"I rely entirely on charcoal burning to provide for my family. I did not have any money at the time the transfer was sent, and my three school-age children had been sent home because I had not paid their school fee arrears. As a result, I spent KES 1500 to pay off their school fees, allowing them to resume their studies. Furthermore, we never had food, and due to the increase in food prices, I was unable to get some items on credit from my neighboring shop. I was able to buy food with the remaining KES 1,500 from the transfer. We have had enough food for the past week as a family. I am extremely grateful to GiveDirectly for the support."

"The transfer mode is good. There is less to complain about it. Unlike other programs, I didn't have problems getting my transfers. The only challenge is that commodity prices have soared, the transfers are failing to meet the intended plans."

"I have a large family of eight members. To ensure that I meet their educational and other basic needs, I resorted to doing a Boda-Boda taxi. Although it is strenuous work, through it I had been meeting my family's needs. However, due to the hike in fuel prices, Boda-Boda taxi profitability has gone down. As a result, I have been struggling in raising school fees for my six children. Immediately after I received the transfer, I opted to pay fee arrears worth KES 1,500. Currently, I am at peace because they can comfortably study without being sent home for fee collection. To supplement our food store, I spent the other half of the transfer, KES 1,500 on food. Courtesy of the transfer, life has been bearable for us in the past two months. I am therefore indebted to GiveDirectly for the timely support."

"There is one major goal I have decided to focus my attention on before receiving my transfer. My planned is to buy one used motorbike for commercial and private used.people in this village are challenge with migrating from one place to another because of limited commercials motorbikes. For this reason, bike riders charge high prices. I want to buy motor bike ito start running traffic and to help to transport my wife to the hospital when she is pregnant. Thanks to Givedirectly for the cash support. I believe that with my transfer from Givedirectly, my dream to live better life in this village will soon come to pass."

"My sole source of income is burning of charcoal and splitting of firewood. I usually have a vendor in Mariakani who sells the charcoal for me. However, due to low demand, it may take him two months to sell two sacks of charcoal for KES 600. This is why I resort to splitting and selling firewood, which earns me no more than KES 100 per day. This income is extremely unreliable in meeting my family's needs, such as food, due to the high commodity prices. In fact, my family had run out of food five days before the transfers arrived, leaving us sleeping hungry consecutively. In addition, my three children had constantly been missing classes because they owed KES 900 in school fees. To resolve this, I paid the school KES 1000, and they resumed studies. "

"I spent my entire transfer on buying a 90kg sack of maize. I do not have a job and depend fully on my wife, who is a casual laborer selling charcoal. Selling charcoal is difficult because of the many restrictions put in place to curb deforestation. For the last three weeks, my wife earned nothing from the sale of charcoal, forcing us to sleep on empty stomachs and surviving on a cup of tea and porridge. My elder sons who work as public service drivers often help me by sending me money to buy food. Lately their income dropped because of the notable increase in fuel prices, hence unable to send me money back at home."

"I have been relying on subsistence farming which has ensured food security in my household for years. I was not incurring much cost on foodstuffs because I was getting plenty from my farm. However, the prolonged drought has made it impossible for us to engage in farming for almost two years now. I am currently spending a lot on buying foodstuffs at high prices and yet I do not have a source of income to depend on. I had to think of doing an investment that could ensure I get a regular income to sustain myself. When I received the money, I partnered with my son and invested the whole of the transfer in a butchery business. We acquired a business premise and paid for the rent. I am happy that once this business picks up, I will be able to effectively fulfil my basic needs with ease."

"There is not much difference in my daily life so far but the excitement of knowing that I am assured of 3500 KES monthly transfers. I burn charcoal for sale but it takes a whole week to get half a bag of charcoal that goes for 400 KES. This has limited me from fully providing for my family, especially with the current rise in prices of commodities. The monthly transfers will be a boost to my household income. I am already thinking of a lucrative business idea to invest in so that we can have a reliable source of income moving forward."

"There are many things that i have set as goals since i have received the transfers from Give Directly. My new goal is to own a house and i have started building it. I bought new iron sheets, bricks and now in the processing of owning my own house. However, as you can see, i live in the village and it may be hard to sustain this new goal because of the rise in prices. Here in the village, we do not have access to piece work but am grateful that this process has started with the help of Give Directly which would not have happen without this organisation."

"At the time when I received the recent transfer my daughter who is in secondary school had stayed home for 3 days because I did not have any money to give her for her fees. I sell small fish but the 150 KES profit that I make from it can barely afford a whole day's meal considering the current rise in food prices. We never expected the money at that time and I also had no idea where I could get money for her school fees. It was a lifesaver and the moment I received it I transferred it to the school's account immediately. I am glad she was able to sit for her end-term examinations."