Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

03 June 2026

Post No. 459

The Week’s Contents

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2026

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Clean Cooking Project – Activity 2 (01 to 07/06/2026): Matching Organisation’s Manufacturing and Sourcing with Investor ‘s Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation

• Goal of the Month and Activity/Task 6 of the Alternatives (A) Year/Project

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2026

The key theme for June 2026 is Energy Creations and Innovations. This theme contains two sub-themes (that is, Energy Crisis Mitigation and Energy Poverty Reduction) or two aspects:

1) Creations and Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis

2) Creations and Innovations to Reduce Long-term Energy Poverty.

These theme and sub-themes make us our working plan for June 2026.

Let us briefly summarized the two key aspects of this June 2026 theme.

• • Creations and Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (CIMIEC)

• • • What are CIMIEC?

Creations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (CMIEC) refers to innovations, systems and policies designed to reduce reliance on volatile energy supplies, lower energy costs, and buffer economies against sudden shortages. These solutions focus on advancing sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. They collectively aim to stabilise energy prices, ensure continuous power access and lower carbon footprints.

Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (IMIEC) are the development and implementation of new technologies, policies, and systemic practices designed to reduce dependency on volatile fuel sources, prevent widespread power outages, and stabilize energy costs.

There is a difference between CMIEC and IMIEC. CMIEC are immediate, localized solutions designed to manage the direct, short-term pain of an energy crisis (e.g., high bills, supply shortages). IMIEC represent systemic, long-term scientific and technological advancements that permanently restructure energy systems to prevent future crises.

• • • CIMIEC as a Creation and Innovation project or Energy Crisis Mitigation project

Forming from nothing ideas or introducing changes to move forward together will be the main activity during the month of June 2026. These creative ideas and innovative ways of working will enable to find the means to meet the level of ambition we have for the kind of sustainable development and future we want, which we hope will help find ways to deal with the impacts of the energy crisis in Africa.

Using our experience, skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with these impacts will not be enough unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate energy crisis. It means there could be another need to bring into existence ideas and introduce changes and new methods to address energy crisis caused by the geopolitical crisis/shock with the oil supply disruption as the result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz following the military conflict with Iran. This closure affects the supply of oil, gas, aluminum, fertilizers and other supplies upon which many economies depend, including those of Africa.

• • Creations and Innovations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (CITLTEP)

• • • What are CITLTEP?

Creations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (CTLTEP) refers to innovative products, systemic policies, or structural services designed to permanently resolve a household’s inability to afford, access or utilize essential energy services (like heating, cooling, lighting, and power). Rather than acting as temporary financial relief (such as short-term heating subsidies), these creations focus on eradicating the root causes of energy deprivation.

Innovations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (ITLTEP) are multidimensional interventions that address the root causes of inadequate access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy. Rather than temporary, short-term bill subsidies, these solutions focus on structured, structural changes, encompassing technological, financial, and governance advancements to ensure households maintain a decent standard of living.

There is a difference between CTLTEP and ITLTEP. CTLTEP refer to fundamental new inventions or basic technologies, whereas ITLTEP are about practical, scalable, and market-driven applications of those technologies to create lasting social change. CTLTEP provide new tools to tackle energy poverty, while ITLTEP ensure these tools are economically viable and culturally adapted for the communities that need them most.

• • • CITLTEP as a Creation and Innovation project or Energy Poverty Reduction and Horizon Scanning project

Indeed, creations and innovations to tackle the causes of long-term energy poverty (that is, the persistent inability of a household to access or afford essential energy services) will be conducted to help reduce this type of poverty. Those creations and innovations will help reduce or avoid the persistent inability of chronically low-income households to afford or access essential energy services – such as heating, cooling, lighting, and cooking – necessary for a decent standard of living and health.

During this Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM), we are forming responses from nothing and bringing them into existence to deal with the above-mentioned two aspects or sub-themes (that is, energy crisis mitigation and energy poverty reduction). Equally, we are going to introduce new ideas or methods as well as make changes to what has been tried and tested to deliver these kinds of sub-themes.

In this process of forming proposals and introducing new methods, we are going to work with the community – via the project Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives project) featuring this month – to try to create and innovate so that we are all able to better meet the challenges and cross the hurdles brought by the energy crisis and other shocks (such as the cost-of-living crisis, trade tariff crisis, international aid cuts, natural disaster, humanitarian catastrophe, etc.).

June 2026 is a feature-rich month during which we shall streamline users’ content creation and innovation processes. In this process of creating and innovating, we shall consider some of the creative and innovative ideas, proposals, metrics, experiences and tools that have been so far put forward to help poor people and households reduce (energy) poverty and hardships.

Our work will revolve around the kinds of creation and innovation the CENFACS Community (and alike our Africa-based Sister Organisations) needs in order to find ways of focusing on long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and further innovation for endurance to ensure future-proofing progress is embedded rather than merely secured temporarily. This also involves strategically transitioning from simply protecting previous progress to accelerating it through systemic integration, while ensuring the new, more resilient baseline is continuously built upon.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further information about this first key message.

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Clean Cooking Project – Activity 2 (01 to 07/06/2026): Matching Organisation’s Manufacturing and Sourcing with Investor ‘s Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation

Both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investor) have agreed to continue in the serialisation of this project. They had a slight disagreement in Activity 1 as ACI/ASCO (African Charity Investee/African-based Sister Organisation) argued about Strategic Design while the Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor spoke about Strategy Design. They managed to close the gap on this and agreed to move on.

In this second episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Clean Cooking Project, ACI/ASCO will present its plan for the Manufacturing and Sourcing aspects of the Clean Cooking Project (CCP), while the NFP Impact Investor will be re-entering the matching negotiations by arguing how he/she may want to approach Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation.

To continue these matching talks, we have summarized them around the following points:

σ Activity 2 Matching Concepts

σ Negotiating Points between ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

σ Reaching a Negotiated Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test.

Let us provide some highlights about each of these points.

• • Activity 2 Matching Concepts

There are four concepts that need some clarification, concepts which are manufacturing, sourcing, incubation, and upfront capital allocation. Let us briefly explain each of these concepts.

• • • Manufacturing

Instead of talking about manufacturing alone, we are going to speak about project manufacturing. The website ‘deltek.com’ (1) explains that

“Project manufacturing, sometimes referred to as project-based manufacturing, is a production process tailored to companies that design and build products based on specific customer requirements”.

The website ‘deltek.com’ adds that

“For project manufacturers, the key to success lies in remaining agile enough to respond quickly to changing customer needs and evolving market demands. However, this can be challenging as it requires having the right parts, materials and equipment readily available at all times”.

In terms of CCP, ACI/ASCO needs to show it has carefully thought about the manufacturing aspect of CCP.

• • • Sourcing

According to ‘ibm.com’ (2),

“Sourcing is the process of identifying, evaluating and selecting suppliers to provide goods and services”.

Sourcing should not be confused with procurement. Sourcing is considered as the ‘who’ (the suppliers themselves) that builds the supply chain. Procurement is considered as the ‘what’ (goods and services) within a supply chain.

With reference to this sourcing, NFP Impact Investor may want to know if ACI/ASCO will have its network of suppliers that will move products along.

In brief, sourcing for a project is a strategic process that involves finding and managing suppliers to ensure that the project has the necessary resources at optimal cost and quality.

• • • Incubation

The explanation of incubation used here comes from the website ‘fastercapital.com’ (3) which states that

“Incubation describes the process of providing support to new or early-stage businesses. It is all about helping startups grow and develop into successful businesses. This can be done in a variety of ways, but typically includes providing access to resources, mentorship, and funding”.

The same ‘fastercapital.com’ adds that

“An incubation process is a set of activities and/or a programme that helps new startups and businesses grow and develop”.

This definition will be used and help to know the kind of support that ACI/ASCO may want beyond funding. It will as well help to find out what support NFP Impact Investor would like to give. ACI/ASCO needs to be open in terms of support (e.g., office space, mentorship, funding, and business education) it needs to set up, grow and develop the CCP. It is also required to properly cost its needs.

• • • Upfront Capital Allocation

Let us start with upfront capital. The website ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (4) explains it as

“The initial financial investment required to commence a project encompassing planning, equipment purchase, and construction costs”.

In terms of the allocation of upfront capital, NFP Impact Investor will conduct a capital allocation analysis for CCP to consider relevant details, apply key decision-making principles, and carefully manage costs.

NFP Impact Investor will as well look at ASCO’s upfront investment model (that is a strategic financial approach where an organization allocates a significant portion of its capital or resources at the initial phase of a project or venture) as explained by ‘brimco.io’ (5).

The above-explained concepts will be used in the negotiations and check if they reflect the arguments from each side of this matching programme.

• • Negotiating Points between ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

In terms of Manufacturing and Sourcing, ACI/ASCO needs to explain the following:

σ It will use local production (that is, it will establish or scale local manufacturing of stoves and fuel pellets to create jobs and reduce import costs)

σ It will have supply chain setup (that is, it will secure the materials locally – for instance upcycling agricultural residues into bio-pellets or scaling up LPG distribution infrastructure).

Regarding Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation, the point to negotiate revolve around providing concessional funding or grants or both to local manufacturers and distributors.

Since households (potential beneficiaries of CCP) at the economic pyramid base cannot afford upfront appliance costs, this non-commercial capital de-risks the project and supports localized supply chains.

• • Reaching a Negotiated Agreement

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach a negotiated agreement on the contents of Manufacturing and Sourcing (MS) for the former and Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation (I&UCA) for the latter. It means they need to align their positions.

This alignment requires a blended finance and results-based financing structure. It also demands a blended finance structure and carbon-based subsidies. This will help bridge the gap between upfront production costs and ACI/ASCO’s mandate to deliver affordable clean cookstoves to base-of-the-pyramid markets.

This alignment also requires active ongoing collaboration that merges ACI’s/ASCO’s mission-driven expertise with the NFP Impact Investor‘s requirement for measurable impact and financial stewardship, This can be achieved through structured planning, clear impact mapping (Theory of Change), agreed Key Performance Indicators and active support.

If there is a disagreement between ASCO and NFP Impact Investor, this could open up the possibility for a match/fit test. The match/fit test can be carried out to try to help the two sides of the matching process. The match/fit test can also be undertaken if there is a disagreement on any of aspects of CCP.

• • The Match or Fit Test Service

As part of the match or fit test, the contents of ACI/ASCO’s MS Stage must be matched with NFP Impact Investor’s view on I & UCA. The match test (or matched sampling) will help to increase the accuracy and statistical efficiency of the study of the CCP by carefully selecting subjects for comparison. The purpose here will be to increase the statistical efficiency of the study on CCP by controlling for confounding variables when forming a sample.

The fit test will assist in determining how well the observed sample data matches a specified theoretical distribution. The fit test will check if the data collected fits a model or an assumed population distribution. So, the purpose of the fit test is to validate or invalidate the statistical model by checking if the sample data follows an expected distribution.

The match can be perfect or close (that is, when every unit is paired with an equivalent unit) in order to reach an agreement. If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the NFP Impact Investor’s approach to MS Stage and what ACI/ASCOC is saying about its MS Stage, between what the investor would like the MS Stage to indicate and what ASCO’s MS Stage is really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this Second round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to NFP Impact Investor

Where there could be a disagreement, CENFACS can impact advise ACI/ASCO to improve the contents of its MS Stage. CENFACS can as well guide NFP Impact Investors to work out their expectations in terms of MS Phase to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.

CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for NFP Impact Investor, which are impartial, will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce or avoid the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ACI’s or ASCOs’ MS Stage the better for ACIs or ASCOs. It means that ACI’s or ASCOs’ process must pass the attractiveness test (that is, the evaluation of market’s appeal). Likewise, the more ACIs or ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the CCP the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., investee and investor).

The above is the Second Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via CCP.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a CCP and NFP Impact Investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to be their matchmaker to find their perfect investee or investor.

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

As a Matchmaker, CENFACS can streamline your search process, save time, money and resources to help you find the perfect match in the world of impact investing.

CENFACS platform will help facilitate the matching process between investees and investors. By leveraging the power of AI tools, CENFACS’ Matching Organisation-Investor Programme can streamline the search process for funding opportunities, connecting African charities and impact investors/funders.

Briefly speaking, CENFACS can work with matching applicants and use AI to match organizations with the right impact investors, filtering profiles based on development stages, sectors, and aims.

In this matching process, CENFACS can arrange the match or fit test for them. They can have their fit test carried out by CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses.

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses

The Hub can help use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy. The Hub, which can serve as a learning or reference place for those who would like to understand and apply statistical hypothesis testing, can assist to

√ clean, merge and prepare micro-data sources for testing, modelling and analysis

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

√ interpret and analyse patterns or trends or insights in data or results.

In this respect, CENFACS’ H-tests Hub is knowledge repository designed to demystify the process of using data to make informed decisions and move beyond intuition and guesswork.

For instance, in the context of this Activity 2, it is possible to evaluate whether ACI’s/ASCO’s operational plans align with NFP Impact Investor’s Incubation and Upfront Capital Allocation. One can test several hypotheses across operations, supply chain, and financial sustainability.

If one considers the area of manufacturing feasibility and scaling, the hypotheses can test whether ACI/ASCO can actually produce and scale the clean cooking technology efficiently. One of these hypotheses could be economies of scale by testing this hypothesis: Per-unit manufacturing costs will decrease at a specific rate once incubation-funded assembled lines are operational.

Another area of hypothesis testing could be financial sustainability and capital efficiency. These track whether the incubation period successfully transitions ACI/ASCO’s CCP towards long-term viability. By considering working capital cycle, it is possible to test if the upfront capital allocation is sufficient to bridge the cash flow gap between the manufacturing of stoves/fuels and the realization of revenue (which is often delayed by last-mile distribution logistics).

Those who would like to apply hypothesis testing in fields of economic development or to deal with poverty reduction, they are welcome to use CENFACS’ H-tests Hub.

For any queries and/or enquiries about this Second stage (or phase) activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via CCP, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• Goal of the Month and Activity/Task 6 of the Alternatives (A) Year/Project

Our Goal of the Month focuses on Finding Creations and Innovations That Really Reduce or End Poverty. Activity/Task 6 of the Alternatives (A) Year/Project is about Creating and Innovating Alternatives for Those in Need of Reducing Poverty. Both our Goal of the Month and Activity/Task 6 are complimentary.

Let us look at these Goal of the Month and Activity/Task 6.

• • Goal of the Month: Find Creations and Innovations That Really Reduce or End Poverty

Not all creations can lead to poverty reduction. However, it is possible to search and find creations that helped or can help reduce poverty. Amongst these creations, we can mention economic growth creation, wealth creation, jobs creation, economic integration creation, etc. that can reduce poverty under verifiable conditions.

For instance, British International Investment (6) notes that

“There are countries that translated growth into poverty reduction and those that have not”.

The British International Investment also argues that

“Growth anywhere in an economy will reduce poverty if there are strong enough economic linkages to the livelihoods of people living in poverty. Growth fails to reduce poverty when the economic linkages to the lives of the poor are weak, and governments fail to use the proceeds either to encourage the spread of economic activity or for anti-poverty programmes”.

Similarly, not all innovations work in reducing poverty. There are innovations that can do it. For example, TechnoServe (7) has listed five key technological innovations that have shown remarkable promise in reducing poverty. There are

1) Geospatial Technology (including satellite imagery, GPS, and geographic information systems) has emerged as a game changer in agricultural development and poverty reduction efforts

2) Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are becoming powerful tools in the fight against poverty

3) Fintech (financial technology) helps to bridge gap and provide crucial financial services to underserved poor populations or communities

4) Distance Learning approaches (coupled with the growth of smartphone availability in developing countries) have helped to break the cycle of poverty

5) Supply chain traceability (i.e., the ability to track products, materials, or components as they move through your supply chain, creating a clear record of where items came from, where they are now, and where they are going to).

So, during this June 2026 we are going to work and Find these Creations and Innovations That Really Reduce or End Poverty as well as help those who need them to access them. This is our Goal for the Month of June 2026.

• • • What We Expect from Our Supporters Regarding the Goal of the Month

After selecting the Goal for the Month, we focus our efforts and mind set on the selected goal by making sure that in our real life we apply it. We also expect our supporters to go for the Goal of the Month by working on the same goal and by supporting those who may be suffering from the type of poverty linked to the Goal for the Month we are talking about during the given month (e.g., June 2026).

For further details on the Goal of the Month, its selection procedure including its support and how one can go for it, please contact CENFACS.

• • Activity/Task 6 of the Alternatives (A) Year/Project: Create and Innovate Alternatives for Those in Need of Reducing Poverty

One cannot invent something entirely new without first envisioning different possibilities and the quality of their final creation directly depends on the variety and ingenuity of the alternatives they explored. They need to create and innovate alternatives.

• • What Is Creating and Innovating Alternatives?

Creating alternatives for poverty reduction refers to shifting away from traditional, top-down welfare programmes and conditional aid towards systemic, localized and bottom-up solutions. These strategies prioritize placing families in the driver’s seat of their own economic mobility and rely on community-led innovation to build long-term resilience.

Likewise, innovating alternatives for poverty reduction can happen. There are relationships between creating and innovating alternatives.

• • Relationship between Creating and Innovating Alternatives

Innovations are successfully implemented solutions that create new value, while alternatives are the varying options or potential substitutes available to achieve goal. Their relationship as defined by a dynamic loop in the sense that alternatives serve as the raw material for innovation, and successful innovations ultimately generate new alternatives for users, including for those users living in poverty.

So, Activity/Task 6 of the Alternatives (A) Year/Project is about Creating and Innovating Alternatives for Those in Need of Reducing Poverty.

Those who would like to undertake this Activity/Task can go ahead. For those who need some help before embarking on it, they can speak to CENFACS.

For any other queries and enquiries about the ‘A’ project and this year’s dedication, please contact CENFACS as well.

Extra Messages

• ReLive Issue No. 18, Spring 2026: People with Acute Needs in Africa Want to Rebuild and Renew Their Lives, Can You Help?

• All-Year-Round Projects (AYRPs) and the World Environment Day 2026

• Business Education Programme for Low-income Families to Reduce Poverty

• ReLive Issue No. 18, Spring 2026: People with Acute Needs in Africa Want to Rebuild and Renew Their Lives, Can You Help?

Only 3 Weeks to Go for This 18th Issue!

The 18th Issue of CENFACS’ Once-a-year Spring Appeal for Renewing Lives (ReLive), which focuses on advocating for the support of People in Acute Needs or Those in the Most Serious Humanitarian Crises in Africa who require help to rebuild and renew their lives this Spring 2026, has only three weeks to go and be alive on this website.

The Campaign is about working with those in the most serious humanitarian crises in Africa to create enhanced relief so that they can rebuild and renew their lives. They need rebuilding, renewal and support due to the convergence of armed conflict, climate-induced disasters, and economic distress.

The Campaign will help meet rebuilding and renewal needs like

σ Healthcare facilities, water systems, and local food production in Sudan

σ Reconstruct razed villages, damaged schools, and transport infrastructure in the Sahel

σ Re-establish health and create special protections from gender-based violence in the Eastern DRC

σ Rebuild economic base for pastoralists and farmers

σ Provide clean water, education, and healthcare to the Internally Displaced Persons

σ Rebuilding destroyed homes for communities in South Kivu (DRC)

σ Restoration of basic services and civilian infrastructure for communities in the Central Sahel

σ In brief, rebuild and renew lives in a gradual, safe and sustainable way.

The Campaign is done through Gifts of Renewing Lives and Life-renewing Projects (LRPs).

As part of this Campaign, we are running 14 Gifts in a world of 20 Reliefs or Helpful Differences. What does this mean?

It means donors or funders have 14 Gifts of Renewing Lives or materials to choose from and enable the creation of 20 Reliefs (impacts or values) to select from to make helpful differences to the acute needy.

In total, our Spring Relief 2026 Campaign is providing to potential supporters 14 GIFTS of rebuilding acute needy’s lives in Africa in 20 RELIEFS to make this happen.

For this rebuilding or renewal to happen, support is needed towards LRPs.

To support, please contact CENFACS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/contact-us/

• All-Year-Round Projects (AYRPs) and the World Environment Day 2026

On Friday 05/06/2026, the World Environment Day (WED) 2026 will be focusing on climate change – on the urgent signals the Earth is sending and the signals we choose to send back (8).

As part of this worldwide event day, those of our members who are working on any of the AYRPs can reflect the theme of the WED 2026 in the application of their projects. They can integrate the WED 2026 theme of ‘Global Call for Climate Action‘ into them.

• • What Is Integrating a ‘Global Call for Climate Action’ into AYRPs?

Integrating a ‘Global Call for Climate Action‘ into AYRPs requires shifting from one-off events (like WED 5 June 2026) to continuous embedding sustainability practices. One can achieve this integration by breaking the effort into a set of structured activities that can maintain momentum and measurable impact.

For instance, one can have the following 4-phased framework:

Phase 1 (June-Mid-July 2026): Assess and Plan

It involves auditing your resources and planning your AYRP action with the goal of reducing carbon footprint by e.g. 1%, using standard calculation models.

Phase 2 (Mid-July – August 2026): Hands-on Execution

It can be about launching an outdoor event like clean-up drives in your specific vicinity to directly benefit your immediate ecosystem where your AYRP will be implemented.

Phase 3 (September – October 2026): Education and Advocacy

It could be about hosting a small event whereby you can engage the public about climate change issues like renewable energy or reducing waste, as well as advocate for sustainable local policies.

Phase 4 (November – December 2026): Review and Innovate

It encompasses analysing data throughout the year, calculating your total environmental impact (such as savings made on CO2 emissions) as a result of the implementation of your AYRPs.

The above-mentioned phases will show that you are not treating WED 2026 as a one-off or one-day event.

In short, you can engage in WED 2026 by adopting sustainable practices (like reducing waste, conserving water and energy, and choosing eco-friendly products) when undertaking AYRPs.

Those who have included or will include the features of this campaign in the AYRPs can let us know their experience of this inclusion.

• • What Is Good about Telling and Sharing Your AYRP Story of the Inclusion of a ‘Global Call for Climate Action’

Telling and sharing your AYRP story of the inclusion experience will help

√ contribute to the Global Call for Climate Action

√ reduce the triple crisis (that is, the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land, and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste)

√ improve the environmental aspect within AYRP (its Triple Value Initiatives – People, Planet, Prosperity)

√ know what has worked and not worked so far before AYRP’s deadline of 23/12/2026.

To tell and share your AYRP story of environmental inclusion and particularly of the inclusion of the theme of WED 2026, please contact CENFACS.

• Business Education Programme for Low-income Families to Reduce Poverty

This is a new programme that has been tailored to meet the specifics of low-income families and/or households looking forward to setting up an income-generating activity to help them transition away from poverty. The programme follows the positive reaction we had last month with Basic Home-based Bookkeeping and Accounting for Poverty Reduction (BHbB&A4PR). BHbB&A4PR was a pilot project and is part of this new programme. Perhaps, to better understand this programme let us explain it, provide its aim and components or projects.

• • Explaining Business Education Programme for Low-income Families to Reduce Poverty (BEP4LIFs)

BEP4LIFs, which is not one-size-fits-all, is all part of empowering and keeping families and households resilient, particularly thosemaking the CENFACS Community.

It reinforces our work with these families and households on 2026 Alternative Income Sources and Projects.

It caters for the specific needs of family’s or household’s idea of income-generating activities.

It helps these families or households to overcome some of the challenge they may face should they decide to set up an income-generating activity to lift themselves out of poverty and financial hardship.

• • Aim of BEP4LIFs

The main aim of BEP4LIFs is to empower low-income families with the financial literacy and numeracy, data, management skills, and strategic knowledge needed to launch or grow small income-generating activities or micro-enterprises to help them come out poverty and hardships. This drives self-sufficiency, creates sustainable income, and foster the creation of income-earning activity to break generational cycles of poverty.

Like any programme of this kind, BEP4LIFs needs to have projects which make its components.

• • BEP4LIFs Projects

BEP4LIFs will operate through four core projects as follows.

1) Income-generating Activities (IGAs), Micro-enterprises and Entrepreneurship Projects

These initiatives empower these families to launch or grow their own IGA to create sustainable livelihoods.

2) Financial Literacy and Capability Projects

They focus on stabilizing family/household finances and building assets to prevent families from falling deeper into debt.

3) Workforce and Vocational Up-skilling Projects

They are designed to transition low-income family workers from low-paying jobs/activities into higher-wage careers by teaching in-demand business and technical skills.

4) Community and Social Enterprise Projects

They are initiatives that address local community needs while simultaneously creating jobs for these disadvantaged families.

From Week Beginning Monday 08 June 2026, we shall start and cover the first projects of BEP4LIFs (that is, IGAs, Micro-enterprises and Entrepreneurship Projects).

Those who may be interested in or willing to support Business Education Programme for Low-income Families to Reduce Poverty, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Message in English-French (Message en Anglais-Français)

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses the Impacts of Football Supporterism on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Football supporters can impact poverty reduction in Africa by driving grassroots socio-economic development, including poverty reduction. It is recognized that football fans, local communities, and global supporters’ clubs combat extreme poverty by funding safe-space sports programmes, supporting community healthcare and climate change awareness. Their action is sometimes termed as supporterism. What is supporterism?

Within the sports and poverty reduction literature, it is mentioned that supporterism refers to the organised and active culture of sports fans who band together to back a team, promote its community interests or even influence club ownership and governance. It often involves fanatical dedication, structured group activities, and civic and political activism centered around the club.

Football supporterism in particular can have an impact on poverty reduction in Africa. It can support grassroots socio-economic and community development, particularly with the following initiatives:

σ Youth empowerment and skills programmes and fan-supported charities, which utilise football to teach discipline, teamwork, and enterprising, protecting disadvantaged youth from crime and substance abuse

σ Women’s protection as football is leveraged to protect vulnerable girls and women in African countries where exploitation and gender-based violence are happening

σ Reintegration and peacebuilding processes as football fandom and community tournaments can foster social cohesion and reintegration in post-conflict zones

σ Health education and healthcare burden reduction as football can be used an engaging platform for health education, counselling and advice

Etc.

Football supporterism and direct fan-led initiatives can help raise funds for local infrastructure and equipment and facilities that can directly benefit underprivileged neighbourhoods.

So, there is no doubt that football supporters are doing and can do more to support efforts for poverty reduction in Africa. In the lead up to the 23rd edition of the global football tournament (FIFA World Cup 2026), this is what we are discussing. In particular, we are debating this:

What else can African football supporters do to help reduce or end poverty further in Africa?

The above provides materials and space for reflection, expression, discussion and action.

Those who may be interested in reflection, expression, discussion and action on the Impacts of Football Supporterism on Poverty Reduction in Africa can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum, which is a forum or space for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

To contact CENFACS about this discussion, please use our usual contact address on this website.

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de L’impact des Supporters de Football sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Les supporters de football peuvent contribuer à la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique en stimulant le développement socio-économique local. Il est reconnu que les supporters, les communautés locales et les clubs de supporters internationaux luttent contre l’extrême pauvreté en finançant des programmes sportifs sécurisés, en soutenant les soins de santé communautaires et en sensibilisant le public au changement climatique. Leur action est parfois qualifiée de « supporterisme ». Qu’est-ce que le supporterisme ?

Dans les travaux sur le sport et la réduction de la pauvreté, le supporterisme désigne la culture organisée et active des supporters qui se regroupent pour soutenir une équipe, promouvoir les intérêts de leur communauté, voire influencer la propriété et la gouvernance du club. Il implique souvent un dévouement sans faille, des activités de groupe structurées et un activisme civique et politique centré sur le club.

Le soutien de football by les supporters de football, en particulier, peut contribuer à la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique. Il peut favoriser le développement socio-économique et communautaire à la base, notamment grâce aux initiatives suivantes :

σ Programmes d’autonomisation et de formation des jeunes et organisations caritatives soutenues par les supporters, qui utilisent le football pour inculquer la discipline, le travail d’équipe et l’esprit d’entreprise, tout en protégeant les jeunes défavorisés de la criminalité et de la toxicomanie.

σ Protection des femmes : le football est mis à profit pour protéger les filles et les femmes vulnérables dans les pays africains où sévissent l’exploitation et les violences sexistes.

σ Processus de réintégration et de consolidation de la paix : le soutien des supporters et les tournois communautaires de football peuvent favoriser la cohésion sociale et la réintégration dans les zones post-conflit.

σ Éducation sanitaire et réduction de la charge pesant sur les systèmes de santé : le football peut servir de plateforme attrayante pour l’éducation sanitaire, le conseil et l’accompagnement.

Etc.

Le soutien aux équipes de football et les initiatives directes menées par les supporters peuvent contribuer au financement des infrastructures, des équipements et des installations locales, bénéficiant directement aux quartiers défavorisés.

Il ne fait donc aucun doute que les supporters de football s’investissent et peuvent s’investir davantage dans la lutte contre la pauvreté en Afrique. À l’approche de la 23e édition de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA (Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026), c’est précisément le sujet de nos discussions. Plus précisément, nous débattons ceci:

Quelles actions supplémentaires les supporters africains peuvent-ils entreprendre pour contribuer à réduire, voire à éradiquer, la pauvreté en Afrique ?

Ce qui précède offre un espace de réflexion, d’expression, de discussion et d’action.

Les personnes intéressées par la réflexion, l’expression, la discussion et l’action concernant L’Impact des Supporters de Football sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique peuvent rejoindre notre groupe d’experts sur la réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum ou espace de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

Pour contacter le CENFACS au sujet de cette discussion, veuillez utiliser nos coordonnées habituelles sur ce site Web.

Main Development

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2026

The following points make up the Main Development section of this post:

∝ Basic understanding of the creative economic development

∝ What 2026 June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives (Jmesci) project will be about

∝ Theme and sub-themes of Creative Economic Development Month 2026

∝ Other concepts of Creative Economic Development Month 2026

∝ The creator economy and Creative Economic Development Month 2026

∝ The kinds of creative economic development projects we will be dealing with

∝CEDM Codes

∝ The method of delivering the Creative Economic Development Month

∝ The calendar and contents of the Creative Economic Development Month

∝ Execution of CEDM 2026 Sub-themes: First Codes (from Week Beginning Monday 01/06/2026)

∝ Creative Economic Development Projects

∝ Featuring other environmental activities or events outside but closer to CENFACS’ work.

Let us look at these points one by one.

• • Basic Understanding of the Creative Economic Development (CEDM)

To grasp the creative economic development is better to start with the understanding of the creative economy.

• • • Basic understanding of the creative economy

There are many definitions of creative economy. In this communication, we have selected two of them.

The first definition comes from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). UNCTAD (9) argues that a creative economy

“Essentially… is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the ‘creative industries’ are based”.

The UNCTAD goes on by claiming that

“The creative industries – which include advertising, architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, software, computer games, electronic publishing, and TV/radio – are the lifeblood of the creative economy”.

The second definition, which is from ‘rasmussen.edu’ (10), is

“The creative economy is the income-earning potential of creative activities and ideas”.

Clearly, this second definition focusses on the income generation aspect of creative industries and activities.

However, CENFACS looks at the creative economy from the perspective of development or sustainable development.

• • • Creative economy from the perspective of development and sustainable development

From the development point of view, creative economic development focuses on leveraging creativity and cultural assets to drive economic growth and development process, fostering job creation, attracting investment, and enhancing the overall quality of life in a particular area. It involves creating an environment that supports innovative industries like the arts, film, music, fashion, and design, while also recognising that creativity can enhance various sectors beyond these traditional creative industries.

From the perspective of sustainable development, one needs to include the definition of sustainable development as given by World Commission on Environment and Development (11), definition which is:

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

So, the knowledge-based economic activities – upon which the creative industries are supported – need to be sustainable; that is capable of being continued over the long term without adverse effects. These activities need to be inclusive, clean, green (or net zero), climate-resilient and safe.

• • What June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives 2026 Is about

Individual and collective creations in the ways of improving lives through the conception of fresh ideas and the implementation of practical ideas to escape from poverty and hardships as well as foster a better environment and sustainability, are CENFACS’ area of interest. We create all over the year and life; however June is the month for us to remember and acknowledge our environmental and sustainable makings.

June is the month of Creative Economic Development at CENFACS with creation and innovation on the main menu: creation for researching and developing fresh ideas to reduce poverty, particularly extreme poverty; innovation for making these ideas or dreams come true, transformable into practical environmental and sustainable initiatives and actions.

Put it simply, Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives) is just about finding out ways of engineering creations relating to the environment and sustainability in order to further reduce poverty and improve the quality of life. In practical terms, it is the project that features or carries the Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM).

This year’s Jmesci will be about two types of creations and innovations:

1) Creations and Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis

2) Creations and Innovations to Reduce Long-term Energy Poverty.

• • Theme and Sub-themes of CEDM 2026

The key theme of CEDM 2026 is Energy Creations and Innovations. This theme contains two sub-themes which are:

1st Sub-theme: Energy Crisis Mitigation

2nd Sub-theme: Energy Poverty Reduction.

In other words, this June 2026 we have 2 sub-themes of creations and innovations to offer within our main theme. These two sub-themes cover the two aspects of CEDM 2026, which we have given above and are:

1) Creations and Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis

2) Creations and Innovations to Reduce Long-term Energy Poverty.

Let us briefly highlight each of the sub-themes.

• • • Creations and Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (CIMIEC)

• • • • Creations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (CMIEC)

• • • • • What are CMIEC?

CMIEC refers to innovations, systems and policies designed to reduce reliance on volatile energy supplies, lower energy costs, and buffer economies against sudden shortages. These solutions focus on advancing sustainability, efficiency, and resilience. They collectively aim to stabilise energy prices, ensure continuous power access and lower carbon footprints.

• • • • • Types of CMIEC

These creations (solutions) to mitigate the impacts of energy crisis on people, particularly the poor ones, can fall under the following 4 categories with descriptive codes in each of these categories.

1) Direct Financial Support and Relief

The codes for this first category are social tariffs, bill rebates or subsidies, debt relief, and prohibition of disconnections.

2) Improving Home Energy Efficiency

The codes for this second category include insulation and retrofitting, green subsidies, micro-efficiency kits.

3) Transition to Affordable Renewable Energy

The codes for this third category involve community renewables, energy as-a-service, and decentralized generation.

4) Energy Advice and Behavioural Changes

The codes for this fourth category encompass energy literacy, smart meter rollout, and demand response.

Those who would be interested in the above-mentioned CMIEC categories and their codes, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• • • • Innovations to Mitigate the Impacts of Energy Crisis (IMIEC)

• • • • • What are IMIEC?

IMIEC are the development and implementation of new technologies, policies, and systemic practices designed to reduce dependency on volatile fuel sources, prevent widespread power outages, and stabilize energy costs.

• • • • • Types of IMIEC

We can categorize innovations to mitigate impact on people, especially the poor and vulnerable ones, into the following categories and corresponding descriptive codes.

1) Financial Support and Interventions

Codes under this category describe the following:

Direct economic relief, direct cash transfers and targeted energy bill subsidies, social tariffs for reduced electricity price, prohibition of energy supply disconnections during crises, financial incentives (subsidies) for renewable installations.

2) Energy Efficiency and Building Upgrades

Codes in this category focus on physical housing adaptations. They are as follows:

Retrofitting and home insulation, distribution of micro-efficiency kits, transitions to cheap, clean heating, etc.

3) Decentralised and Community Energy

Codes are those capturing bottom-up, localized technological solutions. They include

Off-grid renewable installations, off-grid biogas plants to mitigate cooking fuel costs, zero-upfront-cost installations via community energy programmes, etc.

4) Consumer Engagement, Education, and Justice

Codes are those detailing the sociological and consumer rights aspects. These codes are

Energy democracy, energy literacy, energy counselling and bill interpretation service, smart metering to proactively identify vulnerable and disconnecting households.

Those who would be interested in the above-mentioned IMIEC categories and their codes, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• • • • The difference between CMIEC and IMIEC

• • • • CIMIEC as a Creation and Innovation project or Energy Crisis Mitigation project

• • • Creations and Innovations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (CITLTEP)

• • • • Creations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (CTLTEP)

• • • • • What are CTLTEP?

CTLTEP refers to innovative products, systemic policies, or structural services designed to permanently resolve a household’s inability to afford, access or utilize essential energy services (like heating, cooling, lighting, and power). Rather than acting as temporary financial relief (such as short-term heating subsidies), these creations focus on eradicating the root causes of energy deprivation.

• • • • • Types of CTLTEP

When analyzing long-term energy poverty among the energy poor, research and policy interventions divide solutions into core thematic areas. Within these, specific operational codes and metrics track the success of targeted creations.

The thematic areas and their corresponding codes selected for this communication are as follows:

1) Home Energy Efficiency and Substandard Housing

These solutions focus on upgrading the physical dwelling to minimize long-term heat loss and energy waste. They include fabric-first approach, clean and efficient heating.

2) Direct Financial Support and Market Regulation

These codes represent mechanism designed to relieve the direct financial burden on poor consumers. They involve subsidies and grants, bill mitigation, income maximization.

3) Behavioural Energy Advice and Consumer Empowerment

These codes refer to grassroots, educational and guidance interventions. They encompass energy literacy and community initiatives.

4) Measurement and Tracking Indicators

They help evaluate the long-term impact on marginalized populations. Among the measures are the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index, LILEE indicator, Expenditure-based Codes, and Hidden Energy Poverty.

• • • • Innovations to Tackle Long-term Energy Poverty (ITLTEP)

• • • • • What are ITLTEP?

ITLTEP are multidimensional interventions that address the root causes of inadequate access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy. Rather than temporary, short-term bill subsidies, these solutions focus on structured, structural changes, encompassing technological, financial, and governance advancements to ensure households maintain a decent standard of living.

• • • • • Types of ITLTEP

The specific actionable themes and thematic codes used to categorize innovations to tackle long-term energy poverty include the following:

1) Technological Innovation Measures

These measures focus on physical and software enhancements to improve home energy efficiency and democratize access. Codes are

Smart enhancements, building fabric refurbishment, decentralized energy, blockchain/DLIC (Distributed Ledger Technology), etc.

2) Governance and Policy Innovation Measures

These codes cover regulatory, financial and organisational frameworks. Codes are

Sustainable partnerships, innovative financing, normative framework, energy communities, etc.

3) Behavioural and Educational Measures

These codes highlight consumer-facing strategies designed to empower low-income households. Codes are

Tailored energy advice, behavioural change through educational campaigns, monitoring and evaluation.

4) Digital Financing and Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG)

These codes enable to use mobile money platforms combined with PAYG technology to allow low-income households to make small, flexible micro-payments for energy assets, making ownership accessible. Codes include

Pay-As-You-Go and micro-finance, energy social tariffs, cash transfers, equitable policy design, etc.

• • • • The difference between CTLTEP and ITLTEP

• • • • CITLTEP as a Creation and Innovation project or Energy Poverty Reduction and Horizon Scanning project

Actually, creations and innovations to tackle the causes of long-term energy poverty (that is, the persistent inability of a household to access or afford essential energy services) will be conducted to help reduce this type of poverty. Those creations and innovations will help reduce or avoid the persistent inability of chronically low-income households to afford or access essential energy services – such as heating, cooling, lighting, and coking – necessary for a decent standard of living and health.

The above-mentioned creations and innovations will make up CEDM 2026. They will be part of projects of CEDM 2026.

• • Other Concepts of Creative Economic Development Month 2026

Apart from the concepts we have already explained (such as CIMIEC and CITLTEP), there is a need to clarify the following terms: energy crisis, energy poverty, long-term energy poverty and the multidimensional energy poverty index. Let us explain them.

σ Energy crisis

According to ‘knowworldnow.com’ (12),

“Energy crisis occurs when the demand for energy resources significantly exceeds the available supply, or when energy prices rise to levels that severely impact economic stability and quality of life. Unlike temporary shortages, a true energy crisis persists over extended periods and requires systemic changes to resolve. The phenomenon encompasses not just electricity blackouts but also fuel shortages, price volatility, and the availability of energy infrastructure to meet population needs”.

This energy crisis can have short-, medium- and long-term impacts. From the study conducted by ‘lse.ac.uk’ (13), short-term impacts of energy crisis include the impact on consumer prices, indirect effects on the price of manufactured goods, food and transport, and impact on industry, especially energy-intensive sectors.

There are as well medium-term impacts in the form of structural damage with several transmission channels like persistent inflation eroding wages and consumer spending, investment collapse in energy-intensive sectors.

There are also methods to lessen these impacts for households, especially for the poorest ones, and businesses. CEDM 2026 is about finding these methods or solutions or creations or innovations to mitigate these energy crisis impacts.

Among these creations, it is worth mentioning the use of demand-side measures to reduce energy consumption by improving efficiency and conservation. There is also the use of supply-side alternatives that can be deployable in the short-term. In the long-term time, considerations should be given to energy transition, transitioning to clean energy, the structural transformation of energy systems.

In brief, there is need to transition towards diversified clean energy and battery deployment.

σ Energy poverty

Two definitions of energy can be given. The first one comes from the European Union (14) which argues that

“Energy poverty occurs when a household must reduce its energy consumption to a degree that negatively impacts the inhabitants’ health and wellbeing. It is mainly driven by 3 underlying root causes: a high proportion of household expenditure spent on energy, low income, and low energy performance of buildings and appliances”.

The website ‘habitat.org’ (15) also explains energy poverty by stating that

“Energy poverty can be found in all conditions where there is a lack of adequate, affordable, reliable, quality, safe and environmentally sound energy services to support development”.

Although these definitions are insightful in understanding the meaning of energy poverty, what we are interested in is long-term energy poverty, that is when energy poverty becomes structural and last longer between generations.

σ Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI)

MEPI is explained by ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (16) as

“A sophisticated composite metric designed to quantify energy deprivations on individual or household experiences simultaneously moving beyond a simple binary of electricity access. This index assesses the inadequacy of energy services across several essential domains, reflecting the quality, reliability and health implications of available energy resources. It provides a nuanced tool for analysing the social pillar of sustainable development”.

This index can useful when creating and innovating to tackle long-term energy poverty.

• • The Creator Economy and Creative Economic Development Month 2026

CEDM is the month of looking at the creator economy. The creator economy and Creations and Innovations Month have some relationships. Before illustrating these links, let explain the creator economy.

• • • What is the creator economy?

The website ‘salesforce.com’ (17) explains that

“The creator economy, in simple terms, is basically people making money online by doing stuff they are good at (or just wildly passionate about). They teach, review, bake, rant, design, dance, explain, and build”.

The website ‘salesforce.com’ adds that

“The true creators are the ones who are putting in the work, they are anyone who’s figured out how to share something useful or entertaining online on platforms”.

So, these true creators have something to do with our Creations and Innovations Month.

• • • The relationships between the creator economy with Creations and Innovations Month

CEDM provides a dedicated framework to celebrate and analyse the artistic expression and entrepreneurial drive that sustain the creator ecosystem. The relationship between the creator economy and CEDM can manifest in specific ways such as

σ A month of opportunity for creators and enhancers of poverty reduction and sustainable development to review their craft models and highlight how their ideas can be turned into sustainable makings

σ A month of leveraging tools like Generative AI to further reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

CEDM is about generating new ideas, creations and innovations, while the creator economy is about executing those ideas into goods, services or sustainable platforms (for instance, to mitigate energy crisis and tackle long-term energy poverty).

• • Kinds of Creative Economic Development Projects Dealt with

The types of creative economic development projects that will be considered will be those helping people in need to reduce or end poverty (for instance energy poverty) while enhancing sustainable development (like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 relating to ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all). In other words, for any creations and innovations to meet the objectives of the creation and innovation month, they need to address poverty while contributing to the principles of sustainable development; that is of development that is inclusive, clean, green (or net zero), climate-resilient and safe, or ‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ (op. cit.).

From the idea or conception to the implementation of these projects, their contents need to have the values of poverty reduction and sustainability (particularly the inclusive, clean, green or net zero, climate-resilient and safe aspects of sustainability). As we continue to unveil these projects throughout this month, these values will become clear, apparent and self-explanatory. This will as well determine the manner in which the Creative Economic Development Month will be approached and delivered throughout the month.

• • CEDM Codes

CEDM uses codes, which are inside its sub-themes or thematic topics. It uses coding system to deliver its campaign. A code is a system of rules, symbols, or signals used to represent information, communicate secretly, or give instructions to a machine, according to ‘dictionary.cambridge.org’ (18).

In the context of CENFACS CEDM, CEDM Codes are a compilation of indicators, metrics, safety rules and standards to check if people are meeting poverty reduction and sustainable development goals. Using a system of targets and statistical indicators, CEDM Codes track indicators such as basic education, health, food, energy, etc. It is all about coding for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

These codes help us understand how poor people are doing in terms of poverty reduction and sustainable development. This year’s CEDM Codes revolve around energy crisis mitigation and long-term energy poverty reduction. what are these codes?

• • • Codes for energy crisis mitigation

Codes for energy crisis mitigation refer to regulatory energy industry protocols, mandatory consumer protection standards, or the reference numbers used for emergency fuel vouchers.

For instance, in the UK to manage and mitigate energy crisis, Fuel Vouchers Codes are used for households experiencing extreme financial hardship.

• • • Codes for energy poverty reduction

Codes for energy poverty reduction consist of statutory metrics, building performance standards, and targeted financial support. These codes focus on the two main pillars of energy poverty: energy performance and energy affordability.

The above-mentioned codes for energy crisis mitigation and energy poverty reduction will help find if there is any gap to fill in terms of, for instance, energy transition. These codes will be developed throughout the CEDM.

• • The Method of Delivering the Creative Economic Development Month

The Creative Economic Development Month will be delivered through the composition of notes and a number of activities (such as workshop, focus group or discussion, exhibition, advocacy or campaign and appeal).

• • The Calendar and Contents of the Creative Economic Development Month

To deliver on what we have argued so far, we have organised the Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM) by categorising the creations (solutions) and innovations to mitigate the impacts of energy crisis on poor and vulnerable populations as well as creations and innovations to reduce long-term energy poverty into sub-themes or thematic topics and their corresponding descriptive codes.

We shall soon publish the full calendar and working plan for CEDM 2026 Working Weeks and Codes. The following table about First Codes for CEDM 2026 is an extract from the full CEDM 2026 Codes tables.

• • Execution of CEDM 2026 Sub-themes: First Codes for Energy Crisis Mitigation and Poverty Reduction (from Week Beginning Monday 01/06/2026)

Our CEDM Working Weeks and Plan starts with the categories/thematic topics and their corresponding first codes for each sub-theme, which are as follows:

σ) 1st Sub-theme (1ST): Energy Crisis Mitigation

σσ) Creation Category (CC) is Direct Financial Support and Relief

The codes for this creation category are social tariffs, bill rebates or subsidies, debt relief, and prohibition of disconnections.

σσ) Innovation Category (IC) is Financial Support and Interventions

Codes under this innovation category describe the following:

σ) 2nd Sub-theme (2ST): Energy Poverty Reduction

σσ) Creation Category (CC) is Home Energy Efficiency and Substandard Housing

These solutions focus on upgrading the physical dwelling to minimize long-term heat loss and energy waste. They include fabric-first approach, clean and efficient heating.

σσ) Innovation Category (IC) is Technological Innovation Measures

These measures focus on physical and software enhancements to improve home energy efficiency and democratize access. Codes are

Smart enhancements, building fabric refurbishment, decentralized energy, blockchain/DLIC (Distributed Ledger Technology), etc.

Those who would like to engage with the CEDM 2026 can choose amongst the above-mentioned codes and contact CENFACS.

The above is the first execution of our CEDM 2026 Working Weeks and Plan. For those who may be interested in any of the first codes of each sub-theme of this plan, they can contact CENFACS. For those would like to learn more about CEDM 2026, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

• • Creative Economic Development Projects

There are areas of creative economic industries upon which we (together with those in need) draw inspiration to develop projects to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. These areas include: advertising, arts and crafts, design, video, research and development.

To be more specific, let us look at one example, one activity and one competition relating to creative economic development projects.

• • • Example of Creative Economic Development Project: Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

CENFACS’ creative economic development projects (like Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development) can help users to handle squeezed household life-sustaining spending.

For example, we normally run Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development as a creative economic development or creative economy project. Through this project, participants can unlock their creative aspirations to build and develop poverty reduction content-creating objects or materials. This exercise will provide them with poverty reduction building experiences via objects/materials.

• • • Creative Economic Development Activity of the Month: Construct and Post e-cards or e-objects

One of the activities related to this project for this year will be to construct and post e-cards or e-objects expressing the theme of “Global Call for Climate Action”. The construction will echo the World Environmental Day’s (op. cit.) celebratory theme of on 05/06/2026.

One can as well construct and post the similar cards as expressions or ways of dealing with drought to resonate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (19) on 17/06/2026. The theme of 2026 Desertification and Drought Day is “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore”.

So, those who wish and want can design and post an e-card or e-object to feature the theme of “Global Call for Climate Action” relating to World Environment Day, and/or the theme of “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore” linked to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

To support and or enquire about Art and Design for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development, please contact CENFACS.

• • • Creative Economic Development Competition of the Month: The Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

The Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development is a one-month’s project of challenge created and run by CENFACS that will enable creators and innovators of the month to showcase their creations and innovations in and for the community; creations and innovations relating to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

As a creator or innovator of poverty reduction and/or sustainable development you can tell and/or share with CENFACS your creation and/or innovation project or experience of creative and/or innovative poverty reduction and/or sustainable development. Your creation and/or innovation project or experience will be part of this month’s challenge to find the Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development.

To tell and/or share your creation and/or innovation project or experience, please contact CENFACS this month.

• • Featuring other environmental activities or events outside but closer to CENFACS’ work

Our month of creation (of thinking up new things) and innovation (of converting our thoughts into tangible outcomes) revolves around global, national, and local environmental and sustainable issues and events of the month as well.

Examples of June world environmental events and days of the month include the following events (we have already mentioned some of them):

∝ London Climate Action Week (20) which will take place 20 to 28 June 2026

∝ The United Nations World Environment Day which is being held today 05/06/2026 under the theme of ‘Global Call for Climate Action’

∝ The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2026 to be held on 17/06/2026 under the theme of ‘Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore’.

The above notes are for CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month.

To support and or engage with CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month and or the project Jmesci 2026, please contact CENFACS.

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• References

(1) https://www.deltek.com/en/manufacturing/project-manufacturing (accessed in June 2026)

(2) https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/sourcing/(accessed in June 2026)

(3) https://fastercapital.com/content/The-Process-of-Incubation-for-Startups.html (accessed in June 2026)

(4) https://news.sustainability-directory.com/news/upfront-capital/ (accessed in June 2026)

(5) https://www.brimco.io/terms/u/upfront-investment-model (accessed in June 2026)

(6) https://assets.bii.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/22082549/When-growth-does-and-does-not-reduce-poverty.pdf (accessed in June 2026)

(7) https://www.technoserve.org/blog/technology-fighting-global-poverty-key-innovations/ (accessed in June 2026)

(8) https://www.worldenvironmentday.global (accessed in June 2026)

(9) https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DITC/CreativeEconomy/Creative-Economy-Programme.aspx (accessed in May 2023)

(10) https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/what-is-the-creative-economy/ (accessed in June 2023)

(11) Brundtland et al. (1987), Our Common Future, World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Report), Oxford University Press, London

(12) https://knowworldnow.com/energy-crisis (accessed in June 2026)

(13) https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/explainers/what-are-the-impacts-of-energy-crisis-and-how-can-they-be-avoided/(accessed in June 2026)

(14) https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/markets-and-consumers/energy-consumers-and-prosumers/energy-poverty_en (accessed in June 2026)

(15) https://www.habitat.org/emea/about/what-we-do/residential-energy-efficiency-households/energy-poverty (accessed in June 2026)

(16) https://energy.sustainability-directory.com/area/multidimensional-energy-poverty-index (accessed in June 2026)

(17) https://www.salesforce.com/blog/small-business/the-creator-economy/ (accessed in June 2026)

(18) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/code (accessed in June 2026)

(19) https://www.un.org/en/observances/desertification-day (accessed in June 2026)

(20) https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/events/london-climate-action-week-2026 & https://londonclimateactionweek.org (accessed in June 2026)

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• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

We do our work on a very small budget and on a voluntary basis. Making a donation will show us you value our work and support CENFACS’ work, which is currently offered as a free service.

One could also consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Additionally, we would like to inform you that planned gifting is always an option for giving at CENFACS. Likewise, CENFACS accepts matching gifts from companies running a gift-matching programme.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ NOBLE AND BEAUTIFUL CAUSES OF POVERTY REDUCTION.

JUST GO TO: Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2026 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci Project 2026

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