"I received the transfer notification from GiveDirectly around 6 o'clock in the morning as I was attending to my irrigation project which I water my plants daily. On checking to confirm the sender, I could not hold my happiness for the message informed me that I had received the first transfer that I had anxiously been waiting for. This money gave me hope that I would soon boost my project by purchasing a power generator to pump water instead of using buckets."

"My daily life is filled with happiness because I able to procure an irrigation pump."

"I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I have been always dreaming to be a large scale farmer in the area and I am seeing this coming to a reality. This is because of the good harvest from the avocados and potatoes.I am planning to buy irrigation pipes from the income I get from potatoes and fruits and this will expand my farming through irrigation of crops in my farm. This will ensure a good harvest and also the tea seedlings in the nursery will not dry up during the dry season. This will also boost my income."

"I have withdrawn the second transfer and spent part of it on renovating my son's house. This has improved its security and is safe to sleep in. I am no longer worried of theft cases as before. It is in proper shape, where my visitors can sleep. The stress of begging for sleeping spaces in other people's houses whenever I had visitors is solved. I bought a water pump and a reservoir tank that I am using for irrigation. I have a prime land that borders a river. During dry seasons, there is scarcity of vegetables in this community and schools around. I hope to supply them with vegetables and this will become an additional source of income and employment for my family."

"I spent my second transfer on purchasing a water pipe for an irrigation pump I bought with my first transfer.Initially I was foreman in a neighbor's farm and I had developed the desire of starting my own farm but lacked the resources. When I received my transfers I knew this was the time to start my water melon project. I also bought farm tools and other equipment to start me off. To improve my farming I bought pesticides and fungicides. I expect to have a bumper harvest."

"In my area, where water is a rare commodity, I have had it yes, after drilling a borehole some years back. Unfortunately, I have never managed to make it purposeful. This is because I am aged, currently I am around 65 years old, drawing water down a borehole, using a rope, is not easy. It needs a lot of energy and time, things that I do not have. I had to find a purpose for this water this time around now that I had the money to purchase an electric water pump. I bought one using the money GiveDirectly sent me. I also bought a 2000 liter reservoir container for storing this water after pumping it for future use. I have saved my wife, who is also aging not to be bending a lot in the name of drawing a lot. This water, pumped, I am also planning to use this water for irrigation and also makes me take care of the dry season when we hustle so much to get clean water."

"Apart from making more money now from the profits I make out of my improved irrigation method,I have a better, bigger house. There is privacy now, something my family was missing when we had a very squeezed house hosting all the family members even my elder children who had become of age and were still sharing a bed."

"The biggest hardship I have faced in life is lack of financial capital to turn my ideas into business opportunities.For so many years,I have been harbouring ideas on dairy farming, poultry farming and maize farming under irrigation.My main aim for these ideas has been to be self employed and create a source of income that can sustain the needs of my family.Lack of capital to implement the ideas has therefore been my biggest worry even as I face persistent financial constraints that hinders me from being self employed and adequately providing for the basic needs of the family."

"As a farmer,I have been relying on rainfall for farming for more than a decade.However, for the last two years the rains have been very unreliable leading to acute food insecurity not only for my family but for the whole community.I thought of buying a water pump as an alternative but could not raise money for the same.Receiving money from Give directly therefore means I have the ability to purchase the water pump and conduct irrigation from the dam.This will help me upscale farming which will in turn enhance food security for my family and the community at large."

"Receiving this money is a great boost to my current farm work. I have been depending on rainfall which in most cases is unreliable and has led to dismal crop production. Now that am going to receive GD transfers, I will be able to construct a mini water pan and purchase a water pump for easy irrigation. Again am looking into modern drought resistant crops that are viable in this region. All that set, food insecurity and poverty will be something of the past."