challenge, at least I will have some assets that I can rely on. My goal is to keep these chickens, let them reproduce and later on sell them and buy some goats."

"I have been saving ksh.1800 every month over the past few months and my goal was to purchase some building materials such as iron sheets and building poles. My living house collapsed some years back and I had to seek refuge in my daughter's house. I however didn't enjoy privacy but since I couldn't afford to build a new house at my own cost, I had to endure, until when I began receiving the transfers. I managed to buy 12 pieces of iron sheets and I'm planning to buy some build poles to begin construction. I spent the remaining amount on buying food for my family. With the increasing prices of commodities, buying corn wouldn't have been easy for me had I not received the monthly transfers. Being able to feed my family adequately was one of the challenges, and I thank GiveDirectly for helping me to overcome it. I was able to fend for them without much struggle despite the tough economic conditions."

"As someone who is skilled in crop farming, my goal by the end of the year is to buy a water pump that will enable me to practice my skills more effectively. Unfortunately, poverty and harsh weather conditions have prevented me from doing so in the past. I have had to purchase water at very high prices to irrigate the vegetables I grow near my home, which has made it difficult to make a profit. With a water pump, I will be able to grow vegetables on a larger scale and lower the cost of production, which will increase my profit margins. This investment will not only help me financially, but it will also enable me to use my skills to their full potential and contribute to my community's food security. I am hopeful that this purchase will be a stepping stone towards a more sustainable future for me and my family."