Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
09 July 2025
Post No. 412
The Week’s Contents
• July 2025 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Activity Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2024-2025 Programmes, Projects and Activities
• Data Insight and Analytics of User-generated Content
• Specific Implementation of Analytics and Impact Activities – In focus from Wednesday 09/07/2025: Donor Engagement Analysis, Expenditure/Payments, and Advocacy and Community Engagement
… And much more!
Key Messages
• July 2025 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Activity Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2024-2025 Programmes, Projects and Activities
As mentioned last week in our July 2025 analytics and impact working plan, we shall have three activity levels within our July 2025 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment. Activities are specific actions or tasks we shall undertake while levels refer to the intensity or amount of efforts to be involved in these actions in Analytics and Impact Month 2025.
These 3 activity levels are:
a) Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2024-2025 Programmes, Projects and Activities (Activity level 1)
b) Impact Assessment of CENFACS’ Moving Forward to Protect the Gains or Legacies of Our Building-forward-better-together Work (Activity level 2)
c) Impact Feedback of XX236.3 F Programme (Activity level 3).
This week, we are kicking off the first activity level. In this first activity level, we have already started with Impact Feedbacks. These feedbacks are part of the activity level one of our July 2025 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment. The feedbacks are about carrying out tasks in order to get the early results or impacts of the programmes and projects we ran during the financial year 2024-2025. But, what are feedbacks?
• • Understanding Feedback
Perhaps, the best way of approaching impact feedbacks is to define the word ‘feedback’ itself. To clarify it, we would like to refer to the quotation of ‘imperial.ac.uk’ (1). The latter quotes Carless (2015, p.192) saying this:
“Feedback is a dialogic process in which learners make sense of information from varied sources and use it to enhance the quality of their work or learning strategies”.
Although Carless speaks about learners, we are instead dealing with project users or beneficiaries. The feedback here is a process, a conversation between CENFACS and project users/beneficiaries. It is also information or indicative tool telling how we are doing in our efforts to reach the goals of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.
This information or tool will help measure or get the impact of our work with project users/beneficiaries; impact which could be, for example, the number of people reached or served by CENFACS‘ programmes and projects. This impact feedback is an all-in-one as we are using a comprehensive approach to gather and utilise feedback to understand the effects of projects or actions we carried out during the financial year 2024-2025.
• • All-in-one Impact Feedbacks
We are holding two types of feedback: one from individuals as project supporters, beneficiaries and users; and another one from organisations, particularly Africa-based Sister Organisations.
1) Project Supporters’, Beneficiaries’ and Users’ Experiences (Feedback I)
This week’s Say by Project Supporters, Beneficiaries and Users will continue our Analytics and Impact Month 2025. Project Supporters, Beneficiaries and Users can start to tell us the experiences they have had with the programmes and projects we have selected to conduct monitoring, evaluation, review, assurance and analytics.
We are asking Project Supporters, Beneficiaries, Users and other stakeholders to provide their views using their own words rather than we asking them to respond to open or close questions. To facilitate the feedback process, we are using feedback tools or methods, forms and channels below.
~ Feedback tools/methods, forms and channels
To make it easy for them we are using the following user feedback tools or methods: survey, interview, focus group and observation.
To get feedback, we are as well employing the following feedback channels to reach out to them: e-mail, phone, online platforms, and social media (e.g., Twitter).
Their feedback could take one or two of the following forms: a response, an idea, advice (although feedback is not advice), a comment, an opinion, a suggestion, etc.
They can as well rate us and the service we provided, raise awareness of areas of improvement and identify actions to be taken to improve our performance.
To ease the feedback process and plan, we have singled out 12 initiatives from which they can pick and choose to provide their feedback.
They can give us feedbacks (responses and reactions) in the form of rating (numbers), statement (words), sounds (voices) and information graphics (infographics like charts, graphs, etc.). This Say is about how they perceived and interacted with the products and services we presented to them over the last 345 days.
Their Say will help to understand their needs, expectations and preferences while identifying issues, gaps and areas of improvement.
2) Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices (Feedback II)
African sustainable development projects (ASDPs) are too initiatives that we ran in the last financial year; initiatives that directly or indirectly aimed at supporting Africa-based Organisations or just advancing poverty reduction causes and sustainable development agendas in Africa.
These initiatives (ASDPs) were in the form of humanitarian appeals, fundraising and campaigns, advocacy work, project planning and advice, discussions under CENFACS‘ be.Africa Forum, guidance on not-for-profit investments and impact investing in Africa, responses to global crises (like the internally displaced of Kwilu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the humanitarian issue in Mali, the Monkey Pox Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the cost-of-living crisis, climate crisis, international aid cuts to Africa and polycrises), etc.
~ What we want to hear
We would like to hear the voices of Africa-based Organisations that interacted with our programme and project deliverables, especially the voiceless ones, so that we can know where things went well and where they did not. This will enable us to reflect their needs in future programmes and projects development, while improving the way in which we are working with them in general and tackling the poverty issue in Africa in particular.
~ Why it is important to hear their voices
Their voices are important to us since we can only help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development unless those who are concerned with these issues own the process by telling us what kind of help they need and how they perceive their own problems rather than we telling them what is good for them.
Like for individuals responding to our request, organisations do not need specific questions to provide their feelings about our work. They can freely give their feedback in numerical, textual, voiced and information graphic statements.
To facilitate this feedback process, we have selected 9 initiatives from which they can pick and choose to provide their feedback.
The selected 2024-2025 programmes and projects for the purpose of feedback making our Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Reporting, Assurance and Analytics are given in the Main Development section of this post.
• Data Insight and Analytics of User-generated Content
As explained last week, there will be three activity levels of insight and analytics, which we are:
a) Data Insight and Analytics of User-generated Content (Activity level 1)
b) Data Insight and Analytics for CENFACS’ Building Upon Progress to Achieve a more Equitable and Inclusive Society (Activity level 2)
c) 2024-2025 Data Insight and Analytics (Activity level 3).
Let us start with the first activity level of data insight and analytics.
• • Data Insight and Analytics of User-generated Content
This is about the analysis of raw and semi-structured data provided or generated by users and other vested parties involved in the delivery of 2024-2025 programmes and projects. This type of insight and analytics requires the use of data literacy/numeracy and methodology as well as analytical skills. As scheduled, this analytics will start from the 10th of July 2025.
Before going any further in this presentation, let us briefly explain user-generated content, data insight, data analytics and what we are going to do or are doing in this respect.
• • • Brief understanding of User-generated Content
To explain User-generated Content, we are going to refer to Jose Angelo Gallagos’ online article. Gallagos (2) argues that
“User-generated content is any content that has been created, published and/or submitted by users of a brand”.
The content that Gallagos is arguing about can be in the form of images, tweets, videos, texts, audios, social media posts, reviews, comments, blog posts, testimonials, feedbacks, etc.
As far as CENFACS is concerned, we are going to carry out the insight and analytics of user-generated content during their journey to poverty reduction with us. In this respect, we are going to analytically process the content provided by CENFACS’ users, beneficiaries, fans, enthusiasts and audience to support CENFACS‘ brand or as they navigate the road to poverty reduction.
• • • Data insights
Data insights refer to the deep understanding an individual or organisation gains from analysing information on a particular issue. To add value on what we are saying, the website ‘datarobot.com’ (3) argues that
“Data insights are the knowledge gained through analysing data, generating conclusions from data that can benefit your business. Data are the input. Insights are the output”.
In our case, we are trying to gain knowledge through the analysis of data provided by or collected from programmes and projects users/beneficiaries. To do that, we are going to use data insight skills.
• • • Meaning of data analytics
To make things easily understandable for our readers and supporters, we have selected the following definition from ‘Master’s in Data Science’ (4) which states that
“Data analytics is the process of analysing raw data to find trends and answer questions”.
According to ‘Master’s in Data Science’,
“A successful data analytics initiative will provide a clear picture of where you are, where you have been and where you should go”.
‘Master’s in Data Science’ also distinguishes four primary types of data analytics, which are: descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive.
We are going to turn to the above mentioned definition, primary types and other notions read within the literature survey about the concept of ‘data analytics’ in order to conduct the analytics of data or content generated by users of our programmes, projects and activities.
For example, we can use predictive analytics for data analytics projects relating to households making the CENFACS Community to intervene in appropriate time. We can as well employ data analytics tool like Microsoft Excel for data wrangling and reporting. To make this analytics understandable, we shall provide metrics.
• • • Data analytics and insight metrics
Let us briefly explain these two types of metrics.
• • • • Data analytics metrics
Data analytics metrics are the quantifiable measures we are going to use to track and assess the performance of our work, including CENFACS‘ website. They will provide us numerical data that can be analysed to understand user/beneficiary behaviour, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
Examples of these data analytics metrics include website (e.g., the total number of unique individuals who have interacted with CENFACS‘ website), engagement rate (for instance, the percentage of users who actively engaged with CENFACS‘ website content during the financial year 2024-2025, retention rate (i.e., the percentage of beneficiaries who continue using CENFACS services), etc.
Briefly, these data analytics metrics would help CENFACS gain a deeper understanding of its audience, optimise its website for better user-experience, and drive growth for its noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction.
• • • • Data insight metrics
They are measurable values that help CENFACS understand what is happening within its data and drive informed decision-making.
Amongst these data insight metrics, we can mention CENFACS website traffic, beneficiary behaviour, service performance, and operational efficiency.
In short, these data insight metrics will help gain valuable insights into the programmes and projects we delivered in the financial year 2024-2025.
• • Data Analytics in Practice and Progress
We are going to combine information technology, statistics and the life of CENFACS over 2024-2025 to discover meaningful patterns in data. In doing so, this will help us to improve performance in terms of the kind of work we do in order to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.
In our data analytics process, we are going to undertake the following tasks:
(a) Data mining: extraction of data from unstructured data sources
(b) Data management: creation and management of databases
(c) Statistical analysis: creation of insights from data
(d) Data presentation: sharing of insights with stakeholders through data visualisation tools.
Where necessary and possible, we may involve online affordable analytics programmes to help in this exercise. For instance, we may consider the possibility of using some qualitative data analysis tools (like NVIVO, MAXQDA, etc.) to conduct this data analysis work.
For those users who did not yet respond to our previous requests regarding any of the projects or events they took part or came across, this is the opportunity to share their content and provide their SAY or content or even data so that they can fit it into our analytics work.
For example, the users of Triple Value Initiatives (or All Year Round Projects) can inform us about the progress they have made so far. They can as well share results of collaborations and synergies across these projects. This information or data can be fitted into our Data Analytics Dashboard.
To sum up, user-generated content or data insight and analytics will help to provide actionable data insights and user trend analysis. It will help to review deliveries and analyse the end-of-financial year performance regarding work undertaken with users. The result of this insight and analytics will feed and align with the contents of our annual review 2024-2025.
To give and share your SAY or content or even data to help us in this insight and analytics, please contact CENFACS.
• Specific Implementation of Analytics and Impact Activities – In focus from Wednesday 09/07/2025: Donor Engagement Analysis, Expenditure/Payments, and Advocacy and Community Engagement
Besides broad aspects of Analytics and Impact Month 2025, we are as well continuing with specific implementation of analytics and impact activities. From this Wednesday, we are carrying the activities below.
• • Donor Engagement Analysis for Various Data Types Activity
Under this activity, we shall carry out the sub-activities below.
~ Personalised donor engagement
We shall utilise data to look at if communication and engagement strategies were tailored to individual donors as well as check loyalty support.
~ Support journey analysis
We shall find out how supporters interacted with CENFACS across different channels (e.g., email account, website, twitter account, etc.) as well as verify if there was any allowance for optimization of the supporter experience.
~ Engagement tracking
We shall monitor or check key engagement metrics like website visits, social media (Twitter) interactions, and email opens to gauge supporter interest and identify areas of improvement.
• • Expenditure/Payments for Financial Analysis Activity
Under this activity, we shall analyse CENFACS‘ total expenditure/payments, expenditure/payments categories (e.g., charitable activities, governance costs), and variances compared to budgeted amounts. We shall further determine if CENFACS has generated a surplus or deficit during financial year 2024-2025.
• • Advocacy and Community Engagement for Impact Activity
Under this activity, we shall look at the sub-activities below.
~ Influencing policy
We shall examine how CENFACS advocated for policy changes that align with its mission and addressed the root causes of poverty and hardships in Francophone Africa and for its members in the UK. For instance, we shall assess the state of CENFACS influence appeals for humanitarian relief causes in Africa.
~ Building networks
We shall analyse CENFACS‘ collaboration with other organisations (for example those from African Diaspora) to pool resources and expertise, and create collective impact on common issues.
~ Educational workshops
We shall check how CENFACS organised e-workshops (e.g., for various programmes to empower households making the CENFACS Community) and e-discussions (like via CENFACS Better Africa Forum) to educate the public about the issue of poverty that CENFACS addresses and cares about.
In short, as part of implementing analytics and impact activities, we are going to conduct the above-mentioned three specific activities for this week, while dealing with the broad aspects of Analytics and Impact Month 2025.
Extra Messages
• Coming this July 2025: Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with a Focus on Mining, Infrastructure Development for the Poor and Poverty Reduction
• The Application of Data and Insight Skills to Manage Your Household
• Strategies for Making Your Holiday Restorative
• Coming this July 2025: Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with a Focus on Mining, Infrastructure Development for the Poor and Poverty Reduction
The focus for our Summer 2025 Festival, which is the 17th Event of this kind, will be on Mining, Infrastructure Development for the Poor and Poverty Reduction.
Let us briefly introduce the 17th Event and Seven Days of Development in July 2025.
• • About the 17th Event of Summer Festival of Thoughts, Actions, Tweets, Shares and Spreads
The extraction and processing of minerals in Africa, in particular but not limited to critical and strategic minerals, can generate substantial revenue, which can then be reinvested in infrastructure development for the poor and the business of poverty reduction in Africa.
Infrastructure development for the poor is an investment in physical and social infrastructure that directly benefit impoverished communities. This includes providing access to essential services like transportation, energy, water, sanitation, healthcare, and education.
Mining projects can create opportunities for shared infrastructure in Africa, like water infrastructure benefiting local people and communities. This development of infrastructure for poor people can help to further reduce poverty in Africa. Our July 2025 Festival will explore this matter.
This above is the theme of our Seven Days of Development in July 2025 or Summer 2025 Festival of Thoughts, Actions, Tweets, Shares and Spreads.
• • What Are the Seven Days of Development in July 2025?
The Seven Days of Development in July are days of intellectual discussion, idea sharing and the exploration of various perspectives so that the benefits of development reach everyone within our community, especially those who are poor in Africa. The Days help to raise awareness about development challenges and the need of working together to address them, to focus on poverty issue, and to emphasise the means (like information, communication and digital technologies) to achieve development goals. They are indeed the days of thoughts and actions against poverty; in this case thoughts and actions about Mining, Infrastructure Development for the Poor and Poverty Reduction.
These Seven Days of Development in July are organised around Seven Themes of Thoughts and Actions. The Seven Themes are not an end of themselves. Instead, they are the entry points in order to stimulate thoughts and actions.
This year’s festival will not make any exception. They will be seven themes for thoughts for seven days, one theme per day, starting from the 22nd to the 28th of July 2025.
We shall soon publish the daily themes and supporting information regarding this year’s Summer Festival of Thoughts, Actions, Tweets, Shares and Spreads.
For further details about our Seven Days of Development in July or Summer 2025 Festival, please contact CENFACS.
• The Application of Data and Insight Skills to Manage Your Household
One thing is to possess a skill or qualification; another thing is to apply this skill or qualification in a particular situation or context. As part of putting skills and qualifications into practice, we are running 5 short sessions on the application of ‘Data and Insight Skills to Manage Your Household‘ (DISMYH). This is all part of empowering households making CENFACS Community and of keeping them engage with data and insight skills to address poverty issues they are experiencing.
• • 5 Short Sessions on the Application of DISMYH
The 5 sessions are the continuation of DISMYH they know and/or learnt, as well as extra support to them on DISMYH. They skills that need application are data collection and organisation, data analysis, data visualisation, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication.
This time, it is not about only learning these skills, but applying them in household context or situation. Their applications will be around the following selected areas of household management as shown on the plan below: budgeting and financial management, task management and organisation, resource management, health and wellness, and household efficiency.
Let us start with the first application or selected area of household management, which is budgeting and financial management.
• • Session/Application 1: Budgeting and Financial Management (from Wednesday 09/07/2025)
Data and insight skills can be applied to household budget and financial management to improve budgeting and the overall financial wellbeing and wealth of households. Through data analysis of their budgets and financial management of their accounts, members of a particular household can gain worthy insights into their spending habits, optimise resource allocation, and make better informed decisions.
They can proceed with the following:
σ Tracking of their expenses to identify their spending patterns and areas that need savings or help;
σ Analysing spending habits by looking for trends in their spending;
σ Setting financial goals by using the data to set realistic financial goals;
σ Predictively budgeting by creating accurate future budgets based on the history of their spending data.
There are tools that can help them, like the use of spreadsheets or budgeting apps.
Those members of our community who will be interested in Session/Application 1 as well as the all support about The Application of Data and Insight Skills to Manage Your Household, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• Strategies for Making Your Holiday Restorative
There is a number of ways or strategies that can be used to make your holiday restorative. They include:
~ Making space
It is about stepping away from daily stressors and creating space for reflection and relaxation.
~ Choosing a good restorative environment
This is about choosing a peaceful and calming environment to pass your restorative holiday. This includes those who would like to have a break at home without travel.
~ Rebuilding and renewing
These two ways or strategies imply that you find time to recharge and rebuild yourselves, whether physically or mentally or emotionally.
~ Reconnecting
This strategy helps you to reconnect with yourself, loved ones, or the natural world.
~ Choosing a quiet and peaceful environment
It is about choosing a location away from noise and crowds to truly experience restoration.
~ Engaging in mindful activities
This refers to undertaking activities that bring you joy and relaxation (e.g., spending time in nature, reading, or practising mindfulness).
~ Unplugging
It is about taking break from technology and social media to enhance the restorative nature of your holiday.
~ Setting boundaries
To rest and rejuvenate during your restorative holiday, there could be a need to set some boundaries like limiting screen time or work-related tasks.
~ Prioritising sleep
Having adequate sleep is necessary for physical and mental restoration. This can be achieved by prioritising sleep during your holiday.
The above-mentioned strategies or techniques show that it is possible to restore the nature of your holiday. It all depends on what you feel needs to be restored during your holiday.
Those who would like to find out more about it, they can contact CENFACS for further information and guidance.
Message in French (Message en français)
• Objectif du Mois : Aider à combler les lacunes de financement pour ceux et celles qui en ont besoin
• • À propos de notre Objectif du Mois
Les récentes réductions et retraits d’aide ont laissé d’énormes lacunes financières dans les budgets humanitaires des personnes dans le besoin et des organisations qui s’occupent de leurs besoins. Notre objectif de juillet 2025 est d’aider ou d’appeler afin que ces lacunes puissent être comblées.
Certaines de ces réductions et retraits d’aide visaient à couvrir les besoins d’urgence essentiels des personnes vulnérables, comme les enfants innocents victimes d’événements tels que les guerres, la violence, le déplacement, les catastrophes naturelles. Cette aide supprimée ou retirée était principalement utilisée pour couvrir des biens et services vitaux tels que la nourriture, les médicaments, les vêtements, l’abri, etc. Ces pauvres victimes n’ont pas demandé à ce que ces événements leur arrivent. Les donateurs/rices ont le droit de choisir l’utilisation de leurs fonds, y compris de réduire ou de retirer leur financement. Cependant, les victimes de ces réductions et retraits d’aide ont besoin d’aide.
Ainsi, aider à combler les lacunes de financement laissées par les diminutions et retraits d’aide sauvera considérablement la vie de ces pauvres victimes, en particulier des enfants, qui sont menacés.
Comme objectif du mois, nous demandons à ceux et celles qui le peuvent de combler les lacunes de financement. Combler les lacunes de financement peut impliquer les éléments suivants :
σ faire des dons en espèces
σ donner des biens
σ honorer les engagements déjà pris pour soutenir ceux et celles qui en ont besoin
σ couvrir des factures que les coupes de financement auraient pu prendre en charge
σ donner des idées comme cadeaux sur la manière dont les organisations soutenant les victimes des coupes budgétaires peuvent adapter leurs modèles caritatifs et commerciaux pour devenir durables et continuer à répondre aux besoins de ces personnes appauvries
etc.
Ce qui précède est notre objectif du mois.
• • Implications pour la sélection de l’objectif du mois
Après avoir choisi l’objectif du mois, nous concentrons nos efforts et notre état d’esprit sur cet objectif sélectionné en veillant à l’appliquer dans notre vie réelle.
Nous nous attendons également à ce que nos partisan(e)s s’engagent pour l’objectif du mois en travaillant sur le même objectif et en soutenant ceux et celles qui peuvent souffrir du type de pauvreté lié à l’objectif du mois dont nous parlons au cours du mois donné (par exemple, juillet 2025).
Pour plus de détails sur l’objectif du mois, sa procédure de sélection, y compris son soutien et comment y accéder, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.
Main Development
• July 2025 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Activity Level 1): Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of 2024-2025 Programmes, Projects and Activities
Last week, we said that the name of the July game at CENFACS is Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting, Assurance, Review and Analytics. In other words, July is the tracking month during which we conduct our Impact monitoring, evaluation, reporting, assurance, review and analytics of the projects and programmes we delivered during almost last 11 months and 2 weeks.
The following is what we have planned to cover this activity level 1 of our Analytics and Impact work:
∝ Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics in progress
∝ All-in-One Impact Feedbacks: Tell it in your own words, numbers, voice and info-graphics!
∝ Summer Selection and Collection of 12 Initiatives for Feedback One and 9 for Feedback Two.
Let us summarise each of these points of our Analytics and Impact work.
• • Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics in Progress
We are still routinely gathering information on all aspects of these programmes and projects related to the above named period.
Likewise, we are assessing what these programmes and projects have achieved in relation to the overall objectives we set up for them.
Also, we are critically examining, reappraising or reconsidering our objectives and policies to achievements, and figuring out whether there is any progress or set back.
Additionally, we are trying to gain a deep understanding from analysing information on data we have collected so far.
Furthermore, we are making sure that the impact process is independently carried out and can help us to assess the health and viability of programmes and projects delivered.
Besides the above five activities (monitoring, evaluation, data insight, assurance and review), we are working to find out, interpret and communicate patterns in data in a meaningful way to the work of CENFACS, as part of the analytics activity.
Once we have completed the July Impact monitoring, evaluation, assurance, review and analytics; we shall proceed with impact reporting or communicate the findings to our respondents and any vested interested parties (users and supporters).
In meantime, we are inviting supporters and users as well as Africa-based Sister Organisations to engage with us in responding and reacting to the work we carried out together and to our poverty relief work in their own words, voices and numbers.
Their feedback could take one or two of the following forms: a response, an idea, advice (although feedback is not advice), a comment, an opinion, a suggestion, etc.
They can as well rate us and the service we provided or the work we did together, raise awareness of areas of improvement and identify actions to be taken to improve our performance.
They can provide a statement about these programmes and projects. Where possible, they can give information graphics (such as charts, graphs, images, etc.).
• • All-in-One Impact Feedbacks: Tell it in your own words, numbers, voices and info-graphics!
We are continuing with our comprehensive approach to gather and utilise feedback to understand the effects of the actions we took during the financial year 2024-2025. We are doing it using feedbacks.
There are many types or models of feedback. In this exercise of feedback about the 2024-2025 programmes and projects, we are referring to impact feedback.
• • • All-in-one Impact feedback
Impact feedback is about giving responses or reactions from the perspectives of users and African organisations by commenting on the programmes and projects delivered by CENFACS from their points of view. It is an observation or information, but not an evaluation from their part. They could describe the influence or impact these programmes and projects have on them and what they like to be different.
This impact feedback is an all-in-one as we have adopted a comprehensive approach to gather and utilise feedback to understand the effects of the programmes and projects we delivered during the financial year 2024-2025. In this sense, our all-in-one impact feedback system will drive continuous improvement and achieve desired outcomes.
For example, if our users want to know the intergenerational impact of a service we provided to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, they can comment on how our intervention would have affected themselves and other generation or their children. Likewise, if they would like to get cyclical impact of the same service provided, they can provide information about the effects occurring in regular intervals.
From the perspective of impact analysis, we are going to establish a chain of causation or theory from the cost-of-living crisis to impact as well as to measure or describe the changes induced along that chain. Briefly, we are going to refer to cause-and-effect approach and to the theory of change.
We will as well be employing impact metrics and indicators. What are they?
• • • Impact metrics and indicators
According to ‘sopact.com’ (5),
“Impact metrics are a set of measures that help you evaluate the effectiveness of your organisation’s activities, programmes, and projects. They allow you to determine whether or not a project has achieved its desired results”.
The same ‘sopact.com’ (6) argues that
“An impact metric is a measurable variable or metric used to assess the progress and effectiveness of an organisation’s activities in achieving its intended impact. It provides quantitative and qualitative evidence of the outcomes or changes resulting from implementing programmes or initiatives”.
These impact metrics will be used to assess how well CENFACS is achieving its mission and charity objects by measuring the actual effects of its work on a targeted population (i.e., French-speaking peoples) and/or area (i.e., Francophone Africa).
From our All-in-One Impact Feedbacks, we shall generate a number of impact metrics or indicators to help us find out if our programmes and projects have achieved their planned results or outcomes.
For example, we may refer to output metrics (e.g., the number of appeals we launched together with those in need in Africa), outcome metrics (e.g., the quality of life improvement for households that benefited from our Festive Structured Finance Activities), social impact key performance indicators (like the number of people impacted or reached by one of our programmes, the number of volunteers who have participated this year as a measure of engagement), etc.
The key performance indicators will help measure the long-term impact of our programmes and projects on our target population and area, although we are dealing with the financial year 2024-2025.
• • • All-in-One Impact Feedbacks as an opportunity to share and learn
The above-mentioned exercise is meant to enable Supporters and Users (you might be one of them) as well as Africa-based Sister Organisations to share with us and others the outcomes and learning experiences resulting from the use or application of the projects we have chosen from our programmes for feedback purpose.
Please seize this opportunity to provide your own lines of thought and observation for improvement, adjustment and development by sharing with us and others the outcomes and/or experiences resulting from the communications we have had with you and or your use/application or participation/support concerning the programmes and projects below.
We would like to know how helpful, effective and efficient did you find in these programmes and projects, and what lessons, experiences did you learn and what can be done for the development or the future of our poverty relief work in coming years.
• • Summer Selection and Collection of 12 Initiatives for Feedback One and 9 for Feedback Two
We would like to inform you that some of the projects selected may have the same title like the year before. However, the focus and contents for this year and each year are completely different. In other words, what matters is not the title of the project or programme, but what is inside them or their insight.
As part of our feedback action plan, we have selected the following programmes and projects for Feedback I and II.
Feedback I: Projects and Programmes for Feedback from Individuals (Supporters and Users’ Experiences)
There are 12 selected initiatives for Feedback I as follows:
1) Summer 2024 Festival with a Focus on Reduction of Poverty as a Lack of Economic Opportunity
2) August 2024 Trending Activities of Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods
3) Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme
4) Brown Spaces-focused and Spacing Analysis to Reduce Poverty
5) “A la une” Campaign with an Emphasis on the Safeguard of Critically Endangered Fish Species
6) Skills Development (e.g., Transitionary Skills for Ending Crises, Data Storytelling and Communication Skills)
7) Programmes for Households (e.g., Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025, Economic Inclusion, Financial Plan Updates, Climate-resilient Asset Building, Climate-conscious Impact Investing Strategies, Data and Insight, etc.)
8) Matching Organisation-Investor Programme (e.g., Cases of Farming Charitable Loan, African Art Investment, Land Restoration Project, and Telehealth Facility)
9) Campaigns (e.g., Digital and Social Media, Charitable Response to Aid Cuts to Africa, End Poverty Induced by Raising Costs of Living)
10) Save Flora, Fauna and Funga
11) All in Development Story Telling Series and Programme 2025
12) African Projects (e.g., Children’s Climate, Nature & Sustainable Development Goals, or Climate Protection and Stake).
Feedback II: Projects and Programmes for Feedback from Organisations (Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices)
We have selected 9 initiatives for Feedback II as follows:
1) End Mpox: An Influence Appeal for Health Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness and Response to the Monkey Pox Disease
2) 2024-2025 Discussions on Africa Matters held within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum
3) The Internally Displaced Persons of Kwilu Need Your Support
4) Giving Hope to the Humanitarian Needy in Mali in 2025
5) The Internally Displaced Persons of Masisi Want Your Support
6) The Double Crisis Impacted Peoples of Kinshasa and Tanganyika Ask for Your Help
7) Orphaned Children in Africa Are Searching for Support: Can You Help?
8) Lighting a Blaze of Hope for Peace, Security and Poverty Reduction for the Conflict Victims of Goma and Its Vicinity in the Democratic Republic of Congo
9) Support Vulnerable Children in Africa Left Without Hope by Foreign Aid Cuts.
The above selected 2024-2025 programmes and projects are the result of a difficult arbitration in decision-making about initiatives to retain for both Feedbacks I and II. They may seem a lot for a feedback purpose. However, what we have done is to give to people and organisations the opportunity to choose or pick the one (s) they know or associate with to feedback.
For the effectiveness of the feedback, we suggest that people or organisations to pick only 1 or 2 initiatives to give their feedback. Also, it is better to provide an independent feedback, that is specific, timely, respectful and aligned with the work of poverty reduction that CENFACS does.
• • • How do you provide your feedback?
There are online feedback collection tools (such as survey monkey, visual feedback, type form, online review, etc.). For the simplicity of our Impact Feedback model, we would very much appreciate if you could provide us your feedback…
(a) via e-mail, text, phone, web comments or reviews
(b) in your own words, numbers, voices and information graphics (info-graphics).
Please do it by saying the way in which the above named programmes and projects have affected you or the people you recommended to use them or your organisation or sister organisation.
In terms of the types of feedback you give, you can be positive about these programmes and projects. You could also choose to provide a constructive criticism to address areas needing improvement. You may instead prefer to provide a feed-forward (that is, offer guidance on future actions or performance).
When giving your feedback, please keep the key principles of effective feedback in mind; principles which are specificity, timeless, actionability, balance and self-reflection.
We would much appreciate if your feedback could be specific, timely, respectful and aligned with CENFACS‘ mission, charity objects, goals and values.
You could rate (by using numbers or percentages or ratios) these programmes and projects or provide a statement (by using words) or even give a chart or table (as information graphics). You can as well record your voice (audio feedback) and run a video or short film. There are many ways of giving feedback and e-feedback, including the ones we have suggested to you. This is aptly up to you.
Please remember, we can only help reduce poverty and do the changes we all want if you tell us what you think; not us only telling you what we do.
Please consider our request for an independent feedback and for your testimonial support.
• • • Need further information about the above programmes and projects before your feedback
Those who have been following the work that CENFACS does will be familiar with the above mentioned projects and programmes. They may not need further details about them.
Those who want to provide feedback and would like to request the details or summaries of the above selected programmes and projects prior to their feedback, they are free to make their request to us.
Thank you for considering our request of an independent feedback and for your testimonial support.
This feedback is due by the END OF JULY 2025.
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• References
(1) https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stuff/educational-development/teaching-toolkit/assessment-and-feedback/introduction-to-assessment-and-feedback/ (accessed in July 2023)
(2) Gallegos, J. A. (2016), What is User Generated Content: Complete Guide to UGC & Why you need it
(3) https://www.datarobot.com/blog/what-are-data-insights/ (accessed in July 2023)
(4) https://www.masterindatascience.org/learning/what-is-data-analytics/ (accessed in July 2023)
(5) https://www.sopact.com/guides/monitoring-and-evaluation-tools (accessed in July 2024)
(6) https://www.sopact.com/perspectives/impact-indicators (accessed in July 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 until the end of 2025 and beyond.
With many thanks.
