"This money will help us afford a better house as we are lacking one currently. The little hut behind the house is where we are sleeping since this one leaks a lot. We now have started making plans to even buy the necessary household items which we were lacking. These include good pots,water buckets, mattress,blankets and clothes. If these become the leaat of our worries after buying them, then we shall work hard in our gardens to harvest more and use the money for other important activities."

"My life is different than it would have been if I never received the transfers in that I have bought a water tank. Our area is a semi desert and most of the time their is no water. The distance from home to the river is so long and one could take more than two hours to get to the river. I used to wake up very early in the morning to be able to get clean water. At some point there was long queue and we could spend almost the whole day waiting. This was so tiresome and time consuming. Carrying twenty litres of water everyday was so hectic. I could get home feeling so tired and I could not be able to do other chores. I had so many activities at home to conduct, getting my child ready for school, cultivating my farm, I also own a small business which I had to open on time. All this needed my attention. Currently I have a water tank and I no longer walk for that long distance like before. I prepare my child to school so early, do my chores and last open my business on time. I get good profits nowadays because I meet the demand of my customers. I also do not stress up on where to get the water. I am so happy because GiveDirectly has enabled me to save time and do my daily routine without being disturbed."

"I was fetching water from the nearby water pan at around 8 am when I heard message notification on phone. On arriving home, I checked my phone and I found out it was Mpesa message from GiveDirectly I had received my transfer . I was overwhelmed with joy knowing that my kids will get quality education and I will finally restart my livestock rearing activity."

"I consider the evening as the happiest part of my day because, at this moment, I usually have ample time to rest more in my bed. This re-energizes me most. Unlike in the morning and afternoon hours when I am too involved in fetching water from a 15 kilometers distance and doing my charcoal work respectively."

"I am really grateful for being considered in this program. I have received the program with gratitude. I am a farmer and I would like to invest the money in agriculture. I plan to buy a water pump, sprayer, seeds and fertilizer so that I can be a commercial farmer. I also plan to renovate my house and buy some beddings."

"My life is different than how it would have been had I never received the transfer. This is because it would not have been possible for me to fence my compound had it not been for the transfers. Also, I would not have invested in any assets like the goats. In addition to these, my family no longer walk for a longer distance looking for water as I was able to purchase a water tank with a capacity of 3000 litres. We currently use it to harvest rain water thus enabling us to always have water at our doorstep. Apart from my family having access to clean water for domestic use cuartesy of GiveDirectly, we're always able to practice proper hand washing hygiene that helps in the fight against Covid 19."

"Receiving this money means financial security for me and my household. My first priority is to get some indigenous cows and goats with my first transfer as savings for future needs such as school fees. My second priority is to start a food kiosk with the second transfer. My hope is to earn at least 400 Kenya shillings daily from the kiosk for our immediate needs like food and water."

"Being a semi arid area, livestock play a very vital role in the education of our children, access to quality healthcare, food and decent shelter through the sale of its products. When a severe drought befell my community 3 years ago, we were devastated to lose 10 of our herds of cattle to hunger and lack of water. A plan to build a a decent house for us and the children, and start a poultry business was thwarted. This is the biggest hardship we have faced in the recent years."

"My day usually starts at 6:00 AM with preparing breakfast for my family and getting my three young children ready for.school.Once they leave,I finish up on other chores on the compound which include getting feeds and water for our cows as well as general cleaning.I then proceed to a nearby market to get stock for my shop.Am always happiest in the afternoon as I run my business.This is because I have come to love this activity owing to the fact that it is a major contributor to our family's daily income.It just makes me very happy to be able to bring something home to assist my spouse in putting food on the table"

"My grass thatched kitchen is in a deplorable condition. It leaks in water during rainy seasons and what worsens the situation is the shame of hosting my visitors in it since I have no alternative. Receiving this money will therefore revive my self image. I plan to use $350 of my transfer to build a two roomed house, one room to serve as a kitchen and the other to serve as visitors room. I will then use $350 to buy a cow who's daily earnings from selling milk will supplement my motorcycle taxi business wages. I also plan to use the remaining $300 to initiate a poultry keeping project for my spouse who has been aspiring to be financially independent so as to support me in providing for our family"