"I was without a place to call my own. With the transfers from GiveDirectly, I was able to build myself a home, consisting of one room and a verandah. In my building endeavours, I need to source and pay for ,water, cement, labour amongst a host of many other consumables. It was a thing of pride, being able to tell my 2 sons and 4 daughters, that you built yourself a home. All my daughters are married and I have no underage kids, so the funds GiveDirectly sent me were funneled towards allowing me to achieve the dreams I have always desired but been unable to achieve, and for this I am eternally greatful to GiveDirectly. Other than the coconut business I have selling what I harvest from my farm, I don't need to worry so much about my 2 sons who live with me since one works at a petrol station ,while the other is a turn boy at Kilifi. That meant that I had no guilt when allocating my funds to the needs that affected me most, individually."

"Our family of seven includes my son, my parents, and three siblings. Our father, who sells charcoal, supports us all. Since he does not produce enough money from the charcoal business to cover all of our requirements, he is overburdened. We were happy to hear that Give Directly would be providing us with monthly assistance because it would help my dad financially during these trying times. Due to the drought we are currently facing, water and food are becoming more scarce and expensive. I spent $74 on food and water using the transfers from the previous three months. I spent $20 on new clothes for my son and I to replace the old ones we had outgrown."

"I chose to focus on additions and renovations that had been pending, in and around my house. I completed installation of my 5,000 litre water tank. Which ensures we no longer have water issues, provided we keep it filled. The four bedroom house was in need of plastering, as well as installation of a proper floor in one of the rooms, not to mention, plumbing fittings and labour costs. Needless to say, a sizeable chunk of the transfers from GiveDirectly went towards this. I am a father of three, two of whom live with me in Ganze , where I am a teacher, while my youngest stays in Tana River with my wife, who is also a teacher. I teach at Dungicha Primary, earning KES. 35, 000, while my wife teaches at Odole Primary, earning KES. 30, 000. My two eldest go to Ganze Brains Academy, which is in town and for which we pay KES. 4,400 and KES. 4,000, respectively for my Grade 1 and PP1 kids. Add to these expenses the cost of my wife running her small house where she lives and pays rent of KES. 1,000, as well as the homestead I live in with my kids, and the numerous recurring expenses that always crop up, it's easy to see how our combined incomes, left us little in the form of saving that we would have used to achieve the goals that GiveDirectly funds allowed us to. We are truly in awe of the kindness your organisation has shown. Thank you"

"For a while now I have been using the transfers that I received to buy iron sheets gradually because I intended to repair the roofing of my house. This is due to the fact that my roof is grass thatched and it is always in need of frequent repair which can be costly. Therefore this time around I spent KES 2,000 on buying a pair of iron sheets in preparation to fix the roof. I then proceeded to spend the balance of KES 1,400 on my nutrition, so I bought six packets of maize flour and also clean drinking water."

"My only wish and goal is to give my children a better life. As part of the projects these funds financed, I forgot to mention a solar system I installed. The ability to have hot water or use electrical appliances when needed, is the kind of positive change I am aiming to implement in my children's lives."

"Earlier on before receiving these transfers, I had began digging a borehole but I wasn't able to have it completed yet due to lack of funds. Now that I am done with building the house and setting up my business, I would want to keep saving and have that project completed. This will ensure that I continue with my farming uninterrupted even when the rains are gone and also help the community by selling them water."

"I've had trouble making ends meet ever since the drought started two years ago. As a result of the lack of sales, my charcoal sales business is in decline. My loyal customers choose to use other fuels instead, like firewood, which is widely accessible. I spent $14 buying food and water for my use at home after getting my transfer. Water has turned into a rare and expensive commodity. A 20-liter jerrican of water costs $0.5, which is very pricey given how much water I use for domestic purposes. In addition to purchasing food and water, I used the remaining funds to purchase a goat for $25. After losing all of my livestock due to the effects of the drought a year ago, this will be a good start toward owning livestock and accumulating wealth."

"I am forty-three years old and I have never married in my life. All my life I have been farming, and rearing livestock such as chickens, goats, and ducks which I sell at the market weekly. But during this drought season, I lost all my livestock due to dehydration. I was devastated and got into depression. With no water for farming, I opted to find casual jobs that would sustain me as I wait for the rain. I have been getting jobs that pay me $4 a day which enables me to buy food. We are two in the family, my sister and I. She is a widow and she has been taking care of the children alone. Receiving these funds has enabled me to help pay school fees for her children and repair my house that was leaking from the roof."

"I am a farmer, I cultivate green grams and vegetables and rear goats for commercial purposes. During the drought season that we are currently experiencing, I have transitioned to producing charcoal and selling it because I can no longer continue with farming due to lack of water. From the charcoal business, I get $4 a week which is very little to cater to my family's needs. I have nine children that need school fees, clothing, and food. I have been struggling to buy food for the family, sometimes when I do not have money to buy food I send them to my father and some to my friends to get a meal. The other problem I had is to build a house that is conducive for my big family. Previously I has a single room the walls had holes that were big enough for rodents and snakes to get into the house, this devasted me, and when I received the first transfer that was the first project I started with. The first transfer did not complete the house and when I received the second, I finished building a two-room house that was big for my family."

"I am grateful that the cash transfers allow me to support my family and take some of the burdens off my father. As the breadwinner, he makes a living by hawking water on carts in Mombasa. Sometimes I feel like he goes through too much suffering just to put food on the table for the eight of us back in the village (my mother, five siblings, my daughter, and me). Although I operate a home-based business selling dried sardines, the profits are insufficient to fulfill the household's daily necessities. So, when I got the money, I spent $10 on maize flour to supplement the little that was left in stock; at least, there is enough to last a week. I also set aside $5 for purchasing water at home because my family uses at least three 20-liter jerricans of water every day, which must be planned for. In addition, I saved $10 through a self-help group. When the club is dissolved early next year, I hope to receive a $100 lump amount to assist me to purchase two goats and three chickens for raising. I also want to utilize part of the funds to help my mum with her house-building project. Finally, I used the remaining funds to purchase a dress for my one-year-old daughter."