"Living in an area prone to flash floods has taught me the importance of preparedness. After experiencing the desastrus effects of floods before, including damage to my mud-walled house which is now in dire need of repair again, I understand the necessity of planning for future disasters. Financial constraints have prevented me from building a more resilient iron sheet-walled house despite wanting to. Currently, my family relies on income from charcoal burning, which barely sustains us day to day with no surplus for savings. However, with anticipated transfers, I am hopeful. I plan to spend $450 towards renovating our house, aiming to provide a safer and more comfortable living space for my family of three. Additionally, I intend to spend $200 in purchasing goats, viewing them as a long-term investment that can offer financial security during times of need. Furthermore, I recognize the importance of improving our farming capabilities to secure our livelihood. Therefore, the rest of the transfers will be used to purchase a water pump, enabling me to irrigate my farm effectively once I am able to resume farming activities fully.I am hopeful of strengthening our resilience against future disasters and improve our overall quality of life."

"My lovely wife have been rearing chicken in our compound as her investment so iam planning to support her business of poultry keeping. This business of poultry is working well in our village and we have a lot of people from different towns coming to buy them. iam planning again to venture into agriculture because I have a large piece of land and water is available for irrigation and also farming is the main livelihood activity i do. For a home to be lively you have to possess livestock's. iam planning to invest some money for livestock keeping, buy food for my family and buy clothes for my children for them to be attractive and beautiful because it has been long time ago since I bought clothes for them"

"My husband and I used to depend on poultry farming to earn a living but the floods that happened about two months ago put us on a loss. We had seventy chicken and all died after being swept away by raging flood water. I had borrowed USD 70 to purchase the chicken but all in vain as I still have the debts to pay and raising that amount is difficult."

"I had used the money from a previous transfer to lease two acres of land. I planted maize for both personal consumption and sale. The entire process cost me about $400, covering the leasing fee, land preparation, planting, and weeding. I was optimistic about a good harvest, but unfortunately, heavy floods destroyed all my crops. This was a big blow as I rely on the crops to support my family of five. Despite this setback, I remained hopeful. With the third transfer, I leased another half-acre on higher ground for $50. I spent $40 preparing the land and planted beans, which should be ready for harvest in two months. I also spent $360 on buying water pipes to draw water from the river to my farm. This will ensure that I can comfortably farm my land without worrying about drought, as we usually experience limited rainfall. It also means that I will not have to spend money on leasing land near the river for farming."

"My son was living in a grass thatched house which was made of mud. This was not spared by flash floods which occurred two months ago. His house was totally destroyed and we ended up living together in one house. GiveDirectly's cash transfer will help me to build him a one room house made of iron sheets. This will cost me $ 400 of my transfers. We use water from the river Perkerra to irrigate our farms, this is challenging since I do not have a generator to pump water to my farm. GiveDirectly's cash transfer will help me purchase a generator which will cost about $300. I am dreaming of starting a livestock farm with my transfers from GiveDirectly."

"After struggling to afford fuel for irrigating my maize farm, I found relief when the rains started. This spared me the expense of purchasing fuel. The rainwater, which is beneficial for crops, has resulted in flourishing growth in our fields, promising a bumper harvest."

"In the past six months, my greatest source of happiness has been the fact that despite the recent flood that affected us, my family and I are healthy. While we did face some illness due to waterborne diseases, I'm grateful that none of my family members are currently sick."

"I am a farmer and I have a big Piece of land but due to financial challenges iam not able to cultivate it. I use to depend on other people's water pumps for irrigation. iam planning to use KES 45,000 of my cash transfers to buy my own water pump to irrigate my farm. We are really blessed in our village because if you have water pumps and pipes you get rich very fast because watermelons, and Tomatoes, maize beans, vegetables and green grams does well, in a period of two to three months they are ready. I am planning to use the remaining money on farming, livestock keeping, stock food for my family and buy clothing for my children"

"Seven months ago, I ventured into retail shop business to generate income for my family of seven. I have been eager to expand this business, but financial constraints have held me back. Since we rely on farming for our livelihood, most of our earnings go towards basic needs like food, clothing, and school fees for my children, leaving little room for savings. When the transfers come through, I am determined to invest $400 into expanding my retail venture. This opportunity not only promises extra income but also fills me with hope to better serve our community. Another $300 will go towards a new water pump for irrigation; our current one is damaged, and ensuring reliable irrigation is vital for our farming. These decisions are more than just financial investments; they are steps towards securing our family's future."

"As a parent, my greatest wish is for my children to pursue their studies without any interruptions. Unfortunately, the flash floods two months ago destroyed our maize crop, which I rely on to pay their school fees. With the harvest looking low and the urgent need to support their education, I am determined to find a way to cover their fees.Thanks to GiveDirectly's support, I plan on spending $300 towards school fees for my daughter in grade 9. Additionally, I intend to invest $300 in cultivating watermelon on our two acres of land. This crop will not only provide income but also ensure food security for our family of seven.The remainder of the transfer will be spent on acquiring dairy cows. This investment will not only supply us with food but also generate additional income over time. These steps are crucial in sustaining our livelihood and ensuring that my children can continue their education uninterrupted despite the recent challenges we have faced."