Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
11 September 2024
Post No. 369
The Week’s Contents
• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life
• Coming in Autumn 2024: The 85th Issue of FACS which Will Be Titled as Pension Fund Management and Poverty Reduction by African Charities
• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 11/09/2024: Household Investment Planning
… And much more!
Key Messages
• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life
Back to school is a challenging time for many families and parents, especially for those on low-income brackets or those living in poverty. It is even harder for many of them as they are trying to strike a delicate balance between building forward educational life for children and still dealing with the lingering effects of the polycrises, particularly of the cost-of-living crisis. It is deeply demanding for them during this painful time of the enduring cost-of-living crisis as the expenses of sending back their children to school are fiercely competing with high living costs. Amongst these challenges, the greatest one for these families is back-to-school poverty, which has to be reduced and ended.
• • Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty
Back-to-school poverty is what we are trying to help reduce or eradicate within our back-to-relief programme and campaign this Autumn 2024, if one wants to lay down the foundations for improving the quality of life. In our latest posts, we explained what we mean by back-to-school poverty. In this post, we shall go beyond the reduction of this type of poverty.
Indeed, the reduction of back-to-school poverty should not be the end of road or an end itself. We need to go far in our way of working with the back-to-school poor so that they can improve the quality of their life. But, what do we mean by improving the quality of life for the back-to-school poor?
• • Meaning of Improving Quality of Life
To express improving quality of life, let us first explain the term ‘quality of life’. Our explanation of ‘quality of life’ comes from the World Health Organisation (WHO) quoted by Sarah Sperber on the website ‘berkeleywellbeing.com’ (1). The WHO’s explanation is
“The quality of life refers to an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns”.
As one can notice that the concept of ‘quality of life’ is a subjective measure of one’s wellbeing. But, it can also be an objective measure. It all depends on whether one sees it as an subjective or objective measure. What is mostly interesting is that ‘quality of life’ comes with factors, namely basic factors (such as being well-nourished, free of disease and having income) and complex factors (like self-respect, dignity and community engagement). These factors are the ones that need to be improved or ameliorated to produce a good quality of life for the back-to-school children and their families.
So, by working to reduce back-to-school poverty we are as well trying to help improve the quality of life. However, there is no direct relationship between the reduction of back-to-school poverty and the improvement of the back-to-school quality of life, unless one shows it in the way they are tackling back-to-school poverty.
In CENFACS‘ case, we are trying to help reduce back-to-school poverty while assisting in the improvement of the quality of life of the same back-to-school poor. We are doing it through the implementation of back-to-relief programme and services.
For more on the Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life, please read under the Main Development section of this post.
• Coming in Autumn 2024: The 85th Issue of FACS which Will Be Titled as Pension Fund Management and Poverty Reduction by African Charities
Like their counterparts in the other regions of the world, African charities can accumulate capital in the form of pension for their employees to be paid to them in their retirement. However, the possibility of this accumulation depends on the practices and history of pension funds management in Africa.
Historically and practically, pension assets compared to the Gross Domestic Product remains below 60% on average in most African countries. In this regard, Bright Africa (2) notes that
“In line with global trends, most retirement income in Africa is funded by its governments, but pension coverage on the continent remains low compared to the rest of the world”.
This low pension assets can be a problem both in terms of the management of pension funds and of reducing poverty among the elderly. Nevertheless, this weakness of pension assets sends a clear message to African charities and their pension fund managers on the area of pension fund management regarding the support in retirement plans they can provide to their employees, especially the poor ones. This weakness also makes the focus of the 85th Issue of FACS.
The 85th Issue will deal with pension funds management carried out by Africa charities, particularly those working with CENFACS – Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs). Essentially, it will focus on the practice of pension funds management done by ASOs. Although it will deal with practice, it will also consider the theories of pension fund management. In particular, it will consider both the financial theory of defined benefit pension schemes and that of defined contribution pension schemes. It will reconcile these theories with practices since the knowledge of a particular theory can lead to better choices in terms of investment options.
The 85th Issue will mostly put emphasis on ASO-based pension schemes and defined contribution schemes while considering pension funding risks in Africa. An example of pension funding risk could be the shortfall in contribution remittances to schemes like it happened during the coronavirus crisis.
The 85th Issue will make some proposals and explore grounds on which ASOs can affect the debate and practice over pension fund management in Africa. For example, proposals and explorations will be on ways of improving pension fund management so that poor charity sector employees and other poor pensioners (like those from informal economy) can feel the real helpful difference in their retirement time.
Without providing specialist advice on pension fund management to African charities, the Issue No. 85 is a general advice clinic for those ASOs that would like to take pension fund management seriously to accumulate capital to be paid out as pension for their employees when they retire at the end of their careers.
To get inside scoop on the Issue No. 85 or to reserve a copy before its publication, please contact CENFACS.
• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 11/09/2024: Household Investment Planning
Our 4-series of Financial Plan Updates for Households carries on this week as we are looking into the second serial of these updates, which is on Household Investment Planning. Before going any further, let us explain the meaning of investment planning.
• • What Is Investment Planning?
According to the blog on ‘jupiter.money’ (3),
“Investment planning is the process of identifying your financial goals and devising a strategy to achieve them. It involves aligning your goals with your financial resources and risk profile to find the best investment products that suit you”.
In simple terms, it is a strategy to make your money work for you and grow your money. It is a component of financial planning. Rich or poor, many households may need to develop a process or a future plan to grow their money. However, economic conditions and their own personal circumstances do change. This change can affect their investment plans. Because of that, they may need to update their investment planning in the light of changing conditions and circumstances.
There are financial literate households having the capacity to update their investment plans. There are other ones not having this capacity and experiencing challenges to update their investments. For the latter ones, they can work with CENFACS, if they want, to navigate ways of redeveloping and renewing their investment plans as well as executing them.
• • Working with the Community on Investment Planning
Working with households to get their investment planning get organised or renewed include the following:
σ needs assessment of their financial situation and investment plan update
σ determination and review of their financial goals and investment plan if they have one
σ assessing their risk tolerance and appetite
σ exploring different investment options or horizons according to their household financial situation
σ determination their asset allocation in relation to asset classes (e.g., equity, debt, gold, real estate, green bonds and government securities)
σ building their investment portfolio
σ dealing with investment diversification (spreading investments across asset classes)
σ monitoring and evaluation of their investment portfolios
etc.
Additionally, we can look at the impact of different scenarios of economic events, difficult economic situations (e.g., downturns) and the volatility of capital markets on their investment planning. In the light of this information, we can work together to update their investment plan.
Those who may be interested in updating their Investment Plan can contact CENFACS for further details.
If you need support with your Investment Plan Updates, please do not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Brown Spaces-focused Note from Wednesday 11/09/2024: The Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards
• Summer 2024 Reporting in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics
• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3): Stocktaking Activity on COP28 and Discussion on Plans for COP29
• Brown Spaces-focused Note from Wednesday 11/09/2024: The Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards
The second note of the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces is about the health and safety benefits of the Redevelopment Brown Spaces. It deals with healthier and cleaner environment relating to the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces after clean-up.
The note shows that there is a need to make sure that the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces reduce or better eliminate health or environmental threats to neighbourhoods. Before going any further, it is better to clarify what health and safety hazards are.
• • What Are Health and Safety Hazards?
Health hazards can be explained in many ways. One of its definitions comes from ‘publichealthontario.ca’ (4) which states that
“Health hazards are chemical, physical or biological factors in our environment that can have negative impacts on our short- or long-term health”.
As to safety hazards, Chris Park (5) explains that
“Safety is freedom from danger or risk” (p. 391)
The same Park says that
“Hazard is a source of danger or disruption” (p. 206)
So, safety hazard is freedom from source of danger or disruption or risk. There should be any health and safety hazards in any Redevelopment of Brown Spaces. There are benefits deriving from Redeveloped Brown Spaces without health and safety hazards. They can improve mood like green spaces do, as well as enhance mental health.
Additionally, there are studies about the association between depression and brownness. These studies, like the one conducted by Nazif-Munoz et al. (6) show that a brown environment can affect cognition and mental health. Nazif-Munoz et al. conclude that
“Greater presence of brown space in neighbourhoods embedded in desert-like environments may be associated with lower levels of depression, when controlling for individual level confounders”.
Arid pervious natural settings without vegetation (or brownness) can impact health.
After the clean-up process, there is a need to ensure that the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces does not bring injuries, liabilities or additional hazards. It does not pose any health and safety risks to the community. It also means working with the community so that it can be aware of any health and safety hazards, if any.
• • Working with the Community on Health and Safety Issues Linked to the Brown Spaces Redevelopment
It is about supporting our community members in the following ways:
> how to get involved in any redevelopment of brown spaces that may affect their lives
> how to provide their comments and feedbacks in a sensible way on health and safety issues that may affect them
> how they can support themselves in face of the redevelopment of brown spaces
> how they can back or not back brown space projects with their favourable or unfavourable opinions
etc.
For those of our members who would like to work with us on health and safety issues relating to the redevelopment of brown spaces, they are welcome to work with us. Amongst those who can work with us are those who have been consulted to give their opinion about a particular redevelopment of brown spaces near where they live.
For those members who would like to share their experience in terms of the health and safety benefits resulting from the redevelopment of brown spaces on their lives; they are also invited to share it with us.
For those who would like to further discuss with us any other matters or insights relating to the the Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• Summer 2024 Reporting in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics
Last week, we started to unlock or unpack our Summer holiday data and to prepare to tell our Summer holiday stories. This week, we are going further in putting into practice our unlocked or unpacked data in support of Summer experiences or stories.
• • Summer 2024 Experiences Reporting as an Additional Opportunity
From this week until Wednesday the 25th of September 2024, we are simply asking to those who can, to share with us and others their Summer experiences; experiences about what they did during the Summer break and think that it is useful for sharing.
The 2024 Summer Experiences Reporting activity is a further opportunity for reporting, sharing, learning and development for those who have not yet informed us about the outcomes of projects; projects pending for reporting, personal experiences to be shared, lessons to learn and development trends to spot.
• • Sharing Development Experiences, Stories, Tales and Reports about Summer 2024
As we are nearing the end of Summer 2024, we would like our users. members and supporters as well as those who sympathise with CENFACS’ cause to share with us and others their experiences, stories and reports about the initiatives mentioned below.
a) Run, Play and Vote projects (Triple Value Initiatives 2024)
You can feedback the outcomes or Action-Results of your Run, Play and Vote projects.
b) Volunteering and Creation Stories
You can also share your volunteering stories with us and others if you did volunteer during the Summer break.
c) Summer Programmes: Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects as well as Appeal Projects
You may prefer to report on your use of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness projects and your response to our Humanitarian Relief Appeal projects.
d) August 2024 Trending Activities
You can as well report on your experience of following the direction of poverty reduction through Aquatic Foods.
e) Transitions Year’s Activities/Tasks
As we are in CENFACS’ Transitions Year, we would be more than happier to hear from you any uplifting stories related to this year’s dedication.
f) Journal of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness
You can share the contents of your journal of happiness, healthiness and wellness relating to happy, healthy, good and trustful Summer 2024; as well as help build a better Summer holiday experience.
g) Other Experiences and Memorable Stories Reporting
You can feedback on any moving experience or transitionary story you have had during Summer 2024.
You can report your experience via e-mail, over phone and through social media networks or channels of communication (e.g., Twitter).
Thank you for supporting us with your Summer 2024 experience, story and report in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics.
• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3): Stocktaking Activity on COP28 and Discussion on Plans for COP29
Under the Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3) of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level (TCPSACI), we are continuing our preparations to follow COP29 (7) which will be convened in Baku, Azerbaijan. The slogan for this follow-up is: Baku Implements It for Children!
In the lead-up to COP29 to be convened in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024, we are carrying two activities/exercises:
1) Stocktaking exercise on what was agreed at COP28 in Dubai
2) Discussion on some of the key points made at Bonn climate session (8) in June 2024.
• • Stocktaking of What Was Agreed or Discussed at COP28 in Dubai
Amongst the points to be revisited or assessed are the following ones:
σ Call on parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve net zero by 2050
σ The operationalisation of the work programme on just transition pathways
σ The adoption of a framework for implementing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)
σ The establishment of a new work programme on indicators for measuring progress towards the targets defined in the GGA framework.
The revisit or assessment of the above-mentioned points will be about how they could contribute to our key demand of the protection of children and future generations from adverse climate change impacts.
• • Discussion on Some of the Key Points Made at Bonn Climate Session
Our discussion will deal with the following matters:
σ The new Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance to be decided at COP29
σ How to reduce the burden of climate debt to be passed on to future generations
σ A global climate-smart food system to reduce food insecurity and poverty
σ New Nationally Determined Contributions to be submitted by all Parties to the Paris Agreement
σ Energy transition goals agreed in Dubai.
The above points for discussion will be looked if they fit into our climate demand of giving a stake to children and future generations.
To join in the stocktaking and discussion activities/exercises, and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.3, please contact CENFACS.
Message in French (Message en français)
• À paraître cet automne 2024: Le 85e numéro du FACS qui s’intitulera ‘Gestion des Fonds de Pension et Réduction de la Pauvreté par les Charités Africaines’
À l’instar de leurs homologues des autres régions du monde, les organisations caritatives africaines peuvent accumuler du capital sous forme de pension pour leurs employé(e)s qui leur seront versé(e)s à la retraite. Cependant, la possibilité de cette accumulation dépend des pratiques et de l’histoire de la gestion des fonds de pension en Afrique.
Historiquement et pratiquement, les actifs des retraites par rapport au Produit Intérieur Brut restent inférieurs à 60% en moyenne dans la plupart des pays africains. A cet égard, Bright Africa (2) note que
«Conformément aux tendances mondiales, la plupart des revenus de retraite en Afrique sont financés par les gouvernements, mais la couverture des retraites sur le continent reste faible par rapport au reste du monde».
Cette faiblesse des actifs de retraite peut être un problème à la fois de gestion des fonds de pension et de réduction de la pauvreté des personnes âgées. Néanmoins, cette faiblesse envoie un message clair aux organisations caritatives africaines et à leurs gestionnaires de fonds de pension dans le domaine de la gestion des fonds de pension concernant le soutien dans les plans de retraite qu’elles peuvent apporter à leurs employé(e)s, en particulier les plus pauvres. Cette faiblesse est également au centre du 85e numéro du FACS.
Le numéro 85 traitera de la gestion des fonds de pension assurée par les organisations caritatives africaines, en particulier celles qui travaillent avec le CENFACS – Organisations Sœurs basées en Afrique (OSA). Essentiellement, il se concentrera sur la pratique de la gestion des fonds de pension effectuée par les OSA.
Bien qu’il s’agisse de la pratique, il examinera également les théories de la gestion des fonds de pension. En particulier, il examinera à la fois la théorie financière des régimes de retraite à prestations définies et celle des régimes de retraite à cotisations définies. Il s’agira de réconcilier ces théories avec les pratiques puisque la connaissance d’une théorie particulière peut conduire à de meilleurs choix en termes d’options d’investissement.
Le 85e numéro mettra principalement l’accent sur les régimes de retraite basés sur les OSA et les régimes à cotisations définies, tout en examinant les risques de financement des retraites en Afrique. Un exemple de risque de financement des retraites pourrait être l’insuffisance des versements de cotisations aux régimes, comme cela s’est produit pendant la crise du coronavirus.
Le 85e numéro présentera des propositions et explorera les raisons pour lesquelles les OSA peuvent influencer le débat et la pratique de la gestion des fonds de pension en Afrique. Par exemple, les propositions et les explorations porteront sur les moyens d’améliorer la gestion des fonds de pension afin que les employé(e)s pauvres du secteur caritatif et d’autres retraité(e)s pauvres (comme ceux/celles du secteur informel) puissent ressentir la véritable différence utile dans leur temps de retraite.
Sans fournir de conseils spécialisés sur la gestion des fonds de pension aux organisations caritatives africaines, le numéro 85 est une clinique de conseil général pour les OSA qui souhaitent prendre au sérieux la gestion des fonds de pension afin d’accumuler un capital à verser à titre de pension pour leurs employé(e)s lorsqu’ils/elles prendront leur retraite en fin de carrière.
Pour en savoir plus sur le numéro 85 ou pour en réserver un exemplaire avant sa publication, veuillez communiquer avec le CENFACS.
Main Development
• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life
In order to approach back-to-school poverty and the improvement in the quality of life, the following items will be considered:
∝ Back-to-school Challenge
∝ Back-to-school Disrupted by the Enduring Cost-of-living Crisis
∝ Back-to-school Poverty
∝ Back-to-school Support at CENFACS with Back-to-school Clinics
∝ Back-to-school Budget Adjusted for Inflation
∝ Extra Investment Linked to Back-to-school Preparation and Children’s Education
∝ Back to School is NOT a One-day Event
∝ Go Net Zero in Your Approach to Back to school
∝ Improving Quality of Life.
Let us summarise each of these elements explaining our way of approaching back-to-school poverty reduction.
• • Back-to-school Time as a Challenging Period for a Basic Human Right and a Deserving Cause
For some, back to school/college is a normal time to prepare and do normal purchase whether it is for school uniforms or books or even any other school items. However, for those who are struggling to make ends meet, back-to-school time could be a very challenging moment as they may not always have enough financial resources or support to cope with the requirements of the start of the new school year. Yet, education is a basic human right and a deserving need for children and all society.
Back to school/college for the poor is characterised by the following:
∝ The struggle to afford the educational costs linked to school/college
∝ The inability to meet basic life-sustaining needs (including of education, food, fuel, shelter, skills development, clothes, bedding, etc.)
∝ Deprivation of cleaning and disinfecting household items
∝ The financial inability for children to access after school clubs
∝ The lack of resources to deal with hygiene poverty
∝ The lack of or poor access to internet broadband
Etc.
This year’s back to school/college is still painful as the cost-of-living crisis is posing disruptions to many low-income or poor families and households. Already, many of them have been struggling to come out of the legacies of the recent crises. Now, this struggle has increased with the enduring cost-of-living crisis, which still is complicating and disrupting the back-to-school organisation as well as the start of academic year for most of these families and households.
• • Back to School Disrupted by the Enduring Cost-of-living Crisis
The rise in the prices of food, energy, water, rent and other basic necessities of life can only bring a lot of pain for those who are already struggling to make ends meet. Back-to-school preparation and delivery are not exempted by this pain.
Back to school has been disrupted in many aspects and respects because educational life is linked to the satisfaction of other life-sustaining needs. This is because without food, energy, water, home, hygiene, transport and health; all operation of back to school and even afterwards can be jeopardised.
If there is any help to cover some of the costs of back to school, it would be great if this help could make up the difference linked to the cost-of-living crisis. Otherwise, the needs relating to back to school would not be met. Failing to meet those needs could even be worse where there is a situation of back-to-school poverty.
• • Back-to-school Poverty
As we defined it in our last post (9), Back-to-school poverty is the inability to afford the educational requirements of the start of the new school year. But how do we measure it?
• • • Indicators of back-to-school poverty
The following cases can indicate that there could be a situation of back-to-school poverty and hardships:
∝ If parents or carers of children going back to school do not have enough money or support to cover the expenses linked to back to school
∝ If households spend more than a certain percentage (let say 40 to 50 percent) of their incomes in back-to-school preparation and delivery compared to other items in their budget
∝ If households borrow money to cover expenses relating to back-to-school preparation and delivery
∝ If back-to-school expenses fiercely competing against other living expenses in household budgets.
Not having enough money, spending more in back-to-school expenses compared to other household expenses and borrowing money to prepare back to school for children are all indicators of back-to-school poverty and hardships. When this type of poverty or hardship is intense and deep, it is even a serious problem. There could be more indicators than the above mentioned.
These indicators (like household expenditure on back-to-school preparations), if they are not good, can express the inability for parents and carers to meet the basic life-sustaining needs of education for their children in terms of purchasing school items (such as uniforms, clothes, books, electronics, etc.) and providing the basic infrastructures and necessities (whether it is at home or outside) to support the education and learning of their children.
This incapacity can include other expenses that compete against or with educational materials; expenses that are school fees, living expenses to start a new school year, transport cost to travel to schools, food, a place to study at home, family relocation, adequate meal to study, a proper bed to sleep well, basic healthcare and hygiene at home, etc.
• • • Back to school for families and parents living in poverty
Families and parents living in poverty or on a tight family budget may not be able to afford these additional expenses budget. They are forced to currently deal with two types of poverty: back-to-school poverty and hygiene poverty.
The first type of poverty is related to the start of the new school year whereas the second is caused by the lack of hygiene.
Since we have already considered back-to-school poverty, we are going to only explain hygiene poverty.
• • • • Explaining hygiene poverty
To elucidate hygiene poverty, we are referring to what ‘povertyimpactnetwork.com’ (10) argues about that which is:
“Hygiene poverty is an inability to afford everyday hygiene products, such as shampoo, toilet paper, grooming products, dish soap, etc.”
On the website ‘povertyimpactnetwork.com’, it is further stated that
“Children who grow up in hygiene poverty households can struggle to end the cycle of poverty through successful employment after starting life on rocky ground”.
There could be support for them for some of the vital educational and hygiene needs to be met; just as there is no support for others.
• • Back-to-school Support at CENFACS with Back-to-school Clinics
Any type of poverty needs response. As far as CENFACS is concerned, we can support those falling into back-to-school poverty trap by providing advice through our advisory package under the back-to-relief programme and campaign. This package includes services such as advice, advocacy, information, guidance, signposting, referrals, etc.
During the coronavirus pandemic, we enhanced health and safety aspects in this programme. In 2022, we included in this programme the advice service for the impacted of the cost-of-living crisis. In 2023, we set up Back-to-school Clinics. This year, we have added Measures of Quality of Life via ‘Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life’ to our Clinics.
Although our support to fight both back-to-school poverty and the cost-of-living poverty is small and limited, it can nevertheless help beneficiaries to get something and keep moving towards of a BIG relief.
Our Back-to-school Support or Clinics can be accessed as follows:
√ Virtually and in-person on a one-to-one basis or as a group
√ Over phone
√ Via e-mail
√ and by filling the contact form on our website saying the type of support you need.
Where beneficiaries have access to video technology, we can arrange a meeting via a video scream.
Where in-person meeting with beneficiaries is the preferred or unavoidable option, an appointment needs to be made for this meeting to happen. Also, extra precautionary health and safety measures will be taken before the advice can happen.
To seek advice or support regarding your back-to-school poverty or hardships, please contact CENFACS. To enquire about Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life, please also communicate with CENFACS.
• • Back-to-school Budget Adjusted for Inflation
The 2024/2025 Back-to-school Budget would include the cost-of-living crisis for many parents and families as they have to cost and integrate the rise in the costs of living into the educational budget of their children. They are forced to do so since the costs of living are still higher despite some falls in inflation. Their budget is also that of building forward from the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.
For those parents and families who are struggling to write their back-to-school budget, we can help them to do that. We can as well advise on some of the aspects related to the back-to-school budget preparation and delivery. Furthermore, we can lead them to specific advice services related to back-to-school matters.
For those parents and families who are executing their back-to-school budget, but they are struggling in this execution; we can review their budget downwards or upwards depending on the case.
For those parents and families who have already executed their back-to-school budget, but they need monitoring and evaluation for learning and development purpose; we can as well help.
To seek advice or support regarding your back-to-school budget, please contact CENFACS.
• • Extra Investment Linked to Back-to-school Preparation and Children’s Education
There are some levels of investment that parents and families may have to do to keep the education of their children to an internationally agreed standard. They may have to proceed with the following initiatives:
∝ Invest in distance learning technologies (such as tablets, laptops, mobile phones, etc.)
∝ Improve their access to internet and broadband supplies
∝ Reorganise space at home to create an office-like desk environment for remote learning and video calling for the educational purpose of their children
∝ Find money and budget for children’s access to after school activities
∝ Improve or upgrade existing home infrastructures for e-education.
All these types of investment will create additional costs in the back-to-school plans, although some of these costs will not be at the start of the school. Unfortunately, many poor families would struggle to meet this extra investment.
• • Back to School is NOT a One-day Event
Back to school is not a one-day event of the day children going back to school. Back-to-school expenses and needs can last longer until parents and carers are able to complete the expenses relating to the return of their children to school and their stay at school, until children are settled in their school.
For poor families and parents, it is even more difficult for them to keep the educational level of their children to a good standard unless they get financial support to their back-to-school budget. Only a few of them are able to complete the requirements of back to school on time. Many of them would not have other choice than to spread back-to-school expenses over months in order to complete the back-to-school plan and requirements.
• • Go Net Zero in Your Back-to-school Approach
Back to school in 2024 is also subject to the requirements of greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets as well as clean environment. It means that for parents and children whether well-off or less well-off, they need to make sure they take an eco-friendly path in the back-to-school preparation and delivery. This path will contribute to a better quality of life for their children and the rest of the society.
In climate terms, it connotes going net zero. What is net zero?
The Institute for Government (11) argues that
“Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. There are two different routes to achieving net zero, which work in tandem: reducing existing emissions and actively removing greenhouse gases”.
In practical terms, it signifies that in parents’ and carers’ preparation and delivery of back to school, there should be a zero-waste consumption, recycling items, following the principles of circular economic model, avoiding depleting the environment, etc. Likewise, in their approach to reduce back-to-school poverty, it is better for them to adopt nature-based solutions to back-to-school poverty; solutions that do not adversely affect the nature and environment. These solutions will improve the quality of life and the environment.
• • Improving Quality of Life
As said in the Key Messages, the reduction of back-to-school poverty should not be the end of road or an end itself. We need to go far in way of working with the back-to-school poor so that they can improve the quality of their life.
There are many constructs relating to improving the quality of life. To work with the back-to-school poor, we shall refer to the capability approach as theorised by Armathya Sen (12). This approach is also found in the Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (13) in these terms:
“Capability approach suggests that the quality of life each person leads correspond to the freedom that he or she has to live one kind of life rather than another. This is reflected in the combination of doings and beings (‘functionings’) that are possible, ranging from elementary matters such as being properly nourished and healthy, through to much more complex functionings such as having self-respect, preserving human dignity, and taking part in the life of the wider community” (p. 619)
For example, ‘verywellmind.com’ (14) explains that
“Healthy relationships, adequate sleep, and regular physical activity can all contribute to an improved quality of life. A person can also improve life quality by finding meaning in their work, resolving energy drains, and making time for things they like to do”.
The same ‘verywellmind.com (15) adds the following in terms of building resilience and coping strategies relating to back to school:
“Transition periods can be overwhelming for parents; building resilience and adopting effective coping strategies can make a significant difference in navigating the challenges of the back-to-school period. Practising self-care can be an effective way to reduce stress and improve quality of life”.
Sarah Sperber (op. cit.) goes further by arguing that
“The US News and World Report determined their list of the quality of life for countries based on the following categories: affordable, a good job market, economically stable family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system and well health system”.
Although US News and World Report speak about countries, countries are made and built by human beings. Therefore, all these indicators of the quality of life are related to or represent human beings. Improving the quality of life is thus enhancing these indicators for the back-to-school poor if one wants to go beyond back-to-school poverty reduction.
For example, ending the psychological toll of the financial difficulties that families of back-to-school poor children are facing can provide the signs of improving the quality of life, especially but not exclusively, for those families with children struggling with the cost of going back to school.
These approaches to improving the quality of life provides CENFACS the opportunity to develop its own approach and agenda in working with the back-to-school poor and families. We shall be working with them via Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life.
• • • Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life
S4IQoL are a set time during which CENFACS can be consulted by its members and members of sister communities on issues relating to improving the quality of life. S4IQoL will be held during CENFACS’ Back-to-school Clinics hours. S4IQoL deal with measures relating to needs and resources of the back-to-school poor and their families.
In particular, S4IQoL cover a spectrum of measures or issues relating to health and access to healthcare, employment and working conditions, education and skills development, housing, security of life and property, environment and nature, recreation and culture, economic resources (like income, wealth, property and other assets). These measures are designed to support the back-to-school poor families beyond the need of back-to-school poverty reduction.
The above is our message for reducing back-to-school poverty and hardships as well as improving quality of life.
To support CENFACS’ sustainable development initiative relating to back-to-school poverty reduction to improve the quality of life, please also contact CENFACS.
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• References
(1) https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/quality-of-life.html (accessed in September 2024)
(2) https://www.brightafrica.riscura.com/sources-of-capital-on-the-continent/pension-funds/africas-pension-fund-assets/# (accessed in September 2024)
(3) https://jupiter.money/blog/investment-planning (accessed in September 2024)
(4) https://publichealthontario.ca/en/Health-Topics/Environment (accessed in September 2024)
(5) Park, C. (2011), Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation, Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York
(6) Nazif-Munoz H, Cedeno Laurent J G, Browning M, Spengler J, Olvera Alvarez HA. Green, Brown, and Gray: Associations between Different Measurements of Land Patterns and Depression among Nursing Students in El Paso, Texas. Int.-Environ Res Public Health.2020 No. 4; 17(21): 8146. doi: 10.3390/ijerph 17218146. PMID: 33158170; PMCID: PMC7662514
(7) https://cop29.az (accessed in September 2024)
(8) https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-your-voice/news/baku-bonn-un-climate-change-conference-2024-06-14_en (accessed in September 2024)
(9) cenfacs.org.uk/blog/September04, 2024 (accessed in September 2024)
(10) https://www.povertyimpactnetwork.com/blog/hygiene-poverty/what-is-hygiene-poverty# (accessed in September 2023)
(11) https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/net-zero-target (accessed in September 2023)
(12) Jacobson, T. & Chang, L. (2019), Sen’s Capabilities Approach and the Measurement of Communication Outcomes in Journal of Information Policy. 9:111-131, available at https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0111 (accessed in August 2024)
(13) Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (2009), eds. Scott, J. & Marshall, G., Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York
(14) https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-maintain-a-high-quality-of-life-3144723# (accessed in September 2024)
(15) https://www.verywellmind.com/getting-through-back-to-school-stress-free-8702279# (accessed in September 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.
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JUST GO TO: Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)
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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.
