"Prolonged drought and famine in this region has led to lack of food, water and money to satisfy my needs and that of my family. When we have rains I can at least get food for my children and even sell the surplus for money. The last time we had good harvest was two years ago. We often skip meals because I cannot afford to provide the three meals a day. I depend on selling charcoal to get food. Working in the bushes so as to get charcoal for sale takes a lot of time and the money is barely enough to satisfy all the needs. A sack of charcoal goes for KES 600, which I manage to sell one or two in a week. Food insecurity is therefore my biggest hardship."

"My day begins at 4am. I wake up, prepare breakfast for my children as they leave for school. I then leave home to fetch water at 5am. I walk for 10 kilometres because we depend on dams to get water but due to the drought in our village, all dams have dried up and we have to walk to nearby town to get water. I then come back at 11am. I prepare early lunch for my children then leave for charcoal burning. I spend the whole day in the forest and come back in the evening. When I arrive home, I rest and then prepare supper. Seeing my children happy and in good health makes me happy. We take our supper together as we story tell and laugh which makes me forget the stresses of the day. This brings joy to my heart and makes me long for evening."

"My day begins at 5am in the morning. I usually wake up at 5 am to prepare porridge for my children before they go to school. I then leave home at 5:30am to go fetch water. Due to the prolonged drought, all the dams in our village have dried up. So I walk for about ten kilometres to a nearby town to get water. I then come back at 10am. I attend to house chores, cook early lunch for my children then leave for charcoal burning. I spend the whole day in the bush and come back at 5pm very tired. Upon arrival, I rest a bit then prepare supper for my family. Eating together with my children makes me happy as I refresh my body and soul during our story telling. This makes me long for evenings every day."

"Lately, we do not have enough food. My husband is paid once a week and the money is not enough to buy us food and foot other bills. I have been thinking of starting a kitchen garden so that we don't have to struggle with vegetables. The biggest setback to this project is the pot supply of water. I'm still hopeful though."

"There has been a water shortage for over three months now. Together with other women, we are forced to walk long distances every day in search. This exercise has started to take a toll on my health. I recently gave birth. That combined with walking far distances has my back hurting very badly."

"Our major challenges are lack of safe drinking water and lack of good road. Our only means of traveling is to cross with planks log over the Poe river. Crossing over the river during the rainy season is very dangerous and risky for us. Because of the river, we are left out of many things that other communities can benefit from government, NGO and other charity organizations. Also because of the river, we don't have safe drinking water and our source of water for drinking, cooking and doing other things is the same Poe river."

""If I get this money, I will use portion of it to fix my house, and use other one to send my grandchildren back to school. My house is old and the roof is leaking causing the walls to fall each time it rains. If I don't fix it, pretty soon the house will fall and I and my grandchildren will have nowhere to sleep. I want my house to stay longer so that my grandchildren can live in it when I am gone. During raining seasons we experience heavy pull of water in the house spoiling our things. It's make us sick each time. Having the house fixed, it I will at least have peace. My big daughter died 2 years ago and left behind 3 children. The usually come home, and this where they can stay. I am their everything, and I don't want to have problem with living place. The portion of the money with be us to send my grandchildren to school. Like I said, their mother died, and no one to pay their school fees. If I send them to school tomorrow they will live a better live, and will be happy wherever I will be."

"I planned to use my transfer to renovate my house. The zinc you are seeking over the house is old and water can penetrate when ever the rain comes down. Just recently, the storm removed some of the sticks so the leakage is too much now. All the sticks over the house are all rotten but no finance until God directed GiveDirectly to this town. We have been working towards the renovations work over the past years now but have been been unable to generate the finances. Can you imagine, our only source of income is cassava and cassava products but the price now on the market has dropped."

"I can't explain all but only God know what I am passing through. I am suffering as a young man seeing your self over water every night;is just a challenge. And all is just for money so I can make it in life. The present life I am living is not making me happy but I believe by the help of GD I will be bless and my life will be better."

"Our major challenge is lack of safe drinking water. We usually go to the creek to get water for drinking, cooking and cleaning up of home and other water related usage."