"Living in a dry environment has more drawbacks than advantages. First, in order to find water for irrigation and domestic usage, one must always trek a considerable distance. Food is also an issue since, if we don't use irrigation, we always have to get used to harvesting nothing. I purchased a water tank for KES 21500 to store water with my second batch of the transfer. Rainwater will be collected and used in my home for domestic reasons. In order to prevent my kids from being taken back home, I also spent KES 7,000 on paying a portion of the fee arrears. I purchased 40 kg of corn for our consumption and other food products with the remaining money."

"To develop while living in Baringo County, one must either start a business, conduct irrigation farming, or raise cattle. If one wants to implement irrigation, he or she must rent land close to the irrigation-producing areas; otherwise, one is forced to rely on unreliable small-scale farming. Due to my advanced age, practicing farming will be quite challenging as I can no longer complete the majority of tasks on my own. My life's work will therefore be focused on raising livestock. I currently have plans to purchase more goats to raise. This will give me access to a steady supply of milk, and I can occasionally sell one of the goats to make some money."

"Since our farm uses irrigation, my plan is to plant tomatoes, possibly in joint cultivation with a villager because this work can be very demanding. Tomatoes have a fantastic return on investment, and I'm hoping to generate a good profit that will help me reach my goal of opening my own shop. This will assist me further become financially stable so that I can hire more people to work on my farms while I indulge in other activities."

"I would like to lease a larger plot of land in a location where irrigation is possible. Since tomatoes grow well there and produce good returns, my objective is to plant them in hopes of increasing sales revenue, which will subsequently enhance our family's ability to satisfy our individual and domestic demands. Besides our house, I also want to build a small room that will act as a kitchen because I now cook outside, which is difficult when it's raining."

"We have a farm close to Marigat town, and since accessing water there is considerably simpler, we usually plant food crops like corn and practice some irrigation. We therefore spent $20 to buy water for irrigation using the first transfer received. There is currently a drought here, making it practically hard for plants to survive on their own, therefore this is the only reliable method of obtaining food. In addition to the goats I already own, I also spent $30 on a goat for rearing. Goats are relatively draught-resistant and inexpensive to maintain and thus the reason we keep them. I bought food for my family and paid for land tilling with the remainder of the transfer."

"Fencing has been a challenge and for the longest time, I use trees to protect my farm. At the moment, with the demarcation of land and other human activities, there is a reduction in the availability of trees. I have a huge parcel of land that is idle because I cannot purchase fencing materials and pay for labor. I will use $400 to secure my land and then put it under irrigation since it is next to the river. The rest of the transfers I shall use to buy food and pay school fees for my grandchild in secondary school. I am thankful to Give Directly for changing my life by making me achieve my ambitions."

"Given my current subsistence farming activities, I have high aspirations for the coming year and beyond. I aim to expand the cultivated area and utilize the proceeds to acquire a water-pumping generator, which will be instrumental in supporting crop production through irrigation across all seasons. This investment will prove invaluable in supplementing the limited rainfall and facilitating the growth of short-season crops that I can sell to the neighboring community. By maximizing the potential of my farming activities, I strive to create a sustainable source of income and contribute to the agricultural productivity of the region."

"Looking ahead to this year and beyond, my aspiration is to fully focus on farming and establish it as my primary source of income. Irrigation facilities and support from Give Directly for financial assistance, fills me with great optimism regarding this new investment. I am also looking forward to having a more comfortable family by having all our basic needs taken care of without struggle."

"With a lot of determination, I have grand plans for the coming year and beyond. Among my goals is the acquisition of a piece of land to free me from the burden of leasing. This investment will provide me with stability and independence. Additionally, I have a small plot in the shopping center where I envision constructing a thriving business venture or rental spaces. The profits from my current farming endeavors, under efficient irrigation, serve as the primary source of funding for these projects. By carefully managing these ventures, I am confident that the profits will soon enable me to purchase the desired piece of land. Even though I still face challenges in raising school fees for my children, I am optimistic that in the next few months, as two of my children complete their studies, I will be able to allocate funds towards fulfilling this dream."

"I used to do tomato farming under irrigation and it was a source of livelihood for me but I stopped because of inadequate capital. It requires huge financing since the cost of pesticides and fertilizers has shot up. I would have loved to go back to farming but it has not been easy, more than before this was the most ideal time to do farming since we recently received long rains. I have tried all means from borrowing to trying to get a loan but to avail. It breaks my heart that the rainy season is ending without me leveraging on it."