"Sometimes last month we started receiving rainfall after a prolonged period of drought. It marked an increased vegetation cover that the livestock can now graze well. We were also forced to travel long distances to search for water but now that is a thing of the past, as a result, life has become a bit easy and we are happy about it, we thank God for the rains and we hope to harvest enough food crops since we are certain we will have a bumper harvest and be food secure."

"Receiving the transfers means so much to me. Since we don't have plenty of food, I plan to purchase a bag of maize at $60. This will ensure that we have enough food for the rest of the year until the next harvest. My children bought me a water tank which unfortunately broke. Through the transfers, I plan to purchase a bigger water tank at about $200. This will ensure that I can fetch rain water when it rains and I will also have water for domestic use and for my livestock. For the remaining transfers, I plan to fence my farm. I plan to use about $450 to accomplish this. Fencing will help me a lot since I have had some quarrels with my neighbor who keeps moving my boundary making my land smaller. Through the transfers, I will live comfortably knowing that no one intrudes into my land. In addition to this, I will also buy a few goats to add to the herd I currently have. The goats will be a form of future investment."

"Having a chance to receive the transfers from GiveDirectly means a lot to me. I have had a difficult time getting casual work because of the prolonged drought and with the transfers, I will have a chance to transform my life positively. For the first portion of the transfers, I plan to buy pipes and pay a plumber to let them down for me at about $100. Through this, I will get enough supply of water from the school near my home. This will give me a chance to do irrigation on my farm which will ensure that I have a constant supply of food. For the remaining amount and the second transfer, I plan to build a kitchen. I plan to use about $200 of the transfers for this. This will ensure that I have a good cooking area since I'm forced to cook inside my current house and the smoke becomes too much for me sometimes. For the remaining transfers, I plan to fence my small farm with about $400 of the transfers this will give me a chance to do farming since goats and other livestock will not eat my crops. I will also purchase food with the remaining amount which will last me for the rest of the year. With the transfers, my life will surely change positively and I'm grateful that I have been selected to be one of the beneficiaries."

"GiveDirectly did well in giving us the amount in cash since we do not share the same challenges in life. In our village, people have been empowered differently, and for me, I have achieved 70% of what I have always wanted. For example, having tap water at my doorstep and livestock was made possible with the first transfer, and now I have cleared all the school fee arrears. My life has been turned around, and from here on, I will work hard to ensure that I keep pushing forward financially so as to maintain this status quo."

"Being without a toilet at home was incredibly dishonorable and unsanitary. Not only had I become weary of bringing people to the neighbor's toilet, but I was also sick of walking to the bush for nature calls. When I received the second transfer, I constructed a toilet. I then purchased a wheelbarrow that helps me carry water. I utilized the remaining money to support my family."

"My house is not in a good condition. It's made of mud, and it's hard maintaining it. Termites eat up the wood used to build, making it weak. It also leaks, when it rains. This makes it hard to stay comfortable when it rains. This affects me a lot because when it rains I'll have to fetch the water from inside using a basin. Then pour the water outside to minimize the damage inside."

"I have been purchasing iron sheets every month intending to construct a new house. My current house is in a poor state, and it causes suffering whenever it rains. The water that leaks in dampens the space exposing my family to cold infections. I aim to accumulate a total of 20 iron sheets to build a two-room house. From the recent transfer, I spent $30 to acquire three iron sheets, utilizing the remaining funds for food expenses. My husband primarily relies on casual labor in house construction, but these job opportunities are infrequent. In the past, I used to sell palm wine as an additional source of income. However, I had to discontinue this activity in February due to the need to care for my ailing child. Right now, the cash transfers are a crucial source of income to my household and I pray that they continue coming every month. "

"My happiness in the last 6 months has come from the rains that we received a month ago (April). It has taken about 3 years since we've had good rains which led to severe drought. This forced us to go for long distances looking for water and pasture for the livestock. However, with the recent rains, we've been able to have water nearby and also plenty of shrubs and grass for our livestock. This made us very happy and thankful to the almighty God."

"Our happiness in the past six months came in the month of April this year. We were blessed with rains for about two weeks which delighted us so much This meant that we have enough water for our livestock and household and also offered us a chance to plant some crops. I feel very happy because I don't have to gather leaves for our livestock since the rains has led to growth of shrubs which our livestock eat."

"With the iron sheet roofing, I can collect rainwater and use it for every domestic use, saving us from walking long distances to fetch water. Not forgetting that we are now having a better house compared to what we had before, which was not even fit to be called a home."