GDLive Newsfeed
We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time. Learn more about how recipients opt in to share their stories.
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Newsfeed > Josfin's Profile
Josfin's family
Josfin
landscapeCountry:
kenya
workOccupation:
Casual labour
faceAge:
62
workCampaign
UBI
Upcoming Stage
Next Payment
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Follow to be updated on Josfin's next check-in.
 
22nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 4 years ago
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Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
In the next four months, I plan to buy building materials such as iron sheets and nails which I will use to replace the roof I have now. The one I have now is leaking and the iron sheets used are rusty. My fear is one day, the roof will be blown away by the strong winds in my area. Before that happens, I want to act to avoid that kind of shame.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my life since I started receiving these transfers is that I have my own cow. This is a dream come true in my life since I am a widow and I only depend on income from farming. I had given up in buying any kind of livestock since it was my dream with my late husband and I could not accomplish it myself. My income could not support me to buy livestock considering the financial expenses I had. When I started receiving my transfers, I started paying for a cow on a monthly basis from one of my neighbours. Right now I have finished paying for the cow and I own it. I always find pleasure in taking it to the river to take water and even feeding. I feel I am not as poor as I used to because in my area, livestock is a source of wealth and now I have one so am also wealthy.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I know I will have saved enough money and used the savings to put up a new roof. The house I am living in was built many years before I got married and we have lived in it all those years. Before my husband died, we had a plan of putting up a new house but unfortunately, he passed away and due to low income from farming, I am not able to raise enough money for building a new house. This is why I have decided on replacing the roof I have now to keep me going.
 
17th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
I feel I am staying a happy life because I have a reliable source of income. Having money is a good thing simply because, when sick you can seek medical attention with a lot of ease, you are also able to buy food with a lot of ease. Therefore I have a lot of peace in my heart since every month I have a reliable source of income.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new or additional goals for my life is to renovate the roof of my house because it is too old and it leaks during rains. I am working hard by saving part of my transfer to enable me to buy iron sheets that I will use in the renovation process I have been longing to change the roof of my house but due to lack of money, I had even stopped thinking that one day I would do so. I really thank Give Directly because I am now hopeful that I am going to meet my dream of living in a better a house.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer is that I managed to buy one sheep and a cow, I am happy because now have financial security. I have been longing to buy a cow and a sheep for a long period of time. I now thank God through Give Directly I have. The reason why I got motivated to start an animal rearing is that they are easy to take care of and that also they multiply very fast.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I expect my life to change in the next six months in that I will be staying better house. I will never be rained on like before because I expect to have renovated the roof of my house in the next months.
 
15th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
Within the past few months, I have managed to save most of my transfers and bought a sheep. I previously had some livestock but they died due to an unknown disease hence the reason I bought the sheep to start me off. At the beginning of the year, I had a huge loan from the farm inputs I had received from One Acre Fund( a farming Organization that supplies us with farm inputs)which stressed me a lot. But with the help of the transfers from Give Directly, I have so far cleared them and I am now happy that I will not have to sell my farm produce to raise the money to clear the loan.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I would like to plaster my house which is currently made of mud for durability purposes and presentation. Due to the nature of the money that we receive monthly, it is tough achieving this target because most of the money is usually spent on daily household needs and foodstuff. For this reason, a few other recipients withing our village and I have decided to form a merry-go-round so that we can help each other achieve our goals by pulling our transfers together each month. This will enable me to raise enough money to buy the required materials for the plastering and I am optimistic my life will soon change.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
There is an organization working in our area known as One Acre Fund that supports us farmers by supplying us with quality farm inputs on credit which we can pay for in instalments. Earlier on, I had quite a challenge paying for the inputs supplied to me on loan due to low income and I had to resort to selling the harvests to raise the money to clear the loan. With the transfers I receive from Give Directly, I have been able to pay for the farm inputs on time and I no longer have to resort to selling my farm produce to raise the money to clear the loan which means that I can go for a long time without having to spend on cereals.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
As neighbours who are Give Directly recipients, we have agreed to form a merry-go-round group from next month so that we can have decent amounts to fulfil our plans. With this set to start soon, I hope that in the next six months, I will have managed to plaster my house which is currently of mud so that I can be free from the constant renovations done through smearing.
 
12th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
My life is currently different from how it was four months ago because l am eating well l do not miss meals any more as l used to do before. I now also have my own goats that l can sell when l have emergency.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
My new goal is to buy an ox plough for me to have what l can use to cultivate my farm.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that, l have started cattle farming where by l can sell them when l need money a gently. Since l started receiving the money l am eating well and l do not miss meals as l used to do before.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months l expect to have enlarge cattle farming by adding more cattle and l will also have manage to buy an ox plough. I will no longer hire people's cow or an ox plough because l have my own.
 
8th Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($22 USD)
access_time over 5 years ago
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How is your life currently different from how it was four months ago?
The difference is very big because initially, I used to do casual work that was tedious given that I am old and my bones are not that strong for me to earn an income. Now, I am guaranteed an amount every end month and I do have to work those odd jobs at my age anymore.
Do you have any new or additional goals for your life for the next four months?
I am planning to plaster the walls and floor of my house. This will take longer but I save an amount every end month towards the same. This will reduce the dust that keep accumulating on my floor casuing me to clean everyday.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life in the last four months preceding the current transfer.
The difference is very big because initially, I used to do casual work that was tedious given that I am old and my bones are not that strong for me to earn an income. Now, I am guaranteed an amount every end month and I do have to work those odd jobs at my age anymore but I left with managing the amount I received for it to sustain me for a whole month.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
In the next six months, I expect to have plastered my house and I will be having enough food for my family. This will be a dream come to for my family.
 
2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
2280 KES ($23 USD)
access_time almost 6 years ago
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Do you have any new goals that you didn't have before receiving the transfer?
Apart from the goals I had earlier, I would want to buy cows.
How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
My life has changed and now I can eat well, my health is doing better because I was able to pay for my medical expenses wi this money and I know my life will get better.
How do you expect your life to change in the next six months?
I would want to build a new house, a cow and start up a business.
Describe the biggest difference in your daily life since you started receiving payments from GiveDirectly.
I have courage that my life will get better because of this transfer. I know every month I will receive money and I know all my dreams will come true because of this money.
 
Enrolled
access_time 6 years ago
 
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
The biggest hardship I've faced is lack of money to feed myself.I've had to take casual labours in other people's farms in order to feed myself.
What is the happiest part of your day?
The happiest part of my day is in the afternoon when I come back from the farm.This is because I have time to relax in my house as I have a meal.
What are you planning to spend your transfer on?
Am planning to spend my transfers in buying building materials to repair my house which is leaking.I will also buy bulls to help me in ploughing because I can give the bulls to those who own ploughs in the village and in return they will help me plough my farm. I will later start a small business to boost my income.
What is the achievement you are proudest of?
The achievement that l am proudest of is joining one acre fund organization i(a farming NGO). Using the skills I learnt from the NGO I was able to get a bumper harvest in 2017 which helped me boost my income.