"A month ago, I started a fishing nets business, taking advantage of my location near the lake where fishing is popular. I saw this as an opportunity to generate additional income alongside managing my father's business. However, sales have been low so far because I am currently handling a limited number of nets due to a lack of capital for expansion. I am hopeful for the future, especially with the anticipated transfers coming my way. When I receive the transfers, I plan to spend KES 63150 to expand the nets business. This investment could help me earn additional income for my family, which would make a significant difference in our lives."

"I am a mother of 3 engaging in fish trade from the year 2019.The fluctuations in the population of fish recently in Lake Baringo has caused inadequacy in my household income.Fishing is the main economic activity in this area. My husband and I have engaged in this activity for 5 years , it has been difficult to diversify to other forms of economic activities such as farming due to the natural calamities that regularly affect agriculture.In the past 2 months the number of fish in Lake Baringo has been declining rapidly leading to a decrease in my monthly income from KES 21000 to KES 9000.This has negatively affected my life in that I have had to cut on the quality and quantity of meals in my household from 3 to 2 meals a day.Moreover, I have had to get into debt to meet the household utilities and food.Financial shortage is therefore the greatest challenge am currently facing."

"If successful in receiving the transfer, I plan to spend it well. We have a lot to do as a family. The topmost priority is to add more goats, about ten goats. Goats do well here and have a ready market. One goat costs approximately $50 depending on the season. During December holidays the price spikes due to the Christmas festivities. It's a good time to sell my goats. Goat farming will support my family into the future. I have a son in the University, we currently have some areas. I plan to spend about $100 to reduce the burden. This will stabilize him at school as we seek other funds to support him. Education will improve the chances of him having a better future. Better jobs are easily acquired by learned people. Finally, I must support my main source of livelihood. Fish frying business. It has supported us for most of our lives. It's important that I invest in new fishing nets and some money to buy more stock. Fishermen always ask for nets so that they can sell the fish caught exclusively to you. It's a way of securing fish. It will help boost my stock access and profit margins. Hence improving my family's living conditions. I plan to spend about $200 on this investment."

"After finishing my secondary education in the year 2010, I dreamed of living a better and more fulfilling life. However, that vision fades each and every day. Without a stable job, achieving my dreams feels increasingly out of reach. I rely on fishing, which earns me only about $3 a day which is not enough to cover food and other essential needs for my family. A habitable home remains just a dream, as I lack the financial resources to build a decent place to live. Struggling to provide basic necessities like food and clothing is deeply frustrating and embarrassing for me."

"The lack of employment is our household’s primary challenge, as we solely rely on fishing in Lake Baringo. At times, my husband comes home without catching any fish, which makes our income very inconsistent."

"For the past 7 years we have been unable to complete the construction of our house .We have 2 children in school,one in university and another in high school .Payment of their school fees from my husband salary and my trading business has been straineous leading to a standstill in the household projects.Receiving this transfers means a dream come true in our family because we can now fully complete the construction of our house with approximately KES 60000.The remaining amount of KES 10000 will be used to purchase 10 fishing nets hence enabling me to scale up my daily income from KES 600 to KES 18000.This means a better life for my family"

"The transfer is timely, we need to repair our house which has a leaking roof and also cement the floor. It's dusty hence it can lead to respiratory problems and especially since we have an asthmatic child. It will cost approximately $500. This will give us a healthy environment to live in. Since we depend on fishing, we plan to also add more nets and repair our wooden boat. Fishing is our main source of income. With a good boat and enough nets we can catch enough fish to support our family. It will cost us about $200 to improve our fishing gear. We also plan to invest in goat farming. It is easier here due to the favourable climate and availability of feeds. If we can buy five goats, they will expand and support us in the future. One goat costs about $50. The rest of the transfer will help us buy food, new clothes for our children, uniforms and saved for unforeseen circumstances."

"Once a fisherman, always a fisherman. I have always known that fishing nets wear out over time, especially with the obstacles in the lake. Lately, I have not been able to fish because my net is in poor condition, so I have had to rely on my motorcycle taxi business to make ends meet. When I receive the anticipated transfers, I plan to set aside KES 10000 to buy a new fishing net so I can get back to fishing, where my heart truly lies. I also intend to use the rest of the transfers to purchase iron sheets to build a goatshed. Therefore bring my goats to a central place. Currently, they are distributed among my family members who take care of them as I set foot to independence."

"My dream has always been to own rental houses, providing me with a reliable source of monthly income, especially once this program comes to an end. This would help me support my family. As a fisherman, my work has allowed me to take care of my loved ones, but I wanted to create something more sustainable. To pursue this dream, I took out a loan of $70, which enabled me to purchase a piece of land. My plan is to use part of my transfers to pay off the loan. Once I have cleared the loan, I intend to save more from my fishing earnings and the transfers I receive. I will then gradually buy building materials and start to construct the houses. These houses will serve as valuable assets, allowing me to provide for my family and support my children's education. I also ventured into poultry farming, but I've faced challenges due to a coccidiosis outbreak that has resulted in significant losses. I hope that once this outbreak is over, I will be left with enough chickens to continue breeding them. In the future, I aim to sell some of them to help support my family during tough times."

"We have two children in high school, a girl and a boy—one in boarding school and the other in day school. Their fee arrears had accumulated to $160. When we received the transfer, we were delighted to reduce their arrears by $50. We sent them back to school with only $30 between them and promised to pay the remaining balance later, though raising the funds was challenging since I rely on charcoal and my husband on fishing, which limits our income. Additionally, recently floods destroyed our household items, including utensils, clothes, and mattresses. With the transfer, we spent about $70 to buy a mattress, some clothes, and utensils. Relocating to a new temporary house felt like starting life from scratch, and food was no exception. We spent $60 on food, including a variety of items like maize, beans, rice, and others. For our young children, milk, which had been a special treat for them as they rarely get it, was especially enjoyed this time. Thank you, GiveDirectly."