"We are sometimes hit with a persistent water shortage in our region and at times I use a lot of money to buy water for domestic use. To curb this problem, I decided to install my own water tap using the transfer. I purchased the water pipes required and paid for the water meter. I will no longer be incurring any cost on the water once this project is complete, which makes the biggest difference in my daily life. Not only will I be using the water for domestic use but I will also be selling thus earning some money. I am also planning to do some irrigation on vegetables on my small farm as well."

"I quit my tailoring job three years ago after my health condition deteriorated. My swollen eyes affected my productivity at work. In addition, I developed severe chest pains forcing me to be admitted to the hospital. Currently, I engage in small businesses selling “Chapati and Maandazi” to earn a living. I earn very little (KES 200 per day) which is very little to cater to all my needs (buying food, paying school fees, and medication). When I received my transfer, I paid school fees KES 400 for my child who is in kindergarten. I bought two hens as an investment for the future. I spent the remaining KES 2000 on buying food and water for home use. I bought food in large amounts to ensure that I don’t lack food in the house."

"For the past six months, my job as a fisherman has been on a downward spiral. The prolonged drought in our village has affected the water levels in the rivers. This has affected the number of fish and also the level of income. With my income affected, I have struggled to cater to the needs of my family. When I received my transfer, I paid school fees for my four children so that they would remain in school and continue with their education. I bought food for my family worth KES 1000 to add to the depleting food stock in the house. Finally, I bought two hens to add to the other eight that I have. I am happy that the hens are multiplying in numbers."

"I depend on my husband who is a casual laborer. The jobs he works on include building mud houses, fetching water, and working on other people’s farms. The scarcity of jobs caused by the prolonged drought and bad economy has made our life miserable. Often, we lack food to eat and survive on one cup of porridge every day. When I received my transfer, I bought food (three packets of 2 kg maize flour, 1 kg of rice, 1kg of Omena, and 1kg of beans) worth KES 1500. I saved the remaining amount so that I can buy a sewing machine, sewing linen, and sewing strings to start a business. This will greatly help me shoulder part of the bills that my husband is struggling to pay for the family (husband and daughter)."

"My father is the sole provider for our family of ten. His job of selling water on the streets of Mombasa only allows him to put food on the table. This is why I used the transfer as an opportunity to meet my personal needs, such as clothing. KES 1,000 was spent on two pairs of trousers, one pair of shorts, and three t-shirts. At least, I would change my clothes and stop wearing the same outfit for an entire week. I used the remaining funds to purchase iron sheets. The goal is to construct a new one-room house for myself. I currently shelter under the kitchen structure, which is in poor condition and could collapse from rains or strong winds at any time."

"My father is our family's breadwinner. He makes a living by selling water on the streets of Mombasa.  Since his income is inconsistent and very low, he can only provide one meal per day, leaving our family of twelve hungry for the majority of the day. That is why, from the transfer, I contributed KES 1,600 to the purchase of food. Since then, we have been taking all three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I saved the rest of the money through a self-help group. By January of next year, I hope to have saved up around KES 10,000 to buy two goats for rearing."

"No sooner had I left for the water point to fetch some water at around 4 pm leaving my phone to my son, than he received a transfer message on the phone. When I came back, he happily informed me of the GiveDirectly gospel and we celebrated together for receiving a huge amount of money during a hard economic time."

"Due to my old age, I am unable to fetch water from a distance. I am grateful to receive the transfer because it enabled me to facilitate the reconnection of water at my home and I am now getting water from my house. Settling the debt of KES 11000.00 could not be possible if it were not for GiveDirectly."

"Currently, we have been struggling to meet the most basic needs such as food and in most cases, we live by a meal a day. We parted ways with my spouse, so I relocated to my paternal home where we rely on my father. He burns charcoal for sale but the KES 400 that he makes weekly is not enough to meet our needs. Therefore, I bought 12 Kilograms of corn flour the most expensive commodity currently at KES 1500 with the recent transfer. We were all joyous as we shared a meal knowing that we still have enough stock for the family. I still have KES 1500 set aside for daily household use, especially for water since we budget for it too."

"I spent half of my transfer, KES 1500, on paying medical bills for my grandson. He is three months old and has developed high fever and skin rushes. Her mother, who is my daughter, did not have money because she does not have a job. We earn a living through the sale of charcoal. For the past two weeks, we could not sell charcoal as our customers opted for other cheaper fuel. I spent the other half KES 1500 on buying four packets of 2kg maize flour at KES 1000, 2kg of beans at 240 and bought water worth KES 250 for home use. The drought we are facing in the village is the major contributor to the problems we are facing because we no longer harvest food from our farms. Without food and no stable source of income, our lives become very difficult."