Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
04 May 2022
Post No. 246
The Week’s Contents
• May Stories – All in Development Stories: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
• All in Development Story Telling Series 2022
• Activity/Task 5 of the Knowledge (K) Year/Project: Knowing the Real Stories of People in Need
… And much more!
Key Messages
• May Stories – All in Development Stories:
Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
Story telling is our main content for the month of May. It is the month and time of the year we dedicate ourselves to telling and sharing poverty relief and sustainable development stories.
• • Why do we tell and share stories?
This is because in whatever we do to help reduce poverty and appeal for support to development process, there is always a story to tell and share from various places we intervene and from different individuals and communities or organisations involving in our work.
• • How do we tell and share these stories?
We do it through All in Development (AiD) Stories project, which is our storytelling project. There is an explanation about this project that can be found under the Main Development section of this post. Every year, there is a different theme for this storytelling project.
• • This year’s theme for AiD Stories project
This year, the theme for AiD Stories project will be about Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants.
These stories will be…
a) about how people and communities are trying or have tried to build forward better from the coronavirus disaster and its variants
b) of
∝ restoration to original or near conditions
∝ recovery forward better cleaner, greener and safer
∝ transformation to cope with the new realities and post-coronavirus economy
∝ aligning poverty reduction work with long-term greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals
c) of human, physical, social, environmental, humanitarian and economic building forward better.
Entries for these May Stories were opened since last March when we announced the general theme of Spring Relief 2022, which is “Build Forward Better Together Cleaner, Greener and Safer”. So far, some people have shown some interests. For those who have not yet submitted or told us their stories, this is the month to do it.
• • Underlying principle of AiD Stories project
The principle of AiD Stories project is that it is about stories by volunteers or people who are giving their stories not for money or not being paid for their experience they had in relation to the story theme. However, this principle does not stop anybody to provide a story even if what they are saying come from their paid position.
Besides this general principle, we have two criteria we would like to highlight about the theme of AiD Stories project for this year.
• • Criteria for the theme of AiD Stories project 2022
1st Criterion
For this year’s AiD Stories project, we are mainly interested in Stories of building forward better cleaner, greener and safer from the coronavirus disaster and its variants, as mentioned above. They are the stories of those who hit rock bottom of poverty because of COVID-19 and are trying to bounce forward in a sustainable way.
2nd Criterion
We are registering people’s personal experiences of being or at risk of being left behind in the process of building forward from the coronavirus pandemic and its legacies. This is important at this time since there is another crisis, which is the cost-of-living crisis. There is a risk that people could be left behind in the process of building forward better because of the fight against the cost-of-living crisis. That is why we would like also to hear those personal experiences.
To facilitate and organise ourselves in the way of telling these stories, we are going to do it through a series or programme or a timeline of scripts. There is more information about this series below.
For more information on AiDS project and this year’s storytelling focus and scripts, please read under the Main Development section of this post.
To tell your story of change for change to CENFACS, please contact CENFACS for story telling terms and conditions.
• All in Development Story Telling Series 2022
The 2022 series of AiDS Telling Programme starts from the 4th of May 2022, every Wednesday afterwards and will last until the end of May 2022. These series, which are part of May stories, are a timeline of scripts or a set of notes arranged in line to tell and share Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants.
There is no single logic or model of organising a story. We thought that to make it easier, our storytelling series will follow these four sequences:
(a) Restoration
(b) Recovery and reset
(c) Transformation
(d) Alignment
The four sequences are linked each other in a sequential way.
For further details about these sequences or timeline of AiD scripts, please continue to read under the Main Development section of this post.
• Activity/Task 5 of the Knowledge (K) Year/Project: Knowing the Real Stories of People in Need
Stories can be told about people in need. However, are these stories told on their behalf are real? They could be; just they could not be. It is better to listen to those in need tell and share their own stories, with their own words and numbers. Stories (whether real or imaginary) told by them can convoy their real feelings, meanings and messages they want us to hear and know. In this storytelling, we can assume they are telling the truth, not something else.
In these stories told and shared by those in need, they can tell not only what happened in their life, but also the things they have tried to come out poverty and hardships as well as what solutions or possible ways out of their problems.
So, during this month the 5th Activity/Task of our Knowledge (K) Year/Project will be about bridging knowledge gaps or having an understanding or grasp of the stories about those in need. These stories could be told by someone else or preferably by those in need themselves telling their own stories. It is a month of the following:
∝ What we really know about those in need
∝ What we do not know about them in terms of their problems.
These stories about them could be written or spoken descriptions of events of their life. The stories in which we are interested are real. Because what we want to know is real story, the reality of their life not fiction or imaginary.
For example, one way of knowing their real stories could be through the stories of how they (those in need) spend their time.
This is our Activity/Task 5 of the Knowledge (K) Year/Project, which consists of Knowing the Real Stories of People in Need. This task can be undertaken by those members of our community who are interested in it.
To work with us via this Activity/Task 5, please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Spring Energy Security Activity: Knowing your Energy Security Risk Level
Following on some of the announcements and advertisements made on the page 9 of the 75th Issue of FACS newsletter, we are working on how to use the Energy Security Risk Index in order to measure Energy Security Risk Level for households making our community.
Indeed, the Energy Security Risk Index as it is designed today is an international macroeconomic metrics. This metrics can be customised and be used at the level of individuals and households.
Before explaining what activity is about, let us try to understand energy security risk and energy security risk index.
• • What is energy security risk index?
The European Commission (1) defines energy security as
“The uninterrupted physical availability of energy products on the market at a price which is affordable for all consumers (private and industrial), while respecting environmental concerns and looking towards sustainable development, whereby it considers availability and accessibility of supply, economic affordability and environmental sustainability, to be basic dimensions.”
This definition will be used when carrying out Spring Energy Security Activity on Knowing your Energy Security Risk Level. From this definition, we can try to understand the risk associated to energy security.
To understand energy security risk, we are referring to the argument of the Global Energy Institute on this matter. The Global Energy Institute (2) argues that:
“The International Energy Security Risk […] uses quantifiable data, historical trend information and government projects to identify the policies and other factors that contribute positively or negatively to international energy security”.
To measure this risk, the Global Energy Institute (op. cit.) uses an international energy security risk index, which it contends that
“The index is made up of 37 different measures of energy security risk in nine categories: global fuels; fuel imports; energy expenditures; price and market volatility; energy use-intensity; electric power sector; transportation sector; environmental sector; and basic science and energy research and development”.
This index can help to assess the risk associated to people’s vulnerability to the upheavals of the global energy market. It can assist in supporting those who need to know their energy security level, especially those members of our community experiencing energy security problems.
• • What we can do together with energy insecure users
We can undertake the following sub-activities with them:
√ Conducting their energy security risk assessment or analysis
√ Checking the exposure of their household financial statements (i.e. balance sheet, cash flow statements/projections, etc.) to energy security risk
√ Reflecting this risk on the state of their finances and household financial wellbeing
√ Establishing the degree of risk (i.e. high or medium or low) on their household assets and liabilities
√ Exploring together necessary steps (in the form of energy security action plan) they need to take to tackle or address their energy security risk.
As a result of these sub-activities, we will be able together to…
√ Calculate your/their energy expenditure intensity
√ Write energy budget responsive to energy price and market volatilities
√ Work out your/their energy use intensity (e.g. energy consumption) which can indicate whether or not user is energy poor or deprived
√ Above all, determine your/their energy security risk score.
For those members of our community who may be interested in knowing their energy security risk level/score as well as remedial actions to tackle any unmanageable high level of this risk, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.
• Have your Say on your Energy Security Status
Building on the theme of energy security covered in the 75th Issue of FACS, we are asking those who can to share with CENFACS their experience about how they are coping with rising prices of energy. We are asking the following question:
How are these Spring rises in energy prices affecting their energy security status?
They can simply tick the following where appropriate.
They can as well try to be more expressive by explaining how these rises are affecting them. They can e-mail or text or phone or even complete the contact form to express their feelings on the matter.
• Be.Africa Discusses Battery Development and Poverty Reduction in Africa
Following the launch of the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Battery Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on 22 April 2022, CENFACS‘ be.Africa is discussing the future possible impact of this Centre on poverty reduction in the DRC and in Africa. One of the areas of this discussion is that battery skills development could be a niche for poverty reduction in the DRC and in Africa.
Indeed, producing electric batteries for electric cars requires science, technology, innovation and skills. Beyond this feasibility study requirements, there are other externalities that may need to be considered such as environmental, developmental and social. Besides these requirements, there are also expectations and outcomes in terms of what this kind of development (e.g. battery skills development) can generate as opportunities not only for businesses but also for local communities and populations, especially those living in poverty.
As CENFACS works with local people to develop sustainable initiatives to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development, our discussion will be on the opportunity in terms of poverty reduction; that is, the impact of battery development on poverty reduction in DRC and in Africa.
For those who may be interested in this discussion, they can let CENFACS know what they think. To contribute or engage with the discussion on the Impact of Battery Development on Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development in Africa, please contact CENFACS.
Histoires de mai dans le cadre du projet ‘Tous dans le développement’:
Histoires de construire mieux à partir de la catastrophe du coronavirus et de ses variantes
La narration est notre contenu principal pour le mois de mai. C’est le mois et la période de l’année où nous nous consacrons à raconter et à partager des histoires de lutte contre la pauvreté et de développement durable.
Nous racontons des histoires à travers le projet ‘Tous dans le développement‘, qui est notre projet de narration.
Cette année, le thème du projet ‘Tous dans le développement‘ portera sur les histoires de construire mieux à partir de la catastrophe du coronavirus et de ses variantes.
Ces histoires seront…
a) sur la façon dont les gens et les communautés essaient ou ont essayé de mieux faire avancer à partir de la catastrophe du coronavirus et ses variantes
b) celles de…
∝ la restauration dans les conditions d’origine ou proches
∝ la reprise en avant, plus propre, plus verte et plus sûre
∝ transformation pour faire face aux nouvelles réalités et à l’économie post-coronavirus
∝ l’alignement des travaux de réduction de la pauvreté sur les objectifs à long terme de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
c) mieux construire vers l’avant humainement, naturellement, physiquement, socialement, environnementalement, humanitairement et économiquement.
Les inscriptions pour ces histoires de mai ont été ouvertes depuis mars dernier, lorsque nous avons annoncé le thème général de Printemps 2022, qui est « Construire mieux ensemble plus propre, plus vert et plus sûr ».
Jusqu’à présent, certaines personnes ont montré certains intérêts. Pour ceux ou celles qui n’ont pas encore soumis ou ne nous ont pas raconté leurs histoires, c’est le mois pour le faire.
Pour plus d’informations sur le projet ‘Tous dans le développement‘ ainsi que sur l’accent et les scripts de narration de cette année, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.
Pour raconter votre histoire de changement à CENFACS, veuillez aussi contacter CENFACS pour les termes et conditions de narration.
Main Development
• May Stories – All in Development Stories:
Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
• • What is ALL in DEVELOPMENT STORIES project?
All in Development STORIES (AiDS) is a life story developing, telling, sharing and learning project set up by CENFACS in 2009 in order to give opportunities to volunteers, interns and other development supporters and enthusiasts to inspire others and spread the good news and will of better change to the community. The project, which is run during the month of May, has four dimensions as follows:
√ AiDS is a telling and sharing story
It is about telling and sharing with us your experience and achievements made in the fields of local (UK) and International (Africa) developments.
√ AiDS is a learning and development process
It is also about learning from volunteers and interns how they improved their own life, changed deprived lives and reached out to the needy communities. After learning, one can try to develop strengths and better practices to solve problems.
√ AiDS is an inspirational and motivational support network
After all, the project seeks to inspire and motivate others on the road of change for change; especially for those who might prepare and use their summer break or any other occasions to take up volunteering and or internship roles and positions.
√ AiDS finally is a state-of-the-art project
It is the art of poverty relief telling story that enables us to get up-to-date information, knowledge and thinking in the fields of poverty reduction and sustainable development from those who went on the grounds to learn and experience real-life development works. They return with volunteering stories to tell and share. As the National Storytelling Network (3) puts it in these terms:
“Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination”.
This year’s storytelling and sharing will be about Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants.
• • May 2022 STORIES: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
• • • What are Stories of Building Forward Better?
They are the sequencing tales of effectively moving towards long term recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and its variants, and achieving tangible sustainable outcomes. They are also the accounts of preserving natural resources and capacities in this building process in order to revitalise life in the current context of cost-of-living crisis. These stories will be presented via AiD Story Telling programme.
We are running 4 series of AiD Story Telling programme during this month of May, programme that will revolve around the process of building forward better from COVID-19 and its variants.
For those who want to tell their stories of Restoration, Recovery and reset, Post-COVID-19 Transformation, and Green Alignment; they can choose among the following sequences to tell their stories.
• • Types of 2022 Stories and Story Telling Series
AiD Story Telling Series: Starting on 04/05/2022 and after every Wednesday until the end of May 2022.
The following series or sequences have been planned for this month of storytelling (May Stories) relating to post-COVID-19 economic development.
# Serial 1: From Wednesday 04/05/2022: Stories of Restoration
These are the stories of giving back to original or near conditions what the coronavirus destroyed. It could also be returning lives and things to a former and high status.
# Serial 2: From Wednesday 11/05/2022: Stories of Recovery and Reset forward better cleaner, greener and safer
These are the tales of regaining a better condition (that’s good health, former economic situation, etc.), of emotional, social, economic and physical well-being from the life-threatening and –destroying impacts of the coronavirus and its variants. This regaining needs to be done cleaner, greener and safer.
# Serial 3: From Wednesday 18/05/2022: Stories of Post-COVID-19 Transformation
These are accounts of dramatically changing the appearance, nature, or function of what the coronavirus and its variants destroyed. The coronavirus may have completely changed people’s lives from the way they were before. We would like to hear these stories of complete change.
# Serial 4: Week beginning 26/05/2022: Stories of Green Alignment
They are the experiences or anecdotes of building forward better while making sure that this building process or move stays within the 1.5ᵒ C trajectory as proscribed by the Paris Agreement goal (4) of keeping the global temperature increase to well below 2ᵒ C and pursuing efforts to keep it to 1.5ᵒ C. Stories are green and sustainably aligned as they reflect the climate need and agenda of meeting the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and targets.
• • Add-on to CENFACS’ May 2022 Stories: Stories of Those At Risk of Left Behind and of Coping with the Cost-of-living Crisis
# Stories of Those At Risk of Being Left Behind Build Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
There are people and / or members of our community who have been accidentally left behind in the process of building forward better from the coronavirus disaster and variants. We would like to hear the narratives of these people and community members so that advocacy can be stepped up to do something about their situation.
Anyone who has the stories of being left behind, they should not hesitate to tell and share it with us.
# Stories of Coping with the Cost-of-living Crisis
As a second addition, we would like to consider Stories of Coping with the Cost-of-living Crisis. In particular, we would like to hear tales of how the cost-of-living crisis is jeopardising the process of building forward better together greener, cleaner and safer.
Those who have these second-addition stories, they can contact CENFACS to submit their stories.
• • Nature-based Solutions inside your Stories of Building Forward Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and its Variants
There are many solutions or recipes in order to build forward from the coronavirus disaster and its variants. In the context of AiD Stories, we would like to hear stories of building forward better using nature-based solutions. What do we mean by nature-based solutions?
There are many ways of defining nature-based solutions. The EU Commission (5) defines nature-based solutions as
“Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions”.
For those who would like to tell or submit their stories, it will be a good idea to bring out storying aspects of nature-based solutions making part of their stories.
• • Serial 1: From Wednesday 04/05/2022: Stories of Restoration
To approach this first serial, let us understand the stories of restoration and lay down the kinds of stories that can be told and shared with us.
• • • What are Stories of Restoration?
They are the tales of returning lives and things to their original condition or early good condition or improved condition. The coronavirus and its variants may have threatened and destroyed lives and things. The stories of restoration help to inform our story readers and listeners how we have been able to revive, re-establish and renovate lives and things. They will elucidate the transition process to the final restoration products by the restorers or those who help in the restoration work.
• • • Kinds of Stories of Restoration
These are the tales of what, when, where, why, who and how to restore lives. These stories connect restoration work, restorers and restoration beneficiaries. Then, what are those stories?
They are…
√ transition stories leading to restoration stories
√ the fables, written or spoken, made of words, voices and tones of restoration
√ the storytelling infographics of restoration
√ the anecdotes of building and developing relationships between those in need of restoration and those who help in restoration process and work
√ the tales of those who carried out restoration (restorers) to self-build or build forward better
√ the accounts of those who implement restoration (restoration implementors)
√ the stories of restorative economy as it is portrayed by Tearfund.org (6); that is the stories of restoring the balance in creation, of reducing inequalities and of leaving no-one behind.
• • • Examples in a restoration story
When explaining restoration stories, it is better for the storytellers to provide specific examples about or in their stories. Exemplifying your story is important since we are talking about real-life stories not imaginary or fiction stories. Also, because we are interested in stories of poverty reduction and sustainable development, the storytellers need to highlight aspects or ramifications of their story to poverty reduction.
To donate, tell and share your storying gift of restoration, please contact CENFACS.
• • Further information about May 2022 Stories
• • • 2022 Story Areas of Interest
We normally take stories that cover any areas of poverty reduction and local and international sustainable developments.
• • • Contexts of Stories
Stories could come from any level of project/programme cycle (i.e. planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review) as long as it is to do with poverty reduction and sustainable development.
They could also be a result of research and field work activities or studies.
They could finally be an experience of everyday life.
• • • Call for 2022 Entries
As said above, the 2022 Edition of AiDS has already kicked off. For those who want to enter their stories of life renewal, please note you are welcome to do so.
Just read below the annotated timetable for story submission and CENFACS’ storytelling terms and conditions.
We await your responses to our call.
• • • Annotated Timetable for Story Submission in 2022
# Start of online (e-mail) and paper-based submission (01/05/2022)
# Story submission deadline (31/05/2022)
# Notification of receipt/acceptance (by 17/06/2022)
# Submission of revised stories (01 to 31/05/2022)
• • • Storytelling Check List
Before submitting, please check that your story meets the following:
√ Relatable
√ Relevant
√ Engaging
√ Poverty-relieving
• • • CENFACS Story Telling & Sharing Terms
To tell and/or share your May story, please let us know the following:
√ who you are
√ where and when your experience took place
√ and of course the story itself.
You could also
√ text
√ twit
√ send some forms of supporting materials/resources to back up your story.
Should you wish not to be name, please let us know your decision.
Please see below our story telling, sharing and learning terms.
• • • CENFACS story telling, sharing and learning terms:
1) We welcome both told and untold stories
2) Inside, witness, news, behind the scenes and case stories are eligible
3) We only take real life stories, not fiction stories or fake news
4) Tell true and evidence-based stories only, not lies
5) If possible, back up your stories with facts and data (numerical or textual or even infographics)
6) Mention location, dates and names of events in the story
7) We accept photos, images, pictures, videos, info-graphic materials, audios and other forms of resources (e.g. digital or e- technologies) to support, capture and communicate the impact of your story
8) Plagiarism, prohibited, offensive, violation of copyrights and unlawful/illegal materials are not accepted
9) Hacking, flaming, spamming, scamming, ransom ware, phishing and trolling practices are not accepted as well
10) We greatly consider stories highlighting nature-based solutions to poverty and hardships.
For further clarification, contact CENFACS.
Tell and share your story of change for change by communicating the impact you make!
CENFACS is looking forward to engaging with you through your story. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to CENFACS at facs@cenfacs.org.uk.
_________
• References
(1) European Commission, (2000), Towards a European Strategy for the Security of Energy Supply; Office for Official Publications of the European Communities: Luxembourg.
(2) https://www.globalenergyinstitute.org/sites/default/files/2020-10/024036% (accessed in April 2022)
(3) https://storynet.org/what-is-storytelling/ (accessed in May 2022)
(4) https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/ (accessed in May 2022)
(5) https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/environment/nature-based-solutions_en (accessed in May 2022)
(6) https://www.tearfund.org/-/media/files/action-resources/rubbish-campaign-resources/restoration-story-booklet.pdf (accessed in May 2022)
_________
• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year
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 or as a New Year resolution.
Donate to support CENFACS!
FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO :Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)
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 2022 and beyond.
With many thanks.
