Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
09 December 2020
Post No. 173
The Week’s Contents
• “Mission” Year / Project – The 12th Act: Help for Income Generation
• Income Deficit Reduction as Festive Activity
• Poverty Reduction Goals Project, Goal No. 5: Reduction of Intergenerational Poverty
… and much more!
Key Messages
• “Mission” Year / Project – The 12th Act: Help for Income Generation
Working with Poor People to Make Little Extra Income
The last Act of our “Mission” Year / Project is about conducting a specific task to work with and help poor people to generate little extra income to enable them tackle poverty, particularly coronavirus-induced poverty. This task is highly needed at this testing time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many income poor people are facing enormous financial and economic difficulties to cope with the financial pressure from the coronavirus pandemic. To conclude our “Mission” Year, we thought it will be a deserving task to work with them so that they can find their way out income poverty and constraint.
The details of this 12th Act together with the previous Acts of the “Mission” Year / Project can be found in the Main Development section of this post.
• Income Deficit Reduction as Festive Activity
In the context of Income Deficit Reduction and How Not to Carry Forward an Income Deficit in 2021, we have planned to have two types of activities: activities to increase income and those to reduce spending. In real world, these two activities can be conducted at the same time. This is the basic principle to avoid and reduce income deficit.
As far as the increase of income is concerned, this could be difficult to achieve for many income deficit households and families at this challenging time of the coronavirus disturbance since many opportunities and capacities to earn some extra income have been threatened or simply destroyed. However, our work on the matter is not only for now. It is also for the future.
Concerning the reduction of spending, one must recognise that those on income below the international poverty line of let say US $3.20 a day may find extremely difficult to cut expenses. However, we can still work with them on the possible best way of reprioritising their expenses in order to avoid a strong negative impact and any other cumulative damaging effects from their spending cuts.
In these two activities, the aim is to reduce intergenerational poverty by not carrying forward income deficit in the next year. This is because often carrying forward yearly income deficits can result in the future in cumulative deficit which can be translated in further poverty and hardships. In simple mathematical terms, the sum of many years of income deficits could become equals to intergenerational poverty.
For those who are interested in these festive activities for income deficit reduction, they can contact CENFACS.
• Poverty Reduction Goals Project, Goal No. 5: Reduction of Intergenerational Poverty
Since we are dealing with Income Deficit particularly How Not to Carry Forward an Income Deficit in 2021, we have included the 5th Goal (that is, Reduction of Intergenerational Poverty) of our Poverty Reduction Goals Project. Not carrying forward income deficit is in itself not transmitting poverty if one refers to income poor families or households.
Through this Goal No. 5, we are dealing with the intergenerational transmission of poverty. To do that, we are going to undertake some basic generational economics which explains us how resources are being allocated between different generations at a point in time and analyses how this is done. In this respect, we are going to include economic theories of the family as explained by Ronald D. Lee and Andrew Mason (1) in their article entitled ‘Generational Economics in a Changing World’.
In this inclusion, we are involving economic resources model of the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In particular, we are referring to Kate Bird (2) who explains the five models or theories of intergenerational transmission of poverty in the United States, which are: economic resources, family structure, correlated disadvantages, welfare culture and social isolation.
She refers to Becker and argues about the allocation of limited resources between current consumption and investment in children’s schooling. She says that poor parents are on constant state of economic crisis and must concentrate on survival.
Through Goal No. 5, we are going to raise awareness about inter-generationally-transmitted poverty from poor families and parents to their children and grant children since many of those in need may not be aware of this fact. Part of this awareness work will be on investing and developing children’s human capital or earnings potential.
This awareness raising work on intergenerational poverty this festive time is just the beginning of the implementation of the Goal No.5 of CENFACS 2020s Poverty Reduction Goals. In other words, we shall continue this work in the life of these Goals since intergenerational poverty takes many generations to be eradicated.
For further discussions about Goal No. 5 relating to the reduction of intergenerational poverty, please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• All-in-Development Winter e-Discussion: Volunteering in the Post-coronavirus and Post-exit Economic Era
• • Volunteering in the Post-coronavirus and Post-exit Economic Era
As the 2020 will come soon to an end at the end of this year, we need to start thinking about our voluntary work in the light of the coronavirus pandemic legacies. We have started from 05 December 2020 to think of it since CENFACS is a volunteering-involved and based organisation, meaning that CENFACS relies much on volunteers in order to deliver its services and programmes. It also means we need to start planning for this next year in terms of the way we would like to volunteer so as to continue to achieve CENFACS’ vision, mission, aim, objectives and charitable objects. This planning process is even important as we are moving towards a post-coronavirus and post-exit economic era.
Indeed, the scale of the health and economic damages caused by the coronavirus disaster is enormous and will be still felt even after the coronavirus vaccine becomes effective and operational. These damages will be mostly felt by those who have not got any capacity and means to deal with them. Amongst them, there are poor people.
It will be difficult to pay for the cost of this damage in the short and medium terms. Volunteering will be much needed to help deal with some of the legacies of the coronavirus disaster.
Likewise, the economic impact of the UK’s exit from the EU regional economic model of integration is still yet to come. The cost of changing economic ties with the EU may require some forms of adjusted volunteering for us to continue the work of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
In order to get ready, some preparations must be done. We already started these preparations (especially those relating to post-exit economy) and are continuing these preparations and discussions through our All-in-Development Winter e-Discussion. These Winter e-volunteering discussions, which already began since the 5th of this month, are briefly on the following:
(a) The effects of COVID-19 legacies and exited economy on our voluntary work
(b) The volunteering opportunities in the post-coronavirus and post-exit economic era
(c) Rethinking volunteers’ roles, tasks and activities in the light of these events and poverty relief and sustainable development architectures (For example: What the messages and signals of international calendars of events and forecasts or outlooks published by other organisations are sending to us in terms of poverty relief and sustainable development)
(d) The needs of users in 2021: (How can we anticipate them, plan and develop services and activities to meet them? What the evidence and data especially the big data are telling us)
(e) The 2021 volunteering budget and other resources
Etc.
The above points are some of those issues we have identified so far which are being discussed and put to all our supporters to help us in providing their inputs.
To add your views about Volunteering in the Post-coronavirus and Post-exit Economic Era, please contact CENFACS.
• • Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS)
It is possible to support CENFACS and its AiDVS from wherever you are (at home, work, away, online, abroad, on the go and move etc.).
It is true that many people are still suffering from the health and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic which have also affected the way in which they support good causes.
However, supporting us does not need to be magical and majestic. One can still support deserving causes like CENFACS while trying to recover from the health and economic effects of the coronavirus.
Also, your support will help us to support others, who may be like you, who have been affected by the same coronavirus crisis and effects.
One can still enjoy a great festive season while they are supporting us.
There are many simple helpful and useful ways of adding value to our voluntary work.
Here are some suggestions on ways of supporting with wintry and festive news, information and products:
√ Gift ideas for the best ways of monitoring, evaluating and reviewing projects and programmes in the New Year
√ Savings and scrimping for AiDVs
√ Festive deals, packages, coupons and vouchers for AiDVs
√ Distance working technologies for volunteering to make the world a better place for a low-carbon, COVID-19 free and sustainable future we all want
√ Low carbon economic products to protect the environment
√ Digital and media support to better volunteer for a climate-friendly and sustainable world
√ COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment gifts for healthy and safe volunteering in the New Year
√ Wintry and festive giveaways for volunteering for a better world
Etc.
To e-discuss Volunteering in the Post-coronavirus and Post-exit Economic Era, please contact CENFACS or just forward your comments, views and experiences to us.
• Autumn 2020 Humanitarian Relief Appeal: Only 1 week and half remaining
Our Autumn 2020 Humanitarian Relief Appeal will end soon. You can support poor people, flora, fauna, communities and organisations in Africa before the official end of Autumn 2020. Your support can make data change their lives.
CENFACS is appealing to you to donate £2 to create 2 benefits (1 for humans and 1 for the other living beings) as you wish to achieve one last benefit or relief.
To support and or enquire about this appeal, please go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/
• African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Poverty Reduction
As African countries continue to ratify the AfCFTA agreement which is scheduled to start trading on the 1st of January 2021, CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum is discussing the future implications of the implementation of this agreement on poverty reduction in Africa.
• • What is the AfCFTA?
In simple terms, the AfCFTA is free trade area created by the AfCFTA agreement amongst 54 of the 55 African Union nations. It is a single continent-wide market for goods and services as well as to promote the movement of capital and natural persons. It is about deepening continental integration through trade.
More on this agreement can be found online and on the Africa Union website at https://au.int/
• • What are the discussions on the AfCFTA within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum about?
It is expected that the AfCFTA will boost intra-african trade. Amongst the benefits to be considered from Africa’s continental trade integration are: job creation, promotion of industrialisation, competitiveness, improvement in the regional value chains, etc. These anticipated benefits derive from the general theory of regional economic integration.
However, will all these trade creating advantages result in poverty reduction across Africa? Let take for example job creation. Will jobs to be created as a result of AfCFTA go to the poor or divert to the well-off or go to both of them? This is because poverty reduction is more than just about trading together. It is possible to trade together without reducing poverty; just as trade can lead to poverty reduction or poverty increase. It all depends on the trading conditions and environment. In other words, trade more and together may not be enough to reduce poverty. There must be perhaps a safeguard or conditional trade; that is trade to reduce poverty.
The above are the exchanges of ideas about the impacts of the AfCFTA on poverty reduction in Africa. There are about answering questions about the relationships between continental trade integration and poverty reduction; questions such as:
√ Do the expected trade creation advantages result in poverty reduction outcomes?
√ Meeting the needs of consumer goods as a result of the implementation this agreement will it lead to the eradication of poverty in the African continent and if so by how much?
√ What are the provisions inside the AfCFTA for poverty reduction and the poor?
√ Would a fully functioning AfCFTA better address the coronavirus-induced poverty?
√ Will the implementation of this agreement be to simply give a further opportunity to multinational corporations to freely move across the African continent in search of lucrative advantages and deals but at the expense of poverty reduction or will African nations better protect their national and natural resources from uncontrolled exploitation at the expense of ordinary people?
√ Do really poor African people have any stake in this agreement, if not how can the agreement be made poor people-friendly in its imlementation?
The above are the few questions we are discussing about the AfCFTA. There could be many.
You can tell CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum what you think.
Main Development
• “Mission” Year / Project – The 12th Act: Help for Income Generation
Working with Poor People to Make Little Extra Income
CENFACS dedicates every year to a particular subject or remembrance. This ending year was and has been dedicated as a “Mission” Year. As a result of this dedication, we set up a project to enable us to formalise and implement this “Mission” Year; project that is called “Mission” Project. The following will help to explain our “Mission” Year and understand what went on throughout the year of this dedication.
• • What is a “Mission” Year?
CENFACS “Mission” Year is a coordinated plan by CENFACS to provide what is needed and necessary to support any efforts of poverty reduction.
CENFACS “Mission” Year is a sequence of tasks and activities undertaken as monthly operations in order to deliver the year 2020 dedication.
It is finally a specific task of the year or way of putting into practice poverty reduction.
• • CENFACS “Mission” Year as a Project
CENFACS “Mission” Year has all the attributes or components of a project which are: aim, objectives, activities, inputs and outputs, monitoring and evaluation, review and performance.
• • CENFACS “Mission” Year and Community Value Chains
CENFACS “Mission” Year (CMY) can be associated with CENFACS Community Value Chains (CCVCs). CCVCs is a community value control, inspirational and motivational project of end-of- year celebration introduced by CENFACS in 2009. It is the Closing Act of the year before we move to the next year. The theme for this year’s celebration is: CENFACS as a Community with Poverty Reduction Mission. As some of you can notice, this theme is inextricably linked to CENFACS “Mission” Year of Poverty Reduction. This link is via poverty reduction which can be found in both CMY and CCVCs.
• • CENFACS “Mission” Year as part of CENFACS Mission Statement
As an essential component or product or service to our desirable outcome, it connects us to CENFACS Mission Statement which is:
TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AFRICANS IN AFRICA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.
In doing what is needed and necessary to support any efforts of poverty reduction, we are trying to enhance the wellbeing and quality of life for Africans in Africa and the UK.
• • The 11 Acts performed so far of CENFACS “Mission” Year as a Project
Since we started the delivery of CENFACS “Mission” Year as a Project, the following eleven activities have been conducted so far:
Act 1: Reduction of negative wasteful and unneeded consumption
Act 2: Preservation of healthy relationships between sustainability and poverty reduction
Act 3: Taking action against adverse impacts of climate change that create or increase poverty
Act 4: Protection of poor people and communities against the coronavirus-induced poverty
Act 5: Telling the story of poverty reduction achievement for those in need of inspiration and motivation
Act 6: Production of poverty-relieving creations and innovations to reduce sanitation poverty like the coronavirus-induced poverty
Act 7: Tracking priorities, tasks and deliverables of our CENFACS “Mission” Year as a Project
Act 8: Conducting Mission Activities about social distancing running and online searches
Act 9: Helping beneficiaries to access life-protecting and –saving advice service and activities
Act 10: Learning the history of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa
Act 11: Enabling skills development and maintenance in the fight against poverty and COVID-19
More details about the above Acts can be requested from CENFACS.
• • The 12th Act: Helping Poor People to Generate Little Extra Income
As it stands, Act 12 helps poor people to generate little extra income in order to overcome income poverty. In doing so, this Act …
√ Addresses the root causes of poverty in all its dimensions
√ Helps poor people to get basic needs
√ Ensures poor people to have access to productive resources
√ Promotes people-centred approach to poverty eradication
√ Facilitates the productive use of an asset for income generation
All these elements contribute to the increase of income for multi-dimensionally poor children, young people and families to ensure their financial sustainability and address income poverty during the festive time and beyond. Briefly, there are about helping them to help themselves in generating some little extra income in the fight against poverty and hardships.
For further information about CENFACS “Mission” Year and Project as well as the 12th Act, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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References
(1) Ronald D. Lee and Andrew Mason, Generational Economics in a Changing World at https://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3143474/ (accessed December 2020)
(2) Kate Bird (2007), The Intergenerational Transmission of Poverty: An Overview, Overseas Development Institute, UK at k.bird@odi.org.uk (accessed December 2020)
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Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going in 2020.
We do our work on a very small budget and on a voluntary basis. Making a donation will show us you value our work and support CENFACS’ work, which is currently offered as a free service.
One could consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.
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Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2020 and beyond.
With many thanks.
