Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

20 May 2026

Post No. 457

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline (From Wednesday 20/05/2026)

• Climate-resilient Asset Building Programme for Households – In Consideration from 20/05/2026: Capacity Building and Education 

• The Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali Need Your Positive Influence Right NOW: Can You Help?

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline (From Wednesday 20/05/2026)

 

Our All in Development Story Telling Programme and Series continue with Serial 3, which is about Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline.  Let us reveal the contents of this two-story series.

 

• • Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation

 

They are those of focusing on long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and further innovation for endurance.  These are the accounts of building a regenerative future, transformative resilience, or sustainable, future-proof innovation.  They are also of those of the ability to bounce forward (rather than just back) by transforming systems to be more adaptable to unexpected shocks.

They often explore how communities, ecosystems, and technologies can adapt to environmental and social shocks rather than merely resisting them.  These narratives frequently feature regenerative practices, renewable energy solutions, and the restructuring of economic systems towards circular models.

The key themes here are systemic resilience, long-term sustainability and future innovation.

 

• • Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

They involve moving beyond reactive crisis management to proactive, continuous improvement.  They also explain that a resilient baseline is maintained by institutionalizing the lessons learnt from crisis and fostering a culture of constant, proactive adaption.

They as well and often involve ordinary people moving from mere survival to intentional long-term improvement after a disruption.  These narratives show communities not just bouncing back to the old, vulnerable states, but bouncing forward to a safer, more connected reality.  In short, they are the stories of how ordinary people continuously build on new resilient baselines.

The above is the key message about this week’s two-story series.  Both types of stories (Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline) and all the details about Serial 3 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Climate-resilient Asset Building Programme for Households – In Consideration from 20/05/2026: Capacity Building and Education 

 

To approach this area of Climate-resilient Asset Building Programme for Households, let us briefly explain capacity building and education and put them in the context of this programme.

 

• • Explaining Capacity Building and Education

 

• • • What is capacity building?

 

Our explanation of capacity building comes from what the United Nations (1) argues about it, which is

“Capacity-building is the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instructs, abilities, processes and resources that organisations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in a fast-changing world”.

The website ‘the4thwheel.com’ (2) indicates that there are many types of capacity building.  The types of capacity building in which we are interested in are individual capacity building for any member of a particular household and institutional capacity building of a household as an institution.

 

• • • What is education?

 

UNESCO (3) explains that

“Education is a lifelong process that equips learners with the knowledge, skills and values needed to build a better future”.

Similarly, the website ‘vedantu.com’ (4) states that

“Education is the structured process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, ethics, and personal development”.

Both capacity building and education can be used to work with households in the context of Climate-resilient Asset Building Programmes.

 

• • Working with Households on Capacity Building and Education 

 

• • • Working with Households on Capacity Building

 

It involves conducting capacity building activities with them.  In the context of this programme, it is about sharing knowledge and practical tools to strengthen households regarding climate-resilient asset building process.  It encompasses shifting from top-down aid to community-led empowerment.

In working with them, we shall focus on training, securing financial safety nets, and strengthening physical infrastructure to enable households to anticipate, withstand, and recover from climate-related shocks.

In short, working with households on capacity building means employing strategies such as training and skills development, financial capacity and asset protection, and participatory planning and advocacy.

 

• • • Working with Households on Education

 

Education serves as a foundational component of climate-resilient asset building.  To provide climate-resilient education to households involves using education to bridge the gap between surviving climate shocks and building lasting weather.  By integrating targeted training with material support, this can empower households to safeguard their physical assets – such as homes, livelihoods, and local infrastructure – while boosting their financial resilience.

We can work with households on the following areas of climate-resilient education:

 

σ Information and Guidance on resilient retrofitting and infrastructure

σ Inclusive community and youth agency

σ Supporting ways of dealing with institutional assets

Etc.

 

Those households interested in building climate-resilient assets through Capacity Building and Education, they can work with CENFACS.

For any queries and/or enquiries about Capacity Building and Education as well as Climate-resilient Asset Building Programmes for Households (including how to access this programme), please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• The Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali Need Your Positive Influence Right NOW: Can You Help?

 

It has been noticed and reported all over the humanitarian community that Mali is experiencing a severe, deteriorating security and humanitarian crisis characterized by the escalation of violence and fight between armed forces.  As this crisis stands now, the following statistics speak for the humanitarian needy in Mali.

 

• • Key Statistics

 

It emerges from the highlights on Mali provided by the UNICEF’s (5) Humanitarian Situation Report No. 1 that there are

 

“415, 000 internally displaced persons and 280,000 refugees pressure on basic services persisted,

3,200,000 children in need of human international assistance

5,900,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance”.

According to ‘reliefweb.int’ (6),

“As of early 2026, Mali continues to face a severe and protracted humanitarian crisis affecting 16 million people, with 5.1 million in need of assistance“.

Similarly, the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty (7) notes that

“From June 2026 to August 2026, 1.56 million people are projected to face crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) conditions in Mali reflecting 6% of the analyzed population”.

In terms of protection, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations from the European Commission (8) states that

“A rise in violence has pushed protection assistance needs to 3.4 million people.  Gender-based violence is becoming a greater concern in Mali, with under-reporting being one of the main aspects.  Education is affected too, with nearly 2,349 schools closed and 712,000 children out of school“.

 

Although the above-mentioned statistics are not comprehensive, they give some glimpse about the severity of humanitarian and insecurity situation in Mali.  The lives, safety, and basic survival of the people mentioned in the above statistics have been profoundly disrupted by the said events.

Yet, it is possible to end internal displacement in Mali, safeguard children’s life from severe humanitarian crisis, protect the insecure victims of gender-based violence, and save education in Mali.  It is even feasible to use the tenets of positive influence to secure life-saving outcomes for these people who are severely impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Mali.

With and on behalf of the Malians who are severely impacted by this crisis, we would like to ask to influential supporters to use their positive influence to help reduce or end poverty and hardships Malians are facing.

CENFACS would like to appeal to those who may have humanitarian influence on the people who have the keys to the situation on the grounds and on factors leading to insecurity and humanitarian crisis to use their influencing skills or power to help end poverty by supporting people, particularly but not limited to children and women, who are in emergency insecurity and crisis situation in Mali in order to meet their life-saving needs and dreams.

 

• • The Needs

 

The needs for emergency life-saving support are 24 times more than average in Mali where the livelihoods of ordinary Malians, especially children and women, are severely affected.   These people need your life-saving help to meet their life-surviving need.

 

• • The Ask

 

What it has been asked to you is your influence or power (be it persuasive or networked or suggestive) to have a positive effect on those who are holding the keys to solutions regarding the problems these people are facing, especially for problems that are man-made.

You can use your power to provide an emergency and life-saving support to the severely affected livelihoods of poor Malian people, particularly but not exclusively children and women.

Your gift of Positive Influence will provide an emergency life-saving and enhancing relief to the Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali.

The outcome of your Positive Influence will benefit the Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali.

 

• • How to Donate

 

To donate, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or solve the detrimental effects of the crises that the Malian people are suffering from and make these persons reduce or end these negative effects on them.

You can as well influence the things or factors that determine these security and humanitarian crises in order to create lasting favourable conditions towards an end to years-long crises in Mali

Please also let CENFACS know about your influencing work or contribution  you are or will be making and its outcome on behalf of the Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali.

To let us know, you can contact CENFACS as follows:

 

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site. 

 

On receipt of your message or influencing donation, CENFACS will contact you for record and thank you for any influencing donation made.  However, should you wish your influencing support to remain anonymous; we will respect your wish.

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to give your Positive Influence and help save the lives of the Severe Humanitarian Crisis-impacted People of Mali, especially but not exclusively those living in the humanitarian crisis-affected areas (like Kati, Sévaré, Timbuktu, Gao, Mopti, and Kidal) of Mali.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• E-workshop for Gamers of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction League: Create a Poverty Reduction League Table and Integrate Triple Value Initiatives into It 

•  Fundraising and Journaling Your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Them

• Basic Home-based Bookkeeping and Accounting for Poverty Reduction – Featured from 20/05/2026 – Bookkeeping 3: Transactions Recording; Accounting 3: Profitability Analysis and Asset Tracking

 

 

• E-workshop for Gamers of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction League: Create a Poverty Reduction League Table and Integrate Triple Value Initiatives into It 

How to create your African Countries’ All-Year-Round League Table when gaming for poverty reduction and integrate Triple Value Initiatives into it

 

• • What Is an All-Year-Round Project (AYRP) of Creating a Poverty Reduction League Table of African Countries

 

The project of creating this table is largely conducted through the annual tracking of the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index as defined by the United Nations Development Programme (9) and other works on this matter.

This ongoing monitoring ranks African countries based on their speed and effectiveness in reducing poverty, focusing on both income-based metrics and non-monetary deprivations, such as access to electricity, education, and health.

Key aspects of this creative exercise for AYRP users who have decided to embark on it are:

 

σ Focus on the speed of poverty reduction (e.g., Fastest African countries at lifting their populations out of poverty)

σ Use a poverty reduction multi-dimensional approach

σ Identify top performers (e.g., African countries with fast-paced improvements like Togo)

σ Select your data sources (e.g., Preferably use household surveys)

σ Highlight African countries with macro-economic and political stability

Etc.

 

This exercise will help identify best practices and encourages policy adoption in Africa.

 

• • Creating a Poverty Reduction League Table

 

As part of CENFACS’ All-Year-Round (AYR) Play Project (that is, CENFACS Poverty Reduction League), we can work together to support you (as a gamer) create your league table as you play.

To create a Poverty Reduction Table for African countries, you can organise information about each country by focusing on poverty indicators, potential interventions and related challenges.  There are steps or tasks to undertake.

 

• • • Process and Procedure for Creating a League Table

 

You can start by listing African countries and then include columns for poverty reduction rates, factors contributing to poverty reduction (like good governance, education and less economic inequality).

You can create a poverty reduction table showing the following:

 

√ Your selected African team countries (by categorising them based on their levels of poverty reduction )

√ The number of criteria/indicators you can assess them against (like poverty rate, extreme poverty, poverty line, etc.)

√ The number of criteria/indicators any of them has passed

√ How many of them they average

√ How many of them they under-perform

√ How many of them they score against the opposition

√ How many of them they concede against the opposition

√ Points they earn or share for each game.

 

You can as well consider contributing factors to poverty reduction (like economic growth, good governance, education, less inequality, conflict resolution and political stability), potential poverty relief interventions, and other elements.

By systematically and continuously recorded the results, scores and actions of your game fixtures via this table, you will in the end know which African country that would best reduce poverty by the end of 2026.

To process and proceed with a league table, one needs to have some economic indicators as criteria for measuring the performance of each country making CENFACS’ League of Poverty Reduction.

 

• • • Example of Poverty Reduction Indicators to Create a League Table

 

For example, those who would like to go extra miles in this e-workshop, they can work with us using classes of indicators (that is, input, process and impact) for monitoring and tracking the poverty reduction performance as provided by the World Bank (10).  Poverty indices like headcount index, poverty gap index and squared poverty index can be utilised when dealing with your league table.  They can also include rural terms of trade and unskilled wage index in their table.

 

• • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) into Your Created Poverty Reduction League Table

 

This integration requires moving beyond traditional monetary metrics to a holistic, systems-thinking approach.  This project, which can be informed by methodologies from triple value impact and triple value leadership aligns with 2026 goals for multi-dimensional poverty alleviation in Africa and CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (11).  There are ways of carrying this integration.  

 

• • • Ways of integrating TVIs (that is, creating value for society, organisation and the environment simultaneously) into your AYRP Play Project

 

They include conceptual framework and metric integration, year-round data collection, the incorporation of ‘Triple-Wins’ in ranking (Scoring Structure), continuous engagement and visibility, and leveraging digital solutions.  Let us summarize these ways of integrating TVIs.

 

a) Conceptual framework and metric integration

 

They are about reframing the league table to measure ‘integrated value’ rather than just income, using a multi-dimensional approach to identify how countries are tackling root causes of poverty.

They also include measuring progress on social protection systems, quality education access, health coverage, and gender empowerment (social value).

They as well encompass measuring institutional quality, fiscal stability, and public service efficiency, using data on how efficiently governments use resources (economic value).

They further track resilience to climate change, land restoration and sustainable agricultural practices that directly impact rural poverty (environmental value).

 

b) All-year-round data collection strategy

 

A sustainable league table needs continuous data, moving from annual reporting to real-time monitoring.  This can be done quarterly as follows:

 

1st Quarter: Conducting a baseline and policy review

2nd Quarter: Tracking intermediate outcomes

3rd Quarter: Carrying out environmental and structural analysis

4th Quarter: Undertaking final reporting and ‘Triple-win’ ranking.

 

c) Incorporating ‘Triple-Wins’ ranking (Scoring structure)

 

Rather than ranking African countries based only on poverty percentage, you can create a composite score that rewards projects delivering multiple benefits.  You can consider high score factors (like a project that increases agricultural income using climate-resilient seeds while providing education for women) and use appropriate data sources (for instance, the World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform for 2026).

 

d) Continuous engagement and visibility

 

They can be done in this way:

 

σ Having peer learning networks: Develop a platform where top-performing African countries share best practices on integrating sustainability into poverty reduction.

σ Localizing the League Table: Check if the rankings were presented to local policymakers and encourage them to move from top-down, non-inclusive strategies.

 

d) Leveraging digital solutions

 

It is about using digital platforms to track progress in real-time and incorporating mobile banking data to track financial inclusion as one of the key indicators.

 

By applying these strategies, the League Table will not just track poverty reduction, but it will also indicate African countries that are investing in sustainable, holistic, and inclusive growth.

To access this e-workshop and get the grips with skills and techniques to create your poverty reduction league table and integrate TVIs into it, just contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

•  Fundraising and Journaling Your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Them

 

• • Fundraising and Journaling Your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa 

 

Let us start with fundraising aspect of your Run Project, then writing aspect of it – its journal.

 

 

• • • Introducing a Giving Feature in the Run Activity

 

For those who are running events in the context of AYRP of ‘Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2025’, they can use the opportunity of the event season to insert a giving feature in their Run activity.  They can ask those who are involved in the run with them to support good causes, including CENFACS’ noble and beautiful ones.  This ask for support concerns both in-person and virtual runs.

 

• • • • An Example on how to insert a fundraising feature

 

They can create a fundraising page by using the appropriate social media platform.  Alternatively, they can talk to CENFACS for its online fundraising tools.  They can share their story with friends, families and colleagues.  They can encourage donations by setting a fundraising goal and update their page on a regular basis with progress updates and stories.

 

• • • • Keeping Your Run Activity cost-effective with a fundraising feature

 

They can make their Run activity cost-effective with a fundraising feature while running with or without others.   Making their Run activity cost-effective is about achieving results in the most economical way.  It means that the resources they will use to produce any given results from their Run activity are at the lowest possible cost.

 

• • • • Evaluating your fundraising drive

 

Once the fundraising element has been inserted, it is wise to evaluate their fundraising drive.  To evaluate it, they can proceed with the evaluation steps suggested by ‘classy.org’ (12), steps which include analysis of fundraising data, tracking of numbers and performance, staying focused on the mission of their Run project, evaluation of fundraising results and to be forward thinking.

However, they must remember that the aim of the CENFACS’ Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa is to select or find the African best runner of poverty reduction in 2026, rather than raising money.

 

• • • • Having problems in installing or inserting a fundraising feature

 

For those who may be having or are experiencing some problems in installing or inserting a fundraising feature in their runs, there are resources both online and in print on how to organise a fundraising event for a Run Project.  Amongst the resources is the one provided by ‘donorbox.org’ (13).  It is worthwhile looking at this resource as it provides eight steps to realise your fundraising event.

For those who would like to involve or talk to CENFACS about their Run Project, they can speak to CENFACS.

 

 

 

• • Journaling the Run Project

 

They can as well journal and develop a story about their Run activity.   To do that, they can proceed with the following:

 

~ Track their Runs

~ Use running apps or journals to log their distance, time and pace

~ Reflect on their journey by writing about their experiences, and successes

~ Share their journey by posting photos, videos, and updates on social media to inspire others

~ Connect with others by joining online communities or forums for runners who are fundraising for similar causes.

 

They can share the contents of their journal and story of run with us and others.

Journaling their Run Project can have benefits.  To get those benefits, one needs to have a goal and plan activities/achievements.

 

• • • Benefits of journaling your Run Project

 

The journal will help you to capture the moments of your Run Project via expressive writing and story.  It can have other benefits such as setting goals, tracking or measuring their progress on Run Project, recording and celebrating achievements and gaining both general and specific perspectives of your Run Project.  They can even show their style and express their feeling or character through their writing.  Another good thing of journaling their Run Project is that it makes things easy when it comes to report to CENFACS and others before the deadline of 23 December 2026.

 

• • • Journaling the goal of Run Project

 

The goal is basically to explore and enrich one’s Run Project through creative writing.  This goal does not stop users of Run Project to have their own journaling goal.  Besides their journaling goal, they need to add what their journal can help achieve.

 

• • • What one’s Journal of Run Project can achieve

 

It can achieve many things including the following:

 

∝ Solve problems encountered in the cycle of your Run Project

∝ Enhance one’s health and wellness via Run Project

∝ Improve Run Project outcomes.

 

For those who are undertaking a Run Project and would like to write a journal about their activity, they can do it.  There are many online and print resources available on the matter.  Please select resources that are concise and have some links with your Run Project.

For those who would like to approach CENFACS for help and support to write a Journal of Run Project or to select appropriate resources, they are welcome to do so.

Briefly, people can effectively fundraise for poverty reduction by implementing a Run Project, while documenting their running journey and inspiring others to join the cause.

To discuss your progress regarding your Run Project, the fundraising feature and Journal of your Run Project or any other issues relating to All-Year-Round Projects, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Fundraising and Journaling Activities about Your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa

 

To integrate Triple Value (People, Planet, Prosperity) into your run-to-poverty-reduction project, frame your fundraising strategy around community impact and eco-conscious sponsorships.  You can use runner journals to log your physical effort alongside your societal and environmental footprint, creating holistic transparency.

 

• • • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Fundraising

 

It is about conducting a Value-driven Campaign in terms of People and Plant, and Prosperity and People.

 

a) People and Planet (Carbon Offsetting and Health)

In your campaign, you can offer prospective donors the option to sponsor your miles by, for instance, investing in local green energy initiatives for every mile run.

 

b) Prosperity and People (Corporate Sponsorship)

You can approach local businesses for sponsorships where their contribution is directly tied to the tangible social value created (e.g., funding skill-training on poverty-relief materials).  You can track and showcase those returns by reviewing case studies.

 

• • • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Journaling Activities

 

It involves integrating the Triple Value Log as follows.

 

a) People (Social impact)

 

It includes

~ documenting the human connections you make

~ writing about who you are running for, local stories of overcoming poverty, and interactions with community members during training runs.

 

b) Planet (Environmental impact)

It involves tracking your carbon footprint, monitoring eco-friendly choices during training (e.g., using reusable water bottles, running or commuting instead of driving), and reading more on maintaining sustainable community initiatives.

 

c) Prosperity (Economic impact)

It is about logging the financial metrics of your fundraising campaign.  It is also about detailing the funds raised, the cost-per-mile efficiency, and how the raised capital directly translates into long-term economic empowerment for those who are supposed to benefit from AYR Run Project.

 

• • • Cross-channel integration

 

It is about how to maintain momentum or keeping your donor engaged by publishing excerpts from your Triple Value Journal.  It is also about sustaining momentum from an idea to execution of your Run Project.

For those who would like to involve or talk to CENFACS about their Run Project and the integration of TVIs into their Run Project, they can speak to CENFACS.

 

 

• Basic Home-based Bookkeeping and Accounting for Poverty Reduction – Featured from 20/05/2026 – Bookkeeping 3: Transactions Recording; Accounting 3: Profitability Analysis and Asset Tracking

 

As part of Topic 3 of Basic Home-based Bookkeeping and Accounting for Poverty Reduction (BHbB&A4PR), we are working on Transaction Recording for Bookkeeping, and Profitability Analysis and Asset Tracking for Accounting for poor or low-income families with income-generating activities (IGAs).

 

• • Bookkeeping and Accounting Topics of the Week

 

• • • Bookkeeping Topic 3: Transactions Recording

 

To make your bookkeeping entries for expenses your need to use Journal Entries for Expenses.  What are Journal Entries for Expenses?

According to ‘hourly.io’ (14),

“Journal Entries for Expenses are records you keep in your general ledger or accounting software that track information about your business expenses, like the date they were incurred and how much they cost”.

You record all your transactions (including expenses) using a double-entry accounting software.  In other words, each accounting record includes a debit and a credit, and the amount of debit and credit should be equal for each record.

 

• • • • An example of Journal Entries for Cash Expenses

 

Let’s say that you bought £24 worth stationery (i.e., Box files, folders, paper clips and staples, books, pencils, pens, etc.)  for your Income Generation Activity (IGA) and you paid the bookstore the same day.  Your Cash Expenses will be as shown below.

 

 

• • • Accounting Topic 3: Profitability Analysis and Asset Tracking

 

• • • • Profitability Analysis

 

One the reasons, if not the main one, why low-income or poor households/families tend to engage in IGA is to lift themselves out of poverty.  They can only undertake an IGA if this IGA generates a profit (that is, an excess of the receipts over the spending of an IGA during any period).  The profit will help them reduce income poverty and other types of poverty.  However, to be able to generate this excess, they need to analyse the profitability of their IGA.  So, what is profitability analysis?

According to ‘fathomhq.com’ (15),

“Profitability analysis is the process of examining a business’s revenue streams and costs to evaluate its ability to generate profit.  It helps you spot opportunities for increasing your bottom line by breaking down the profitability of specific products, geographic locations, business units, initiatives and distribution channels amongst other factors”.

The website ‘ramp.com’ (16) adds that

“It [Profitability Analysis] goes deeper than standard income statements and balance sheets to uncover which products, customers, or activities actually drive your bottom line.  With a clear view of where profits come from, you can make more informed decisions about pricing, resource allocation, and growth investments”.

This week, we are conducting the analysis of profitability of IGA for those would like to set up an IGA or who are already in it.  We are specifically examining revenue streams, cost structure, margin and asset utilization for their IGA.

 

• • • • Asset Tracking

 

Asset tracking can be approached in many ways.  One of its approaches comes from ‘freshworks.com’ (17) which explains that

“Asset tracking monitors physical or digital assets throughout their lifecycle, from acquisition to retirement.  It captures details like location, user, performance, and service requirements to ensure control, minimize waste, and support informed decision-making”.

From this perspective, examples of assets to track include laptops, servers, software, monitors, etc.  However, asset tracking should not be confused with inventory tracking.

The website ‘tech.co’ (18) similarly states that

“Asset tracking (also known as asset monitoring) is the process of using asset tracking hardware and software to remotely manage both movable and fixed assets, from laptops to shipping containers, and ensure valuable items remain secure and in good condition”.

Assets are typically tracked using one the three methods listed below:

 

1) Barcode labels/tags

2) GPS (Global Positioning System) tags

3) RFID (Rdio-Frequency Identification) tags.

 

This week, we are working on way of logging the location and status of items using GPS, RFID, or barcode technologies to better understand how assets are tracked.

 

• • Bookkeeping and Accounting Activities of the Week

 

As part of transaction categorization, we shall have two activities as given below.

 

a) How to record a journal entry for an expense

This activity will help those who are new to bookkeeping or those who are familiar to it to dive deeper into on how they can record expenses in a journal.

 

b) Asset Utilization Assessment

The activity will help measure how efficiently you deploy capital, inventory, equipment and personnel in order to generate returns.

 

The above is what we have planned for this week for Bookkeeping Activity/Topic 3 and Accounting Activity/Topic 3.

For those who would like further information about this week’s activities/topics of BHbB&A4PR, they can contact CENFACS.  For any other enquiries and/or queries about BHbB&A4PR, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Récits de Mai 2026 – Histoires de Nous Tous dans le Développement : Histoires d’Intégration de la Résilience et de l’Innovation pour Stimuler le Progrès

Cette année, le thème du projet d’Histoires de ‘Tous dans le Développment’ (ou projet d’HTD) est « Les histoires d’intégration de la résilience à long terme par l’innovation pour garantir les progrès futurs » (en bref, « Histoires d’intégration de la résilience et de l’innovation pour stimuler le progrès »). De quelles histoires s’agit-il ?

Ce sont des histoires de :

σ L’intégration, la pérennisation et le déploiement à grande échelle d’initiatives pour créer un changement systémique et profond, en passant des premiers progrès

σ Du passage des premiers progrès à un impact à long terme

σ La transition d’actions axées sur la conformité à une transformation culturelle

σ La priorité à la durabilité à long terme, à la résilience systémique et à l’innovation continue pour assurer la pérennité

σ La garantie d’une pérennisation des progrès plutôt que d’une simple sécurisation temporaire

σ La transition stratégique d’une simple protection des progrès antérieurs à leur accélération par l’intégration systémique

σ La garantie d’une consolidation continue de cette nouvelle base de référence plus résiliente

σ La transformation de notre stratégie : d’une stratégie de maintien du statu quo à une stratégie de rupture grâce à l’intégration systémique pour accélérer nos réalisations et renforcer continuellement notre résilience.

Ces récits peuvent être regroupés en deux catégories : « Récits d’intégration de la résilience » et « Récits d’innovation pour stimuler le progrès ». Ils seront racontés et partagés en mai 2026.

• • Quand ces histoires commenceront-elles ?

Les candidatures pour les histoires de mai 2026 sont ouvertes depuis mars dernier, date à laquelle nous avons annoncé le thème du soulegament de la pauvreté au printemps 2026, qui est :

« Intégrer la résilience à long terme par l’innovation pour garantir les progrès futurs ».

À ce jour, certains de nos membres et sympathisant(e)s ont manifesté leur intérêt. Pour ceux/celles qui n’ont pas encore soumis leur histoire, c’est le moment de le faire.

Ces histoires reposent sur un principe.

• • Principe fondamental du projet HTD

Le principe du projet HTD est de recueillir les témoignages de bénévoles ou de personnes qui partagent leurs histoires sans contrepartie financière, en lien avec le thème abordé. Toutefois, ce principe n’empêche personne de participer, même si son témoignage est lié à une fonction rémunérée.

Outre ce principe général, nous souhaitons souligner deux critères concernant le thème du projet HTD de cette année.

• • Critères du thème du projet HTD 2026

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3:

Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline (From Wednesday 20/05/2026)

 

The following items make up Serial 3 of our All in Development Stories Telling Programme and Series:

 

σ Key Storytelling Concepts Used in This Serial 3

σ Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

σ The Extent to Which Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline Are ‘Two-horse’ Ones

σ Relationships between Stories Making Serial 3 and Poverty Reduction

σ Storytelling Metrics

σ Incorporating Visual Aids into Your Storytelling Project

σ Working with the Community on Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

σ Supporting CENFACS Community Members through Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline.

 

Let us look at each of these items.

 

• • Key Storytelling Concepts Used in This Serial 3

 

There are five main concepts involved in this Serial 3: long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, further innovation, progress acceleration, continuous resilient baseline.  Let us briefly explain them.

It also means designing for intergenerational equity and enduring ecological or social health.

 

Systemic resilience can be defined in various ways depending on whether one speaks about system or systemic resilience.

Speaking about systemic resilience, ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (21) states that

“It is the ability of a whole system to absorb disturbances, adapt to change, and contribute to function effectively”.

Arguing instead about system resilience, ‘biologyinsights.com’ (22) points out that

“It describes a system’s capacity to withstand, adapt to, and recover from various disturbances or changes”.

Within the literature about innovation, it is suggested that further innovation refers to the continuous process of improving, upgrading, or building upon existing products, services, or technologies.  Unlike the initial creation of a new product, it signifies the ongoing development of innovative activities to enhance performance, increase efficiency, or adapt to changing market conditions.

Summarily, it involves creating adaptive technology, circular economies, and novel strategies that positively shape a better tomorrow.

 

It emerges from the majority of thinkers about progress and acceleration that progress acceleration is the concept that pace of human, technological or project development is increasing exponentially rather than linearly, often due to compounding innovations.  It represents a rapid shift toward improved (efficiency) and faster goal attachment in areas like tech growth, business, and education.

Theories about baseline indicate that continuous resilient baseline is a proactive, evolving framework that establishes a “normal” state of operations and continuously monitors, validates, and adjusts the baseline to withstand and recover from disruptions.  It is an approach that allows organisations to treat resilience as a “living” capability that is inseparable from digital trust in modern enterprises.

 

 

• • Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

• • • Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation

 

• • • • What are Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation?

 

They are those of focusing on long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and further innovation for endurance.  These are the accounts of building a regenerative future, transformative resilience, or sustainable, future-proof innovation.  They are also of those of the ability to bounce forward (rather than just back) by transforming systems to be more adaptable to unexpected shocks.

They often explore how communities, ecosystems, and technologies can adapt to environmental and social shocks rather than merely resisting them.  These narratives frequently feature regenerative practices, renewable energy solutions, and the restructuring of economic systems towards circular models.

The key themes with this concept are systemic resilience, long-term sustainability and future innovation.

 

• • • • Types of Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation to tell

 

People can tell powerful stories dealing with long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and endurance by focusing on personal experiences, community action and local knowledge.  These narratives move beyond abstract concepts to foster emotional connections, hope and agency.

Key types of sustainability and resilience stories include:

 

σ Stories of local adaptation and endurance

These narratives focus on how communities or individuals adapt to environmental changes, such as climate-induced risks or resource scarcity, through practical, on-the-ground action.

 

σ Stories of community-led initiatives

These stories highlight collective action over individual self-reliance, showcasing how neighbours, local groups, and communities work together to build resilience.

 

σ Stories of resilient innovation and re-skilling

These narratives center on small-scale innovations or the revival of traditional skills that reduce reliance on complex, unstable global supply chains.

 

σ Stories of ecological reconnection and stewardship

These stories explore deepening relationships with local environments, fostering a sense of duty to protect natural resources for the future.

 

The above-mentioned narratives serve to humanize abstract sustainability goals, making them tangible and actionable.

If you are a member of our community and have this type of stories, please do not hesitate to tell and share your story with CENFACS.  If you are not our member, you can still submit your story.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation; please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • • Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

• • • • What are Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline?

They involve moving beyond reactive crisis management to proactive, continuous improvement.  They also explain that a resilient baseline is maintained by institutionalizing the lessons learnt from crisis and fostering a culture of constant, proactive adaption.

They as well and often involve ordinary people moving from mere survival to intentional long-term improvement after a disruption.  These narratives show communities not just bouncing back to the old, vulnerable states, but bouncing forward to a safer, more connected reality.  In short, they are the stories of how ordinary people continuously build on new resilient baselines.

 

• • • • Types of Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline to tell

 

Stories of how people continuously build on new resilient baselines include the following:

 

σ Stories from disaster survival to building back smarter

These narratives highlighting this: instead of replacing what was lost with identical, fragile infrastructure, communities are using disasters to create a higher standard of living.

 

σ Stories speaking about strengthening capital as routine action

These narratives feature how resilient communities often find their strength in deeper connections, which they continue to cultivate even when there is no crisis.

 

σ Stories turning new skills into continuous improvement

Stories of resilience often showcase people transforming a forced adaption into sustainable lifestyle.

 

σ Stories of cultivating future-proof habits

These are narratives of ordinary people who are changing daily habits to ensure the new more sustainable baseline habits.

 

In short, the above-mentioned stories illustrate that a new, more resilient baseline is built when people take their hardest experiences and create permanent improvements, making their daily routines more sustainable and their connections deeper.

Those members of our community who have Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline to tell, they should not hesitate to share them.  Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can tell them to CENFACS.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline, please contact CENFACS.

There are relationships between Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline in order to make these stories as ‘two-horse’ ones.

 

 

• • The Extent to Which Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline Are ‘Two-horse’ Stories

 

Stories focusing on sustainability, innovation, and proactive resilience can be treated as ‘two-horse’ stories to a significant extent, particularly when they are framed as competing or distinct approaches to future-readiness.  However, this dichotomy is increasingly viewed as a limitation, with arguments favoring an integrated ‘one-horse’ narrative that combines foundational resilience with innovative sustainability.

The ‘two-horse’ framework generally sets up a race between

 

1) Horse A: Innovation and transformation (The focus will be on forward-looking, technology-driven, new sustainable solutions)

2) Horse B: Building a resilient baseline (The focus will be on foundational, restorative, building the ability to endure, adapt, and withstand current shocks).

 

This race can move towards that of a single team in these terms: while they can be separated as two horses, these stories are becoming intertwined, often acting as a tandem rather than competing pair.

Likewise, due to the complementary nature, resilience can act as a component of sustainability (ensuring new sustainable systems are durable), while sustainability can be a component of resilience (ensuring a resilient system is eco-friendly).

Additionally, action can be integrated meaning that the most effective strategies use local narratives to connect daily resilient actions (like reducing plastic waste) to larger, innovative, global sustainability goals (like reducing carbon footprint)

Furthermore, reconciliation can be done via innovation.  It means that rather than choosing over the other, some frameworks use innovation to improve the baseline (e.g., using new, sustainable materials in infrastructure for enhanced durability)

To sum up, a resilient baseline is the foundation on which sustainable innovation is built.

 

 

• • Relationships between Stories Making Serial 3 and Poverty Reduction

 

• • • The relationship between poverty reduction and Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation

 

The relationship between poverty reduction and narratives of long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and innovation for endurance is one of mutual dependency.  Instead of offering only immediate, short-term relief, these narratives focus on building durable systems that empower individuals and communities to bounce forward from crises, rather than just returning to a previous state of vulnerability.

 

• • • The relationship between poverty reduction and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

The relationship between poverty reduction and stories of building a new, resilient baseline is one of sustained transformation rather than temporary relief.  Effective poverty reduction initiatives do not just increase income; they restructure lives and systems to create a higher baseline of stability – a new normal from which future growth can occur, rather than a temporary escape that risks sliding back into poverty.  Stories of resilience act as the narrative framework that validates this process, turning individual successes into scalable models of progress.

In summary, the relationship is a continuous loop whereby poverty reduction creates a new, more stable foundation, while stories of resilience define, celebrate, and provide the blueprint for building upon that foundation to prevent future crisis.

 

• • Storytelling Metrics

 

They measure how well a narrative captures attention, engages the audience, and drives action.  Key metrics include engagement rates (likes, shares, comments), completion rates (how many listened to or watched to the end), conversion tracking (clicks, sign-ups), and sentiment analysis to assess audience emotion.

You can use these metrics to track your storytelling efforts for your storytelling project, and evaluate the impact of your story in terms of return on investment, consistency check, and brand affinity.

In the context of Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline, there are metrics which apply to each type of these stories.

 

• • • Metrics for Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation

 

It is possible to measure long-term sustainability and systemic resilience through human-centric, narrative-based indicators.  These stories focus on qualitative evidence and lived experiences rather than just corporate data. 

Key categories include social cohesion, regenerative capacity, adaptive learning and intergenerational equity.

Measuring stories of endurance and resilience relies on tracking qualitative outcomes and capacity-building rather than just standard financial or output figures.

So, the most impactful storytelling metrics people can observe and narrate include social cohesion and trust, adaptive capacity and learning, regenerative innovation, and intergenerational equity.

 

• • • Metrics for Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

Metrics for stories about continuously building on a new, more resilient baseline focus on tangible, everyday improvements that show a community is not just recovering but bouncing forward to a higher state by preparedness.  These metrics which can be shared by the community members, emphasize actions, learning, and stronger relationships over just engineering statistics.

Depending on stories, it is possible to extirpate a certain type of metrics.  Let us consider the following stories and metrics attached to them.

 

a) Stories relating to adaptive capacity and learning (The ‘Better Next Time’ Story)

These stories focus on improvements made based on lessons learned from previous disruptions.  Metrics can be time to escalate, frequency of simulation, and adaptation speed.  Metrics could also be reduction in recovery time for daily services (e.g., electricity, water access)

 

b) Stories linked to social cohesion and network strength (The ‘We’ Story)

These stories highlight strengthened local relationships and trust.  Metrics can be the number of local voluntary groups active, trust scores in local networks, and participation in community meetings. Metrics can also be mutual aid participation rates.

 

c) Stories dealing with actionable environmental and infrastructural changes (The ‘Safe’ Story)

These stories focus on small tangible changes to the local environment.  Metrics can be the number of households with upgraded, DIY food defenses or improved energy efficiency.  Metrics can as well be access to local, diverse and affordable food sources.

 

The above shows that it is possible to measure Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline.

 

• • Incorporating Visual Aids into Your Storytelling

 

All in Development Stories Tellers can incorporate visual aids  – like infographics, animation, data visualizations (charts, graphs and maps), video and other storytelling aids – to highlight insights into their storytelling and tell a more compelling story.  To do that they need to follow some steps like the following one:

 

σ Choose the right visuals

σ Synchronise them with their narratives

σ Ensure they complement their message.

 

Those who would like to incorporate visual aids into their storytelling projects to enhance their message, engage us or their audience and leave a lasting impression can go ahead.

 

 

• • Working with the Community on Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

We can work with those members of our community who would like us to get involved in their Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline. 

 

• • • Working with the Community on Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation

 

Collaborating with communities to share stories of sustainability, resilience, and innovation requires an approach rooted in deep listening, active participation, and accessible media.  By centering local voices, we can build trust and ensure the narratives reflect the community’s authentic lived experiences.  From this perspective, ways of working with the community includes:

 

σ Hosting storytelling workshops (e.g., Facilitating guided conversations where community members can share memories, challenges, and local innovations, empower them to express their resilience through visual art, photography, etc.)

σ Launching participatory media projects by giving the community the tools and engaging platforms/space to document their own sustainability journeys

σ Creating digital story maps

σ Co-design solutions and campaigns by involving the community to shape sustainability initiatives that CENFACS develops.

 

It is also about

 

σ  Prioritising building trust

σ  Fostering inclusivity

σ Using diverse mediums (like digital stories, workshops, or even digital storyboards) to capture and disseminate Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation with the community and reach different audiences within this community.

 

• • • Working with the Community on Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

σ Fostering the culture of moving beyond reactive crisis management to proactive, continuous improvement

σ Supporting them to institutionalize the lessons learnt from crisis

σ Working together to foster a culture of constant, proactive adaption

σ Help them to bounce forward to a safer, more connected reality

σ Telling them to continuously build on new resilient baselines.

 

It encompasses

 

σ Prioritising community-led processes

σ Using storytelling as a powerful tool for engagement

σ Focusing on practical actionable solutions

σ Involving the community from the onset

σ Building trust through shared stories, experiences and local knowledge.

 

Briefly, working with the community on stories matter will be about three things:

 

a) creating spaces for community members to share their stories

b) learning from one another

c) and paving their way towards the reduction of poverty; poverty due to the lack of sharing storytelling experiences.

 

• • Supporting CENFACS Community Members through Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline

 

Storytelling can be a supportive tool in the process of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.  Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline coming from our members and others, once shared, can support CENFACS Community members.  How?

 

They can

 

σ encourage and inspire them

σ help them in the fight against poverty, disadvantages and vulnerabilities

σ and assist them to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

 

These stories can send a relieving message to our members that there is always a possibility to reconfigure their system of poverty reduction, to continuously improve this system and adapt it changing environments and challenges as well as to win over poverty.

Those members of our community who have Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline to tell, they should not hesitate to share them.  Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can tell them to CENFACS.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Stories Focusing on Sustainability, Resilience and Innovation, and Stories of Building a Resilient Baseline; please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

 

(1) https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/capacity-building (accessed in May 2026)

(2) https://www.the4thwheel.com/post/what-is-capacity-building (accessed in May 2026)

(3) https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/what-you-need-know-about-education-and-why-it-matters (accessed in May 2026)

(4) https://www.vedantu.com/blog/what-is-education (accessed in May 2026)

(5) https://www.unicef.org/media/180601/file/Mali-Humanitarian-Situation-Report-No.1,31-March-2026.pdf.pdf (accessed in May 2026)

(6) https://reliefweb.int/report/mali-public-health-situation-analysis-phsa-5-may-2026 (accessed in May 2026)

(7) https://www.gafs.info/country-profiles/?state=AdvicexCountry=MLI&Indicator=IPCC (accessed in May 2026)

(8) https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/africa/mali_en#:~:text (accessed in May 2026)

(9) https://hdr.undp.org/content/2025-global-multidimensional-poverty-index-mpi#/indicies/MPI (accessed in May 2026)

(10) https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentationdetail/27201468765605934/indicators-for-monitoring-poverty-reduction (accessed in May 2023)

(11) http://cenfacs.org.uk/2020/03/11/the-2020s-agenda-and-programme/ (accessed in May 2026)

(12) https://www.classy.org/blog/properly-evaluate-fundraising-campaign/# (accessed in May 2023)

(13) https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/organize-a-charity-run (accessed in May 2023)

(14) https://www.hourly.io/post/journal-entries-expenses (accessed in May 2026)

(15) https://www.fathomhq.com/blog/profitability-analysis-a-comprehensive-guide (accessed in May 2026)

(16) https://ramp.com/blog/how-to-conduct-and-interpret-a-profitability-analysis (accessed in May 2026)

(17) https://www.freshworks.com/it-asset-management/aaset-tracking/(accessed in May 2026)

(18) https://tech.co/asset-tracking/asset-monitoring-explained (accessed in May 2026)

(19) https://www.civicus.org/monitoring-toolkits/toolkit/impact-story/ (Accessed in May 2023)

(20) https://climate-sustainability-directory.com/term/long-term-sustainability (accessed in March 2026)

(21) https://esg.sustainability-directory.com/terms/systemic-resilience/ (accessed in March 2026)

(22) https://biologyinsights.com/what-is-system-resilience-and-why-is-it-important/ (accessed in March 2026)

_________

 

• 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 2026 and beyond.

With many thanks.