"I am happy that the previous cash transfers allowed me to build a new one-room house after the old one collapsed. However, during construction, I transferred some of the old iron sheets to the new structure. When the rains started, I found that the roof was letting in water through the old iron sheets, which dampened my room. My focus is renovating that side of the house by installing a new tin roof. Despite the tight financial constraints in my household, I hope to be able to save some money to start buying the roofing materials and seal the damage."

"Where we currently live, there's no school for our children to attend . They have to travel to another town about an hour to acquire education. It's very stressful crossing water every day. I bought a piece of land in the city to build my dream house where all of my children will relocate to the city for better and proper education."

"My joy came a month ago from the rains. It has been 3 years since we've had enough rain in our village which has greatly affected us since our farms have not been productive and pasture for our livestock has dwindled as time went. With the current rains I'm very delighted because we shall be able to plant our farm and also have enough pasture for our livestock. In addition to this, my wife and children will not have to walk for long distances to look for water since the nearby river has flowing water. I'm very happy and grateful to the almighty God for the rains."

"In 2021 I got my son Levis and in 2022 December I had to move to my husband's home as a second wife. Since then my life has not been the same since I had a place of my own. However, there are many challenges such as a lack of water because the river is far. I'm forced to purchase water at about $20 for six 20-liter Jerricans. This makes life very difficult since it's very expensive to purchase and transport water."

"My husband died three years ago and left behind a family of two. I have been suffering from pressure and diabetes for five years now. This has made me indoors and depend entirely on my son who works as a casual laborer at Mombasa. He earns approximately $100 per month which caters to my health and food. I live in a two room house with a mud wall. This year on early March, one of the walls collapsed due to heavy rain. Since then it has not been renovated due to lack of funds. It really affects my health as wind and water get into the house. I will use $600 to build a two room house with iron roof. I will also use $ 200 and $300 to cater for my medication and buy six goats as an investment respectively. The rest will help me buy food."

"As someone who is skilled in crop farming, my goal by the end of the year is to buy a water pump that will enable me to practice my skills more effectively. Unfortunately, poverty and harsh weather conditions have prevented me from doing so in the past. I have had to purchase water at very high prices to irrigate the vegetables I grow near my home, which has made it difficult to make a profit. With a water pump, I will be able to grow vegetables on a larger scale and lower the cost of production, which will increase my profit margins. This investment will not only help me financially, but it will also enable me to use my skills to their full potential and contribute to my community's food security. I am hopeful that this purchase will be a stepping stone towards a more sustainable future for me and my family."

"Venturing into livestock rearing is a goal I am passionate about. It will not only allow me to raise animals but also open up opportunities for buying and selling livestock. With this new business, I am optimistic that I will be able to earn a good income to support my family. Currently, we are heavily reliant on a single source of income, which has been a struggle. I plan on dedicating myself fully to this new venture and test the waters. Hopefully, it will pay me back handsomely and provide the financial stability my family needs."

"I am passionate about livestock keeping, and I have entertained the thought of trying dairy farming since indigenous cows produce little milk which can hardly meet the consumption needs of my family. I had always wanted to try it but lacked the funds. I am so happy about GiveDirectly transfers since it is going to be a bridge to my dream of finally starting dairy farming. I intend to purchase a dairy cow worth $300 from Mogotio to keep and use the rest to buy a water tank to harvest rainwater for household use since water access is a huge problem here."

"I am happiest when someone offers me food in the community. I also live near the borehole and can fetch water freely. Community members don't charge me anything."

"My happiness in the past 6 months has come from the rains which we got for two weeks in March this year. Since we have not had enough rain for the past 3 years I was very glad that it rained. This meant that we shall have enough water for our livestock and also we will be able to grow food on our farms."