"My roof replacement is the main task I want to finish this year. The "Makuti" or coconut leaves that make up the roof of my home are currently in poor condition. Every time it rains, rainwater seeps into the house through the large openings, causing damage to my possessions. In order to have enough iron sheeting to construct a spacious two-room house, I intend to purchase two pieces per month. The iron sheets' resistance to extreme heat means that they won't just improve the appearance of my home; they'll also last a very long time. Given that I will use some of the funds to purchase food and for medical expenses, it will be challenging for me to complete, but I hope everything goes well."

"The coming of rains has brought hope into our lives. The last ten months have been a struggle with scarcity of food and at times water. But now, when I see my crops growing I am hopeful that the next few months will be bountiful if the rains are consistent."

"The house I am living in at the moment is old and dilapidated. It is grass thatched and when it rains the water drips to the house making it cold and uncomfortable to stay in. Coming by grass for roofing is a tall order nowadays and so it has remained in this bad situation for a long time. It is a sad state of affairs and I feel bad about it, especially during the rainy season which gives me a lot of stress. It is for this reason that I plan to build an iron-roofed house and timber walled that will cost me approximately $ 800 completion. I will use the rest of the money to purchase farm inputs to enable me to prepare myself early for the next planting season."

"I purchased food and water with a sizable sum of money ($20) from my recent transfer. It has been very challenging to find water for domestic use. Our main sources of water, the streams and waterpans, have dried up, adding to the suffering. I use a lot of water for various purposes, so the $0.50 price tag on a twenty-liter bottle of water is outrageous. I am compelled to walk far distances in such water, up to 50 kilometers. As a result, I feel extremely worn out and exhausted and am unable to focus entirely on selling charcoal to make a living. Along with purchasing food and water, I also paid my daughter's school fees at Tsangatsini Secondary School so that she would not be expelled due to the significant school fee arrears that have accumulated recently. I'm happy she was able to take her end-of-term exams and did well on them."

"I used to own a small fast food restaurant in the village a few months ago. Finding water, which is necessary for cooking the food and washing the utensils, posed the biggest challenge to running the business. I eventually shut the store down because I was incurring significant losses by purchasing water at exorbitant prices. My income from my job as a househelp in Mombasa Town is currently insufficient to meet the needs of my family. When I got the money, it gave me a huge financial boost because I had to spend $10 to cover my three primary school-aged children's past-due school fees. As a result, they were shielded from being ousted for failing to pay their school fees. In addition, I spent $16 on food. This was sufficient to ensure that my family would have food for the forthcoming two weeks. I finally paid $8 for medical attention for my painful tooth. I had a severe toothache that kept me from working for more than two days. I'm doing fine, and I'm glad that it was removed."

"Throughout my entire life, I have been living in one bedroom mud-and-stick house with a thatch roof. I always dream of having a spacious concrete house that will last for many years, even after I'm gone. Living in a mud and sticks house is embarrassing for my family and me. During the rainy season, we feel very uncomfortable at night to sleep, because when the thatch roof gets old water starts to trickle down and it makes our mattress wet, Sometimes my family and I developed cool. I intend to use the money to build a concrete and spacious house that is long-lasting. I will also use some of the money to start a business to support my family."

"My health has been seriously declining for the past year, which has made me confined to bed. My eyesight, which has been crucial to enabling me to work and provide for my family, is gradually failing. I currently rely on my oldest son, who makes a living by undertaking irregular manual jobs like working on construction sites, selling charcoal, and fetching water for others. He struggles occasionally to fully care for us due to the numerous responsibilities he has in caring for his family and me. So when I got my transfer, I spent $5 on a solar lamp that will let me see clearly at night inside my home. I added $3 to my total to get my eyes properly treated. They were tearing and extremely painful, which was very uncomfortable. I'm relieved that it has since stopped, even though I see fuzzy images. I spent the final $28 I had set aside for an unknowable future on a goat. In the event of an emergency, I will sell for more money and use the proceeds to deal with my situation."

"What I admire most about GiveDirectly's staffs is they do not take bribe. Even water they don't accept it from the community dwellers."

"I would like to dig a borehole and use the water for irrigating my crops. Using tap water is expensive."

"After I completed my high school education, my parents saved some money to take me to college. I studied hairdressing and after the course, I opened up a salon. At first, I was offering services that do not require electric appliances. After a year, I received the first transfer and stocked up my business with a blow dryer, a hair dryer, and a washing station. This has helped me generate more income because of the added services. The second transfer helped me buy a water tank at $35000. I started my second business, selling water and the rest of the money was spent on food. The two business helps me generate more income and save for my child who will soon start school."