Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
19 January 2022
Post No. 231
The Week’s Contents
• FACS, Issue No. 74, Winter 2022: The Dilemma Faced by Africa-based Sister Organisations in Helping to Reduce Urban Poverty in the Context of Rising Urban Population in Africa
• 2022 as a Year of Knowledge about People in Need
• Opportunities and Openings for Poverty Reduction by Africa-based Sister Organisations in 2022
… And much more!
Key Messages
• FACS, Issue No. 74, Winter 2022: The Dilemma Faced by Africa-based Sister Organisations in Helping to Reduce Urban Poverty in the Context of Rising Urban Population in Africa
The 74th Issue of FACS, CENFACS’ bilingual newsletter, addresses the dilemma faced by our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) in trying to help to reduce urban poverty while urban population is rising in Africa. In this address, the attention is being put on two drivers: urban poverty reduction and urban cities’ population in Africa.
The 74th Issue is an urban journey or exploration about the problems that urban poor are experiencing in Africa’s growing and large cities (like Kinshasa, Lagos, Cairo, Alexandria, etc.); problems that can be found in any other big urban areas of developing countries. These problems include the following: overcrowding, air pollution, waste mismanagement, informal settlements, unsafe and unsustainable transport, polluting energy, etc.
The focus in this 74th Issue is not really about whether or not these problems exist in urban cities of Africa. What is at stake in this Issue is urban population continues to grow while Africa-based Sister Organisations are trying to work with those experiencing these problems in order to reduce or solve them.
For example, the Business Insider Africa (1) argued in 2021 that
“Dakar will see a 50% rise in its population between 2005 and 2025 as its inhabitants increase from 2.8 million to a little over 4.2 million…
Just in 2005, Kinshasa had a population of about 10 million people. In 2025, however, it is estimated that this powerful city will be hosting 18 million people”.
This is the dilemma for ASOs. It is a dilemma relating to the growth of urban population that it is not matched with the means of Africa-based Sister Organisations in order to deal with the size and complexity of urban poverty or simply with the demand from urban poor amid the growing urban population (which includes poor people).
Therefore, the key message or statement here is how Africa-based Sister Organisations can find an appropriate ground to better work with urban poor and help reduce urban poverty despite urban population is on the rise in Africa’s urban cities.
Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided the key summaries making up the 74th Issue.
• 2022 as a Year of Knowledge about People in Need
COVID-19 has created physical and social distances or barriers between people, between families, between groups, between users and organisations, between those in need and those who could help them. Despite this new socio-economic distancing world, it is possible to re-create and re-imagine a new way of relieving poverty and hardships.
Part of this re-creation and re-imagination is about how we can better learn and know the needs of those who are suffering from all sorts of poverty so that their problems could be better unveiled and remedies to fix them could be appropriately matched. Knowing people and their problems is also about how we can come close to them in finding their way of life or lifestyle.
To do that, it may require more and better learning and knowledge about them, their problems and lifestyles. Those in need require to be known. To know them one may need to try to find from them their problems, what keeps them under poverty.
There are already quantitative and qualitative research techniques and/or methods (like focus groups in qualitative research) that can enable to handle this sort of knowledge and qualitative data about them. But, we can still go further steps and perhaps try to re-invent the wheels by using rapprochement methods whereby we can renew or re-establish our closeness to them in order to get to know their real problems including the real solutions to their problems or what they want to be done for them.
So, 2022 will be dedicated as a Year of Knowledge of the People in Need within CENFACS, Through this dedication, we can expect that their needs will be better known and their expectations of the types of solutions or remedies will be revealed.
2022 is also the year of rapprochement to those in need. In dedicating this year in this way, one could hope to develop customised or tailor-made solutions to their problems instead of one size-fits-all solutions.
It is a year of rapprochement between CENFACS and those in need in the process of working together to enhance their quality of life while keeping an eye on the spread of COVID-19 and its new variants or any events/diseases that may disrupt or disturb our/this rapprochement or togetherness.
By the end of January 2022, there will be a project to implement this dedication. The project will be a one-year initiative starting from week beginning 24 January to December 2022. However, for those who would like to know more about this dedication, they are free to enquire from CENFACS. Likewise, for those who would like to support it, they are welcome to do so.
• Opportunities and Openings for Poverty Reduction by Africa-based Sister Organisations in 2022
Every year brings along with it challenges and opportunities. 2022 does not make any exception as it brings both challenges and opportunities. Africa-based Sister Organisations can do their own SWOT analysis to identify and determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of their organisations as well as the external opportunities and threats they may come across throughout 2022.
By focusing on opportunities and openings rather than on the other three elements of SWOT analysis, they can appraise their external environment and their presence in African markets of poverty reduction as well as formulate a strategy and develop their services to work with those in need in a new or improved direction.
For example, they can use the following possibilities to help further reduce poverty in Africa in 2022 by:
√ Helping to sensitize people to get COVID-19 vaccine since Africa has largely COVID-19 unvaccinated people
√ Assisting disease sufferers to gain access to medical treatments as far as the management of other diseases (like HIV-Aids, malaria, TB and diabetes) are concerned
√ Advocating for the end of violence in order to contain violence in conflict hotspots like in African Sahel and others
√ Helping to cut down risks of worsening humanitarian crises like in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, and so on
√ Supporting urban poor in terms of their demand for land use, housing, consumer goods and services regarding urbanisation
√ Accompanying poor people in their recovery efforts from the lingering effects of COVID-19 and associated adverse impacts
√ Working with poor people to develop their digital skills via education and training in order to keep pace with digital revolution
√ Supporting indebted and income deficit poor people to restructure their income deficits and debts as far as the management of income deficits and debts are concerned
√ Assisting in African Diaspora’s money remittances or transfer schemes to those in need in Africa in the areas of international payments, travel and tourism
√ Helping poor people to formulate their human rights request/demand to make 2022 elections and transitions in Africa as processes that leave none, no need and no place behind
Etc.
The above possibilities show that Africa-based Sister Organisations can cautiously grab the opportunities and openings of the 2022 year in order to further up their poverty reduction work and regain the lost hard-won poverty reduction results because of COVID-19 in Africa.
For those Africa-based Sister Organisations wanting to work on these opportunities and openings and finding some difficulties to do it; they can discuss the matter with CENFACS so that together we can plan a 2022 market development strategy.
Need a market development strategy or plan in order to better engage with the 2022 opportunities and openings; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• COVID-19 Campaign 2022
This January 2022, our COVID-19 Campaign continues. We have not given up by repeating in saying to the community the following:
It is life-saving to keep following and implementing the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, advice and rules.
All our community members should be aware of the nature of the current threat level posed by the COVID-19 and its variants (like the Delta and Omicron which are both in circulation).
People need not only to follow but also to practise what the health authorities and professionals (e.g. World Health Organisation, the UK Government and the National Health Service) are advising.
The rapidly changing pandemic landscape means aggressive and sustained response. Without interfering in our community members’ health life, we are kindly asking to all of them to help in the following:
√ Follow the voices, movies, signs and symbols of protection against the coronavirus pandemic and its variants
√ Be ready to implement stringent COVID-19 safety protocols prior to attending any in-person events as long as the threat level of COVID-19 remains
√ Monitor your health with COVID-19 tests even if you are vaccinated
√ Check your COVID-19 vaccination status and test results before committing to any in-person events
√ If in doubt, please do not hesitate to opt out of any gatherings for in-person parties as a safeguard or precautionary measure
√ Avoid any in-person event that could become a source/centre of COVID-19 spread or contagion
√ Appropriately act upon information or data received on COVID-19 threats and risks
The above COVID-19 Campaign 2022 message should be added to the currently available COVID-19 restrictions, advice and rules such as social distancing, confinement, sanitation, face coverings, temperature screenings, disinfection or cleaning of personal items and of your living environment, etc.
For any enquiries and or queries about this life-saving message, please e-contact CENFACS as COVID-19 Campaigner.
• Gifts of Peace still running
Our Season of Giving through the Gifts of Peace has not yet finished. We still have almost 1 week and 5 days to go until the end of this month. We are making a plea to those who have not yet managed to support to keep these gifts in their mind.
Although the deadline for the Season of Donation for these gifts is 31 January 2022, we will still accept any donations made after this deadline as there are always pressing needs that desperately request support.
Please do not wait for the expiration of the deadline as the needs are pressing.
For further details about these Gifts of Peace and or to support, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/
We look forward to your support. Thank you!
• The Season of Giving continues with SHOPPING and DONATIONS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/
Every season or every month is an opportunity to do something against poverty and hardships. January is too a good and great month of the year to do it.
You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods gifts you received over the festive days to CENFACS’ Charity e-Store, the shop built to help relieve poverty and hardships.
You can as well buy second hand goods and bargain priced new items and much more.
CENFACS’ Charity e-Store needs your support for SHOPPING and GOODS DONATIONS.
You can do something different this Season of Goods Donations by SHOPPING or DONATING GOODS at CENFACS Charity e-Store.
You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:
√ DONATE unwanted Festive GOODS GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Charity e-Store this January and Winter
√ SHOP at CENFACS Charity e-Store to support noble and deserving causes of poverty relief this January and Winter.
Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships.
This is what the Season of Giving is all about.
Vient de paraître:
Le 74e numéro de FACS vient de paraître.
Ceux ou celles qui sont intéressé(e)s à lire en détail la version entière en français de ce nouveau numéro peuvent contacter le CENFACS à notre adresse habituelle sur ce site internet.
Main Development
• FACS, Issue No. 74, Winter 2022: The Dilemma Faced by Africa-based Sister Organisations in Helping to Reduce Urban Poverty in the Context of Rising Urban Population in Africa
The contents and key summaries of the 74th Issue of FACS are given below.
• • Contents and Pages
∝ Determinants of urban poverty (Page 2)
∝ Opportunities and openings for poverty reduction for Africa-based Sister Organisations in African urban areas in 2022 (Page 3)
∝ ASOs’ work and the access of poor local city-residents to city-wide services (Page 3)
∝ Africa-based Sister Organisations, urban migration and poverty reduction (Page 4)
∝ Africa-based Sister Organisations, COVID-19 and reversal of urban poverty reduction (Page 4)
∝ Faire bouger les lignes pour réduire la pauvreté urbaine (Page 5)
∝ Des parts du marché de réduction de la pauvreté urbaine en Afrique pour des organisations africaines: Sont-elles significatives ou pas? (Page 5)
√ Redistribuer les moyens et les cartes pour endiguer la pauvreté urbaine en Afrique (Page 6)
∝ Les organisations soeurs basées en Afrique face à la double donne dans des cités urbaines africaines: Croissance de la population et celle de la pauvreté (Page 6)
∝ Africa-based Sister Organisations and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Making Cities Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable (Page 7)
∝ Africa-based Sister Organisations’ action on informal settlements in Africa’s cities (Page 7)
∝ Africa-based Sister Organisations’ helping harms in the process of building climate resilient and sustainable living for the urban poor (Page 8)
∝ Community research and development about urban poverty and population (Page 8)
∝ Survey about ASOs’ capacity to help to reduce urban poverty in Africa’s cities (Page 9)
∝ E-focus group discussions on urban poverty (Page 9)
∝ Urban Poverty Reduction project (Page 10)
• • Key Summaries
Please find below the key summaries of the 74th Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10.
• • • Determinants of urban poverty (Page 2)
In the extract of this 74th Issue, we provided the definition of urban poverty to be considered in this Issue. We are going to add to this definition the determinants of urban poverty, which come from Jo Beall (2). From what Beall argued, one can identify the following determinants of urban poverty:
∝ The poorest are found among the unemployed and casually employed
∝ The urban poor pay more for their goods and services and are often more vulnerable than the rural poor to changes in market conditions
∝ The poor are disproportionally affected by insecurity of land tenure and insecure living conditions
∝ They are squeezed off valuable land and are forced into peripheral or marginal locations
∝ The urban poor experience poor living conditions such as appalling overcrowding, contaminated water, poor or absent of sanitation, lack of services and the constant threat of floods, landslides or industrial pollution
∝ The urban poor are exposed to severe environmental health risks.
The above elements can determine urban poor compared to rural poor.
For example, urban poor in Africa’s cities like Kinshasa, Cairo and others would experience most of the above mentioned problems. This is let alone the socio-economic pressure brought COVID-19 and its variants.
These determinants are also the ones Africa-based Sister Organisations may need to deal with in Africa’s cities (like Kinshasa, Cairo and others) where urban population is rising or has the potential to rise.
• • • Opportunities and openings for poverty reduction for Africa-based Sister Organisations in African urban areas in 2022 (Page 3)
Urbanisation and growing urban population in African urban cities form a major challenge in terms of poverty reduction for Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs). However, where there is a challenge, there could be opportunities lying ahead as well. These opportunities could be within and/or around the challenges that urbanisation can bring such as overcrowding, waste management, growing urban population, informal settlements, unsafe and unsustainable transport, lack of clean energy, air pollution, etc.
ASOs can seize these 2022 opportunities and work with those (e.g. urban dwellers or urban poor) suffering or who may suffer from these challenges or problems. This work will depend on each country, urban area and where each ASO’s area of operation is located. It will depend as well on each ASO’s internal strengths and weaknesses to be able to reap some benefits from these opportunities.
• • • ASOs’ work and the access of poor local city-residents to city-wide services (Page 3)
One of the problems that poor city-residents, whether they are indigenous or immigrants from rural areas, face could be the lack of or inadequate access to city-wide services (such as water supply, sanitation, energy, health, etc.). ASOs could work with those who are suffering from this access so that these services could reach them.
Working with these poor city-residents could include the following: explaining them how the distribution of these city-wide services work, providing them with digital support where these services can only be accessible digitally, informing them about rights and obligations as city-residents in terms of these services, etc.
• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations, urban migration and poverty reduction (Page 4)
There are many reasons why people move into urban areas, whether this immigration comes from within a country (from its rural areas or other areas) or other places of the world. One of the reasons is urban immigrants could expect a better life in urban areas. If this expectation becomes a reality, then their dream could come true. On the contrary, if it does not happen, some of them could end up in poverty.
If urban immigrants are or become poor, then there is a need to tackle this type of poverty. And ASOs working on both urban and immigration matters could be better placed to work with this category of urban poor in order to manage the dilemma of having to help reduce poverty in the context of simultaneous growth of urban poverty and urban population.
• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations, COVID-19 and reversal of urban poverty reduction (Page 4)
The coronavirus pandemic and its far-reaching ramifications have not made things easy for urban poverty reduction in Africa’s urban areas or cities. This is to an extent that the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (3) argues that
“[Poverty reduction in reverse] is especially evident in cities, where the pandemic has exacerbated the multiple deprivations already experienced by the urban poor. In developed and developing countries alike, the pandemic’s health, economic and social impacts are falling most severely on marginalised and low income households” (p. 54)
The reversal of poverty reduction in urban areas of Africa could only mean that ASOs have to work harder with urban poor to regain the lost hard-won poverty reduction results during the pre-pandemic period.
• • • Faire bouger les lignes pour réduire la pauvreté urbaine (Page 5)
Les organisations africaines peuvent faire bouger les lignes et gagner une bonne place sur le chantier de réduction de la pauvreté urbaine dans l’ère post-COVID-19.
En effet, pour mieux reconstruire les societés et économies urbaines après les dégâts économiques et sociaux créés par la pandémie de coronavirus et ses variantes, il y a lieu de reconnaître et rehausser la place de tous les acteurs, notamment ceux du secteur à but non lucratif. Les acteurs de ce secteur, particulièrement mais pas exclusivement les charités africaines, peuvent jouer un rôle non négligeable sur le recul ou l’élimination de la pauvreté urbaine.
Cela demande de faire bouger les lignes traditionnelles pour accorder davantage des rôles aux organisations africaines qui sont plus proches des problèmes urbains et des peuples urbains. Cet octroi de rôles concernera aussi bien des projets d’investissements que la réparttion des parts du marché de réduction de la pauvreté.
En gros, faire bouger les lignes traditionnelles en accordant des moyens aux organisations à but non lucratif et en leur faisant partie intégrante de l’enveloppe économique et financière de la reconstruction urbaine ne pourra qu’avoir des effets bénéfiques pour les usagers pauvres urbains et atténuer, sinon à faire disparaître, les effets néfastes sur une population urbaine montante.
• • • Des parts du marché de réduction de la pauvreté urbaine en Afrique pour des organisations africaines: Sont-elles significatives ou pas? (Page 5)
Quand on regarde l’éventail des problèmes que les pauvres urbains font face dans des cités africaines, on peut dire qu’il y a beaucoup de travaux à faire pour endiguer ou réduire la pauvreté ou précarité urbaine. Par contre, quand on se référe à l’ensemble de ressources de ces organisations, il y a lieu d’affirmer qu’elles n’ont pas de capacités d’intervention ou de réponse requises aux enjeux ou problématiques urbains.
Compte tenu de cette limitation des moyens, leurs parts ne peuvent qu’être peu ou pas significatives. Bien entendu, cela dépend des cités et des pays africains et de la hantise (ou affection) qu’on a vis-à-vis des problèmes de pauvreté par ceux ou celles qui sont censé(e)s y pallier.
Ainsi, rehausser les parts du marché en faveur des organisations qui exercent le rôle qui est le leur dans le travail de réduction et d’élimination de la pauvreté ne serait qu’une bonne chose pour ceux ou celles qui veulent voir la disparition de la pauvreté urbaine.
• • • Redistribuer les moyens et les cartes pour endiguer la pauvreté urbaine en Afrique (Page 6)
Pour combattre la pauvreté urbaine en Afrique, cela demande des moyens. Pourtant, avec le poids écrasant de la crise sanitaire du COVID-19 et ses ramifications économiques et financières néfastes, plusieurs organisations ont perdu leurs capacités d’intervention sur la scène urbaine.
Puisque les économies africaines, et en particulier les économies des cités urbaines, sont à reconstruire après les dégâts sanitaires et économiques liés au COVID-19; cela ne peut se faire efficacement qu’en y intégrant des organisations travaillant avec des pauvres urbaines. Dans le contexte de cet article, celles-ci seront celles du secteur caritatif ou associatif ou à but non lucratif.
Par conséquent, redistribuer les moyens et les cartes urbaines en tenant compte de ces organisations peut permettre à relever le défi économique et sanitaire, et donc la nouvelle pauvreté urbaine qu’ont entraîné le COVID-19 et ses ramifications.
A l’entrée de jeux du marché de réduction de la pauvreté urbaine, ces organisations peuvent ne pas avoir des moyens nécessaires et suffisants. Néanmoins, si les ressources financières et autres sont confiées à elles ou réparties équitablement, elles peuvent être à même de réunir des capacités requises et moyens de leur ambition ou mission urbaine pour combattre ou mieux réduire la pauvreté urbaine face à la montée à long terme de la population urbaine.
• • • Les organisations soeurs basées en Afrique face à la double donne dans des cités urbaines africaines: Croissance de la population et celle de la pauvreté (Page 6)
Plusieurs études démographiques démontrent que la population africaine continue et continuera de grimper d’ici à 2030 et à 2050. Les cités africaines ne sont pas épargnées dans cette croissance démographique. A cette donne démographique, il y a lieu d’ajouter la pauvreté grandissante ou plus ou moins constante dans des cités africaines telles que Kinshasa, Bangui ou autre.
Face à cette double donne, les organisations soeurs basées en Afrique et oeuvrant dans le secteur de pauvreté urbaine sont prises en tenaille pour offrir des services à leurs bénéficiaires. D’un côté, il y a une montée annuelle de la population urbaine; et de l’autre côté, la pauvreté urbaine va dans la même direction que celle de la population urbaine.
Devant cette double progression, les organisations doivent parfois faire des choix difficiles en matière de lutte contre la pauvreté urbaine. Depuis les deux dernières années, ces choix ont été écornés par des effets néfastes de COVID-19 qui ont quasiment balayé le progrès jusque là réalisé pendant les deux dernières décennies en matière de réduction de la pauvreté urbaine.
D’aucuns espèrent que l’année 2022 amènera un nouveau souffle pour que ces organisations soient à même de surmonter leurs difficultés de choix et répondre aux attentes des pauvres urbains. Ce qui est vrai est qu’elles doivent se re-inventer pour trouver des nouvelles solutions contre la pauvreté urbaine cadrant avec la double donne susdite.
• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Making Cities Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable (Page 7)
From the Sustainable Development Goal 11 of the United Nations (4), making cities safe and sustainable means ensuring access to safe and affordable housing and upgrading slum settlements, including in urban spaces where extreme poverty is concentrated.
ASOs working in urban areas can contribute to the realisation of this goal by tackling extreme poverty where it is concentrated in Africa’s urban areas. They can work with extreme poor so that the latter can access and meet their basic life sustaining needs of safe water, affordable housing, local integration, etc.
• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations’ action on informal settlements in Africa’s cities (Page 7)
Informal settlements are one of the problems found in many cities. But, what is an informal settlement?
Avis (5) argues the following:
“Informal settlements are residential areas where…
Inhabitants often have no security of tenure for the land or dwellings they inhabit – for example, they may squat or rent informally;
Neighbourhoods usually lack basic services and city infrastructure;
Housing may not comply with planning and building regulations, and often situated in geographically and environmentally sensitive areas”.
Because of their features, informal settlements can come with them human settlement dimension of poverty. Indeed, not having a defined living place or space in terms of accommodation is in itself a manifestation or proof of poverty and hardships. Many urban poor experience this problem.
This issue of informal settlements puts Africa-based Sister Organisations in a position to act and work with informal settlers so that their needs could not only be recognized and advocated, but also be met in practical terms.
• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations’ helping arms in the process of building climate resilient and sustainable living for the urban poor (Page 8)
The impacts of climate change and weather events in many cities of Africa are well known. These impacts are even regrettable when they hit urban poor since many of them do not simply have the means to live, let alone to survive these impacts.
To support urban poor impacted by these events, ASOs can work with many of them in the areas of resilience and sustainable living. Their work on resilience is and will be about working to together with urban poor so that they can regain structure and functionality as a result of disruption or disturbance caused climate change events, such as flooding in Congo-Brazzaville towards the end of 2021.
In this respect, ASOs can work with urban poor of Africa’s cities to build coping or adaptive or even transformative capacity. This could depend on the intensity of the shock of these events whether it is mild or moderate or severe.
The work of sustainable living includes making sure that the living conditions of these urban poor are continued over the long term without adverse effects, which may derive from various events including the health disaster like the coronavirus pandemic.
• • • Community research and development about urban poverty and population (Page 8)
CENFACS has two research projects relating to urban poverty and population to which people can participate, which are as follows:
(a) Evaluation of the work of Africa-based Organisations on Africa’s urban problems
(b) Testing the correlation between urban migratory inflows and poverty in one of Africa’s cities with growing population
(a) Evaluation of the work of Africa-based Organisations on Africa’s urban problems
This is an evaluative work through which participants can conduct an examination about the worth, quality, significance, amount, degree and condition of the work so far carried out by Africa-based organisations regarding urban poverty in Africa’s cities. This work could be before or after the coronavirus pandemic. The evaluative work we are talking about is an empirical work, but not academic writing. It is the applied work done on the grounds to support or work with urban poor so that they can help themselves in navigating their way out of poverty.
(b) Testing the correlation between urban migratory inflows and poverty in one of Africa’s cities with growing population
This is a theoretical study on the relation between two variables: urban migration and urban poverty. The study will consist of finding if there is or not any relationship between migratory inflows to urban cities with the increase of urban poverty (or the number of urban poor) in Africa’s cities. To test the correlation between the two, one will need data (about urban poor and urban immigrants) in a particular urban city of Africa.
To participate in either of the projects, please contact CENFACS.
• • • Survey about ASOs’ capacity to help to reduce urban poverty in Africa’s cities (Page 9)
Given that Africa’s population will continue to grow by 2050, including in Africa’s cities, do you think that ASOs have the means to keep pace with and sustain their work in the area of urban poverty reduction by 2030?
• • • E-focus group discussions on urban poverty (Page 9)
As part of supporting each other, we would like to e-discuss with those who may be interested in experience of the community members living in mega cities compared to those living out of cities or in small towns in terms of economic hardships or deprivations, especially at this time of the continuing adverse effects linked to the coronavirus and its variants.
The e-discussion will be on the following:
(a) Types of economic deprivations or hardships experienced
(b) Types and profiles of the economically deprived community members
(c) City’s or urban responses to urban poverty or deprivations where they live
Those who would like to participate they can contact CENFACS so that we can plan sessions about this e-discussion.
• • • Urban Poverty Reduction project (Page 10)
This is a sustainable development and inclusive initiative aims at reducing the economic and social difficulties or hardships experienced by urban poor (who could be city-dwellers and small scale urban farmers) living in Africa’s cities so that they can improve the quality of their living conditions. The project will also help them to be included, feel safe and stay resilient against environmental, economic and social threats.
Through this project, there are expectations to meet the needs (i.e. social needs like shelter, economic needs such as income generation activities, environmental needs like net-zero-CO2-emissions consumer goods and services).
To support or contribute to this project, please contact CENFACS.
For further details including full project proposals and budget about the Urban Poverty Reduction Project, please contact CENFACS.
The full copy of the 74th Issue of FACS is available on request. For any queries and comments about this Issue, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
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References
(1) https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/top-10-fastest-growing-cities-in-africa-2021/1PVKr58 (accessed in January 2022)
(2) Jo Beall (2000), Life in the Cities, in Allen, T. & Thomas, A. (eds.), Poverty and Development into the 21st Century, The Open University in association with Oxford University Press, New York
(3) United Nations Human Settlements Programme/UN-Habitat (2021), Cities and Pandemics: Towards a More Just, Green and Healthy Future at https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2021/03/cities_and_pandemic-towards_a_more_just_green_and_healthy_future_un_habitat_2021.pdf (accessed in January 2022)
(4) https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2015/09/24/undp-welcomes-adoption-of-sustainable-development-goals-by-world-leaders.html (accessed in January 2022)
(5) Avis, W. R. (2016), Urban Governance (Topic Guide), Birmingham UK: GSDRC, University of Birmingham
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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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future or as a New Year resolution.
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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 2022 and beyond.
With many thanks.
