"Before it rained, my wife used to trek about 4 kilometers to fetch water for domestic use. I was feeling sad and sympertized on her, I was not able to give her a helping hand since in our culture fetching water is women's chores. It has been raining heavily for the last three months and water is now available in a nearby season river. I am happy that my wife is no longer walking for long distances to fetch water."

"Due to the floods we experienced last month, I feel that where we are living is not safe. We constantly worry that the rising waters from Lake Baringo will submerge our house, as we are just a few meters away from it. It has been disheartening to see my neighbours lose their homes to the water. To escape this danger, I am determined to relocate my family to safer ground. Despite the setbacks of my maize crops being damaged, I remain determined in my plans. I will replant vegetables for sale and, God willing, farm maize next year. I am committed to using the proceeds from the farm to buy land and move my family to a secure location. This goal is my top priority, and I am determined to achieve it to ensure our safety and stability"

"When I received the third transfer, I sat down with my spouse to plan carefully, knowing it would be our last. Our two children in secondary school needed money for their fees, so I used $150 to pay for part of their education, showing the school our commitment and determination. This ensured that our children could stay in school without interruptions. I plan to pay the remaining amount from my savings from my food-hawking business. I allocated $100 to prepare and plant maize on our two acres, which was crucial as we heavily depended on the harvest to fund our children's education. Unfortunately, heavy rains caused Lake Baringo to flood, destroying our crops. I had high hopes for 25 sacks of maize per acre, and seeing those hopes washed away was heartbreaking. I felt so bad about it, but there was nothing I could do. When the water recedes, I will gather my energy again, hoping to find the capital to replant. Additionally, I used $140 to improve my small eatery by replacing rusted, leaking iron sheets and adding more food stock. This made the eatery look better and more appealing to customers. Lastly, I used the remaining amount to buy new clothes for myself. With them, I looked presentable at functions, replacing my old and outdated wardrobe. It felt wonderful to finally have decent clothes and feel confident in social settings."

"As a tailor by profession, I struggled to buy equipment like a sewing machine to start my own business. Whenever a customer asked me to repair their clothes, I would depend on the availability of my friends machine to work. This was inconvenient because she would often request her machine back before I could fulfill an order. Every day, it became increasingly difficult to depend on this arrangement. My husband is the primary breadwinner of our family. Besides being a pastor, the little he makes from casual house construction jobs cannot cover anything beyond our basic needs such as food and education for our two children. This is why we decided to invest $230 in a sewing machine. I am now happy to run my business from home and at my own pace. I can earn at least $1 daily, which covers small household expenses without relying solely on my husband's income. Additionally, we decided to invest $150 in purchasing a cow, despite our initial plan to buy goats, as goats were becoming scarce in our area due to high demand. I believe that investing in livestock can accumulate wealth that will support our kids education. We also needed to install a water tap, so I spent $150 on the entire registration and buying materials process. We live quite far from the water pan, which is two hours away, and installing a tap fixes that challenge. Moreover, this investment will generate income from selling water."

"I was feeling restless and stressed up when we experienced heavy rainfall and flash floods in our area. I had planted tomatoes on my one acre piece of land and it was ready for harvest. I was worried that it would end up being swept away by flash floods. River Perkerra was full of water and broke its banks, luckily my farm was spared and I was so happy."

"As a recipient of GiveDirectly, my hopes for the coming year and beyond are filled with dreams of successful farming. Since farming is my lifeline, I’ve developed a keen interest in cash crop farming after seeing some neighbors thrive in it. My goal is to start cash crop farming if the rains are favorable. When the heavy rains come, I plan to focus on maize farming, as maize grows well with plenty of water. However, if the season brings only light rains, I will switch to watermelon farming because watermelons don't need as much rain to flourish. By adapting to the changing weather, I hope to secure a stable income and improve my family's living conditions. This strategy will help ensure that regardless of the weather, I can provide for my family and build a better future."

"In the upcoming year and beyond, my main focus is on building a new, sturdy house. The recent heavy rains have caused serious damage to our current dwelling, with walls collapsing and persistent water seepage posing health risks for my family. Despite attempting temporary fixes, it's clear that a more permanent solution is needed to ensure the safety and well-being of my children. With the help of GiveDirectly, I aim to save a portion of my transfer in our chama, pooling resources to work towards realizing my dream of a secure and resilient house for my family."

"It has been a challenging journey since my husband left us, leaving me to navigate the rough waters of single parenthood with seven children in tow. The burden of providing for them alone weighed heavily on my shoulders, especially with the irregular income from my casual labour. However, the cash transfer brought a ray of hope into our lives. Allocating $70 towards my children's school fees lifted a significant weight off my chest. Witnessing them back in the classroom filled me with immense relief and gratitude for the support that made it possible. With a portion of the funds, I invested in a goat, three chickens, and a small security blanket in the face of uncertainty. These assets provide a sense of stability, knowing that in times of need, I have something to fall back on. As the dry season persists and we await the much-needed rain, the remainder of the cash was wisely spent on food, ensuring that my family's basic needs are met despite the challenging circumstances. Though the road ahead may still be tough, I am grateful for the assistance that has eased our burdens and given us renewed hope for the future."

"Water scarcity is the biggest challenge I am currently facing. I often have to purchase 20-liter jerricans of water at $0.20 each. My family of four uses about four jerricans daily for our household needs. When I do not have the finances, I have to trek approximately 25 kilometers to the Perkerra canal to fetch water for the family. This journey takes a lot of my time and energy, and I am worried it will eventually impact my health. To make a living, I prepare and sell mandazi, but the $1 profit I make each day goes right back into purchasing stock for the business, leaving no extra money to save. Occasionally, I rely on my husband, who is a teacher, to help support the family."

"My first priority is to acquire a water pump for $300. I have been relying on hiring one for the past 10 years. The demand for them increases to an extent that you can fail to get one and as a result, your crops are damaged. This reduces the yields. Since we experience longer drought periods in this area, I intend to acquire mine so that I can be able to use it at my convenience. The other benefit for this is that, I will be able to do farming for the entire year. I also intend to use the remainder of the transfers to buy livestock."