"I am a full-time housewife and fully depend on my husband who works as a charcoal vendor in our village. The earnings from the sale of charcoal of KES 350 per week are insufficient to cater to all the basic needs such as food and school fees. This has made my children have school fees arrears something that had hindered them from staying in school because they are in and out. Therefore, lack of a good source of income is the biggest challenge I have faced in my life."

"Financial constraints is the biggest hardship I have faced in my life. Being the sole provider in my family and having grandchildren to raise is not an easy task. Depending only on casual jobs has been the trend in my life, when I get the job it means I have something to give to the family, when I do not it means my children will sleep hungry that day making me feel so sad as a parent."

"The hard time i'm facing is my body, my body is not well; when GiveDirectly give me this money, i will go to the hospital for doctor to check me."

"I have sold most of my livestock to educate my six children, one of whom has just completed his university studies. The second born is at the university pursuing his studies while the others are in secondary and primary schools. So, receiving this money means we shall replenish our herd. Having a reasonable size of livestock is crucial for us since depend mainly on cattle for our livelihood and development. Specifically, I will use over KES 70000 of the transfer on purchasing some cattle. Also, I will use any remaining amount on paying school fees for my children."

"I tend to have sharp pains in my back. I had a scan taken and the doctors realized my backbones are separated. It has crippled my movement making it hard to even work. I no longer go to the hospital, I cannot afford the transport to and fro."

"I am a casual worker, mostly I cook porridge in schools for children. Whenever they break from school it worries me because then I have to look for other sources just to be able to get something to eat. When Covid-19 struck and schools closed, times were very difficult for me I kept praying that God would open doors for me just to be able to feed myself. I was hopeful this year would be more productive but it is not the case."

"Imagine being in labor for six days, the pain, discomfort, and lack of sleeping, waiting on doctors to assist you to bring your bundle of joy to this world but they fail you. I spent six days in labor in a hospital and all the doctors kept saying was that I was not yet due. On the seventh day, I was taken to a hospital in Mariakani, on arrival it was an emergency and I had to be operated on. My baby did not cry for three days due to the hard labor. To date, he has not been able to talk or walk. If only I got assistance the minute I stepped into the first hospital I believe my baby boy would now be running around, playing with other children of his age, and responding whenever I talk to him. I now have to take him for treatment thrice in a month, of which some months I have to skip because I cannot afford to come up with the money for transportation."

"I have a son who is six years of age, to date, he has never walked or spoken a word. I have been to different hospitals but the only challenge is I cannot afford to cater to his medical bills. He needs physiotherapy and some medication to enable him to walk and sit up without being support. His immune system is weak, hence he frequently catches flu and the fact that he cannot speak and communicate how he feels is depressing for me as his father."

"Educating my 5 children has been challenging for me and with few sources of income, things became worse. My priority is to educate my children but lack of money has not made this possible."

"My current challenge is a lack of money to help my husband, with the household responsibilities. I had to shut down my business because I was making losses. Being unable to help my husband with some responsibilities in the house is frustrating and depressing."