"The different is I now have adequate utensils used for cooking and owning a fridge makes me feel like i accomplished what my heart always desires,i now drink cold water considering how Mangochi district is l'm happy i bought something i never thought i could afford."

"This house we are currently living is incomplete, we moved in as it is because the house we were previously living in was too old and it collapsed at a time I had no money at all. I was also facing school fee payment constraints at that time and the only option I had was to take a loan because our housing is so basic just like food. I therefore took a loan of KES. 52,000 for that emergency and though we didn't manage to complete the house at least we put up a structure to accommodate my family. At the moment the walls are not covered well and it gets so cold at night. The floor also is not yet water proofed and during the rainy season ground water gets retained on it thus becoming inhabitable. We also experience chest problems occasionally because of the cold. This hampers our productivity in the farm of which we depend on to pay school fees. The transfers will then help me to pay off the remaining amount for the loan and also help me insulate the walls and the floor of the house."

"I received the cash in the morning hours. I was from fetching water from a faraway place about 70 kilometers away. When I arrived home my husband told me that I had received a message and it was about me receiving money. I was very happy with the news."

"I spent this money on starting a business that would increase our sources of income. I did this by buying a motorcycle on a higher purchase where I paid KES.20000 upfront and pay KES 300 daily for a year. This is helpful in that whatever money we get from the business slowly pays itself back. This was a decision my husband and I came together with. The next thing I did with this money was that I bought more galvanized roofing sheets which I had previously bought with the first transfer but was not enough. I had to buy KES.5000 worth, plus cement .and KES.15000 worth of poles to be used in the construction. The best was used between buying water and food as we are in drought season."

"Upon withdrawing the money, I opted finalize a construction project that I had already started before receiving the 2nd transfer. I also bought 4 cows and 5 goats but unfortunately, one cow and two goats died due to the inadequate of pasture and water in our area. Since we have some water hardships, I bought a cart that aids me in fetching some water as well as hiring it to people who want to fetch water or even some building sand. The cart is a source of income for me."

"Receiving this money means access to education for my children. I have a family of nine children who depend on me to meet their basic needs. Out of the nine, eight are currently in primary school. As we speak, the eldest who is in class eight has been sent home due to school fee arrears. He has been here for ten days now. However, due to lack of enough money, I am not able to raise the balance of 5100 KES. I depend on charcoal burning business that earns me less that 4000KES a month. All the profit I make from this business is solely used for food and water. This has made life more difficult. My joy is to see my children finish the basic education and join college so that they can get jobs. Upon receiving this cash transfers, I will clear the debts in school then buy twenty goats which I will keep and sell when they multiply as an investment for my children's education."

"The continued insufficiency of fresh water for domestic and agricultural uses is our biggest challenge. Since we live in an area that usually experiences long dry spells yet there is no perennial river in our neighborhood, we have been forced to borrow water from my neighbor's dam. This is because we have never managed to establish a dam. Unfortunately, our neighbor's dam would dry up regularly due to the high demand for water from the community."

"Receiving this money means improved living standard to my household. This is because I am a widow depending on charcoal production as a source of income. The work is energy draining and consumes a lot of time to get the charcoal ready for sale. Besides the returns are not enough to sustain all my basic needs such as food and water water. I am planning to spend the first transfer to renovate my house, buy beddings and five indigenous goats so that I create assets that will help me in future. I will use the second transfer to pay school fees to my grand daughter who is in class eight when she joins secondary school next year."

"Drought has hit my place for the last 2 years now, getting fresh water to drink is a challenge. I have to ride my bicycle carrying three water jars for 30 kilometers. Upon reaching home am tired and I can not do other productive activities. The three jars cannot sustain my family for the day."

"With the pronged drought in my area getting food and fresh water is a challenge. Getting two meals a day is difficult for me and my health is deteriorating. I have to walk 10 kilometers to get water and still I have to cut trees burn charcoal to get food."