"I rely on keeping cattle with selling milk being the only source of my income. Drought manifested for over one year led to the lose of almost all cattle leaving behind three calves. We currently experience rains and the land is green with pastures but I cannot revamp keeping cattle since I do not have cash to buy more cows. In addition, my three children have given me sleepless nights as they lack school fees."

"I spent KES 22,000 to purchase two local dairy cows. I had a desire to own livestock as a future investment and a reliable source of income for the family. I will be able to sell milk around the community when they reproduce. In addition, I bought a bed and mattress for KES 9000, this is because we were using an old traditional bed with rags as bedding which was not comfortable. With the remaining amount, I decided to save it in our women's savings group. It will assist me in the future whenever I encountered any financial emergency."

"It was around 7:00 am when I realized I had received the message from GiveDirectly that confirmed the receipt of the first transfer. My children were getting ready to go to school while I was in the cowshed. I could not disclose the news to them right there, but later in the evening when they came back from school and affirmed the promises I had given them about buying books and school uniforms. I visited the nearest shopping center and made my first purchases the following day."

"I am a father of one and a second-hand clothes vendor for the past year. From my clothes business, I normally get a profit of KES 700 which helps in household consumption. Recently, when I received my transfers I spent KES 30,000 on a 15 Iron roofed timber-framed house. This is because earlier I had only one tiny grass-thatched that belonged to my mother and was built over 6 years ago. Additionally, I normally have many visitors who visit from time to time. Secondly, I bought a young bull at KES 15,000 because heifers of the same age are quite expensive. Once it is full-grown I can later sell it for a dairy cow which will be a source of milk for my family. Thirdly, I spent KES 7,000 on the latest clothing fashion for my family. Earlier I used to go for cheaper ones. Lastly, I spent KES 6,600 on two bags of maize. This is because maize is our staple food and getting it was quite a challenge. This can now sustain us for the next three months."

"With the high cost of living in the country, providing for a family of 10 is not easy. We fully depend on my husband who works a a security guard and he earns KES 18,000 and this is not sufficient to cater for school fees, food and clothing for the family. So currently we are facing food insecurity in our home, we buy all the foodstuffs and milk this is because we have a small unproductive land which does not give enough yields. Also we do not have a cow to milk this has caused us to buy milk on a daily basis, we spend KES 120 on a daily basis for milk. This has made life for us unbearable due to the expensive cost of living."

"I desire to buy a cow because the only one that I had died of East Coast Fever last year in November. This left me with a huge expense of having to buy milk every morning especially for my young grandchildren. I spend KES 120 to buy 3 liters of milk which is still not sufficient. I entirely depend on menial jobs such as smearing people's houses to put food on the table for my family. I earn KES 200 per day when I am lucky to be called for a job. This makes it an impossibility to buy another cow and I continue to suffer with no one to express my frustrations to. I intend to use KES 35,000 to buy a dairy cow that will produce at least 5liters of milk daily. Receiving this money will put an end to the frustrations of having to buy milk every day and also make me afford a smile."

"I am the first-born daughter in a family of seven. I was not able to proceed with my studies after I completed my primary school education due to a lack of finances. I had to work odd jobs including picking tea in Kericho to support my family and my siblings. Six months ago, I lost this job after we were retrenched, I came home and have been doing casual jobs like weddings. The much I earn KSH 500 a week goes to food and paying for school. With this money, I plan to purchase a piece of land of my own so that I can build a house and do my own farming. With the rest of the money I plan to purchase a cow to help supplement my income. Receiving this money is such a relief for me."

"Poverty has been our daily song in our family. For my family to have a meal I have to look for casual jobs weeding people's farms which are not consistent also. My earnings are not sufficient to meet all my household needs and sometimes we are forced to have one meal in a day which is worrying since I have a wife who delivered not long ago. In a day, I am paid KES 200 which I spend on food items. So when I receive this transfer I will spend KES 30000 to purchase a dairy cow that will be our source of milk and income when we sell the surplus. I usually purchase milk from vendors who sell at KES 50 per litre and to get this money is also a challenge."

"Livestock farming is my passion. I have been a herdsman for many years but mainly grazing other people's livestock. My desire has always been to one day have my own herd. This money will kickstart my dream since I would like to start by buying goats immediately I start receiving the transfers. My long term plan is owning cows as well. One goat goes for 3,000 KES or slightly less. Livestock farming will help me avoid depending on my relatives financially. It will also help me build a house. I currently seek shelter from relatives."

"As a housewife, my additional task has been to look after some family cows, for 8 years now. The experience in this job has given me the desire and confidence to own some livestock, especially goats. This will act as my longer-term project to cater to my needs in the future. With these transfers, I aim to buy 10 goats within the first year. This number is enough to start with because I believe they breed so fast as compared to cows. On the other hand, this money will aid in getting our very basic needs for my family like food, clothes, and also to pay school fees for my children."