"I am really struggling right now after the flash floods claimed our village, Saruni, and wiped out my entire maize crop. As a family of six depending on farming, this loss hits hard. With no maize to harvest, we are facing the prospect of buying food instead of producing our own. It is a daunting thought, especially since I do not have the finances to replant the crops or seek assistance from Kenya Seed now that the planting season is over.In the meantime, we are trying to diversify our income sources through charcoal burning and find temporary work opportunities to make ends meet. It is tough, but we are taking it one step at a time and hoping for a brighter future ahead."

"Getting a stable source of income to raise my family of nine is a challenge I am currently facing. I often depend on casual jobs such as weeding and tomato picking to earn $3 per day, and all this goes towards food for our household. It is tough because these jobs are unreliable, and I have had to resort to charcoal burning for extra income. Recently, though, charcoal burning was affected by floods, leaving us with nowhere to practice it. It pains me deeply to see my family struggle just to put food on the table."

"I usually depend on farming as a source of income for my family because I have a large agricultural land but due to financial challenges to buy Generator and water pipes for irrigation iam not able to cultivate it. I am now depending on charcoal burning to fend for my family which is the biggest challenge iam facing because iam not able to see clearly due to the infection of prosopis smoke."

"I lost my job during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then, providing for my family has been a constant struggle. Now, my primary goal is to use the monthly transfers I receive to buy several goats. These goats will not only provide a reliable source of income but also ensure that I have something to fall back on in any circumstance. They will be instrumental in supporting my children's well-being and meeting our daily needs without constant worry about upcoming bills. This dream keeps me motivated, and I'm determined to make it a reality in the coming year and beyond."

"For now, the plan that I have in mind is to start a chicken project within my compound. I plan to use the money from my transfers and the profits from my charcoal business to kick off this project by next month. Once I succeed, this will be an additional source of income to support my family. This new venture will make it easier to pay fees for my children, unlike before, when I used to strain a lot. The chicken project will provide a steady and more reliable income, reducing the financial stress we've been facing. I am hopeful and excited about this new beginning, and I am determined to make it work for the betterment of my family's future."

"My plan now is to sell some of my maize after harvesting and store the rest. With the money I earn, I will open a small kiosk business. This business will help me pay for my children's school fees. As the business grows, I plan to expand into raising chickens to further support and grow my business."

"For the past three months, my family of six has been hospitalized and diagnosed with Malaria. The April flash floods harboured mosquitos and this increased malaria infection in my area. I do not have medical cover for my family and this forced me to spend $40 out of my pocket to provide medication for my loved ones. I am struggling financially to provide for my family and this worries me a lot. My two-acre maize plantations was swept away by the flash floods and this has completely destroyed my family income. All of our family savings are depleted and this is making our life miserable."

"Providing basic needs for my family of six is the biggest challenge due to financial constraints. I do casual jobs to earn a living,due to its seasonal nature we are sometimes forced to forego one meal in a day. It is strenuous and I am not happy when my children do not get all their basic needs."

"The recent floods destroyed everything that I had including livestock and crops in the farm. I rely on farming to earn a living especially chicken, but since I lost all of it I do not have any other alternative apart from casual jobs. It is difficult getting enough money to sustain the needs of my household with casual jobs."

"Educating our seven children has been a challenge for me and my husband. At times, they were frequently sent home due to lack of fees. Three of my children had reached school age, but I was unable to enrol them on time because we couldn't afford the admission fees and other necessary expenses. We almost had to postpone their admission because it would take some time for us to gather enough money to enrol them. Our only source of livelihood has been burning and selling charcoal, which was not enough to support our family's needs, including paying for the children's fees. When I received my first transfer, I felt greatly relieved because I used a significant portion of it to clear the fee arrears and enrol my three children who were still at home. I also covered their shopping and admission expenses, and we are at peace now that all of them are enrolled in school. In addition to the fees, I spent $130 on buying iron sheets, building poles, and nails to build a new house for them. It brings me joy to see that they now have a good place to shelter, unlike before when they had to seek shelter from neighbours at night. Furthermore, I spent $100 on purchasing a new bed and a mattress to replace their old and worn-out bedding. I spent the small portion that remained on covering my medical expenses and buying some foodstuffs and other household items that were lacking."