"I separated with my husband 20 years ago. Life's not easy being a single mother of 4. My biggest challenge now is paying school fees. I have one girl in secondary school and another studying in the university. I need to clear fees areas of $200. I am worried about this year. I will have to raise another $800 to support them fully. I depend on farming to sustain them. This year has been difficult because of the drought. I normally plant maize for sell to support my family. Now I cannot do irrigation because the river source has dried completely."

"After enrolling in the program, I was eager to begin spending the money on the goals that my spouse and I had set for ourselves. When I got the first transfer, I went to the list we had and made sure I spent it in the order we had set. With the first $100, I bought a chain link fence and used it to keep out stray livestock that had been invading and feeding on the growing grass. I intend to bring in at least a dairy cow and a goat to provide milk for my family of three, but first I need to ensure that I have enough grassy grazing grounds. I also spent $11 on a horse pipe, which I plan to use to connect piped water to irrigate my land. Irrigation is completely dependent on farming in our region, and I hope to venture into irrigation-aided farming to ensure food security and reduce food purchases. I also spent $35 on food, which included dry maize, beans, and rice, all of which we still use. In addition, I purchased other household consumables and saved the remainder to inspect and replenish any depleted household items."

"This village of ours as you can see is very dry, it has been three years since we got enough rains. As a result, there is a water shortage and no crops can be planted. I last planted crops three years ago. There are irrigation plots in our village, but they require hiring, and I don't have any money for that. I sometimes go without meals because I only occasionally make $3 in casual labor, which is insufficient to pay for food for both my mother and me. I feel bad for having to go without food because I don't have anything to prepare. Since I need money for food and there is occasional casual work for me to do, I am faced with a challenge that I cannot overcome.."

"On the day I received the transfer, I was stressed out due to the lack of money to buy the next meal. I had nothing at hand. Upon receipt of my transfer, I sent $36 through a mobile money transfer to our local shopkeeper at our Korma Shopping Centre for foodstuff. Words couldn't express my gratitude. I was elated with joy. I depend on irrigation water on my farm and this had been stopped for a while. I also paid $50 to buy a sewing machine that'd help me start my own business. I have five children, I spent $80 to buy clothes for them, and the remaining amount was saved to help with our daily upkeep. This would have been impossible before because of school fees responsibility on my husband and me. I'm thankful to GiveDirectly for the support which has uplifted my family."

"The tremendous distinction in my day-to-day life described before is the cash transfer gave me an expectation for a better tomorrow. The reason why I say this is because I was allowed time to decide what I wanted to do with the money with no conditions. I feel delighted and overjoyed to have achieved my goals in a short period. I have no worries whatsoever about where to get money for the irrigation of my farm in the coming planting season. This is all attributed to the cash transfer. I'm happy for the support of uplifting our lives."

"I remember I was at home when my neighbours passed by excitedly speaking of having received their initial cash transfers. At that time, my phone was off, making it difficult for me to check whether this was true. I felt helpless. I couldn't verify whether the information is true. Fortunately, I was able to switch it on at a later time, and upon checking my MPESA balance, I was filled with joy on realizing I had received money from GiveDirectly. Words couldn't express the joy I felt. I was relieved that the support of GiveDirectly was timely and it came at a time when I was planning on irrigation of my farm for the planting season."

"I used $100 of my first transfer to purchase two. Goats. We live in a drought-prone area where irrigation facilitates farming, and raising goats is a better plan that can be implemented cheaply. I am currently living on my friend's property because I am unable to purchase my own. With the livestock project I'm currently launching, I hope to sell the goats after they've been bred in order to purchase some land. I spent $80 to help my spouse's clothing business grow. She's been selling them around the village, and the profits have helped me buy household goods with the money I have earned from my construction work. I also spent the remaining $20 on food for my current two-person family."

"Improved agricultural practices on my leased land, as well as the growing poultry project after purchasing 8 chickens, have made the most difference since receiving my first transfer. At the moment, I am confident that a better harvest will ensure food security for my family of three. I am grateful for the irrigation pipes channeled to our lands as part of the government project, which have greatly aided us during the current droughts."

"After receiving my first transfer, I spent $65 on building materials in order to renovate the roof of my current home. I had been living there for three years, and the roof is currently weakened due to termite infestation. I also improved my farming by spending $100 on certified butternut seeds and planting them on an acre of land. Because my farm is adjacent to the county government's free irrigation resources, investing in farming as my primary source of income yields a higher return. In addition, I spent $1 on clothes and $12 on servicing the loan I had obtained after purchasing a motorcycle on credit. In addition, I used the remaining funds to buy food for my family of three."

"Being able to find employment has been the happiest experience of the last six months. A farm that specializes in irrigation has offered me a job. This gave me great joy because it allowed me to support my family. I always felt incredibly happy when I brought meals home."