Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
17 May 2023
Post No. 300
The Week’s Contents
• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions
• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action (From Wednesday 17/05/2023)
• Activity 3 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Advocacy/Campaign on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and their Contributions to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty (From Week Beginning 15/05/2023)
… And much more!
Key Messages
• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty
CENFACS does not only work in bringing and lighting a Blaze of Hope for the victims of destructive wars, natural disasters and other major crises (like the coronavirus shock or the cost-of-living crisis). CENFACS takes the process of working with these victims further in helping them to overcome underlying poverty and hardships induced by these events as well as supporting them to build their future.
CENFACS works with them and or their representative organisations to alleviate poverty and hardships as the lack of hopes and expectations. In the process of relieving poverty as the lack of hopes and expectations, the next step or phase of our advocacy is Rebuilding or Renewing Lives. We call it Rebuilding Africa.
• • The Focus for this Year’s Rebuilding Africa
This year, our Rebuilding Africa advocacy will focus on how Africa is trying to recover itself from polycrises and build forward better under the context of insufficient economic growth conditions to reduce extreme poverty.
Indeed, there are stories and evidences of economic growth slowing down in Africa compared to the levels of the same growth of the pre-pandemic period. For instance, the World Bank (1) argues that
“Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa slowed to 3.6% in 2022, from 4.1% in 2021; and economic activity in the region is projected to further slow down to 3.1% in 2023…Growth conditions, however, remain insufficient to reduce extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity in the medium to long term. The slow recovery of per capita income growth, at 1.2% next year and 1.4% in 2025, still falls short of accelerating poverty reduction to the region’s pre-pandemic path”.
Likewise, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2),
“In 2023, Africa is projected to expand 2.5 per cent, a drop from last year and at a pace insufficient to make a dent in poverty levels. Like in other developing regions, weaker external demand and tighter financial conditions have made growth prospects gloomier for the region” (p. 13)
So, the above-mentioned economic conditions are the ones of Africa today and in the next two years. In those conditions or contexts, we are trying to advocate for the Rebuilding of Africa. But, where rebuilding is needed in Africa?
• • Where Rebuilding Africa Can Take Place
Rebuilding Africa can take place in any place in Africa that needs to be rebuilt or built forward. CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) can be part of this rebuilding process.
Where countries (like the Democratic Republic of Congo) are expecting that elections and strengthening of democratic transition will improve poverty reduction outcomes and impacts, ASOs can play a supportive role in making the voice of the poor to be heard.
Where countries came out of destructive natural disasters, ASOs can lend their hands to reduce poverty caused by climate-driven humanitarian crises and help the victims of natural disasters to rebuild their lives.
Where countries are undergoing peace transition after destructive wars (like the current process in the Central African Republic), ASOs can assist in the making of this transition process.
Where countries are searching for way to remake themselves from the hunger brought by the cost-of-living crisis, ASOs can participate in this remaking hunger-free process.
The above examples indicate where rebuilding Africa can take place as well as ways in which ASOs can play their bit in the rebuilding process of Africa.
So, there are many places where rebuilding work is needed and where our ASOs can be part of this rebuilding work.
Further details about this advocacy work on Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty can be found under the Main Development section of this post.
• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action (From Wednesday 17/05/2023)
Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action are the narratives of using fairness and justice as a basis for further development of respect for any human beings. They are also the tales of fairness and justice being an essential part of any rules and processes. To understand these stories, one may need to know the meaning of the following key concepts: human rights, human dignity, moral and legal framework. Let us briefly explain these key concepts.
• • Key Concepts
• • • Human rights
Human rights can be perceived from many perspectives (i.e., moral, political and legal conceptions). Without discussing these different conceptions, let us simply define these rights. To explain them, we are going to refer to the definition of the International Justice Resource Centre (3), which states that
“Human rights are those activities, conditions, and privileges that all human beings observe to enjoy, by virtue of their humanity. They include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. Human rights are inherent, inalienable, interdependent, and indivisible. This means we have these rights no matter what the enjoyment of one right affects the enjoyment of others; and every human right must be respected”.
Most of these rights were consigned by the United Nations (4) in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. What matters is not only to know these rights, but also to build on their moral and legal framework. And if one has a personal story about how they are trying to build on this framework, they can share it.
• • • Moral and legal framework
Moral and legal framework will be approached here by looking at the difference between moral and legal. Talking about this difference, the website ‘reasonandmeaning.com’ (5) specifies that
“Legal prohibitions incorporate most of our ordinary moral rules such as those against lying, killing, cheating, raping, and stealing. This suggests there is some connection between the moral and the legal”.
The website ‘reasonandmeaning.com’ also suggests that
“Law codifies morality. In other words, the law formulates the culture’s morality into legal codes… Not every legal code refers to a moral issue, but most laws do have some moral significance”.
Knowing the moral and legal framework of human rights can help to advance this framework when making plans and taking actions. Sharing the stories of this advancement can inspire others, especially those trying to defend human dignity.
• • • Human dignity
Just like human rights, human dignity has been recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (op. cit.) in its Article 1 stating that
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.
To explain this further, ‘humanrightscareers.com’ (6) expresses that
“Human dignity is the belief that all people hold a special value that is tied solely to their humanity. It has nothing to do with their class, race, gender, religion, abilities, or any other factor other than them being human”.
Put it simply dignity is something all humans are born with. Having human dignity as an essential part of rules and guidelines to take actions can help to build forward better from crises like the cost-of-living crisis. And telling stories of respect for human dignity in any policy and action can motivate others.
• • Kinds of Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights
Amongst the stories of Human Rights to Raise Human Dignity, we can mention the following:
√ the histories of humanitarian assistance to protect human rights (e.g., in the context of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in places of wars and civil violence)
√ the storylines of demand to be treated with proper respect
√ the accounts of guaranteeing life, liberty and freedom from torture
√ the tales of protecting individuals against dangers associated with use of physical force or abuse of power
√ the narratives of providing assistance to individuals to promote human protection and dignity
√ the tellings of securing protection for individuals at risk when their State or those who are supposed to protect them fail to live up to their responsibility
√ the anecdotes of recognising human dignity and universality of human rights
√ the episodes of standing on one’s dignity
√ the plots of guaranteeing individual rights and security as well as of enabling freedoms of movement and thought
√ the articles about rights to peace and sustainable development
√ the fables, written or spoken, made of words, voices, infographics and tones of equal opportunities
etc.
Although some of these stories are also linked to groups/communities or their self-determination, the rights and stories we are talking about are attached to individuals. This is why we would like to hear individual stories.
• • Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights to Support CENFACS Community Members
Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights coming from our members and others, once shared, can support CENFACS Community members. They can achieve support in the following ways:
√ they can keep our members feel respected, fairly treated , happy and in peace
√ they can encourage and inspire them while helping them in the fight against threats to their rights and dignity as well as assist them to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development
√ they can contribute to the development of storytelling and listening skills to better negotiate their way through poverty reduction and out of poverty
√ these stories can send a message of hope to our members that there is a possibility to Build on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places their Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action
√ above all, they can reassure them that poverty linked to the lack of respect for their rights and dignity can be reduced and ended.
Those members of our community who have Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights to tell, they should not hesitate to share them. Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can tell them to CENFACS.
To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights, please contact CENFACS.
• Activity 3 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Advocacy/Campaign on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and their Contributions to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty (From Week Beginning 15/05/2023)
Before highlighting the aim and components of this advocacy or campaign, let us remind that the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are backed by the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (7), which is a legally non-binding resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007. This Declaration, which was published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (8), reaffirms that indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to all others and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination based on their indigenous origin or identity.
To explain this advocacy or campaign, we have organised our notes around the following points:
Aim of Activity 3, Basic Definitions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, Constituent Elements of Activity 3, and Contributions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.
• • Aim of Activity 3
This is a campaign or advocacy activity aiming at restoring and securing rights of indigenous people and local communities to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems. This activity will also enable these peoples and communities to stand up for their rights by speaking to the power, to reduce deforestation, store more carbon and increase biodiversity while lowering poverty. But what are indigenous people and local communities?
• • Basic Definitions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
According to the the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (op. cit.),
“There is no singularly authoritative definition of indigenous peoples under international law and policy and the Indigenous Declaration does not set out any definition… The identification of an indigenous people is the right of the people itself – the right of self-identification – and a fundamental element of the right to self-determination”.
As to local community, the meaning we have selected is from ‘definitions.net’ (9) which explains that
“A local community is a group of interacting people sharing an environment. In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness”.
The above-mentioned two definitions will used in our advocacy or campaign to support indigenous peoples and local communities. Our advocacy/campaigning messages are highlighted below.
• • What does Activity 3 Consist of?
It consists of
∝ recognising indigenous ethnic minorities where there has been denial of their existence or where they been referred as ethnic minorities
∝ stopping the marginalisation of ethnic minorities, including indigenous minorities
∝ accounting them in performance measures be it economic or social or environmental
∝ protecting indigenous rights and local communities
∝ improving their access to education and employment opportunities, decision making and access to justice for indigenous women and youth
∝ stopping social exclusion of indigenous communities
∝ protection indigenous lives during conflicts, wars and natural disaster events (for example, many indigenous people have been displaced because of conflicts, civil wars and natural disasters)
etc.
• • Contributions Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty
Indigenous peoples and local communities can and do provide long-term solutions to adaptable climate change. They contribute in working with nature to address societal challenges. They can participate in the works of ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, etc.
In this respect, this advocacy/campaign is also voicing the positive contribution that indigenous peoples and local communities are making in providing solutions that are nature friendly.
For those who would like to engage with Activity 3 or our advocacy/campaign for indigenous people and local communities, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
For those who would like to find out more about Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty, they can also communicate with CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Ways to Submit or Give Your Story
• Permission to Share a Story with CENFACS
• E-workshop for Gamers of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction League: Create a League Table
• Ways to Submit or Give Your Story
How to make your stories reach CENFACS and others in the community
Before submitting your story, it is better to check our Short Story Submission Rules.
• • Short Story Submission Rules
Basically, these rules request any storyteller or giver to proceed with the following:
∝ Check CENFACS submission guidelines and deadlines
∝ Be mindful of CENFACS storytelling terms and conditions
∝ Include a short pitch of your story (approximately 32 words)
∝ Be concise and simple.
• • Means or Ways in which You Can Submit or Donate Your Story
There are many means or ways in which you can submit or donate your story or impact story. In the context of this Serial 3, there are ways that one can use to do it, which include written text options, phone calls, audio storytelling and listening, short film experiences, and video options. Let us highlight each of these means.
• • • Written text options
You can write your story in a textual format. You can use email, mobile phone, text messing system and CENFACS’ contact form; and send your story in the form of text. To do that, you need basic typing skills, not special skills.
• • • Phone calls
You can call CENFACS and give your story via phone.
• • • Audio storytelling and listening
You can use the capacity of audio to tell your volunteering story. Audio storytelling (with short digital narratives, podcasting, social media and online streaming) can help create and share the impact of the change you made or have made.
• • • Short film experiences
You can make short films to support your storytelling experiences and create a social impact. You can make film on your smart phone with a video content. Shooting interviews with story participants can also help to create experiences that maximise social media and essential story contents.
• • • Video options
You can use audio High Definition video calling (for example Skype video calls or Google Meet for video conferencing options) to tell and share you story with CENFACS and others.
If you are going to use video options, it is better to use a free option and non-profit programme, as they are accessible to everybody to join in with at home or wherever they are, especially at this time of the cost-of-living crisis.
Some of our users and members may not be able to afford to pay for some types of video options on the market. That is why it is better to use something which is accessible by the majority of people.
For the purpose of data protection, please use the security tips attached to your chosen option.
If you know you are going to tell your story via video calling or conferencing option and you want CENFACS to participate or join in, you need to let us know at least three days before your story calling or conferencing start so that we can plan ourselves.
You need as well to inform us about the date, time and possibly participants. You can email, phone, text or complete the contact form to let us know as we are busy like you.
If you have a story, you can tell and share with us and others via the above named means. And if you do not mind, we will circulate – with your permission – your stories within the CENFACS Community.
• Permission to Share a Story with CENFACS
Generally, when we ask people’s stories, we also seek permission to share their stories. This is because telling us your story does not necessarily mean that you have given us the permission to share it. Your permission could be verbal or written.
We review the conditions of permission in the light of the law. Our story telling and sharing policy includes as well images or any infographics making these stories. Our story telling and sharing policy is available to story tellers on request.
To keep our Story Month within the spirit of this policy, we are dealing with copyright law, permissions and licensing in order to share your story contents. We are particularly working on copyright permissions that story donors need to give to us in order for us to share their stories.
Working on copyright permissions is about staying copyright compliant as far as permissions to share your story is concerned. In simple terms, it means we will ask you whether or not, you agree for us to share your story including imaging or infographic parts of your story.
We are as well responding to any questions linked to copyrights relating to sharing stories.
For those who may have any issues to raise with story telling and sharing in the context of CENFACS’ AiDS Telling and Sharing Programme, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• E-workshop for Gamers of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction League: Create a League Table
How to create your African Countries’ League Table when gaming for poverty reduction
As part of CENFACS’ All Year Round Play Project (that is, CENFACS Poverty Reduction League), we can work together to support you (as a gamer) create your league table as you play. To create a league table, there are steps or tasks to undertake.
• • Process and Procedure for Creating a League Table
You can create a poverty reduction table showing the following:
√ Your selected African team countries
√ The number of criteria/indicators you can assess them against
√ The number of criteria/indicators any of them has passed
√ How many of them they average
√ How many of them they under-perform
√ How many of them they score against the opposition
√ How many of them they concede against the opposition
√ Points they earn or share for each game.
By systematically and continuously recorded the results, scores and actions of your game fixtures via this table, you will in the end know which African country that would best reduce poverty by the end of 2023.
To process and proceed with a league table, one needs to have some economic indicators as criteria for measuring the performance of each country making CENFACS’ League of Poverty Reduction.
• • Example of Poverty Reduction Indicators to Create a League Table
For example, those who would like to go extra miles in the workshop, they can work with us using classes of indicators (that is, input, process and impact) for monitoring the poverty reduction performance as provided by the World Bank (10). Poverty indices like headcount index, poverty gap index and squared poverty index can be utilised when dealing with your league table. They can also include rural terms of trade and unskilled wage index in their table.
To access this e-workshop and get the grips with skills and techniques to create your poverty reduction league table, just contact CENFACS.
Message in French (Message en français)
• Façons de soumettre ou de donner votre histoire
Ce qu’il faut faire pour que vos histoires atteignent le CENFACS et d’autres membres de la communauté
Il existe de nombreux moyens ou façons de soumettre ou de donner votre conte ou votre histoire d’impact. Il existe des moyens que l’on peut utiliser pour le faire, notamment des options de texte écrit, des appels téléphoniques, la narration et l’écoute audio, des expériences de courts métrages et des options vidéo. Soulignons chacun de ces moyens.
• • Options de texte écrit
Vous pouvez écrire votre histoire dans un format textuel. Vous pouvez utiliser le courrier électronique, le téléphone portable, le système de messagerie texte et le formulaire de contact du CENFACS; et envoyez votre histoire sous forme de texte. Pour le faire, vous avez besoin de compétences en dactylographie, pas de compétences spéciales.
• • Appels téléphoniques
Vous pouvez appeler le CENFACS et raconter votre histoire par téléphone.
• • Narration audio et écoute
Vous pouvez utiliser la capacité audio pour raconter votre histoire de bénévolat. La narration audio (avec de courts récits numériques, la baladodiffusion, les médias sociaux et la diffusion en ligne) peut aider à créer et à partager l’impact du changement que vous avez apporté ou que vous apportez.
• • Expériences de courts métrages
Vous pouvez faire des courts métrages pour soutenir vos expériences de narration et créer un impact social. Vous pouvez faire un film sur votre téléphone intelligent avec un contenu vidéo. Tourner des entretiens avec les participants à l’histoire peut également aider à créer des expériences qui maximisent les médias sociaux et les contenus essentiels de l’histoire.
• • Options vidéo
Vous pouvez utiliser les appels vidéo audio haute définition (par exemple, les appels vidéo Skype ou Google Meet pour les options de vidéoconférence) pour raconter et partager votre histoire avec le CENFACS et d’autres.
Si vous allez utiliser des options vidéo, il est préférable d’utiliser une option gratuite et un programme à but non lucratif, car ils sont accessibles à tous à la maison ou où qu’ils soient, surtout en cette période de crise du coût de la vie.
Certains de nos usagers et membres peuvent ne pas être en mesure de payer pour certains types d’options vidéo sur le marché. C’est pourquoi il est préférable d’utiliser quelque chose qui est accessible à la majorité des gens.
Aux fins de la protection des données, veuillez utiliser les conseils de sécurité joints à l’option choisie.
Si vous savez que vous allez raconter votre histoire par appel vidéo ou par conférence et que vous souhaitez que le CENFACS participe ou se joigne à vous, vous devez nous en informer au moins trois jours avant le début de votre appel ou de votre conférence afin que nous puissions nous planifier.
Vous devez également nous informer de la date, de l’heure et éventuellement des participants. Vous pouvez envoyer un courriel, téléphoner, envoyer un texte ou remplir le formulaire de contact pour nous le faire savoir car nous sommes occupés comme vous.
Si vous avez une histoire, vous pouvez la raconter et la partager avec nous et d’autres personnes par les moyens susmentionnés. Et si cela ne vous dérange pas, nous diffuserons – avec votre permission – vos histoires au sein de la communauté CENFACS.
Main Development
• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty
The following three sub-headings explain our advocacy about Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty:
a) Rebuilding as a Next Step after Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope
b) Rebuilding Projects
c) Rebuilding Activities.
Let us briefly explain the contents of these sub-headings.
• • Rebuilding as a Next Step after Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope
As argued above, Rebuilding is the next step in our process of helping in reducing the impacts and effects of war and natural disaster events or any other major crises. Saying that we are going to rebuild Africa, it does not mean that we are going to remake all the sectors of Africa from scratch.
Rebuilding in the context of our poverty relief work has to be placed in the perspective of working with and helping poor people and their organisations to overcome the ill effects of wars and natural disasters or any other major crises (like the coronavirus, the cost-of-living crisis). It is down to Africans to rebuild Africa, not CENFACS. CENFACS as a charity just gives a helpful hand to them to reduce or better end poverty.
• • • What Rebuilding Africa is about
Rebuilding Africa addresses the legacies left by destructive wars and natural disaster events or any other major crises like the coronavirus and the current cost-of-living crisis. Every year, many human and wild lives as well as other ways of life have been destroyed as a result of wars, armed conflicts, economic shocks and environmental disasters. These events often lead to humanitarian catastrophes, emergencies, contingencies, crises and responses.
What’s more, where there is destructive war, there is always a destruction of the environmental life. Examples of these Destroyed Lives are what happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Chad, in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali, etc.
Rebuilding Africa initiative tries to respond to these events by undertaking projects planning and development activity within CENFACS and in association with our Africa-based sister organisations.
• • • What this Projects Planning and Development is about
Project planning can be approached in many ways. According to ‘coursera.com’ (11),
“Project planning is the second stage of the project management lifecycle. The full cycle includes initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and closing. Project planning refers to the phase in project management in which you determine the actual steps to complete a project. This includes laying out timelines, establishing the budget, setting milestones, assessing risks, and solidifying tasks and assigning them to team members”.
In terms of Projects Planning and Development process within CENFACS, this process enables us to know the needs on the grounds and reach out to those in most need in Africa. It also assists to improve our way of doing development work, to rethink and exchange new ideas, avenues, approaches, theories and projects to better respond to the following:
√ New economic pressures and influences that can lead to the destruction of human and wild lives as well as other livelihoods or ways of life
√ New emerging threats and risks (like the coronavirus, geo-economic confrontation and the current cost-of-living crisis)
√ New types of needs to rebuild destroyed lives (including infrastructures) in Africa
√ Future risks and crises that are likely to happen and to cause human sufferings or impacts (like failure to climate change adaptation, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse).
This planning and development process is within the context of enhancing our African Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives programme. More details about this programme can be found from CENFACS.
• • Rebuilding Projects
Rebuilding Projects are responses to assist in Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty. In this respect, projects planning and development for responses include environmental and war events as well as near future risks and crises. In other words, we undertake projects planning and development linked to three events: wars, natural disasters, and future risks or crises.
• • • Project developments linked to environmental events
Project developments linked to environmental events may respond to the following:
∝ Short-term environmental strikes
(E.g., Recent deadly floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in the Democratic Republic of Congo that created around 400 fatalities)
∝ Disasters linked to climate change cycles
(E.g., Drought in the Horn of Africa in 2022 that destroyed crops and livelihoods)
∝ Long-term environmental storms and catastrophes.
(E.g., The prospect for oil spills to poison agriculture, waterways, and the atmosphere with hazardous chemicals in oil exploiting African countries; the risk of freshwater sources to be contaminated in some parts of Africa by viruses, germs, parasites and pollutants creating water scarcity; the likelihood of further amplification of pressure on biodiversity because of continued deforestation for agricultural processes with an associated demand for additional cleared cropland, especially in subtropical and tropical Sub-Saharan Africa with dense biodiversity)
• • • Project developments linked to war events
Project developments linked to war events may try to deal with the following:
∝ Short-term crises and armed conflicts and disputes
(For instance, the propensity of escalation of conflict between state and non-state armed groups over territory and natural resources in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo leading to worsening humanitarian conditions and heightened regional conflicts; the intensification of violence and worsening of humanitarian crisis in the Sahel particularly in the tri-border of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger)
∝ Wars linked to economic trends and business cycles
(For example, the possible geo-economic tensions between African Continental Free Trade Area and other trading blocs; the attempt of the United States of America to rival economic influence of China in Africa or the bid of Russia to curtail the French and British interests in Africa)
∝ Long-running and permanent wars and structural warfare.
(E.g., African State system as the underlying cause of conflict, a system made of juridical statehood, neo-patrimonial politics and strained centre-periphery relations as described by James J. Hentz (12); the deterioration of the conflict situation in Sudan with the possibility of long-running civil wars).
• • • Project developments linked to future risks and crises
Project developments linked to future risks and crises that are likely to happen and to have catastrophic impacts, may try to deal with the following:
∝ Natural disasters and extreme weather events leading to conflicts (for example, climate change has led to the emergence of terrorist groups and conflicts in Africa)
∝ Infectious diseases (for instance, the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease outbreaks like coronavirus, Ebola, cholera, dysentery, yellow fever, meningitis and other zoonoses that can contribute to morbidity and mortality)
∝ Natural resource crisis (such as rising prices of energy and food due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; crop yields falling in volume and nutritional value due to heat, changing weather patterns, dry and wet precipitation extremes)
∝ Geo-economic confrontation or interstate economic relations fracture as a consequence of Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has partly led to the current cost-of-living crisis and the weaponization of economic policy between globally integrated powers
∝ Failure to mitigate climate change (for instance, to make less severe deadliest weather disasters in Africa)
∝ Failure to climate-change adaptation (e.g., as climate changes through time, there will be shifts to the distribution of insects, pests and diseases. Failure to adaptation by these organisms can make them have problems with their surrounding environments)
∝ Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse (for example, extensive farming techniques, fast urbanisation, infrastructural development and illegal trafficking pose threats to Africa biodiversity).
∝ Economic and financial crises (e.g., any crises arising from a sovereign debt default, currency free falls and collapse of output that can severely impact our users and ASOs).
Project developments linked to environmental, war and future events will be a process of projects planning and development that has a triple response to environmental, war and future events for short, medium and long running crises. This planning will include also the organisation of specific activities to help the rebuilding process.
• • Rebuilding Activities
Rebuilding Activities are the tasks to be undertaking to help Rebuild Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty. Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty as advocacy includes four types of activities:
∝ Activities to end the bad past (or bad systems and structures) that led to the current crises (Advocacy to manage endings)
∝ Activities to manage transition (to turn endings to new beginnings)
∝ Activities to manage new beginnings
∝ Activities to manage the future.
• • • Activities to end the bad past (Advocacy to manage endings)
To build forward better with communities and ASOs, it is better to successfully manage the end of or close any thing that was not good. In other words, it is better not to return to or not to build back the systems and structures (e.g., endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities) that led to the current problems or crises.
However, building better is a backward and forward process. Even if one is in the process of building forward, they can still refer to the good things of the past to check if there is any link with the process of building forward. It is about curating your activities by leaving behind what did not work and taking forward what did work.
In this process of ending the bad past, we can refer to what Dr David P. Helfand (13) suggested in his book about career change. He outlined four coping mechanisms for coping with an ending, which include disengagement, disidentification, disenchantment and disorientation. These individual coping strategies can be extended to the area of dealing with endings of bad systems and structures that led to the cost-of-living crisis for many people.
For example, if one wants to rebuild Africa by ending the bad past of the cost-of-living crisis, they can break away from the context that brought it, look for a new self-identification, recognise disenchantment, and create a new vision and new orientation for Africa.
• • • Activities to manage transition (to turn endings to new beginnings)
The activities to manage transition will include the three stages of transition as described by the Centre for Creative Leadership (14), which are:
“accepting the ending, living in the neutral zone and reach your new beginnings”.
These activities will help to turn endings to new beginnings.
To conduct these activities, we are going to look at transition cycle. We shall as well recall the Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (15) change curve; in particular where changes can be integrated in renewed individuals.
By referring to her model of change, we can argue that people have already accepted and integrated the cost-of-living crisis in their mind sets as the 1960s theory of the five stages of grief or model of change curve by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross tells us. We have accepted that change is inevitable; so we could now return to where we were before the cost-of-living crisis with changes rather than against them. We can now move on with change and transition.
These advocacy activities to manage transition will be based on wellbeing economy, inclusiveness and safety to manage the process of coming out the cost-of-living crisis.
For example, we can advocate with ASOs so that they are not left behind in Africa’s recovery efforts from the negative effects of the polycrises (i.e., the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, climate change catastrophe and human insecurity). Our advocacy message could be that talks about financial recovery should include ASOs.
• • • Activities to manage new beginnings
The activities relating to the management of new beginnings will help to work with communities and ASOs to set up new goals, to identify opportunities and threats in the new development landscape (like the post-cost-of-living-crisis era). We shall work with them via advice, tips and hints to manage a new beginning.
For example, we can revisit ASOs’ mission and vision in the new era of post-cost-of-living reconstruction and in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty.
So, the activities to manage new beginnings will empower communities and ASOs to navigate their ways to improve in those areas where polycrises have brought a new window of opportunities and scope to learn and develop. It is an advocacy work to freshly start and plan future.
• • • Activities to manage the future
By using futuring and visioning methods, it is possible develop scenarios, horizon scanning and trend monitoring/analysis to help build forward better. These activities will enable us to better equip to minimise the likely harmful impacts of future risks and crises. As Stephen Millett (16) puts it
“[But] building future planning into your everyday practices is not only vital – it’s eminently doable”
The activities will be conducted to help communities and ASOs to meet their goals of building forward together greener, cleaner and safer.
For any enquiries and queries about any of these activities, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
For further details about Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty, please also contact CENFACS.
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• References
(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/overview (accessed in May 2023)
(2) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2023), Trade and Development Update: Global Trends and Prospects at https://unctad.org/publications/trade-and-development-report-update-april-2023 (accessed in May 2023)
(3) https://ijrcenter.org/ihr-reading-room/overview-of-the-human-rights-framework/(accessed in May 2023)
(4) https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights (accessed in May 2023)
(5) https://reasonandmeaning.com/2016/03/31/the-difference-between-the-moral-and-the-legal/ (accessed in May 2023)
(6) https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/definitions-what-is-human-dignity/ (accessed in May 2023)
(7) https://www.ohchr.org/en/indigenous-peoples/un-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples (accessed in May 2023)
(8) https://www.ohchr.org/about-us/high-commissioner (accessed in May 2023)
(9) https://www.definitions.net/definition/local+community# (accessed in May 2023)
(10) https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentationdetail/27201468765605934/indicators-for-monitoring-poverty-reduction (accessed in May 2023)
(11) https://www.coursera.org/articles/project-planning (accessed in May 2023)
(12) Hentz, J. J. (2019), Toward a Structural Theory of War in Africa at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19392206.2019.1628449?journalcode=uafs20 (accessed in May 2023)
(13) Helfand, D. P. (1995), Career Change: Everything You Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career, Careers Series/VCM Career Horizons, the University of Michigan
(14) Centre for Creative Leadership at https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/adapting-to-change-its-about-the-transition/ (accessed in May 2023)
(15) Kübler-Ross E., 1969: On Death and Dying, New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc.
(16) Millett, S. at https://www.triarchypress.net/managing-the-future.html (accessed in May 2023)
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• 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.
Additionally, we would like to inform you that planned gifting is always an option for giving at CENFACS. Likewise, CENFACS accepts matching gifts from companies running a gift-matching programme.
Donate to support CENFACS!
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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 2023 and beyond.
With many thanks.
