"As I was preparing myself to go to the field at around 9am to prepare and make charcoals for sale, I received a message in my phone. I gave the phone to my husband to read what the message is all about because I don’t know how to read. My husband’s face glowed in happiness and he smiled and looked at me. Not knowing what was going on he told me that I had received the promised transfer of KES 55000.00 from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy and we were both excited such that, I did not go to the field to make the charcoals."

"I am filled with so much joy knowing that finally, I will be able to renovate my house. I was able to buy a house here in Muuyuni. I have lived and worked here for the past 50 years. I have had my share of ups and downs living away from my family but it is part of life. Since I moved in, I have not been able to renovate this house, the grass-thatched roof is slowly being eaten by termites and soon I will have no roof over my head. I want to buy iron sheets, and bags of cement to commence the renovations. I used to have a shop where I would sell household items but the business could not sustain itself due to the many bills I had to cater to back home. I now sell tea and buns just to make ends meet. The income is not enough to assist in such projects as renovations. I will be saving about 2000 KES monthly for about a year so that I can kick off this project, the balance I will use to buy food for daily consumption."

"I recently fractured my ankle as I was running after my goat which had lost its way. I was basking under a tree when I saw my goat go into a neighbors' farm. I quickly stood up and run after it, forgetting that my grandson was nearby and could run after it. I fall into a hole and the injury was quite painful. Thankfully my grandson came in time and took me to the hospital. I am scheduled for a second visit in December. I intend to use the transfer to cater to transportation of which is 1000 KES to and fro. I will be saving the other transfers, using them when I have an emergency and need medical help."

"Education has always been a priority for me, I consider it as an investment. Back in the day, our parents never valued education especially when it came to women. Women were to be married off and bear children. I am married as a second wife and I have seven children. Four girls and three boys, three of the girls are in primary school and I want to see to it that they get the best education I can afford. I do not want them to go through the same life I have had to endure and be married off at an early age. My cowife also has eight children, two of whom are still in school. We are both not working and we both depend on our husband who works as a Matatu driver in Mombasa. His income is not sufficient, and as a result, my children are constantly sent back home for school fees. It has become a norm and it does not please my heart."

"Ten years ago while I was out fetching water 30 kilometers away, on my way back home my the jerry can I was carrying on my head fell and hit my right shoulder. For a moment I lost consciousness but I got back up and made my trip back home. I did not pay much attention to the injury till this year when the pain came back again. I keep having chest pains and it is hard to move my right shoulder. Recently, I sought medical assistance but I have to go back for a second visit for them to take a scan and make diagnosis. I am helpless, I can not lift heavy objects or perform any duties. If only I had paid more attention to the injury back then, things could be different now."

"I plan to buy about 10 goats for a start, a goat currently goes for about 3,000 KES. I will ensure that with each transfer I get, I make this investment. In time I will exchange them with two cows which will come in handy when it rains and farming kicks off. Buying a cow at the moment is a risk because of the drought, many of them are dying because they have nothing to feed on, they end up feeding on nylon papers which makes digestion difficult."

"Getting enough water for domestic use is the major challenge that we are currently facing. With the prolonged drought all the water point in my location has dried up and I usually go to look for water as far as 30 kilometres from home. This means also opening my business late because I always find long queues at the water point."

"I don't have a house and I have been staying with my brother who has a two rooms house. My biggest worry has been him getting married soon because I won't have somewhere to spend my nights at. Probably I will be forced to move in to my grandmothers house which is not specious enough to accommodate both of us. My biggest desire has been building my own house but financial instability has been a challenge because as a casual worker, I have not been able to save enough due to meagre wages that I earn. I am planning to commit the first two years to saving towards building a better house and thereafter I will be able to marry and build a family."

"Food insecurity has been the biggest challenge that we are currently facing as a family. The prolonged drought has made food prices to go up and the little that I earn from daily wages cannot cater for all the family needs."

"I was to lucky to go to college to learn carpentry but I am Self taught carpenter as I learned through visiting building sites in my village and volunteering. All a long, I have been longing to buy work tools but financial inability has been the biggest challenge. With this transfers, I am planning to take a loan, buy the work tool and them service it with the monthly transfers.I am hopeful that this will increase number of client's hence increasing my income."