Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
13 January 2021
Post No. 178
The Week’s Contents
• Translation to Reduce Poverty
• Essential Consumers’ Experience about Substitution Effect
• Poverty Reduction Happening Despite COVID-19 Rebound
…. and much more!
Key Messages
• Translation to Reduce Poverty
How to reduce poverty by putting one piece of text into another language
The first key message of this week’s post is about the Translation Service that CENFACS offers. Although this service is still the same, the way of consuming it may change as the needs and development landscapes are changing.
Indeed, the poverty relief and development environment is mutating with the economic exit of the UK from the EU and the new African Continental Free Trade Area. Because of these new developments, CENFACS is adapting its translation service to cope with the new reality, a new way of delivering poverty reduction work while still staying at the front of the campaign for the resilience against and recovery from COVID-19 outbreak and rebound.
For further information about this first key message, please read under the Main Development section of this post.
• Essential Consumers’ Experience about Substitution Effect
How many of poor consumers are attracted by essential consumption goods?
As part of the month of Responsible Consumption and of Essential Consumption, we are looking for essential consumers’ experiences of substituting non-essential consumption goods to the purchase of essential consumption goods in their shopping basket.
We are precisely working on the elasticity of technical substitution between non-essential consumption goods and essential consumption goods. In other words, our work is on the substitution of one non-essential consumption product for an essential consumption one resulting from a change in their relative prices. We are trying to find out the substitution effect of these two types of goods whether or not they are economically interchangeable by poor consumers in order to reduce poverty.
The result of this work will help us to determine how many of poor consumers are attracted by essential consumption goods or a particular one. In doing so, we can improve our perception about essential consumption goods and the support we give through the Consume-to-Reduce-Poverty project/resource.
To take part in this study or to tell us your experience of the use of essential consumption goods in relation to non-essential consumption goods, please contact CENFACS. Also, anyone who has reliable data on this matter; it will be good to let CENFACS know.
• Poverty Reduction Happening Despite COVID-19 Rebound
Poverty reduction is happening despite the difficulty that people and organisations are having with the coronavirus pandemic and other factors hindering the realisation of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
This 2021, we are going to work with local people and Africa-based Sister Organisations to share more cases, news and examples of poverty reduction that has happened and continues to happen despite the challenge posed by COVID-19.
Through this sharing exercise, we hope to build a better picture of these cases with features, similarities, differences and patterns for learning and development experience of our system of poverty reduction.
To tell or share your experience on how poverty reduction has happened to you or those you know despite the mounting pressure of COVID-19 and lockdowns, please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Challenges and Opportunities for Africa-based Sister Organisations in 2021
2021 could be a year of uncovered opportunities for Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs); opportunities from the challenges they face from the coronavirus pandemic, financial uncertainty, economic impact of lockdowns and global economic downturn.
Amid of the challenges they face in 2021, ASOs can still have a window of opportunities and play a significant role in the spheres of poverty reduction and sustainable development. There are opportunities or market niche they need to seize. They can proceed with the following in order to stand out for poverty reduction and sustainable development:
√ Intervene in any efforts to reduce or end the disruption of supply chains as the legacies of COVID-19 and related lockdowns
√ Work with local people and communities to reduce misinformation and end mystique surrounding COVID-19
√ Campaign for an increase or upgrade of logistics and infrastructures for coronavirus vaccines
√ Help in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines
√ Assist in food security and distribution
√ Be a supportive force for women informal cross-border traders
√ Advocate for the repair of unequal distribution of the effects of lockdowns
√ Conduct sensitization campaigns about the COVID-19 vaccines
√ Support the conflict-impacted and climate change-stricken communities
√ Help create opportunities and develop talent initiatives for the African Continental Free Trade Area
Etc.
The above are just the few opportunities that ASOs can seize in order to continue to work with local people to reduce poverty, especially health and economic hardship that has been brought by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.
CENFACS will continue to work ASOs in the above mentioned areas of opportunities where they need our support and advice. CENFACS is willing to partner with them to mitigate the challenges of the 2021. Those ASOs that would like to raise their level of ambition and start or continue the work of poverty reduction in 2021 with us in the above named areas; CENFACS is ready to go ahead.
In all, ASOs have assets and a role to play in the post-pandemic recovery period as highlighted by the listed opportunities.
• Support the Severely Socio-Economic and Health Impacted of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa
The majority of the countries in Africa have been affected by COVID-19 and related lockdowns. Humanitarian relief supporters are not exempt by the effects of COVID-19 and linked lockdowns. However, there are differences in the distributional impacts of COVID-19 and lockdowns. There are areas of countries and communities that have been affected severely, others moderately and others more lightly. This differenctiation can require humanitarian relief responses, especially where people have been severely affected.
In this first wave of appeal under the Light Projects, we would like to send a message of hope to those vulnerable people, communities and livelihoods in Africa that have been severely affected by the socio-economic and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our first wave of action via a Blaze of Hope will go to areas of countries that have been severely affected by the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. Amongst them are the severely food insecure local people in countries such as Burundi, Central African Republic, Madagascar and Congo.
One can hope that every effort will be made by those who can help so that logistics and channels for food assistance will be put in place so that those in need can have access to food and other essential commodities. Likewise, one can as well expect that effort will be made to support locally grown food to meet the recovery need on the ground.
The above is our Blaze of Hope or Light Appeal for post-life following the coronavirus disaster. For any query or enquiry about this Light Appeal, please contact CENFACS.
• Digital and Social Media Campaign –
Level 4: Distance Working and Learning Technologies
In the progression of our Digital and Social Media Campaign, we would like to take into account the deprivations experienced by many of our users and members in accessing distance working and learning technologies, especially at this time of the COVID-19 rebound and lockdowns.
At this challenging time of COVID-19 rebound and lockdowns, many projects, services and programmes have been moved to online infrastructures since non-essential activities are close and physical contacts are subject to COVID-19 restrictions and rules. For example, at the moment online schooling or home-schooling is now an essential way of learning for children.
Yet, many of our members and volunteers have not these technologies (like laptop, tablet, smart phone, video calling device, etc.) to respond to the challenge that COVID-19 and lockdowns have posed as well as to participate to online activities. The lack of these technologies include what is required for these technologies to be effectively run, in particular reliable internet subscription, software (e.g. running security software, Microsoft Office Applications, etc.), and meant to provide the service they need.
Moreover, many ICT places (like public library, internet hubs, etc.) that enable public access to Information Communication Technologies (ICT) are close as they are not considered as essential while the ratio of distribution of distance working and learning technologies per capita is very low. Not every poor person or family can afford to buy or is being offered these remote technologies, let alone the skills to handle them.
Because of these issues that have been experienced by our members and volunteers in terms of distance working and learning technologies, we are undertaking this campaign for the support of online technology-deprived people and families to access or have access to them. This problem has also been experienced by our volunteers who do not have this equipment to keep essential poverty reduction services (such as Advice Service) running to help people stay home, protect the NHS, save lives and support people’s essential economic occupations during lockdowns.
One could hope that every effort will be made to reduce the asymmetrical distributional effects of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns as far as the distance working and learning technologies and the means to run them are concerned.
To support the level 4 of our Digital and Social Media Campaign, just contact CENFACS.
Main Development
• Translation to Reduce Poverty
How to reduce poverty by putting one piece of text into another language
Before looking at how translation to help to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development, let us briefly give you the idea about CENFACS’ Translation Service.
• • What is Translation Service at CENFACS?
Translation Service is one the first services since CENFACS’ registration in 2002. Translation, which is a text-based service of knowledge of two languages (here French and English) consisting of putting one piece of text into anyone of these languages, was designed to support both the French-speaking people and those related to them in the UK as well as our Africa-based Sister Organisations in Africa. We had and have as well interpretation service for spoken language service.
This was done with the aim of reducing poverty due to the language and communication barrier. Since then, translation has always been at the centre of our poverty reduction work and action as we believe the better those in need can have their needs better translated the better chance they may have to find services, activities and projects to meet their needs. It is not an accident if the 59th Issue of FACS, CENFACS’ bilingual (French and English) newsletter, focussed on Language of Poverty Relief in Africa. In this Issue, we explained the relevancy of translation in our work with those in need.
For further details about the 59th Issue of FACS, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• • Language Translation as a Means to Reduce Poverty
Both computerised and digital translations and human translation can be used to help reduce and end poverty. In particular, we are talking about translation (e.g. CENFACS’ Translation service) for the community in need of a language to fully function in the UK society and those of our Africa-based Sister Organisations wanting their needs to be properly expressed.
Translating works for those people from communities who find difficult to express their needs in English are proved to be effective in addressing the need of these communities. This is the case of the translation conducted by CENFACS to help French-speaking people and families.
Although the aim of the languages projects at CENFACS is to empower people in need to communicate their needs and aspirations by themselves in their chosen languages; where they fail to do so because of language barrier, CENFACS works with them through the learning of the English language. This enhances their integration and participation as economically active members of the UK society. The same applies to our Africa-based Sister Organisations needing their voices to be heard and appeals for support to be considered. However, needs do change as new events appear. When they change, we need to respond to them with our translation service or any other service if one wants to stay on track in their work of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
• • Translation Service to Meet the Changing Needs and New Development Landscape
As the community in the UK has grown and become more able to help themselves in English language than before, and also as online translation has expanded, we had to refocus our translation on our internal or in-house needs while still retaining the original role of translation service to the community and be ready to serve the members of the community in need.
As the UK exited the EU and the Africa Union has embraced the African Continental Free Trade Area, we thought that there could be a new dynamics to provide more translation service to those in need whether in the UK or in Africa. Due to these two changes or factors, we are again delighted to expand and present to those in need of translation our language service. For those who are looking for translation service (French to English and vice versa), please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• • Who is for?
CENFACS’ Translation Service (French to English and vice versa) is designed for those in need of translation to reduce poverty and hardships they are experiencing. Translation request can come from those living in the UK or in Africa. We can translate as well for Non-Governmental Organisations, international development community and voluntary organisations, charities and other organisations that have texts to be translated from French to English and vice versa.
• • Areas of Translation
They include the following:
Campaigning/advocacy, Debt, Economics, Health (Coronavirus Pandemic), Human Rights, Education, Trade Integration, Sustainable Development, Aid, Gender Development, Social Justice, International Migration, Black and Ethnic Minority and Refugees, Child Protection, Labour, Orphanage, Neighbourhood Renewal, Climate Change Issues, Environmental Disaster, Emergency Relief, etc.
In brief, we can translate documents or texts relating to local and international development issues.
• • Services provided
They include both general and specific translation in plain French or English where documents to be translated are submitted with Microsoft Office Word Application for Windows (7 or 10)
We can provide the following:
√ Translation and revision of documents from English to French and vice versa
√ Post-editing of machine-translated contents from English to French and vice versa
√ Re-examination of online translated texts or phrases
√ Review and approval of any translated documents
√ Feedback on translated texts (in the form of quality score) if required
Etc.
• • Formats of the Finished Documents
The finished product is sent to the beneficiaries as a standard computer file in the form of Word document via an e-mail or attachment.
• • Voluntary Donation
We welcome a voluntary donation to continue to run the translation service as this service is not funded.
Those who would like a translation service (French to English and vice versa), they should not hesitate to enquire about CENFACS’ Translation Service terms and conditions.
To have your documents to be translated from French to English and vice versa, please contact CENFACS.
Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this Festive Season.
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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 2021 and beyond.
With many thanks.
