"Earning money used to be an arduous journey, requiring me to engage in physically demanding tasks for very little compensation. The challenging nature of the work often left me exhausted, and I even experienced chest pains due to the strain. This constant struggle was my reality until the GiveDirectly transfers came into my life, providing a welcome relief. With the assistance I received, it's as if I've finally found a moment of rest. The burden of backbreaking work for meager earnings has been alleviated. I no longer have to push myself to the point of physical discomfort to make ends meet. I now have the means to earn money through lighter tasks and save, unlike before when I lived from one day to the next. The presence of water in my compound, thanks to GiveDirectly, has opened doors for opportunities such as kitchen farming. This simple yet impactful change allows me to cultivate a small garden and grow vegetables at home. The ability to sustain myself and my family through these efforts brings a sense of fulfillment and self-sufficiency."

"Anticipating the final transfer from GiveDirectly, I had initially planned just two significant undertakings for my family. Firstly, constructing a perimeter fence around my farmland was a top priority, and this involved purchasing barbed wire, chain links, poles, and nails, amounting to a total expenditure of $380. This not only marked the boundary of my acreage but also effectively deterred zebras and stray domestic animals from encroaching on my crops. I am pleased that since the completion of the fence, my crop cultivation has thrived, and I am currently looking forward to a substantial harvest of tomatoes and maize. The remaining portion of the transfer, after spending $35 on food, went towards acquiring various household essentials, which are now being used by my family of seven. Throughout this time, our livelihood was sustained by subsistence farming, which encompassed crops like tomatoes, maize, beans, and butternuts. Despite challenges posed by drought, we managed by sharing water from seasonal streams in our village for irrigation purposes."

"I aspire to acquire a 10000-liter water tank to facilitate water harvesting for utilization during the dry seasons. Typically, we rely on water pans, but during drought periods, we are compelled to purchase water from vendors at a significant expense. The acquisition of a water tank holds the potential to not only conserve water for household needs but also alleviate the financial burden of procuring water. My objective centres around accumulating sufficient funds to procure the water tank, which costs $500. At present, I have successfully set aside $200 toward this endeavor. With consistent monthly contributions, I am confident in my ability to attain this goal in the near future, enabling the installation of the water tank at my residence."

"I have been residing on my own in a small house with a thatched roof and walls made of shrubs for sometime now. Despite being used to this lifestyle, I recognized the necessity for enhancing my living conditions, particularly in terms of securing my possessions. Subsequently, I allocated around $100 towards acquiring construction materials like iron sheets and poles, with the intention of constructing a new, improved dwelling. Additionally, I spent $50 on procuring sustenance and water, which requires uphill transportation due to my location. The remaining $40 was distributed among my two children and a sibling as gestures of appreciation."

"The biggest challenge we face is a lack of food. In the last 3 years, there has been little rain. This has not been enough for growing maize. This has affected our ability to get food. We also depend on irrigation but the water doesn't get to our farm because people upstream use it all. All these have made it difficult to get food. We mainly depend on casual labour which is hard to come by. One is paid $3 per day which can hardly support our family due to the high cost of living. This has made our lives difficult, affecting our ability to put food daily on the table."

"For the past three years, the rains have been minimal, and as a result, we do not have enough food for our family which forced us to do casual jobs to purchase from the market. If there was enough water for farming, we would have food and use the money we get for other needs like school fees for our children."

"When I lost my formal job, I used the savings that I had to invest in farming. However, the money was not enough to purchase all the farming materials like a generator hence reduced yields due to lack of sufficient water in the farm. I am so happy because the transfers from Givedirectly will see me achieve this ambition and do farming on a full-time basis. I will use $350 to purchase a generator and water pipes for a consistent supply of water. This will ensure an increase in acreage under irrigation hence an increase in output and income."

"From the first transfer, I started constructing a spacious house because the one I had was very small and congested. Since I used the transfer for other things as well, I was unable to complete the construction. When I got the second one, I prioritized completing the roofing. I bought iron sheets and the roofing timbers for $200 including the contractor's labor charge. As of now, the house is complete and I am happy for living in a decent, spacious, iron sheet-roofed house. In addition to this, I applied for a freshwater connection at my home. I managed to buy all the plumbing materials and they were fixed. Currently, the only remaining is the water meter which I was told to wait as they sought out some logistics for them to come and fix it. This process cost $142. Thereafter, I paid $50 school fees for my son who had been sent out of school for the fee arrears. I am happy that he is back to school now. After that, I used the remaining amount for the family's upkeep"

"As I stepped out to fetch water one morning at 7 am, my routine was interrupted by my daughter-in-law's excited voice. She asked me to check my account balance, her face beaming with a mixture of curiosity and delight as she had just received her transfer from GiveDirectly. Since she is my helper, I did not object. When she checked, she informed me that I had also received $550. A rush of emotions swept over me, and for a moment, I was utterly speechless. Joy exploded from within, and I couldn't contain my elation. I laughed and cried simultaneously, a dance of overwhelming happiness that I had never experienced before. The worries and uncertainties that had haunted my nights seemed momentarily distant, overshadowed by this unexpected blessing. With a heart full of gratitude, I knew that this simple transfer held the power to transform not just my circumstances, but the trajectory of my family's future."

"My primary objective before this year concludes is to resolve our water issues by guaranteeing a continuous supply at home. My aim is to enhance my family's comfort by ensuring access to clean, piped water within our household. Going to the river to fetch water only to come home hours later, tired and with very little water is not worth it at all."