"GiveDirectly has miraculously changed people's lives. People have bought livestock, and water tanks for water storage, paid school fees, and build new houses. Your method of disbursing this money was well-organized, and you made certain that we received the funds directly from you. I am content with how you handled everything hence I see no area for improvement."

"Nothing beats the joy I had when we received yesterday a heavy downpour after a prolonged drought. I used to travel up to 8 km to look for water since I can't afford to buy from the water vendors. The long rainy season is here and I hope life will be better since the food crops will do well and I will get casual jobs like tending other people's farms for a wage that will enable me to put food on the table."

"There is no difference between life in my area and life in town because our sustenance mainly depends on cash; we buy food and water and pay tuition for our children. Without a reliable source of income, things become harder by the day. I see my husband struggle every day to make ends meet from his charcoal-making hustle, which does not go a long way given the scant earnings. Therefore, every time I receive my transfer, I usually save $10 through a self-help group, spend $10 on my three children’s school fees, and the remaining on food and water. I plan to use my savings to help my husband in building a more spacious house for the family. The one-room structure we currently occupy does not provide enough space and privacy for everyone, therefore the need for at least a two-room house. I believe that the hardships in my household, which greatly stem from lack of money, will alleviate over time through Give Directly’s cash transfers.  "

"The roof of my house was blown away by strong winds. Which left a large opening that lets in water whenever it rains. I tried to seal it hole with an iron sheet but it did not do justice, my family still sufferers from cold nights. Repairing the roof would bring so much relief and save us suffering. The greatest problem is, I have never been able to complete this task because I have been prioritizing more pressing needs like food over other things. Though the financial constraints are still tight, I plan to start balancing my cash to provide both food and decent shelter for my family. "

"In December I sent $10 for food to my mother and $5 for my merry go round group which I am in. In January I bought three chicken each at $2.5, I bought shoes at $2.5, I sent $5 for my merry go round group, I sent my mother $10 for food and water and left $9 for emergencies. In February I had $2 left from the emergency amount I used $28 to buy a goat and paid my merry go round for $5 and the rest I sent to my mother for food. I have to give my monthly contribution to my merry go round group to ensure I am growing my savings and also have some emergency money as my mother may have a need that I may be unable to meet without the savings."

"I live in a rented room in a different village from my home, I pay a monthly rent of $25 for this room. I have been really wishing that this can change. I cannot live at home since the sun is hotter there and the drought there is much more intense than here, they fully depend on buying water and food which is not the case here. I want to be able to have enough money saved by the end of this year that I can buy a piece of land that I can build my home on. I want to be self reliant since now I do not have a source of income and I depend on my husband even for the paying of rent in this room. I want my children to also access good schools and also go through school without stopping and this village provides the right environment for this. In my home children barely get through school as the environment is not conducive even for children to study and get better opportunities."

"We are battling biting food insecurity. The situation has been so bad that my husband has moved to another place called Eldama Ravine to engage in casual jobs to sustain us albeit with meager wages. He felt bad that he was not able to provide for the family. We are forced to survive on just a meal a day, just for survival. We are people of little means. I engage in casual jobs which are erratic and hard to come by. The situation has been further exacerbated by the drought that has brought about devastating effects on our livestock. We travel long distances to look for water and pasture. Our livestock at the moment are so emaciated and I am afraid if it will not rain soon they will be wiped out by the effects of drought. We have lived a life of abject poverty, destitution, and full of misery."

"The persistent drought in our area has been a challenge. For the past four years, there has been a change in weather patterns that have resulted in minimum rainfall during the planting season. Our farms have been unproductive all along and also livestock lack enough feeds sometimes resulting in them dying which is a loss in our income. As a result , we are forced to purchase water two kilometers away at a cost of $2 each day yet we earn $ 4 from casual jobs. The remaining amount is hardly enough to purchase food for my family of eleven."

"From the place where we fetch water to home is quite a distance and it had always been a challenge considering the effects of the scorching sun and I had always wanted to make it easier for me to get to the water point. With the transfers that I received of KES. 3470, I managed to buy a second bicycle worth KES.300 and so far, my job had been made easier because I currently make several trips within a very short time. I also bought food for my family with the remaining amount of KES. 470"

"There are very many things that I am thinking. I plan to set aside some money for emergency health needs at my age. I feel because of our ages it's good to save some money. I will set aside $100. The cost of living is very high. One bag of maize costs $80,plus transport. Will buy 5 bags, which will sustain us for almost 10 months. This means good food supply for my family. To produce my own food for the long term. I plan to fence my 2 acres of land using $200. This will protect it from disturbance by wild and domestic animals. When I secure this, it means I can plant food continuously. There's a permanent river close-by that will provide consistent water for irrigation. When I farm maize, I can easily harvest at least 20 bags an acre. That can support my family for a long time."