"Charcoal burning is our main source of family income, this comes with numerous challenges on my health and ability to put food on the table. As a result of this, I can feel the pain of being the sole breadwinner of the family. Our source of family income is not sustainable to support my family of four. We often find ourselves with no food, and therefore we end up borrowing food from my mother or even our neighbors. It is at times embarrassing but I do not have otherwise. The waters of Lake Baringo are just a stone throw away. The lake is swelling and encroaching each and every day. It is sending fear to me and my family, we are hoping that it will not displace us some day."

"Receiving GiveDirectly cash transfers is a significant breakthrough for me and my family. My dream is to purchase land on higher, safer ground to escape the threat of floods and to rebuild our livestock, which we tragically lost, one by one, to the waters. My plan is to use the first cash transfer to buy livestock for my family, ensuring we have a sustainable source of support during challenging times. I also intend to allocate KES 45,000 towards purchasing a piece of land on safe ground and use the remaining funds to construct a one-room shelter for my family."

"I completed my university degree in mechanical engineering 2 years ago but I have never been employed. I resorted to farming, livestock keeping and charcoal burning to earn a living. Recently I have had a lot of business ideas with those of farming and livestock keeping seeming viable. Unfortunately, I lack capital to kickstart this business. If it does not rain, then the farms are idle here. I do not have the money to purchase the farm equipment and machinery such as a water pump and pipes to irrigate my farm on dry days. It pains me to see this land lie bare when it could otherwise be productive and earn me income."

"Due to food shortage, we plan to prioritize food stuff. We'll spend the first transfer of $200 to buy food, uniforms and home clothes for our children. We lost most of our household items during the floods period. Additionally, I have one child in secondary school and others about to join. We plan to set aside about $100 for their school fees. My children will have a better life with a good education. Goats do well and are sustainable. We plan to buy about five goats. It will cost approximately $300. They breed well and fetch good prices. Goats can also be milked for home usage. Farming is lucrative here, when the Lake subsides we plan to lease land. Planting maize, vegetables, watermelons or butter nuts fetches good profits. We'll try farming with the remainder of the transfers."

"Currently, I'm faced with the challenge of lacking food. Having cultivated my 2 hector land and planted maize in the month of April, I had hoped that I would have a good harvest. However, because of the rising water level of lake Baringo my whole farm ended up submerged with part of my crops. I only managed to get 2 bags of maize which is not enough for my family. This has stressed me greatly since I don't have enough money to buy more food. This has made life quite difficult for my family and I."

"Receiving the GiveDirectly cash transfers is a tremendous blessing for my family and me. This money will allow me to resolve our water challenges by purchasing a 5,000-liter water tank, enabling us to harvest rainwater for our needs. I will also use the funds to pay my child's school fees, purchase essential household items, and invest the remaining amount in livestock keeping to secure my family's future."

"Since I'm not allowed culturally to live near my parents, I plan to purchase a piece of land. It will cost approximately $300. On this land, I will build a one-roomed house plus a small space for a shop attached to it. I have already purchased enough iron sheets and wood. This means I will only need nails, cement and the services of a carpenter. It will only require an additional $200. When I finally have my own home, I'll be comfortable and proud of myself. My wife will also run the shop business while at home. I'll buy her stock worth $200. The profits will help buy food or help purchase clothes for our child. Farming does well here, especially due to the hot climate and availability of water for irrigation. This is an opportunity to make easy money. Will spend the rest of the transfer on farming. I will start small, that's doing vegetable farming."

"This year and beyond, my goal is to venture back into farming, despite the recent floods that swept my farm away. I am determined to farm on safer ground, away from the risk of floods. I am considering either maize or watermelon farming because they are less costly than tomatoes. The thought of successfully farming and getting a good harvest fills me with happiness because it will help me keep my kids in school, provide food for my family, and make this farming endeavor sustainabl"

"With my third transfer, I purchased four goats at $50 each. They do well in the area, and I wanted to use them to support myself in future. I have been relying on my children for a very long time. Since I am already old, this was my chance to support myself and give them a little break. I intended to sell some of the goats to meet my future needs. Unfortunately, three of the goats died, and I suspect there was a disease outbreak. Thankfully, one goat survived, and it has since multiplied to two. Also, my son is currently unemployed and has children who are going to school. I decided to support him by paying the school fees for his two children, which totaled $100. Additionally, I used to live in a one-room grass-thatched house with muddy walls, which was infested with ants. During the rains, water would get inside, and the space was very limited. I had used my second transfer to buy some building materials, and I allocated $100 from my final transfer to build an iron-sheet one-room house. The remaining funds went toward food."

"Before GiveDirectly came into our lives, my family and I had no choice but to relieve ourselves in the bushes, which was very unhygienic and exposed us to diseases like cholera. To address this, I spent $34 to start building a pit latrine for our use. I’m excited that it will soon be ready and will provide a safer environment for us, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. I also spent $34 on cement and sand to begin renovating my house, which is in poor condition with muddy floors and damaged walls. The renovation is progressing, and I’m looking forward to finishing it once I have more funds to buy the remaining materials. Additionally, I bought a goat for $34. I’m hopeful that over time, as goats reproduce twice a year, I’ll build up a herd that can provide support in case I face financial challenges. As a widow who needs extra support, this will be a valuable asset for me and my family."