"Despite the difficult burden of paying the school fees for my four children, I have faith that I will soon open a small business of selling various vegetables or second-hand clothes that will provide a steady source of income for my family. This will ensure that I am in a position to see my children through their education without any difficulties." (Country: Kenya)

"In the coming year , I intend to start a business . The house I renovated has two rooms , I want to convert the children's room into a shop because they are currently sleeping with their grand mother . I n that shop I will sell flour , sugar , oil and "omena" . I chose this business because nobody is selling that in my locality yet these things are on high demand . I know the profit from the shop will supplement my husband's source of income ." (Country: Kenya)

"I would like to see my children all finish their education. It would be the only chance at offering them a better life for them and their future kids. With good jobs, I would expect them to help me set up a mini mart, selling omena, food stuff,soaps,toothpaste, tissues, matchbox etc and possibly second hand clothes as well." (Country: Kenya)

"Our daughter, Dorcas who is Ngocho primary school has registered tremendous improvement in her studies. When the school was closed recently she brought us a very impressive report card up from 146 marks the previous term to 315 marks this term.No amount of words can describe the joy we had. We had almost lost hope in her but her determination and resilience have finally yielded good results. She will join class 8 in January and we are certain that she will pass her Kenya Primary Education Certificate examination next year and get admitted to the best Secondary school." (Country: Kenya)

"My health has failed me for some time now. I suffer from high blood pressure and I am under medication. I normally go to be attended at Tenwek Hospital. The cost of treatment is expensive and sometimes I am unable to raise the required amount and which means I am forced to skip the medicine which subsequently affects me since without the drugs I feel sick and indisposed. High blood pressure puts one to be under drugs throughout and so to sustain the cost without a cover is a tall order." (Country: Kenya)

"In October, my husband passed on after a long illness of 6 years. He had battled a kidney failure disease and he had been undergoing dialysis in a Kisii hospital. The dialysis was very expensive costing $100 per week and he was undergoing it twice a month. We depleted a lot of resources to cater to his medication, 2 of my children who were in college were forced to drop out of school because of a lack of school fees. My husband suffered a lot, I watched him gradually get wasted by the disease, he underwent pain and suffering and, on his sunset days, he could not even move. We used to assist him to even eat. I am still mourning my husband, I have not gotten over it, sometimes I stare at his photo and wish I could bring him back to life. Death is so cruel!" (Country: Kenya)

"I feel like life has been so unfair to me because I have had so many challenges in life and the biggest one has been the separation with my wife and children. They just left one Sunday morning claiming that they were going to church never to return again. I think they left because of my poor income status, I survive on casual jobs and it is so difficult to find some work nowadays. I would sometimes come home without a coin and wee would sleep hungry and I guess she wass no longer comfortable with that. I want my family to come back so that I can feel safe and have a stable mind" (Country: Kenya)

"My dream is to open a hotel. A nice place where families can come and commune and have fun, while enjoying good food. In the short term, I would love to get my own boda boda where I can ferry people and have the profits fully to myself. I pray this will come to pass soon enough and possibly, with GiveDirectlys help, very soon!" (Country: Kenya)

"Its my life's dream to open up a mini mart. A small place where I can call my own, sell cereals such as rice, beans etc. Not only would it be a way for us to have financial independence as a household, but it would also be the start of a business that I could grow to include my children one day." (Country: Kenya)

"I intend to keep growing my business more to make it a wholesale." (Country: Kenya)