Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
13 July 2022
Post No. 256
• July 2022 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2021-2022 Programmes, Projects and Activities
• Data Analytics of User-generated Content
• Coming this July 2022: Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with a Focus on Infrastructure to Reduce Poverty
… And much more!
Key Messages
• July 2022 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2021-2022 Programmes, Projects and Activities
Our Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics for July 2022 have already started with Impact Feedbacks. These feedbacks are about carrying out activities in order to get the early results or impacts of the programmes and projects we ran during the financial year 2021-2022.
They are part of the level one of our July 2022 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment. However, before going further in summarising this first key message, let us explain the concept of assurance, which is part of the Analytics Month.
• • Assurance for a Good Impact Assessment
Last week, in our presentation of the core concepts used in the Analytics Month, we did not mention assurance. Yet, assurance is part and parcel of CENFACS‘ July analytics work. What is assurance?
By assurance, we simply mean what Her Majesty Treasury (1) argues, which is
“Assurance is an objective examination of evidence for the purpose of providing an independent assessment on governance, risk management and control processes for the organisation. An assurance framework is a structured means of identifying and mapping the main sources of assurance in organisation, and co-ordinating them to best effect”.
Assurance can be internal and external. In our analytics work, we are conducting internal assurance. What does it mean?
It means what for example ‘anngravells.com’ (2) argues about internal quality assurance, which
“Seeks to ensure that assessment activities have been conducted in a consistent, safe and fair manner”.
This internal quality assurance, which took place since our programmes and projects started, will continue and be deepened this month as it is the Analytics Month. This will be done via impact feedbacks.
• • Impact Feedbacks
We are holding two types of feedback: one from individuals as project supporters and users; and another one from organisations, particularly Africa-based Sister Organisations.
1) Project Supporters’ and Users’ Experiences (Feedback I)
This week’s Say by Project Supporters and Users will continue our Analytics Month. Project Supporters and Users can start to tell us the experiences they have had with the programmes and projects we have selected to conduct monitoring, evaluation, review, assurance and analytics.
We are asking Project Supporters, Users and other stakeholders to provide their views using their own words rather than we asking them to respond to open or close questions.
To ease the feedback process, we have singled out 12 initiatives from which they can pick and choose to provide their feedback.
They can give us feedbacks (responses and reactions) in the form of rating (numbers), statement (words) and information graphics (infographics like charts, graphs, etc.). This Say is about how they perceived and interacted with the products and services we presented to them over the last 345 days.
2) Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices (Feedback II)
These are too initiatives that we ran in the last financial year; initiatives that directly or indirectly aimed at supporting Africa-based Organisations or just advancing poverty reduction and sustainable development agendas in Africa. These initiatives were in the form of humanitarian appeals, fundraising and COVID-19 campaigns, advocacy work, project planning and advice, responses to global crises (like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the cost-of-living crisis), etc.
We would like to hear the voices of Africa-based Organisations so that we can know where things went well and where they did not. This will enable us to reflect their needs in future programmes and projects development, while improving the way in which we are working with them in general and tackling the poverty issue in Africa in particular.
Their voices are important to us since we can only help to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development unless those who are concerned with these issues own the process by telling us what kind of help they need and how they perceive their own problems rather than we telling them what is good for them.
Like for individuals responding to our request, organisations do not need specific questions to provide their feelings about our work. They can freely give their feedback in numerical, textual and information graphic statements.
To facilitate this feedback process, we have selected 9 initiatives from which they can pick and choose to provide their feedback.
The selected 2021-2022 programmes and projects for the purpose of feedback making our Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics are given in the Main Development section of this post.
• Data Analytics of User-generated Content
This is about the analysis of raw and semi-structured data provided or generated by users and other vested parties involved in the delivery of 2021-202 programmes and projects. This type of analytics requires the use of data literacy and methodology as well as analytical skills. As scheduled, this analytics started on 11 July 2022. Before going any further in this presentation, let us briefly explain user-generated content, data analytics and what we are going to do or are doing in this respect.
• • Brief understanding of User-generated Content
To explain User-generated Content (UGC), we are going to refer to Jose Angelo Gallagos’ online article. Gallagos (3) argues that
“User-generated content is any content that has been created, published and/or submitted by users of a brand”.
The content that Gallagos is arguing about can be in the form of images, tweets, videos, text, audio, social media posts, reviews, comments, blog posts, testimonials, feedback, etc.
As far as CENFACS is concerned, we are going to carry out the analytics of user-generated content during their journey to poverty reduction with us. In this respect, we are going to analytically process the content provided by CENFACS’ users, fans, enthusiasts and audience to support CENFACS‘ brand or as they navigate the road to poverty reduction.
• • Meaning of data analytics
To make things easily understandable for our readers and supporters, we have selected the following definition from ‘Master’s in Data Science’ (4) which states that
“Data analytics is the process of analysing raw data to find trends and answer questions”.
According to ‘Master’s in Data Science’,
“A successful data analytics initiative will provide a clear picture of where you are, where you have been and where you should go”.
‘Master’s in Data Science’ also distinguishes four primary types of data analytics, which are: descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive.
We are going to turn to the above mentioned definition, primary types and other notions read within the literature survey about the concept of ‘data analytics’ in order to conduct the analytics of data or content generated by users of our programmes, projects and activities.
• • Data analytics in practice and progress
We are going to combine information technology, statistics and the life of CENFACS over 2021-2022 to discover patterns in data. In doing so, this will help us to improve performance in terms of the kind of work we do in order to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.
In our data analytics process, we are going to undertake the following tasks:
(a) Data mining: extraction of data from unstructured data sources
(b) Data management: creation and management of databases
(c) Statistical analysis: creation of insights from data
(d) Data presentation: sharing of insights with stakeholders through data visualisation.
Where necessary and possible, we may involve online affordable analytics programmes to help in this exercise.
For those users who did not yet respond to our previous requests regarding any of the projects or events they took part or came across, this is the opportunity to share their content and provide their SAY or content or even data so that they can fit it into our analytics work.
For example, the users of Triple Value Initiatives (or All Year Round Projects) can inform us about the progress they have made so far. They can as well share results of collaborations and synergies across these projects. This information or data can be fitted into our Data Analytics Dashboard.
To sum up user-generated content or data analytics will help to provide actionable insights and user trend analysis. It will help to review deliveries and analyse the end-of-financial year performance regarding work undertaken with users. The result of this analytics will feed and align with the contents of our annual review 2021-2022.
To give and share your SAY or content or even data to help us in this analytics, please contact CENFACS.
• Coming this July 2022: Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with a Focus on Infrastructure to Reduce Poverty
To best serve the needs of the CENFACS Community, there is a necessity to have infrastructure. This is because the development of infrastructure is the basis for creating the conditions for poverty reduction and for enhancing sustainable development. But, what is infrastructure?
• • Understanding infrastructure to reduce poverty
There are many definitions of infrastructure. For the purpose of these preliminary notes about our festival, we have selected the ‘Market Business News’ (5) definition, which is
“Infrastructure refers to the basic systems and services that a country or organisation needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as the road and railway networks, utilities, sewage, water, telephone lines and cell towers, air control towers, bridges, etc.; plus services including law enforcement, emergency services, healthcare, education, etc. “.
Our perception of infrastructure will include Market Business News’ argument on the matter. It will also refer to what most infrastructure economists say about infrastructure. In particular, we shall focus on the post-Keynesian economic view of infrastructure as it goes beyond public assets to include private assets in the definition of infrastructure.
Because we are talking about poverty reduction in the charitable sector (sector where CENFACS belongs to), our definition of infrastructure will also consider charitable sector assets in order to produce poverty reduction. What do we mean by charitable assets?
• • Defining charitable assets
The online dictionary ‘lawinsider.com’ (6) defines charitable assets as
“Those tangible and intangible assets in the form of movable and immovable property and equipment, personnel, and services acquired by a hospital through the expenditure of direct and indirect state, federal and local funds, or funds retained by virtue of their non-taxable status, and through money paid through the patronage of members of the community the hospital serves”.
Although this definition puts emphasis on hospital, there are various elements in it that can be applicable to what will be thought during our Seven Days of Development in July 2022.
Briefly, to fight and reduce poverty critical infrastructures (like education, health services, telephone cables and mobile phone towers, energy-generating facilities, etc.) are required. This requirement concerns both hard infrastructure (such as bridges and roads) and soft infrastructure (like information systems and knowledge bases).
We need sustainable infrastructures; that is economic (e.g. capital stock that facilitates economic production), social (e.g. health, education and recreation) and environmental (e.g. channels, lakes, ponds, parks and green spaces) infrastructures. We do not only need them; we also have to maintain them.
As usual, they will be seven themes for thoughts for seven days, one theme per day, starting from the 22nd to the 28th of July 2022.
The seven days of development in July are the days of thoughts and actions against poverty; in this case thoughts and actions to develop infrastructure to reduce poverty. The seven themes will not be an end of themselves. Instead, they will be the entry points in order to stimulate thoughts and actions.
We shall soon publish the daily themes and supporting information regarding this year’s Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions.
Extra Messages
• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Data Poverty
Last week, we set up our goal for the Season, which is to reduce unhappiness. This week, we are establishing another goal, which is for this month of July. Our goal for this month is to reduce data poverty. This set-up implies that we need to understand data poverty and work toward achieving this goal.
• • What is data poverty?
The literature survey on data poverty provides a number of definitions. Amongst them is what Patricia J. Lucas et al. (7) argue about it, which is the following:
“The term data poverty is used to mean not being able to afford sufficient access to broadband or mobile data, but also to mean not having enough information on particular topics or populations. Digital poverty also means not having access to digital devices” (p. 8)
Indeed, not having enough information on particular topics or populations can make the reduction of poverty harder; in particular if this information is linked to the populations who need help. Without data or information, it could be difficult to measure the level and type of poverty experienced by these populations. This is let alone the kind of response that fits with their situation.
• • Working toward achieving the reduction of data poverty
Our goal for this month is to help reduce data poverty by understanding what causes data poverty while getting its dimensions and its impacts. The goal is also about overcoming barriers to having sufficient data about poverty.
This goal perfectly fits into our Knowledge Year/Project as data helps to learn, know and describe the needs of those people living in poverty. It also echoes with the Analytics Month, a month during which we are deep diving into data and listening to what these data are telling us about our work and the people we are trying to help.
So, working toward this goal can help to fill the gap in data available and known about people in need. Although this is a goal for July 2022 only, it can however be part of any efforts to reduce and or end poverty linked to the lack of available data about the conditions of people living in poverty; that is those having a pronounced deprivation in well-being, lacking opportunities and being powerless and vulnerable.
The above is our poverty reduction goal for this month, which we are asking to our audiences and supporters to help or promote.
• Holiday with Relief –
In Focus for 2022 Issue: Energy and Food during Holiday
Holiday with Relief is one of CENFACS useful and helpful ICDP (individual Capacity Development Programme) resources for holiday makers and travellers. The resource, which is published during Spring of every year, can also be used during Summer holiday or any holiday.
It is a wealth of contents as it provides tips, hints, tricks, fixes, enhancements, information, guidance and support in terms of passing holiday for multi-dimensional poor children, young people and families; especially at this time of the cost-of-living crisis. During this time, human happiness and freedom to take and enjoy holiday have been compromised by the rising costs of living. This is let alone the lingering effects of the coronavirus.
This year’s Holiday with Relief with its theme of Energy and Food during Holiday is designed to help those in need by having happy and healthy holiday (e.g. Summer holiday). It provides wealthy advice, tips and hints linked to energy and food during holiday. Within this wealth of information contained in this Issue, there are tips and hints that can be used to tackle energy poverty and food poverty.
These tips and hints are meant to support those of our users and non-users who are struggling to make energy and food ends meet during holiday (that is; this coming long Summer holiday).
The resource is free to order. However, CENFACS would not mind any voluntary donation to help the enormous amount of effort and cost put in by its volunteers to produce it. Your contribution will help to keep it running and update, as well as help the community in need.
To enquire about this resource, just contact CENFACS.
• Impact Monitoring and Evaluation from the Perspective of Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs)
This week, we are as well looking at the way in which our Africa-based Sister Organisations perceive impact monitoring and evaluation. It is pointless to mention that theories of monitoring and evaluation used can be the same. But, the context in which these theories can be applied and the perception of the impact monitoring and evaluation could be slightly different.
Because of these differences in perceptions and theory applications, it is a great idea to exchange views with our ASOs on impact monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects in the African context. This is an enriched and technically valuable exercise which will enable both sides to align works, cement their partnership and continue to develop sustainable initiatives.
We are therefore inviting ASOs that have stories or case studies about their own impact monitoring and evaluation to share with us. Likewise, we are asking to those ASOs that need advisory support in the area of impact monitoring and evaluation to let us know. This is an opportunity to learn and develop best practices and policies in this area.
Need to share your work or experience in terms of impact monitoring and evaluation for the programmes and projects you are running, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
Message in French (Message en français)
Objectif du mois : Réduction de la pauvreté liée au manque de données
La semaine dernière, nous avons fixé notre objectif pour la saison, qui est de réduire le malheur. Cette semaine, nous nous établissons un autre objectif, qui est pour le mois. Notre objectif pour ce mois-ci est de réduire la pauvreté des données (quantitatives et qualitatives). Ce contexte implique que nous devons travailler à la réalisation de cet objectif.
Travailler à la réduction de la pauvreté liée au manque de données
Notre objectif pour ce mois-ci est d’aider à réduire la pauvreté des données en comprenant ce qui cause la pauvreté des données tout en ayant l’idée de ses dimensions et ses impacts. L’objectif est également de surmonter les obstacles à la disponibilité de données suffisantes sur la pauvreté.
Le cadre de l’objectif du mois de juillet
Cet objectif s’inscrit parfaitement dans notre Année et Projet de la Connaissance, car les données aident à apprendre, à connaître et à décrire les besoins des personnes vivant dans la pauvreté. Cela fait également écho au Mois Analytique, un mois au cours duquel nous plongeons profondément dans les données et écoutons ce que ces données nous disent.
Un objectif de tous les temps
Ainsi, travailler vers cet objectif peut aider à combler le manque de données disponibles et connues sur les personnes dans le besoin. Bien qu’il s’agisse d’un objectif pour juillet 2022 uniquement, il peut toutefois faire partie de tout effort de tous les temps visant à réduire et/ou à mettre fin à la pauvreté liée au manque de données disponibles sur les personnes vivant dans la pauvreté; c’est-à-dire celles qui ont une privation prononcée de bien-être, qui manquent d’opportunités et qui sont impuissantes et vulnérables.
Ce qui précède est notre objectif de réduction de la pauvreté pour ce mois-ci, que nous demandons à nos adhérents et à nos sympathisants d’aider ou de promouvoir.
Main Development
• July 2022 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2021-2022 Programmes, Projects and Activities
Last week, we said that the name of the July game at CENFACS is Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review and Analytics. In other words, July is the tracking month during which we conduct our Impact monitoring, evaluation, review and analytics of the projects and programmes we delivered during almost last 11 months and 2 weeks.
The following is what we have planned to cover this level 1 of our Analytics work:
Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics in progress
All-in-One Impact Feedbacks: Tell it in your own words, numbers and info-graphics!
Summer Selection and Collection of 12 Initiatives for Feedback One and 9 for Feedback Two.
Let us summarise each of these points of our Analytics work.
• • Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics in progress
We are still routinely gathering information on all aspects of these programmes and projects related to the above named period. Likewise, we are assessing what these programmes and projects have achieved in relation to the overall objectives we set up for them. Also, we are critically examining, reappraising or reconsidering our objectives and policies to achievements, and figuring out whether there is any progress or set back. Furthermore, we are making sure that the impact process is independently carried out and can help us to assess the health and viability of programmes and projects delivered.
Besides the above four activities (monitoring, evaluation, assurance and review), we are working to find out, interpret and communicate patterns in data in a meaningful way to the work of CENFACS, as part of the analytics activity.
Once we have completed the July Impact monitoring, evaluation, review and analytics; we shall communicate the findings to our respondents and any vested interested parties.
In meantime, we are inviting supporters and users as well as Africa-based Sister Organisations to engage with us in responding and reacting to our poverty relief work in their own words and numbers. They can rate and or provide a statement about these programmes and projects. Where possible, they can provide information graphics (such as charts, graphs, images, etc.).
• • All-in-One Impact Feedbacks: Tell it in your own words, numbers and info-graphics!
There are many types or models of feedback. In this exercise of feedback about the 2021-2022 programmes and projects, we are referring to impact feedback. The latter is about giving feedback from the perspectives of users and African organisations by describing the programmes and projects delivered by CENFACS from their points of view. It is an observation, but not an evaluation from their part. They could describe the impact these programmes and projects have on them and what they like to be different.
The exercise is meant to enable Supporters and Users (you might be one of them) as well as Africa-based Sister Organisations to share with us and others the outcomes and learning experiences resulting from the use or application of the projects we have chosen from our Programmes for feedback purpose.
Please seize this opportunity to provide your own lines of thought and observation for improvement, adjustment and development by sharing with us and others the outcomes and/or experiences resulting from the communications we have had with you and or your use/application or participation/support concerning the programmes and projects below.
We would like to know how helpful, effective and efficient did you find in these programmes and projects, and what lessons, experiences did you learn and development for the future of our poverty relief work in coming years.
• • Summer Selection and Collection of 12 Initiatives for Feedback One and 9 for Feedback Two
We would like to inform you that some of the projects selected may have the same title like the year before. However, the focus and contents for this year and each year are completely different. In other words, what matters is not the title of the project or programme, but what is inside them or their insight.
We have selected the following programmes and projects for Feedback I and II.
Feedback I: Projects and Programmes for Feedback from Individuals (Supporters and Users’ Experiences)
There are 12 selected initiatives for Feedback I as follows:
1) Summer 2021 Festival with a Focus on Coronavirus Debt and Deficit Management
2) August 2021 Trending Activities of Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction through Natural Capital Assets
3) Back-to-relief Programme and Service 2021
4) Leaves-based Advice
5) “A la une” Campaign with an Emphasis on the Safeguard of Crop Wild Relatives in Africa
6) Foresight Skills Development
7) Climate Protection and State for African Children – Phase 3.1 with Glasgow Steps It Up
8) Build Forward Better Programme (Phases 1 & 2)
9) Energy Transition Support Services
10) Zero Income Deficit Campaign 2021-2022
11) Arts and Design-based Development Project 2021
12) African Children’s Climate & Sustainable Development Goals with a Focus on Generational Impact Analysis of the Coronavirus and Cyclical Impact Analysis of the Cost-of-living Crisis.
Feedback II: Projects and Programmes for Feedback from Organisations (Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices)
We have selected 9 initiatives for Feedback II as follows:
1) Appeal for Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu
2) African-focused Not-for-profit Investors’ Platform
3) Street Children in Africa: How to Bring Happiness and Healthiness for Children Living on the Street in Africa at this Time of Enduring COVID-19
4) Making Zero Hunger Grand Sud of Madagascar
5) Food Security Appeal for Central African Republic, Burundi, DR Congo, Djibouti & Cameroon
6) Appeal to End Food Insecurity in the Eastern Horn of Africa
7) Coronavirus-affected Children of Sub-Saharan Africa Desperately Need Your Help Right Now
8) The Children of Chad Need Your Support at the Moment
9) The Internally Displaced People of Rutshuru Need Help.
The above selected 2021-2022 programmes and projects may seem a lot for a feedback purpose. However, what we have done is to give to people and organisations the opportunity to choose or pick the one (s) they know or associate with to feedback.
For the effectiveness of the feedback, we suggest that people or organisations to pick only 1 or 2 initiatives to give their feedback. Also, it is better to be concise when making your feedback.
• • • How do you provide your feedback?
There are online feedback collection tools (such as survey monkey, visual feedback, type form, online review, etc.). For the simplicity of our Impact Feedback, we would very much appreciate if you could provide us your feedback…
(a) via e-mail, text, phone, web comments or reviews
(b) in your own words, numbers and information graphics (info-graphics).
Please do it by saying the way in which the above named programmes and projects have affected you or the people you recommended to use them or your organisation or sister organisation.
You could rate (by using numbers or percentages or ratios) these programmes and projects or provide a statement (by using words) or even give a chart or table (as information graphics). You can as well record your voice and run a video or short film. This is aptly up to you.
Please remember, we can only help reduce poverty and do the changes we all want if you tell us what you think; not us only telling you what we do.
Please consider our request for feedback and for your testimonial support.
• • • Need further information about the above programmes and projects before your feedback
Those who have been following the work CENFACS does will be familiar with the above mentioned projects and programmes. They may not need further details about them.
Those who want to provide feedback and would like to request the details or summaries of the above selected programmes and projects prior to their feedback, they are free to make their request to us.
Thank you for considering our request of feedback and for your testimonial support.
This feedback is due by the END OF JULY 2022.
_________
• References
(1) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270485/assurance_frameworks_191212.pdf (accessed in July 2022)
(2) https://www.anngravells.com/information/iqa (accessed in July 2022)
(3) Jose Angelo Gallegos (2016), What is User Generated Content: Complete Guide to UGC & Why you need it
https://www.tinup.com/blog/user-generated-content-definition (accessed July 2021)
(4) https://www.masterindatascience.org/learning/what-is-data-analytics/
(5) https://marketbusiness.com/financial-glossary/infrastructure-definition-means/ (accessed in July 2022)
(6) https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/charitable-assets (accessed in July 2022)
(7) Lucas, P. J., Robinson, R. & Treacy, L. (2020), What Is Data Poverty? at https://media.org.uk/documents/what_is_Data_Poverty.pdf (accessed in July 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 also consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.
Donate to support CENFACS!
FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ NOBLE CAUSES OF POVERTY REDUCTION.
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.
