"When I finished high school in 2017, my parents did not have enough money to take me to college. My mother decided to open for me a retail shop in one of our buildings at the market center. For the business to continue growing, I would have to add more stock to increase sales but lack of money has not made it possible. These transfers are going to help my dream come true because I will be using them to add stocks every month."

"Getting water has been my main challenge because of the prolonged drought. I walk for three hours to fetch water, carrying water in my head for that long-distance in the scorching sun is tiresome and draining. I pray to rain soon because if it continues like this people might start dying too like animals due to lack of water and food."

"Drought has brought many challenges to my family. Being the breadwinner with 9 children to take care of is not an easy task. I have 4 children who finished high school a few years back but unfortunately, I have not been able to take them to college. I am afraid I might not be able to take all of them to college, the thought of that gives me sleepless nights most of the time because my dream has always been to see all my children through college and get good jobs."

"At 24 years of age, I have seen and done it all. I've been a tout, a cook in some small restaurants in Mombasa. The income was too little and I decided to come back home. It isn't any better here. Every night I go to sleep after a long day of not making money, I feel so deflated. Whenever I see my peers running various businesses, I ask myself where I went wrong because every business I attempt to start just fails. Joblessness is my biggest heartbreaker at the moment."

"My house is in a sorry state. It's heartbreaking to look at. It's falling apart and the roof almost caving in. With this money coming in bits, I don't know whether to save and acquire a reasonable amount like Ksh.30,000 to kick off the building of another house or borrow some money from my Sacco then pay off slowly as the money comes. All I know is, I need to build a decent house for my wife and I then buy a good bed and a mattress so that I can enjoy a good dwelling and quality sleep for the first time in my life."

"I live in a double room with my nine children. We all pass the nights on the floor. It is so uncomfortable and my children keep getting flu from inhaling dust all night. I'm sad because, at the moment, my husband and I cannot afford to buy beds or mattresses."

"I want you to picture yourself spending countless nights in a house that has no door, sleeping on the floor and we're at a time of the year that has seen an increase in snakes and chameleons due to the heat. We have no bed, therefore, my husband and I put up for the night on the floor, my two children sleep on a makuti stand we made for them that has no mattress. On more than one occasion, we have been woken up by slithering snakes and have had to kill them. My prayer is that we would get money and fix a door as well as buy at least two beds and mattresses."

"I have so many projects lined up. My house needs repair and expansion. Three of my children are still in school and require school fees. Currently, we're all squeezed in our one-room house that does not have a door. I would like to build an extra room so that we have enough sleeping space and even enhance privacy for my children as well as my wife and me. I will use this money as it comes as I cannot afford to wait longer to start. I'll be delighted to improve our living conditions."

"Building my house and school fees for my children"

"I was very happy. in fact, it was like a dream to me. I shared tears of joy because,it was my first time receiving such huge money from someone who I had not done something for or who doesn't know me at all more to that something I was not expecting happen like that. I am so grateful to Give Directly for coming to our aid because things was very hard on me and my husband.The little thing we used to do to get some cash to feed the family and pay children school fees is no longer going. Things had become very hard to the extend that all of our customers have gone away."