Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
08 July 2020
Post No. 151
The Week’s Contents
• All-in-one Impact Feedback: Tell It in Your Own Words and Numbers!
• Coming this July 2020: Virtual Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with a Focus on Health Economics
• Rebuilding Healthiness in the Phases of Low Spread and Growth of the Epidemiological Curves of Covid-19 in Africa
… and much more!
Key Messages
~ All-in-one Impact Feedbacks: Tell It in Your Own Words and Numbers!
Our July Month of Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics has already started with Impact Feedbacks.
We are holding two types of feedback: one from individuals as project supporters and users, and another one from organisations, particularly Africa-based Sister Organisations.
(1) Project Supporters’ and Users’ Experiences (Feedback I)
This week’s Say by Project Supporters and Users will continue our Analytics Month. Project Supporters 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, Users and other stakeholders to provide their views using their own words rather than we asking them to respond to open or close questions.
They can give us a feedback in the form of rating (numbers) and statement (words). This Say is about how they perceived and interacted with the products and services we presented to them over the last 345 days.
(2) Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices (Feedback II)
There are 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 and sustainable development agendas in Africa. These initiatives were in the form of humanitarian appeals, fundraising and Covid-19 campaigns, advocacy work, etc.
We would like to hear the voices of Africa-based Organisations 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 we are working with them in particular and tackling African issues in general.
Their voices are important to us since we can only help to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development unless those who are concerned with these issues own the process by telling us what they want 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 and textual statements.
To facilitate this feedback process, we have selected 9 initiatives from which they can pick and choose to provide their feedback.
The selected 2019-2020 programmes and projects for the purpose of feedback making our Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review and Analytics are listed in the Main Development section of this post.
~ Coming this July 2020: Virtual Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions with…
Seven Days of Development in July (7DDJ)
In focus for this year’s 7DDJ: Health Economics
How to make health economics work for the poor and the neediest
Since the CENFACS argument about the coronavirus pandemic is that Covid-19 is an economic and health threat, we would like to further explore this argument through our Seven-Days-of-Development-in-July event. In particular, we shall look at how health economics as part of economics that deals with aspects of health can be used to better help the poor and vulnerable, those in most need of our societies.
As usual, they will be seven themes for thoughts for seven days, one theme per day, starting from the 22nd to the 28th of July 2020.
The seven days of development in July are the days of thoughts and actions against poverty. The seven themes will be the entry points in order to stimulate thoughts and actions.
We shall soon publish the daily themes and supporting information regarding this year’s Virtual Summer Festival of Thoughts and Actions.
~ Rebuilding Healthiness in the Phase of Low Spread of Covid-19 and Growth of Epidemiological Curves of Covid-19 in Africa
In our post no. 138 of 8 April 2020, we argued about saving and rebuilding lives in Africa, particularly by saving and rebuilding destroyed lives and the victims of the coronavirus pandemic. We explained that there would be three waves of advocacy campaigns for saving and rebuilding lives in Africa during Spring 2020. These waves were saving and rebuilding lives at the times of rise, peak and decline of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa.
At the moment, we are still at the time of rise of the coronavirus pandemic in Africa. Covid-19 is slowly spreading and the epidemiological curves (“epi-curves”) of the same Covid-19 in different countries of Africa are differently growing. However, the pandemic has not yet reached its peak in Africa.
After three months from 8 April 2020, we are still in the first wave of our planned campaign and shadowing model. Yet, we are in Summer and talking about the Season of Happiness in a Summer of Healthiness.
Given the slow spread and growth of the “epi-curves” of Covid-19 in Africa, there is a need to rebuild healthiness (or the capability of Africans to be or stay healthy) in Africa. This can be done while still staying resilient and keeping the momentum in the fight against Covid-19. In other words, it is possible to rebuild healthiness by shadowing the “epi-curves” of Covid-19 in Africa in the above mentioned phase.
To discuss and or enquire about rebuilding healthiness in Africa, please contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
~ The Impact Analysis of Covid-19 on CENFACS 2020 (s) Poverty Reduction Tools, Development Agenda and Programme
We are continuing the process of reassessing CENFACS 2020 (s) Poverty Reduction Tools, Development Agenda and Programme to make them adaptable to the new world of the coronavirus pandemic since we are in the situation and era of Covid-19 dominance.
We have already initiated the adaptation process by protecting the CENFACS Community and others, by following the anti-coronavirus measures and guidance, by cancelling any physical events or activities, and by producing our own virtual protective tools (such as facial masks, anti-bacterial hand gels, gloves, toilet rolls, etc.).
We also adjusted our advice service to take into account the changing needs of the CENFACS Community and the side effects of Covid-19 on poor and vulnerable people.
What’s more, we designed a suite of six cubes of protection against the coronavirus pandemic.
We have introduced some elements of protection (such as physical and social distancing rules and protective equipment, etc.) into our All Year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives).
All the above taken steps are meant to adapt ourselves as an organisation and mitigate the negative outcomes from the coronavirus pandemic, while making our systems of poverty reduction and sustainable development Covid-19 compliant.
In these adaptation and mitigation processes, we are now continuing the analysis of the Covid-19 and its impacts on CENFACS 2020 (s) Poverty Reduction Tools, Development Agenda and Programme. After completion of these processes, we hope these upgraded tools, agenda and programme will be Covid-19 secure and compliant.
We will be progressively doing this impact analysis while prioritising the Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics of the last financial year for this month.
To find out about the current progress on the Impact Analysis of Covid-19 on CENFACS 2020 (s) Poverty Reduction Tools, Development Agenda and Programme; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
~ Covid-19 ASOs Survey: a Survey for Africa-based Sister Organisations regarding the Impacts of Covid-19 Shock
It is known that the Covid-19 Shock is impacting everybody and sector. In order to be more specific in the way is affecting Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) we are conducting a survey regarding the economic health of these organisations.
The survey is about finding how Covid-19 is impacting each ASO, particularly but not exclusively, those ASOs working on mining, ecological and sanitation issues. The survey has the following three objectives:
(1) Finding out how (strongly or averagely or weakly) Covid-19 is impacting individual ASO and their users
(2) Development of ways of mitigating issues found and brought by Covid-19
(3) Starting gathering data for the preparation of the post-Covid-19 recovery strategies
As part of this survey, we are questioning ASOs to openly tell us, by using their own words and figures, the way in which the Covid-19 is affecting them.
They can directly answer to CENFACS by using our contact details on this website.
~ The Impact Analysis of the Covid-19 Shock on African Children’s Realisation of Climate and Sustainable Development Goals
We are as well pursuing another piece of work on the way Covid-19 is affecting African children, in particular in terms of the realisation of climate change and sustainable development goals. We are doing it while recognising the issue of lack of data or data poverty regarding the Covid-19 impacts on children. The lockdown situations and other measures to fight Covid-19 in many African countries do not make easier to get data as well.
We need to remind our readers that although we are doing this impact analysis, the priority for this month of July remains the Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review, Assurance and Analytics of the last financial year. The Impact Analysis of the Covid-19 Shock on African Children will be done beyond the month of July 2020 as Covid-19 lasts.
To know about the progress of this impact analysis, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
Main Development
Last week, we said that the name of the July game at CENFACS is Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review and Analytics. In other words, July is the month during which we conduct our Impact monitoring, evaluation, review and analytics of the projects and programmes we delivered during almost last 11 months and 2 weeks.
• 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.
Besides the above three activities (monitoring, evaluation 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, review and analytics; we shall communicate the findings to our respondents and any vested interested parties.
In meantime, we are inviting supporters and users as well as Africa-based Sister Organisations to engage with us in responding and reacting to our poverty relief work in their own words and numbers. They can rate and or provide a statement about these programmes and projects.
• All-in-One Impact Feedbacks: Tell it in your own words and numbers!
There are many types or models of feedback. In this exercise of feedback about the 2019-2020 programmes and projects, we are referring to impact feedback. The latter is about giving feedback from the perspectives of users and African organisations by describing the programmes and projects delivered by CENFACS from their points of view. It is an observation, but not an evaluation from their part. They will try to describe the impact these programmes and projects have on them and what they like to be different.
The 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 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 effective and efficient did you find in these programmes and projects, and what lessons, experiences did you learn and development for 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.
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:
CENFACS Analytics Dashboard (1)
The Great Beasts Campaign (2)
Back-to-relief Programmes and Projects (3)
Making Memorable Difference with a focus on African Health History (4)
Digital and Social Media Campaigns (5)
CENFACS 2020 Poverty Relief Tools (6)
EcoBio Days Event (7)
The Twenty-twenties (2020s) Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (8)
Women and Children Projects: Virtual Reflection Day (9)
CENFACS’ Cube of Protection against Coronavirus (10)
Rebuilding Africa by shadowing the “epi-curves” of the Coronavirus Pandemic (11)
Research and Development on Covid-19 (Covid-19 as a cause of poverty; Covid-19 as a delaying or preventive factor from sustainability) (12)
• • Feedback II: Projects and Programmes for Feedback from Organisations (Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Voices)
We have selected 9 initiatives for Feedback II as follows:
The DRC Happiness Appeal (1)
Support for Children of Conflict and Climate Change-affected Areas in Africa in the New (September 2019) School Year (2)
Making Zero Hunger Africa in the Context of Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change and of Armed Conflicts (3)
The 3-Frontier Area Appeal to Support the Victims of Insecurity and Displaced Persons in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger (4)
Burkina Faso Appeal 2020: Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Victims of Armed Attacks in Burkina Faso and its Neighbourhood (5)
Halving Poverty for and with the Congolese Children (6)
Burkina Faso Appeal (February 2020) for the Support of Human Protection and Humanitarian Relief (7)
Coronavirus Spring Project (8)
Distress-free Life from Coronavirus for Children, Young People and Families in Africa (9)
The above selected 2019-2020 programmes and projects 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 be concise when making your feedback.
• 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, 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 and numbers.
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.
You could rate (by using numbers or percentages or ratios) these programmes and projects or provide a statement (by using words) or even both. This is aptly up to you.
Remember, we can only help reduce poverty and do the changes we all want if you tell us what you think.
Please consider our request for 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 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 feedback and for your testimonial support.
This feedback is due by the end of July 2020.
Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going in 2020.
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One could consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the furture.
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Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2020 and beyond.
With many thanks.
