Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
10 January 2018
WHAT IS ON AT CENFACS THIS SEASON OF LIGHT
Our Season of Light continues with the Light Projects, as indicated on the above projects and programmes planner scheduled for January, February and March 2018.
To put our Season of Light into practice, there will be two waves of advocacy work to support the victims of armed conflicts and destructive natural disasters in Africa.
The first wave of action will be on the past, the legacies of the very latest events in the Central and West Africa (Central-West Africa Post-War and Post-Disaster Appeal).
The second wave of action will be on advocating for support for the victims of the current and emerging armed conflicts and destructive natural disasters in Africa.
As nolvelty to this year’s Season of Light, we have introduced three new projects: Digital and Social Media Campaign, Generation Global Goals and this Year’s Dedication as the Locals’ Year.
The Digital and Social Media Campaign will kick off by the end of January with “The Role of Mobile Phone as a Tool for Poverty Relief for Children” as an opener.
Generation Global Goals project is an online discussion regarding the impacts of the global goals on children. It will be conducted under CENFACS be-Africa forum.
Each year, we try to find the best way to meet the needs of our project beneficiaries while remembering some of the work we did with them and exploring innovative ways to re-engage with stake holders. We do it by dedicating the year to a particular memorable theme. As result, 2018 has been declared as the Locals’ Year at CENFACS.
Our January month theme of Responsible Consumption under Consume to Reduce Poverty (CRP) and Climate Change project continues as well. This year’s 6th issue of CRP will focus on Online Shopping and Buying Tips and Hints.
Another feature of the current Season of Light is the inclusion of new elements into the revised version of the Twenty-tens Programme. This inclusion will help to update it in line with the development contexts in which we operate. In particular, these development landscapes are of global goals and agendas, of digital and social media technologies, and of UK exiting the European Union.
• Light Projects
This Winter 2018, our Lights projects will focus on two parts or two waves of action as said above: 1/ post-war and post-natural disaster developments 2/ current and emerging armed conflicts and environmental catastrophes
A Blaze of Hope for post-life following armed conflicts and natural disasters
When there are environmental disasters and armed conflicts, there are pledges and commitments to end the effects of wars and disasters. For various reasons, some of these pledges do not materialise. The post-war and post-disaster developments are sometimes left without support sometimes until the conflicts and disasters return and or strike again.
As we cannot wait the return or repeat of the same wars and disasters, our first Blaze of Hope will go this Winter to the unfinished business of previous destructive wars and natural disasters (Central-West Africa Post-War and Post-Disaster Appeal).
A Blaze of Hope for the eruption of any armed conflicts and natural disasters
We always advocate for preventive development and we do not seek for destructive events to happen. However, our preparedness and readiness make us to assemble as quickly as possible advocacy tools should any effects and impacts erupt from wars and natural disasters in Africa.
So, our second wave of intervention or Blaze of Hope will go this Winter to erupted effects of armed conflicts and natural disasters in the areas of our interest in Africa (Details of this second appeal will be released in due course).
With these two waves of action over this Wintry Season, we hope to enlighten the lives of those in need.
CENFACS look forward to your support to deliver this Wintry Appeal
• Year 2018 as CENFACS’ Local Year
Our motto says “Working in partnership with local people to develop sustainable initiatives”. What this means for us and our stakeholders?
From our point of view and of digital marketing, Local People are CENFACS’ personas. They are the raison d’être of CENFACS.
The Locals’ Year is one year project of celebration of 16 years of CENFACS working in partnership with local people to develop sustainable initiatives since its registration.
Details of this celebration will follow in due course.
To support and or find out more, please contact CENFACS.
• Digital and Social Media Campaign
The Role of Mobile Phone in Helping Women and Children to Reduce Poverty
This campaign is part of our Digital and New Media Programmes. The campaign will be opened by looking at the Role of Mobile Phone in Reducing Poverty and Hardships amongst Women and Children.
Indeed, it is now not anymore a secrecy that many people are using their mobile phones (with internet enabling features) to check and read news, check sports results, access and search for local information (e.g. finding a local plumber), manage their finances, play games, download and upload documents etc. This is true for those who are house bound but as well for those on the move, at work and in any part of the world.
At the moment, it is also an educational and social habit that kids are using the mobile phones of their parents, especially their mothers’ ones, to access school home works or just to do search for home works on regular basis. The digital and mobile worlds have gradually penetrated our kids’ educational and learning habits and working patterns.
As part of the first track of our Digital and Social Media Campaign, we will look at how women and children can use the mobile phones in effective way to reduce poverty and hardships. This first track of the campaign will deal with the following matters.
- Whether or not mobile phones got features and functions for women and children to reduce poverty (for example educational and learning functionalities)
- The impact of mobile phones in poor families and the digital dependency culture they bring along with them
- Using mobile phones cannot be done without protection and security. Therefore, how much mobile phones are secure and protective for vulnerable and exposed-to-threat users. Do mobile phone designers and manufacturers introduce safety and protection into design of their products, especially for those who use them for educational and learning purposes?
- In terms of social responsibility, what can the mobile phone industry (including software designers and developers) do to protect vulnerable and exposed-to-threat users so that they can make their devices even more user-friendly and free from threats?
For further details and to support this Digital and Social Media Campaign, contact CENFACS.
• Consume To Reduce Poverty and Climate Change
Issue 2018: Buying and Shopping Online
Key highlights, Tips & Hints
Online Buying
Buying online can be cheaper as some product retailers can manage to save on costs of having and maintaining their physical presence on the streets. It means that their products could be accessible for less money online compared to the shopping carried out by travelling to their trading premises.
By doing so, this helps to levy less their prices over customers.
Online Shopping
Using the internet, e-mail, social networks and other communication technologies to look at or buy products (i.e. goods and services) has now become common for everybody who can have access to them. These technologies can help us to search and find the products we need to wisely consume in order to reduce poverty and hardships.
There are risks and benefits associated with them. One of them is related to intrusion to financial transactions (such as banking, paying bills, security issues about account details etc.) by malicious software, ransom ware, spyware and unscrupulous people.
Online products verification, identity and authenticity
Although there is a possibility to see on scream the product features and other specifications and read other people’s testimonies, reviews or comments about it, it is still difficult to get the true feeling of it physically speaking.
So, one may need to be careful about the true physical features and qualities of the presentation of the product on line if they cannot touch it and physically feel it. They have to be sure that the message advertised and marketing match products results and tests, and customer’s satisfaction.
Online Security
When buying online, you still have to check, compare and contrast products, terms and conditions of business, buying terms, prices etc. Before you sign up, add to your shopping basket and purchase an item, you need to read, discuss and check what you are agreeing on. You may even take more precautions when selecting items, filling up buying forms to enter your personal, financial information and sensitive details.
You should also be aware of scams and illegal and malicious practices as the online technology did not only improve and facilitate lives but has also increased the risks of fraudulent and criminal activities. For own online security, use the e-safety tools and advice.
To support Responsible Consumption and get the full issue 2018 of Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change, please contact CENFACS.
Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support in 2018.
With many thanks!
