Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
27 March 2024
Post No. 345
The Week’s Contents
• Spring Relief 2024: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes
• Climate Action 4: Give to Environmental Organisations and Poverty Reduction (18 to 25/03/2024)
• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Transitory Poverty
… And much more!
Key Messages
• Spring Relief 2024: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes
As explained in the last week’s post, the 2024 process of Building Forward Better Together includes all the elements of 2023 Process of Building Forward Greener, Cleaner and Safer that related to the cost-of-living crisis. However, the focus for the 2024 process will be on resetting the system. The context of Building Forward Better Together has also changed. It is the context of Squeezed Household Spending.
Therefore, the theme for this Spring Relief 2024 is still ‘Build Forward Better Together to a Greener, Cleaner, Safer, Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Future’ but within the context of Squeezed Household Spending. We will be working on resetting the system, our system of poverty reduction. What is is resetting the system?
• • Basic Understanding of Resetting the System
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (1) explains that
“Re-set aims at giving tools to direct economic recovery to drive sustainable growth that will be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement”.
In resetting our system of poverty reduction, we are going to do the same. We are going to work with the community and find together the tools to move the community’s sustainable recovery to help reduce or end sustained poverty. We are going to get this move on by making sure it is in agreement with Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. There are many ways of resetting the system. What are they?
• • Ways of Resetting Our System of Poverty Reduction
There are many ways in which a system can be reset. For example, the World Economic Forum (2) gives four ways of resetting the system, which are:
a) Change our mindset
b) Create new metrics
c) Design new incentives
d) Build genuine connection.
We are going to refer to the World Economic Forum’s ways of resetting the system to reset our system of poverty reduction. We are going to do it through Spring Relief’s theme which we have already announced. The announcement of Spring Relief’s theme comes with that of activities, projects and programmes making it or the notes composing this theme. We have provided, under the Main Development section of this post, the activities, projects and programmes we have selected to make this Spring – Spring Relief 2024 Season.
Please go to the Main Development to read more about them.
• Climate Action 4: Give to Environmental Organisations and Poverty Reduction (18 to 25/03/2024)
The fourth and last Climate Action of the month is to Give either money or goods or services to environmental groups and organisations, particularly but not limited to those that are helping to reduce or end poverty. To tackle this Climate Action 4, we have organised our notes in the following manner:
σ What do we mean by giving to environmental organisations?
σ Why it is important to give to environmental organisations?
σ Types of giving to environmental organisations
σ What are those environmental organisations we are talking about?
σ Working with the community on giving to environmental organisations
σ A final word about Climate Action 2024.
Let us briefly explore each of these elements.
• • What Do We Mean by Giving to Environmental Organisations?
It is about supporting those groups and/or organisations that are making a difference in protecting the planet and fighting climate change.
Giving to these groups and organisations something is a way of valuing and recognising their invaluable work. More than recognising their work, it is about the impacts their work can generate for a net zero and free poverty world/future.
• • Why It Is Important to Give to Environmental Organisations?
Environmental organisations are perhaps the best advocates and campaigners to explain themselves to any funders or donors why they should give to them money or any other types of donation. Without replacing their advocacy and campaigning machines, let us simply say it is better to give to those organisations that have chosen as their core mission to deal with sustainability and poverty reduction than those that do it as an appended activity or a legal requirement simply.
There could be a high probability that those that take environmental matter as their core mission will make sure that your giving provides the outcome you/we want of net zero world. Likewise, there could be certainty that those organisations that have chosen poverty reduction as their charitable objects will be keen to deliver impacts on poverty reduction, rather than those that run poverty-reduction activities as an appendix to their main trading activity. But, what can you give to environmental organisations?
• • Types of Giving to Environmental Organisations
Without conducting the taxonomy of the kinds of giving that one may provide to environmental organisations, let us simply say that you can give your time, goods or money to environmental causes that support sustainability. Sometimes, the expression of green giving is used to mean the same thing.
Briefly speaking, depending on your sensitivity, means and capacities; you can donate goods (like books, clothes, bottles, etc.). You can as well make a financial contribution such as carbon offset credits, green bonds, crowdfunding, etc. You can finally donate your time by volunteering. But, what are these organisations to give to?
• • What Are Those Environmental Organisations We Are Talking about?
Without making any judgement between what constitutes environmental organisation and what does not, it is possible to list some of the organisations to which one can give their donation.
For example, the website ‘moralfibres.co.uk’ (3) gives a list of 15 plus environmental charities in the UK; charities you could support. This list can be found at the following web address:
https://moralfibres.co.uk/best-environmental-charities-in-the-uk/
Another example comes from the website ‘ourendangeredword.com’ (4) which lists 15 best environmental organisations in Africa. You can read this second list at the web address below:
https://www.ourendangeredworld.com/african/
The organisations listed on the above-mentioned two websites are not only the ones you can donate. There are more organisations; just as there are countless environmental activities, projects and programmes run by various organisations that one may consider. They could be local or national or regional or international.
For example, within CENFACS we run Poverty-Environment Programme (PEP), which one may consider for giving as part of their Climate Action. PEP is a combination of poverty alleviation and the environmental aspects of sustainable development in order to support Africa-based sister Organisations and communities. The main focus of PEP is on environment and its linkages with poverty.
For those of our members having some difficulties in finding the kind of environmental organisations they can give to, they can work with CENFACS.
• • Working with the Community on Giving to Environmental Organisations
Part of Climate Actions this month is also about working with our members who would like to do something for the environment, but they are not finding out the way or the best way of doing it. Those of our members who have something to offer to environmental organisations and are not sure what to do, CENFACS can work with them so that they can direct their giving towards the organisation or service of their wish.
CENFACS can work with them to search their ideal potential recipient organisation. We can analyse together information about the ideal organisations and their impacts on climate change and poverty reduction matters.
For Africa-based Sister Environmental Organisations and those members of our community who are interested in the fourth action of our Climate Action Month, action which is Give to Environmental Organisations and Poverty Reduction; they are welcome to contact CENFACS. To work with CENFACS on giving to environmental organisations, you need to contact CENFACS.
This note for Climate Action 4 ends this Week’s Climate Action contents.
• • A Final Word about Climate Action 2024
Climate action is about action, not words only. We have only written these notes to guide us and galvanise our action. This is because to take action, one needs a roadmap or simply to say how they are going to conduct this action.
As said above, the notes on Climate Action 4 conclude this Week’s Climate Action contents without ending our March 2024 Climate Actions. There will be impact monitoring and evaluation on 29 and 30/03/2024 to wrap up the Climate Action March 2024.
For any other queries and enquiries about CENFACS‘ Climate Action Month, the theme of ‘Investing in the Environment and Poverty Reduction’ and the All Four Climate Actions; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Transitory Poverty
Reduction of Transitory Poverty is part of CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (5). What is transitory poverty?
• • Explaining Transitory Poverty
It is about reducing climate-induced poverty or situational (or transitory) poverty amongst the victims of natural disasters and destructive wars. Amongst natural conditions and events are desertification and drought in Africa, mostly in arid and semi-arid areas of Africa.
There are various initiatives taken by and on behalf of people suffering from desertification in Africa. These initiatives include: forest recovery, prevention of soil degradation, re-fertilisation of lands, replanting trees, afforestation, reduction of stress on food producing capacity, improvement in biodiversity, etc. There are also projects carried out to reduce drought such as reduction in deficits in rainfall, river flow, soil moisture and food.
Beyond these initiatives, we are as well going to look at projects set up and run by our Africa-based Sister Environmental and Non-environmental Organisations to help their locals to come out poverty linked to desertification and drought in Africa. An example of these initiatives include irrigation project in Chad with one of CENFACS’ sister organisations working on the ground.
• • Implications for Selecting the Goal for the Month
After selecting the goal for the month, we focus our efforts and mind set on the selected goal by making sure that in our real life we apply it. We also expect our supporters to work on the same goal by supporting those who may be suffering from the type of poverty linked to the goal for the month we are talking about during the given month (e.g., March 2024).
For further details on the goal of the month and its selection procedure including its support, please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3)
• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 6: Starting the Organisation of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects
• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses Deconflicting Mineral Exploitation in Africa for Further Poverty Reduction
• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3)
Since the global climate community committed itself to transition away from fossil fuels at the end of COP28 (6), the Installation Sub-phase of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level (TCPSACI) has moved from Installation sub-phase (phase 3.2) to Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3).
To understand this new sub-phase of our Climate Protection and Children Advocacy, one may need to know what implementation means.
• • What Is Implementation?
Implementation is the act of carrying out, fulfilling or performing something. The website ‘parentcenterhub.org’ (7) states that implementation science is the study of the processes needed to bring new practices into widespread use.
This view on implementation and the science behind it will help in the way we run our climate protection advocacy within CENFACS. In particular, it will contribute in explaining Initial Implementation sub-phase of this phase of our Climate Talks Follow-up Project; stage known as Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level.
• • What Is Initial Implementation Sub-phase?
Referring to the definition of implementation given above, Initial Implementation sub-phase is about bringing new practices into climate protection and stake for children so that whoever works on this issue can improve child and family outcomes. It is also the stage at which new practices are put in place in terms of climate protection and stake for children. It is further a learning sub-phase of using data and information for continuous improvement on reducing or nullifying the adverse impacts of climate change on children.
Besides this Initial Implementation, we are continuing to work on the outcomes of COP28 (op. cit.) and how they can fit into CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.3, and how they can help us prepare for COP29 (8) which will be convened in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Without anticipating what may happen at the climate talks in Baku, let us inform our supporters that the slogan for this follow-up is: Baku Implements It for Children!
To enquire about this work on fit within CENFACS and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.3, please contact CENFACS.
• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –
Step/Workshop 6: Starting the Organisation of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects
After negotiating and agreeing the terms of your all-year-round project, you can now start organising it.
• • Organising Your All-year Round Projects
This is the step from which you start to put in place your organisational structure. In project planning parlance, you will identify the roles and responsibilities (as shown in the table below) of each person to be involved in the project in order to facilitate the coordination and implementation of the project activities.
• • An Example of Organising Your All-year Round Projects
Let say you would like to Run for Poverty Reduction and you want to undertake it as a group in your local area. You decide to set up a running group and to name it as “All-year-round Runners’ Group”.
To start your organisation, you will proceed with the points below.
• • • Create a Basic Organisational Structure
You can create a basic organisational structure that identifies your project personnel, creates a management and delivery teams, and assigns roles and responsibilities including coordination. In practical terms, you will have to decide on the following:
Who is (are) going…
∝ to be first at the meeting/gathering point each time the running takes place?
∝ to hold the contact number/details of the group to keep everybody on board?
∝ to keep the attendance register?
∝ to check that everybody is fit and well to run?
∝ to lead or coordinate the run?
∝ to deal with health and safety of the group?
∝ to sort out the equipment if any?
∝ to care for people belongings while they are running?
∝ to make sure that everyone is countable after the Run?
∝ to record your Run event (e.g., filming it, using camera on your phone, a video or voice recorder, etc.)?
∝ to check that everyone leaves the meeting/gathering point safely after the event?
etc.
Depending on your skills, knowledge, experience and resources; you may add more roles and responsibilities.
You can even include a fundraising element into your running activity.
• • • Including a Fundraising Element into Your Run
If your Run involves any fundraising activity, you need to decide who will volunteer to undertaking fundraising responsibility (or everybody in the group). You can decide how much to raise each time you run without making it as an obligation since the aim of your Run is not to raise money. The aim of your Run is to impact poverty, the health and wellbeing of group members.
• • • Impact Reporting on Your Run
If you would like to report on your Run, you need to appoint someone to produce a report. You can decide everyone of your members reports on their own Run session/activity. In fact, it is a good idea to report on your Run. This is one of the ways of capturing and sharing the impact you are making on yourself, on the group and others. In monitoring and evaluation jargon, it is called impact reporting.
• • • Monitoring and Evaluating the Performance of Each Runner and Giving a Prize
If your group is going to select the best runner of the year 2024 and give a prize/reward accordingly; then you need to organise yourself to monitor and evaluate the performance of each runner against your given performance criteria throughout the year, and decide by the 23rd of December 2024 who is the group’s best runner of the year 2024.
For those who would like to dive deeper into Start Organising their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses Deconflicting Mineral Exploitation in Africa for Further Poverty Reduction
Since minerals were discovered in Africa, they have always been subject of conflict in many parts of Africa. This is to such an extent that some African countries (like the Democratic Republic of Congo) are object of covetousness. And it is not a surprise to hear the civil insecurity that is happening in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo because of its natural resources.
To highlight the impacts of minerals on conflicts, ‘climatelinks.org’ (9) explains that
“Minerals are linked to violent conflict in three primary ways: a) minerals can finance violent conflict b) mining can lead to low-scale conflicts c) mineral wealth can increase vulnerability and corruption, which weaken states and their ability to effectively govern and maintain security, thereby opening the door to violent conflict”.
Against this perspective, let us argue that a good use of minerals can help reduce poverty. In particularly, if there is a fair and just distribution of the mineral revenues (or incomes from the sale of minerals) through direct dividend transfers to the poor, this will hugely help the poor, as explained by Marcelo M. Giugale (10).
However, what we are talking here is conflict in mineral exploitation and how to remove conflict from this exploitation. In this context, CENFACS be.Africa Forum is asking these two questions:
1) How can Africa deconflict mineral exploitation and create more opportunities to reduce and perhaps end poverty within itself?
2) What strategy can Africa put in place to manage the dividend from this deconflicting process to support the poor since conflicts are making Africa to lose a lot of money from its minerals at the expense of poverty?
The above two questions, which shape the main line of thought for our e-discussion for this week, are open to anyone to answer. CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum would like to hear what you think.
Those who may be interested in this discussion can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters and themes of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa. They can contact us at our usual address on this site.
Message in French (Message en français)
• À paraître pendant ce printemps 2024: le numéro 83 de FACS qui s’intitulera …
Le commerce caritatif, l’investissement et la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique
Le commerce et l’investissement peuvent faire une grande différence dans la vie de ceux ou celles qui vivent dans la pauvreté. Le commerce n’a pas toujours pour but lucratif. Les organismes de bienfaisance et les organisations bénévoles font du commerce et peuvent le faire, mais pas pour faire ou distribuer des bénéfices. Néanmoins, leur capacité à commercer est limitée (11).
En outre, il existe des règles (notamment au Royaume-Uni) sur les types d’activités considérées comme commerciales. Les organismes de bienfaisance peuvent diriger et/ou posséder des magasins (p. ex., des magasins de bienfaisance). Les organismes de bienfaisance peuvent faire du commerce en créant une société commerciale distincte, une filiale ou une société auxiliaire. Le commerce caritatif peut aider à soutenir la mission des organismes de bienfaisance et leurs objectifs caritatifs, comme la réduction de la pauvreté.
En effet, d’après ‘charityretail.org.uk’ (12),
«Entre 2022 et 2023, la contribution des bénéfices de la vente au détail caritative aux organisations caritatives mères s’est élevée à 387 millions de livres sterling. La valeur sociale générée par les magasins de charité au Royaume-Uni s’est élevée à 75,3 milliards de livres sterling entre janvier et décembre 2022».
Le commerce et l’investissement des organisations caritatives fera l’objet du 83e numéro de FACS. Ce numéro de FACS portera donc sur le commerce et l’investissement gérés par des organisations caritatives sœurs basées en Afrique pour aider à réduire la pauvreté et les difficultés parmi les personnes dans le besoin. Il comprendra également les activités commerciales menées par les membres ou les bénéficiaires de ces organisations, qui sont engagés dans le commerce pour réduire la pauvreté ou simplement pour joindre les deux bouts du mois. Parmi ces personnes, il y a les pauvres qui traversent quotidiennement les frontières pour vendre des biens et des services afin de joindre les deux bouts du mois. Le 83e numéro de FACS se concentrera sur ces organisations et ces individus qui vendent des biens et des services dans le but de sortir de la pauvreté.
Le 83e numéro de FACS examinera les théories contemporaines du commerce et l’espace qu’elles offrent pour expliquer le commerce dans le secteur caritatif et bénévole, en particulier en Afrique. Loin d’être un simple exposé théorique de ces théories ou modèles, le 83e numéro de FACS visera à fournir les justifications ou les arguments du commerce au sein du monde caritatif et bénévole. L’une de ces justifications vient du Conseil du Commerce International (13) qui soutient que
«La croissance économique stimulée par le commerce international peut contribuer directement à la réduction de la pauvreté. Lorsque les pays exportent des biens et des services, ils génèrent non seulement des revenus, mais créent également des opportunités d’emploi, ce qui peut aider les gens à sortir de la pauvreté».
Le 83e numéro de FACS traitera du commerce intra-régional réalisé par les organisations caritatives africaines et de la manière dont ce commerce contribue à réduire la pauvreté. En tant que traité de commerce intra-régional, le 83ème numéro de FACS envisagera les cas de commerce au sein de la région de l’Afrique et l’espace donné par la Zone de Libre-échange Continentale Africaine avec tous les avantages et inconvénients que cette zone contient. Ce faisant, le 83e numéro de FACS ne portera pas atteinte à la valeur du commerce effectué au-delà des frontières de l’Afrique.
Le 83e numéro de FACS sera une histoire de création d’échanges, plutôt que de détournement d’échanges, afin de réduire la pauvreté et d’améliorer le développement durable. De ce point de vue, le 83e numéro de FACS sera une illustration de la façon dont les organisations caritatives basées en Afrique tentent de saisir la fenêtre d’opportunités offertes par un régime de libre-échange pour réduire la pauvreté dans divers secteurs de l’autonomisation humaine.
Concrètement, le 83e numéro de FACS sera un ouvrage pratique expliquant comment les bénéficiaires pauvres et vulnérables tentent de créer des moyens utilisables pour vivre et chasser la pauvreté. Pour chasser la pauvreté par le commerce, ces bénéficiaires ont besoin de compétences commerciales. Ainsi, l’investissement dans ces bénéficiaires pour l’acquisition ou l’amélioration de leurs compétences sera traité dans le cadre de la 83ème édition de FACS, au même titre que la transmission et le partage des compétences et du savoir-faire.
Pour en savoir plus sur ce nouveau numéro, veuillez continuer à consulter les articles à venir du CENFACS pendant ce printemps 2024. Pour réserver un exemplaire papier de ce 83e numéro de FACS, veuillez contacter le CENFACS avec vos coordonnées postales.
Main Development
• Spring Relief 2024: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes
We can present Spring Relief 2024 by re-explaining its Focus and highlighting its Activities, Projects and Programmes. This is without forgetting the meanings or properties of the kind of building we would like to erect. So, the following items covers Spring Relief 2024:
σ Spring Relief 2024 Focus
σ Properties of our Reset System of Poverty Reduction
σ Spring Relief 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes
Let us briefly uncover the above-mentioned items.
• • Spring Relief 2024 Focus
The 2024 process of Building Forward Better Together includes all the elements of 2023 Process of Building Forward Greener, Cleaner and Safer that related to the cost-of-living crisis. However, the focus will be on resetting the system.
The theme for this Spring Relief 2024 is still “Build Forward Better Together to a Greener, Cleaner, Safer, Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Future” but within the context of Squeezed Household Spending. We will be working on resetting the system, our system of poverty reduction.
To reset it, we need activities, projects and programmes. But, before we unveil these activities, projects and programmes; let us clarify the meaning of build greener, cleaner, inclusive, safer and climate-resilient.
• • Properties of Our Reset System of Poverty Reduction
We are going to look at these properties through the Meanings of Build Greener, Cleaner, Safer, Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Future.
a) Build Greener
To understand build greener, one may need to know green building.
According to ‘greengroundswell.com’ (14),
“Green building is the practice of designing, constructing, and operating buildings to: minimise resource use, reduce waste and negative environmental impacts, maximise occupant health and productivity, and decrease life costs”.
In our process of resetting the system, we shall make sure that we do it within the spirit of green building.
b) Build Cleaner
Referring to the definition of ‘buildclean.com.au’ (15),
“Build clean is about removing all the debris, dust and leftover materials that are left behind after a construction project. It ensures that the site is safe and free from any debris or materials that could cause harm to workers or visitors to the site”.
To reset our system of poverty reduction, we need to guarantee that the reset system is safe and free from any materials or hazards that may harm our community members and/or any one who may benefit from the reset system.
c) Build Safer
We want our reset system of poverty reduction to be safer as well. What do we mean by that?
The website ‘britsafe.org’ (16) tells us that
“A safe building means that anyone who has responsibility for any building at any point in its lifecycle should be prioritising a building safety culture over the concerns like saving time and money – including those working in architectural design studios, on construction sites, in local authority and housing association offices, in housing management companies and so on”.
In the process of resetting our system of poverty reduction, it is important that we demonstrate commitment to protecting lives by putting freedom from danger first and ahead of all other considerations or priorities.
d) Build Inclusive
If we want our reset system of poverty reduction to be for all, it must be inclusive. Its design needs to be inclusive. What do we mean by build inclusive or inclusive design?
The website ‘thenbs.com’ (17) explains the following:
“The way a building is designed either enables or disables a person from accessing. An inclusive environment can be accessed by everyone regardless of disability, age, ethnicity or gender”.
We want our reset system of poverty reduction to be accessible to all our members regardless of their disability, age, ethnicity, gender, profession, earning ability, etc.
e) Build Climate-resilient Future
To adapt and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, it requires resilience by the current and future generations. Building a climate-resilient system of poverty reduction is also needed. But, what do we mean by climate resilience?
The International Panel for Climate Change (18) explains this:
“Striving for Climate Resilient Development means reducing exposure and vulnerability to climate hazards, cutting back greenhouse gas emissions and conserving biodiversity are given the highest priorities in everyday decision-making and policies on all aspects of society including energy, industry, health, water, food, urban development, housing and transport”.
We would like our reset system of poverty reduction to be free from exposure and vulnerability to climate change adverse impacts and effects.
The above are the properties of our reset system of poverty reduction; properties which will be part of the activities, projects and programmes we have planned to deliver this Spring. What are those activities, projects and programmes?
• • Spring Relief 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes
CENFACS is delighted to present its New Season’s (Spring) Collection of Selected Activities, Projects and Programmes with a choice of relief and climate smart services. For each of these activities, projects and programmes; you will find climate resilient development ambition as well as user-friendly and –centred relief. They are designed with the scents of inclusivity, cleanness, safety, sustainability and resilience.
These are the activities, projects and programmes to rebuild lives, infrastructures and institutions as we move forward better together greener, cleaner, inclusive and safer towards a net-zero world. They are free, but we do not mind donations. The more you donate, the more we can help relieve lives.
Please find below the selection of Spring Relief 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes.
• • • April: Protection Month
There will be two initiatives to deliver and sustain protection in April 2024, which are:
Protection of Women and Children against Societal Polarization, and Protection of Household Life-sustaining Expenditures.
a) Women and Children Projects (3W & PPS Reflection Day):
Reflection on Protection of Women and Children against Societal Polarization (Protection project)
On our Reflection Day, we will reflect on ways of tackling societal polarization. What is societal polarization?
According to the World Economic Forum (19),
“Societal polarization is ideological and cultural divisions within and across communities leading to declining social stability, gridlocks in decision-making, economic disruption, and increased political polarization” (p. 97)
The same World Economic Forum tells us societal polarization is the third-most severe risk over the short term and consistent concern amongst the groups it surveyed.
Our Reflection Day will try to look at ways of protecting and give sense of security to women and children from this third-most severe risk – societal polarization. In particular, we shall reflect on ways of tackling polarization as suggested by the United Nations Development Programme (20); ways which are:
σ acting on people’s misperceptions about issues [of women and children] and about the groups that they do not affiliate with
σ enhancing cross-cutting social ties that transcend group divisions (or creating space to bridge divides)
σ Addressing perceptions of insecurity.
Additionally, we shall reflect on rebuilding trust and a sense of shared values out of the context of polarizing rhetoric on our network and system of protection in the process of building forward better together greener, cleaner, inclusive, safer and climate-resilient future.
b) Protection of Household Life-sustaining Expenditures. (Protection and Expenditure project)
There has been squeeze on household spending and on living standards, as evidence suggests. Household spending needs to be protected and ring-fenced. We shall look at measures to protect household life-sustaining expenditures.
• • • May: Stories Telling Month
The plan for May 2024 is made of two main features:
Stories Telling and Sharing project, and the continuation of our Rebuilding Africa project/campaign.
a) All in Development Stories (Volunteer’s Stories Telling & Sharing project)
Tell Your Story of Resetting the System – Tell it!
Entries for Stories on Poverty Relief and Development for May 2024 (May Stories) are now open. To tell and share your story of change for change to CENFACS, please contact CENFACS for story telling terms and conditions.
This year’s All in Development Stories will be about how people and communities are trying or have tried to reset the system to fast-forward to an inclusive, climate resilient and sustainable future.
This year’s stories are those of:
σ giving tools to direct economic recovery
σ driving sustainable growth
σ aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement in the process of resetting systems.
They are the tales of physical, social, environmental, financial and economic reset of systems.
For example, there will be stories of transition to climate-resilient development.
b) Rebuilding Africa: Building Systemic Resilience with Communities and Africa-based Organisations (Advocacy programme)
Resilience will be viewed in a broad sense as Masten, quoted by Ungar (21), explains it. Masten defines resilience as
“The capacity of dynamic system to adapt successfully to disturbances that threaten system function, viability, or development. The concept can be applied to systems of many kinds at many interacting levels, both living and non-living, such as a micro-organism, a child. a family, a security/system, an economy, a forest, or the global climate”.
Building systemic resilience with communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations will be about adapting our system of poverty reduction with both of them to any potential disturbances that may threaten this system.
In the process of building systemic resilience, we shall have two types of building as highlighted below.
b.1) Building Systemic Resilience with Communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) will be based on the broad sense of resilience.
b.2) Building Resilience of Our System of Poverty Reduction with Communities and ASOs will specifically deal with the resilience of our system of poverty reduction (like financial resilience of our community members).
In both building processes (b.1 and b.2), we are going to use the three parts of systemic resilience as suggested by ‘practiceplan.co.uk’ (22). These parts are:
1) The responsibility of everyone in building resilience
2) The insurance that our interactions with others do not make life harder for them
3) Our contribution to other people’s resilience.
• • • June: Creation & Innovation Month
This June 2024 will be special as we are celebrating CENFACS as a Tricennial Creation. The plan for June 2024 includes the initiatives below.
a) Tricennium and Project 30 (History and Creation project)
Tricennium or CENFACS’ Tricennial Year (1994 to 2024) will be the first creation we will deal with in June 2024. Project 30 is an initiative set up to deliver CENFACS’ Pearl Jubilee or Tricennial Year.
Besides the Tricennium, we shall have creations and innovations that we need to transition to climate-resilient development and to reset our system of poverty reduction. So, this coming June, we shall deal with creations and innovations that help to transition to climate-resilient future and to reset our system of poverty reduction.
b) Creations and Innovations to transition to climate-resilient future (Creation and Innovation project)
Forming from nothing ideas or introducing changes to transition to climate resilient future and continue to move forward together will be the main activity during the month of June 2024. These creative ideas and innovative ways of working will enable to find the means to meet the level of ambition we have for the kind of sustainable development and future we want, which we hope will be climate-resilient and net zero one.
Using our experience, skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with the currently pressing and immediate needs of the time of squeezed household spending may not be enough unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate future crises. It means there could be another need to bring into existence ideas and introduce changes and new methods to address future crises if they happen when they happen.
c) Creations and Innovations to deal with squeezed household life-sustaining spending (Creation and Innovation project)
Squeeze on household spending means that one needs to find some creative and innovative ways of dealing with this squeeze if one wants to avoid the deepening of consumption poverty. It also means one may work out to develop an alternative in terms of ideas, skills and new knowledge to meet the basic expenditures of those who are unable to spend enough to avoid consumption poverty.
The above summarises the programmes, projects and activities we have planned to deliver this coming Spring. To request further information about Spring Relief 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes; please contact CENFACS.
Note:
The above initiatives are only a selection of what we have planned for Spring Relief Season 2024. We may introduce new initiatives and or upgrade the existing ones depending on the circumstances as we have from time to time to respond to emergencies and urgent humanitarian issues like we did with the sanitary crisis (the coronavirus) and the cost-of-living crisis crisis. In which case, we shall let you know.
Also, in every work we do to try to help reduce poverty, there is always a cost to bear. If you could help alleviate some of our costs, we would more acknowledge your support than just appreciate your gesture.
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• References
(1) https://archive.uneca.org/sites/default/files/PublicationFiles/building_forward_together.pdf (accessed in March 2024)
(2) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/building-blocks-of-the-great-reset/ (accessed in March 2024)
(3) https://moralfibres.co.uk/best-environmental-charities-in-the-uk/ (accessed in March 2024)
(4) https://www.ourendangeredword.com/african/ (accessed in March 2024)
(5) cenfacs.org.uk/2020/03/11/the-2020s-agenda-and-programme/ (accessed in March 2024)
(6) https://www.COP28.com/en (accessed in March 2024)
(7) https://www.parentcenterhub.org/guide-to-implementation-process/ (accessed in March 2024)
(8) https://unfccc.int/COP29 (accessed in March 2024)
(9) https://www.climatelinks.org/sites/default/files/asset/document/2020_USAID_Minerals-and-Conflict-A-Toolkit-for-Intervention.pdf (accessed in March 2024)
(10) Giugale, M. M. (2014), Economic Development: What Everyone Needs to Know, Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York
(11) ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance-/running-a-charity/financial-management/tax-and-trading/trading-and-charities/ (accessed in March 2024)
(12) https://www.charityretail.org.uk/key-statistics/ (accessed in March 2024)
(13) https://tradecouncil.org/exploring-the-relationship-between-international-trade-and-poverty-reduction/#
(14) https://greengroundswell.com/what-is-green-building-and-why-is-it-important/2013/04/08/ (accessed in March 2024)
(15) https://buildclean.com.au/what-is-a-build-clean-2/(accessed in March 2024)
(16) https://www.britsafe.org/safety-management/2023/building-a-safer-future# (accessed in March 2024)
(17) https://www.thenbs.com/knowledge/inclusive-design-and-the-riba-plan-of-work (accessed in March 2024)
(18) https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/about/frequently-asked-questions/keyfaq6/(accessed in March 2024)
(19) https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2024/ (accessed in March 2024)
(20) https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2023-24reporten.pdf (accessed in March 2024)
(21) Ungar, M. 2028. Systemic resilience: principles and processes for a science of change in contexts of adversity. Ecology and Society 23 (4): 34. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10385=230434 or https://www.psychologytoday.com/sites/default/files/ungar-systemic_resilience-ecology_society_2018.pdf (accessed in March 2024)
(22) https://www.practiceplan.co.uk/blog/practice-management/hr-team-development/what-is-systemic-resilience-and-how-can-it-help-you-and-your-employers/ (accessed in March 2024)
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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!
FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ NOBLE AND BEAUTIFUL 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 2024 and beyond.
With many thanks.
