Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

09 April 2025

Post No. 399

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Protection Key Note 2, From Wednesday 09/04/2025: Protection of Household Productive Assets

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity: A Focus Group on Self-employment Opportunities (From 23/04/2025)

• Charitable Response to Aid Cuts to Africa

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Protection Key Note 2, From Wednesday 09/04/2025: Protection of Poor Household Productive Assets

 

Protecting poor household productive assets can imply different things depending on what assets that households have as productive ones.  Beyond this variation due to the specific needs and preferences of these households, there could be a consensus that protecting poor households’ productive assets will include the following strategies: strengthening social safety nets for them, promoting their financial inclusion and implementing climate-resilient asset building programmes and other asset-building programmes.

Strengthening household social safety nets can be achieved via social protection programmes.  Among social protection programmes, there are cash transfers that help overcome liquidity constraints, access credit, etc.  Promoting households’ financial inclusion can be realised by working with these households to access tools like savings, credit, and insurance that helps strengthening their resilience.  Climate-resilient asset building programmes will for instance assist them to keep their crops and livestock drought-resistant.  Finally, asset-building programmes will provide to these poor households the opportunity to accumulate productive assets which could be used as buffer against shocks and crises.

So, Protection of Poor Household Productive Assets will involve a range of strategies that can be put in place to work with poor households to protect their assets.  More on these strategies can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity: A Focus Group on Self-employment Opportunities (From 23/04/2025)

 

Activity 3 consists of having an interactive discussion to research on ways of  supporting households that are self-employed and/or those that are looking to transit away from poverty through business or self-employment opportunities.

To introduce this activity, we are going to explain what is self-employment, although most of users may know what it is.

 

• • What Is Self-employment?

 

To explain it, let us refer to what ‘format.io’ (1) argues about it, which is

“Self-employment refers to the state of working for oneself rather than being employed by a company or organisation.  Individuals who are self-employed earn income by conducting profitable activities on their own, which can include running a business, freelancing, or providing services as an independent contractor.  This form of employment allows individuals to have greater control over their work, schedule, and income potential.”

Households that are looking for self-employment opportunities can use them to become freelancers, entrepreneurs, and gig workers depending on their abilities, skills, circumstances and start-up financial position.

As ‘format.io’ explains it, self-employment can give them, if they are successful, independence, autonomy, flexibility, variable income, etc.

Having equitable access to resources could mean that households have equal opportunity to succeed, to contribute to their lives and of others as well.  This will empower households to reach their full potential as households.

So, our discussion will be on the pros and cons about self-employment for households that are interested in the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity.

 

• • Focus Group’s Areas for Discussion

 

The discussion will revolve around these pros and cons, particularly in the following three areas:

 

σ making informed decision about self-employment career plan

σ how to reduce isolation and the lack of societal interaction due to self-employment to positively impact health and overall job satisfaction

σ taking up proactive steps to foster social connections.

 

Those who may be interested in the focus group and the above-mentioned areas for discussion can let CENFACS know.

Those members of the CENFACS Community who would like to get involved in the focus group can contact CENFACS.

For any other queries and or enquiries about this workshop on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Charitable Response to Aid Cuts to Africa (CRtAC2A)

 

CRtAC2A is a new project set up by CENFACS.   To explain it, let us recall the following phrase from Michael Sheldrick (2):

“Aid is not just generosity – it is an investment in stability, security and prosperity”.

Having recalled Sheldrick’s words, let us highlight the aim of CRtAC2A and what CRtAC2A is about.

 

• • The Aim of CRtAC2A

 

CRtAC2A aims at finding new ways to fund poverty reduction and innovative ways of supporting some of CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) that were recipient of international aid or service linked to this investment which has been recently cut.

Through this project, CENFACS  would like to work with these ASOs that are looking for this investment for stability, security and prosperity to continue to reduce and possibly end poverty in Africa.

 

• • CRtAC2A is about 

 

Its is about

 

≈ raising your voice with us so that ASOs can recover the funding lost

≈ supporting ASOs working on poverty issues in Africa

≈ donating to ASOs’ projects and activities

≈ addressing the gap in aid budget experienced by ASOs

≈ spreading awareness about the impact of aid cuts

≈ engaging in conversation on the aid cups issue

≈ organising events on the same issue

≈ finally, finding creative and innovative ways to fund poverty reduction in Africa in the new era of development landscape.

 

To support CRtAC2A and ASOs, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 8: Monitoring and Observability of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero Waste e-Store during This Spring Giving Season

• Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign with a Focus on Food Price Restoration to Reduce Food Poverty in Africa

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 8: Monitoring and Observability of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

To count what is happening and happened to your Play, Run and Vote Projects, you need to monitor and track them.  Monitors or trackers will help you to do that.  Likewise, observing your Play, Run and Vote Projects will assist in knowing what happened.  Before giving an example of monitoring and observability of your Play, Run and Vote Projects, let us first explain both monitoring and observability.

 

• • What Is Monitoring Your Play, Run and Vote Projects about?

 

It is the step during which you regularly observe and record the activities of your Play, Run and Vote Projects.  As part of this process, you will routinely and regularly collect information about the outcome of all aspects of your Play, Run and Vote Projects as the theory of monitoring suggests.  The monitoring exercise will help you to check your progress against your project plans.  You can plan specific dates for your project progression monitoring.  If your Play, Run and Vote Projects involve other participants; then you can ask them to tell you what they think about the projects.

 

• • What Is Observability of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects about?

 

According to ‘ibm.com'(3),

“Observability is the ability to understand a complex system’s internal state based on external outputs.  When a system is observable, a user can identify the root cause of a performance problem by looking at the data it produces without additional testing or coding”.

So, observability will inform what is happening, while monitoring will tell you when something is wrong in your Play, Run and Vote Projects.

 

 

• • Example of Monitoring Your All-year Round Projects

 

Let say you want to monitor your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa.  To monitor it, you will need…

 

~ to cover all the activities making your Run

~ to find out what all the participants think about your project

~ to know who take part in the run, their number and the frequency of their participation

~ to find the met and unmet needs

~ to identify the problems you encounter in the process of running your project

~ to figure out the resources needed for the project and the costs of running it

etc.

 

• • Example of Observability of Your All-year Round Projects

 

You can observe your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa.  Through its observability, you can

 

~ understand running issues

~ analyse the output data about your Run

~ detect the issues early and explore ways of resolving them

~ propose actionable insights to fix these issues

etc.

 

 

• • Recording Your All-year Round Projects

 

You need as well to keep all the records about the project and ask for the comments from anyone who gets involved with your Run Project.

You can do it on an outcome-monitoring sheet for effectiveness in the way you are collecting and keeping record.  An outcome-monitoring sheet can include any skills, any improvement in motivation and aspirations, any boost in confidence and self-esteem, etc. that you or your participants have gained or increased as a result of your project.

You need to record changes and effects as they happen.  You can keep notes of any success and failure about your project, the numbers of people involved in it and the numbers of those who benefited.

Please remember to make sure that the records you are keeping and the notes you are taking will help you to decide who is your Runner of Poverty Reduction in Africa 2025.

For those who would like to dive deeper into Monitoring and Observability of their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero Waste e-Store during This Spring Giving Season

 

CENFACS e-Store is opened for your Spring goods donations and goods purchases.

At this time, many household expenditures have been squeezed by the cost of living pressures mostly driven by the hikes in prices of basic life-sustaining needs (e.g., food, transport, housing, council tax, energy, etc.).

The impacted of the cost of living pressures need help and support as prices and bills are still higher while real disposable incomes are less for many of those living in poverty.

Every season or every month is an opportunity to do something against poverty and hardships.  This April too is a good and great month of the year to do it.

You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods to CENFACS’ Charity e-Store, the zero waste 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 Easter GOODS, GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store this April and Spring.

√ SHOP at CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store to support noble and beautiful causes of poverty relief this April and Spring.

 

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships brought by the cost of living pressures.

This is what the Season of Giving is all about.

Please do not hesitate to donate goods or purchase what is available at CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store.

Many lives have been threatened and destroyed by the cost of living pressures. 

We need help to help them come out poverty and hardships caused by these pressures.

To donate or purchase goods, please go to: http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

 

 

• Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign with a Focus on Food Price Restoration to Reduce Food Poverty in Africa

 

Last year, the focus of Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign (MZHAC) was Food Price and events or key drivers that were leading to hikes in the price of food in Africa, especially in the so-called Africa’s hunger hotspots.  We were working on how food price could be used in order to reduce poverty, particularly food poverty.

This year, our MZHAC is still on food prices, but on their restoration to affordable levels, on addressing the root causes of rising food costs.  These root causes can include supply chain disruptions, geo-political and -economic events, trade tariffs and climate change.  To root out these causes, it requires strategies for food price restoration.

Before looking at this year’s focus, let us remind our readers the aim of Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign.

 

• • Aim of Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign

 

The aim of MZHAC is to raise awareness on sustainable food consumption and production in order to end hunger and malnutrition amongst those who are food deprived, particularly in Africa where the number of hungry people and families is still on the rise.  It is as well a campaigning response to the challenge of rise in hunger that Africa will face in the foreseeable future.  In this respect, the cost-of-living crisis has only made the matter worse as it has put a heavy toll on the consumption poor.

The contents of MZHAC are: End Hunger and Malnutrition Goal, Support Small-Scale Food Producers in Africa, Actions to Support the Food Industry in Africa, Meeting Vulnerable People’s Nutritional Needs, Actions for Sustainable Food Production Systems, etc.

 

This year, we are focussing on Food Price Restoration to Reduce Food Poverty in Africa

 

• • Food Price Restoration to Reduce Food Poverty in Africa

 

As part of MZHAC and the Year of Restoration within CENFACS, we are working on strategies for food price restoration.  Amongst these strategies, we can mention three of them: strengthening food prices, addressing economic factors and dealing with climate change.

 

a) Strengthening food prices will include the diversification of food sources (through the support of local and regional food production), the promotion of sustainable practices (like farming ones), and investing in infrastructure (such as transportation, storage and distribution infrastructure).

b) Addressing economic factors will involve the control of trade tariffs, the promotion of fair trade practices and the provision targeted assistance to low-income households, etc.

c) Dealing with climate change will demand to work on mitigation and adaptation climate issues impacting the food costs.

 

In MZHAC, we are trying to organise a series of actions to gain support for the food price to be restored to levels that are affordable for the poor in Africa.  We are as well taking action so that food poverty can be sensibly reduced in Africa.

Make Zero Hunger Africa could further be undertaken by investing in projects that set food prices to make food accessible, available, affordable and utilisable for the food insecure as well as helping to reduce food poverty.

For those who would like to support MZHAC and Food Price Restoration to Reduce Food Poverty in Africa, they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

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

 

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses New Ways of Funding Poverty Reduction and Development in Africa

Further to international aid cuts to Africa, there have been a lot of reactions.  Among the reactions are the proposals by Michael Sheldrick (op. cit.) who for instance suggested the unlocking of the creative economy in Africa, the cutting of fees on money transfers, etc.

This week, we are e-discussing these proposals and other ones; proposals that can be framed into new ways of funding poverty reduction and development in Africa.  We are e-discussing not only these proposals, but also ways for Africa to avoid classic aid mechanics and fund poverty reduction and development differently, without international aid if possible.  Therefore, the questions we would like to those who want to engage with this e-discussion are:

Can Africa fund poverty reduction and its development without international aid?

If yes it can, how can Africa do it?

The above-mentioned questions are part of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum.

Those who may be interested in these discussions can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum 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 information on this website.

 

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne des Nouveaux Moyens pour Financer la Réduction de la Pauvreté et le Développement en Afrique

Suite aux coupes dans l’aide internationale à l’Afrique, il y a eu beaucoup de réactions.  Parmi les réactions, on peut citer les propositions de Michael Sheldrick (op. cit.) qui a par exemple suggéré le déblocage de l’économie créative en Afrique, la réduction des frais sur les transferts d’argent, etc.

Cette semaine, nous discutons en ligne de ces propositions et d’autres ; des propositions qui peuvent être formulées dans de nouvelles façons ou stratégies pour financer la réduction de la pauvreté et le développement en Afrique.  Nous discutons en ligne non seulement de ces propositions, mais aussi des moyens pour l’Afrique d’éviter les mécanismes classiques de l’aide et de financer la réduction de la pauvreté et le développement sans aide internationale si possible.  Par conséquent, les questions que nous aimerions poser à ceux ou  celles qui souhaitent participer à cette discussion en ligne sont les suivantes :

L’Afrique peut–elle financer la réduction de la pauvreté et son développement sans l’aide internationale ?

Si oui, c’est possible, comment peut-elle le faire?

Les questions susmentionnées font partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en 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 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

 

• Protection Key Note 2, From Wednesday 09/04/2025: Protection of Household Productive Assets

 

The following contents make up this Second Key Note:

 

≈ What Are Productive Assets?

≈ What Are Productive Assets Held by Poor Households?

≈ How to Protect Poor Households’ Productive Assets

≈ Ways of Working with Poor Households Making the CENFACS Community on Productive Asset Protection.

 

Let us uncover these contents.

 

• • What Are Productive Assets?

 

The definition retained here for productive assets comes from ‘retipster.com’ (4) which argues that

“Productive assets are tangible or intangible assets that generate income or appreciate in value, distinguishing them from assets that do not produce financial returns”.

There are many examples of productive assets.  Among them are digital assets like social media and mobile apps as well as patented technology that brings in royalties.

Knowing productive assets, it makes easier to explain poor households’ productive assets.

 

 

• • What Are Productive Assets Held by Poor Households?

 

They are investments or resources that generate income, appreciate in value, or contribute to the production of goods and services.  They are characterised by their ability to generate returns independently of market fluctuations.  Among productive assets held by poor households, we can mention land, livestock, farm equipment, and business assets.

Examples of productive assets owned by poor households include the ones we have already mentioned above and the following ones:

 

~ Land, which can provide a base for farming, housing and income-generation activities;

~ Animals and livestock, which can help in income generation and transportation;

~ Tools and machinery, which are necessary for farming and productivity;

~ Business assets if poor households own and run a small business as a source of income and employment.

 

Like any assets, poor households’ productive assets need protection.

 

 

• • How to Protect Poor Households’ Productive Assets

 

The protection of poor households’ productive assets is the safeguarding of resources that generate income for them or contribute to their livelihoods to ensure their continued use and prevent loss due to shocks and crises or vulnerabilities.

To protect poor households’ productive assets, it requires the use of a number of strategies like social safety nets, financial inclusion, asset-building initiatives, training programmes, market access, risk management, climate resilience programmes, etc.  These strategies depend on the needs and circumstances of the given poor households.  In the context of this Protection Key Note 2, we are going to limit ourselves to the four strategies below.

 

~ Social Safety Nets (SSNs)

 

Under SSNs, cash transfer programmes will help poor households overcome liquidity constraints, increase savings, mitigate risks and invest in productive activities.  Similarly, productive asset transfers (of livestock or farm equipment) will empower poor household beneficiaries.

 

~ Financial Inclusion (FI)

 

FI will enable poor households to access tools like savings, credit, and insurance that helps strengthening their resilience, and accumulate productive assets and invest in their own livelihoods.

 

~ Climate-resilient Asset Building Programmes (CrABPs)

 

CrABPs can provide

 

~~ the tools to build economic resilience and reduce poverty

~~ help to poor households to use their assets as a buffer against economic shocks or natural disasters to maintain their income and consumption

~~ asset accumulation and prevent of asset loss, especially during shocks, through training and technical support, climate-resilient programmes, etc.

~~ assist them to keep their crops and livestock drought-resistant.

 

~ Strengthening Land Tenure Systems and Property Rights (SLTSs&PRs)

 

SLTSs&PRs are essential for protecting the entitlements of poor households, especially if they live in rural areas, and facilitate fair and transparent transactions around land and other productive assets.  They help to invest in land and other productive assets, improve agricultural productivity and build long-term wealth.

 

These strategies will help poor households build financial resilience and protect their productive assets and livelihoods.

Besides these strategies, poor households can also use productive asset indicators to measure and improve their protection.  One these indicators is the one given by Livelihoods Centre (5), indicator which is:

Change in the number of productive assets (e.g., lands, livestock, and infrastructure) protected and strengthened against natural or human threats.

 

 

• • Ways of Working with Poor Households Making the CENFACS Community on Productive Asset Protection

 

There are households within our community that can handle the problem of their needs of productive asset protection by themselves.  There are others that need support or to work with somebody else in order to navigate their way to the solution about problems related to productive asset protection.  For the latter ones, CENFACS can work with them in order to find the level of protection they need to resolve their problem of productive asset protection.

Working with them on their basic needs of productive asset protection can include things such as

 

√ Doing together the inventory of their productive assets that need protection 

√ Running workshops or one-on-one sessions on productive asset protection

√ Providing tips to protect their productive assets 

√ Discussing with them productive asset protection strategies

√ Analysing their productive asset accounts using asset protection metrics and indicators

√ Advising them on issues linked to productive assets

√ Finding affordable and accessible protection services relating to productive assets

√ Recommending them to use free online support on productive asset protection services

√ Connecting them with free or low-cost assistance relating to productive asset protection

√ Guiding them on the kinds, types and levels of productive asset protection they may need

√ Making productive enquiries about asset protection on their behalf

√ Supporting them to make an application and apply online relating to productive asset protection

√ Signposting them to specialists in social safety nets and cash transfers 

√ Organising drop-in or one-on-one sessions about asset-building initiatives

√ Running small and targeted productive asset protection clinics for those in need

√ Providing a referral service on productive asset protection matters for them

√ Advocating their productive asset protection cases to services and organisations where they could be eligible

√ Keeping them informed, guided and updated about any changes in legislations about productive asset protection

√ Translating and interpreting documents or materials relating to productive asset protection

√ Explaining them the importance of securing their productive assets

√ Tracking progress and evaluating the effectiveness of working with poor households on productive asset protection to ensure they are making progress

Etc.

 

The above are just some of the ways that CENFACS could use to support the community regarding basic productive asset protection.

Those who need help and support about productive asset protection and/or for any of the matters listed above falling within our capacity, they can contact CENFACS.

Those who would like to enquiry about any other issues linked to productive asset protection that are not listed above, they can still check with CENFACS if there is any help.

Those who may have some questions about Productive Asset Protection and the Protection Month itself, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://format.io/blog/self-employment (accessed in April 2025) 

(2) https://www.forbes.com/sites/globalcitizens/2025/foreign-aid-is-shrinking-what-happens-next/ (accessed in April 2025) 

(3) https://www.ibm.com/blog/observability-vs-monitoring/ (accessed in April 2024)

(4) https://retipster.com/terms/productive-assets/ (accessed in April 2025)

(5) https://www.livelihoodscentre.org/number-percentage-of-productive-assets-infrastructures-specify-protected-specify-how-of-if-necessary-to-future-hazards-speccify-ifnecessary- (accessed in April 2025)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

02 April 2025

Post No. 398

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Protection Month with the Protection of Poor Households’ Assets

• ReLive Issue No. 17, Spring 2025: The Returned Internally Displaced Persons in Africa Need Some Assistance to Rebuild and Renew Their Lives, Can You Help?

• Activity/Task 4 of the ‘R’ Project: Restore Degraded Ecosystems as Part of Environmental Protection

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Protection Month with the Protection of Poor Households’ Assets

 

It is known that poor people and households often lack financial resources and wealth.  But, they can still possess valuable assets such as physical possessions, skills, and social connections.  These valuable assets are crucial for reducing poverty and vulnerability while improving the quality of their life or livelihoods.

Their valuable assets need protection which can help keep them safe.  In this respect, protecting poor household assets would involve safeguarding their possessions and other assets they possess from potential risks which could be lawsuits, creditors or unexpected costs or crises.  Asset protection for poor households can be achieved using a number of strategies such as social protection programmes, asset-building initiatives, legal and regulatory frameworks, financial inclusion, education and awareness.

During this Month of Protection, we shall work with poor households in finding out the best way of protecting their assets (like real estate, financial assets, personal property and business assets).  In our work with them, we shall as well refer to the accessible and affordable asset protection strategies for them, while helping them to work out the value of their net worth or wealth (that is, the total of their assets minus the total of their liabilities or debts). We shall also explore ways of reducing asset-based poverty, that is the lack of sufficient wealth or assets to meet their basic needs for a period of time.

This Month of Protection is finally of dealing with other areas of protection such as the protection of flora, fauna, funga and beneficial micro-organisms.  This is without forgetting protection against the adverse impacts of climate through our Climate Follow-up Talks Project known as Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children.

All the above-mentioned areas of work for this month are summarised in CENFACS’ Action Plan for April 2025.  To find more about this action plan and what is likely to be the Month of Protection within CENFACS, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• ReLive Issue No. 17, Spring 2025: The Returned Internally Displaced Persons in Africa Need Some Assistance to Rebuild and Renew Their Lives, Can You Help?

 

• • What is ReLive?

 

ReLive is one of CENFACS’ Spring campaigns and a bridge between CENFACS’ Winter Lights and Spring Relief seasons.

ReLive advocacy is designed to plead for help to the peoples and communities whose lives and livelihoods have been destroyed to rebuild themselves.  The current appeal will try to achieve this for the returnees from forced internal displacements in Africa this Spring 2025.

Although this appeal is a seasonal appeal related to Spring, it is also a consolidated one following our Winter Light appeals.

 

• • What Is the Focus for ReLive in 2025?

 

The 17th issue of CENFACS’ Once-a-year Spring Appeal for Renewing Lives (ReLive) will focus on advocating for the support of returned  and returning internal displaced persons in Africa and for policies that help their return and integration.  This can be done by securing relevant funding to support these returnees and a process of reintegration aiming at helping them to rebuild and renew their lives  and communities.

 

• • What Is ReLive in 2025 about?

 

It is about working with Africans internally displaced from their homes by conflicts, violence, human rights violation and natural disasters or climate change events, and who have been returned or are returning, since the conditions for safe and sustainable return and reintegration are in place.

According to the statistics of February 2025 from the United Nations Refugee Agency (1), there have been 8.1 million internally displaced persons and 1.7 million returned internally displaced in Africa.

The returned and returning internally displaced persons need support of all kinds as they face enormous challenges.

 

• • Challenges for Returnees

 

Returnees from internal displacements often face challenges in reintegrating into their communities, including difficulties in accessing land, housing, food, health and social services, and livelihoods.  They may even face re-displacement if there is any eruption of new conflicts or natural disasters or inability to reintegrate.  They need help and support.  There are African governments that have policies to protect and assist returned and retuning internally displaced persons.  However, with the current cuts to aid budgets by some developed countries, many of these returnees are left without support.

 

• • What ReLive Campaign Will Bring to the Returnees

 

The Campaign will help

 

≈ give to the returnees a fresh start

≈ rebuild or repair infrastructures (like schools, water systems, roads and healthcare)

≈ them reintegrate and access rights

≈ them find housing and work

≈ them enrol children in schools

≈ them get cash assistance to cover initial basic needs such as personal hygiene items and rent, rehabilitate land

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

 

Like before, the Campaign is done through Gifts of Renewing Lives or Life-renewing Projects.

 

• • What Are Gifts of Renewing Lives or Life-renewing Projects (LRPS)?

 

Life-renewing projects (LRPs) are poverty relief and Spring like gifts designed to materialise ReLive advocacy by helping people to set free from multi-dimensional deprivations and hardships so that they can start up again, renew and rebuild their lives with hope.

LRPs are part of CENFACS’ African Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives Programme.  Spring Gifts of Renewing Lives are about bringing renewal, joy and hope to needy people.  These Spring 2025 Gifts will be about bringing the same benefits to the Returnees from Forcibly Internal Displacements in Africa.

 

• • What Are These Ways or Gifts of Renewing Lives?

 

This Spring, 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 to choose from and 20 Reliefs to select from to make helpful differences to the returnees.

In total, our Spring Relief 2025 Campaign is providing to potential supporters 14 GIFTS of rebuilding returnees’ lives in Africa in 20 RELIEFS to make this happen.

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

To support, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

 

• Activity/Task 4 of the ‘R’ Project: Restore Degraded Ecosystems as Part of Environmental Protection

 

The fourth activity/task of the “R” Project is about Restoring Degraded Ecosystems as Part of Environmental Protection.  Indeed, protecting ecosystems can include the work of restoration of degraded ecosystems. It involves actions like reforestation and afforestation, habitat restoration and sustainable management; while improving biodiversity, ecosystem services and supporting human well-being.  This is because restoration can seek to return cleared land or degraded ecosystems to a condition or function comparable to that which would have been there prior to disturbance.

When restoration tends to do that, one may speak about ecosystems protection, which is simply the defence of ecosystems (that is the organisms like plants, animals, fungi and beneficial micro-organisms living in a particular habitat, along with their immediate physical environment) against any harm and danger.

So, this month of April, Activity/Task 4 is about Restoring Degraded Ecosystems as Part of Environmental Protection.

For those who need any help before embarking on this activity/task, they can speak to CENFACS.

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

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Asset-based Poverty

• Activity 2 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity: Workshop on Access to Well Paid Opportunities (From 09/04/2025)

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 7: Implementing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

 

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Asset-based Poverty

 

Accumulating assets is a step forward to improving people’s livelihoods and to helping them transition out of poverty.  Conversely, losing assets can make people to transition into poverty or simply preventing them from escaping it.

Not able to accumulate assets can lead to asset-based poverty, which is simply the lack of sufficient wealth or assets to meet basic needs for a period of time.  It is this type of poverty we are trying to help reduce or address this month.

 

• • Addressing Asset-based Poverty

 

Knowing what asset-based poverty is, we shall try to address the barriers to accumulating assets as well as the causes of asset loss (like distress sales, health shocks, lack of savings, low income, high costs, inefficiency or inadequacy, etc.).

For instance, we can work with those who may be interested in this topic ways of improving asset accumulation for those in need so that they can increase their ability to access more opportunities in their life.  Also, we shall look at the implications for selecting asset-based poverty reduction as our goal for April 2025.

 

• • Implications for Selecting the Goal for 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., April 2025).

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 2 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity: Workshop on Access to Well Paid Opportunities (From 09/04/2025)

 

Activity 2, which will be run in the form of workshop, will provide some guidance and information about ways of accessing well-paid or decent remunerative opportunities.  Perhaps, the easiest way of preparing for this workshop is to explain what is access and what is opportunity; then to provide the matters that the workshop will cover.

 

• • Understanding Access and Opportunity

 

Explaining the difference between access and opportunity, the website ‘thisvsthat.io’ (2) argues that

“Access refers to the availability and ability to reach resources, services, and opportunities.  It encompasses factors such as physical proximity, affordability, and inclusivity.  On the other hand, opportunity refers to the chance and possibilities that are presented to individuals to improve their circumstances and achieve their goals, while access focuses on the availability of resources, opportunity emphasizes the potential for growth and advancement”.

So, accessing well-paid opportunities refers to the availability and ability to grab these chances and possibilities that are presented to households so that they can improve their conditions and achieve their goals.  During the workshop, we are going to explore what we have just described.

 

• • Matters To Be Covered by the Workshop

 

The workshop will draw on the areas covered by the previous UK Government Response to the In-work Progression Commission’s Report (3).  In particular, we shall deal with the following three matters:

 

≈ Making work pay and boosting work incentives of low-income households

≈ Giving people greater opportunities to develop new skills or enhance and utilise existing skills

≈ Extra help or support for households in tackling barriers to better paid work and taking up opportunities for higher skills, higher paying jobs.

 

Those who may be interested in the workshop can let CENFACS know.

Those members of the CENFACS Community who would like to get involved in the workshop can contact CENFACS.

For any other queries and or enquiries about this workshop or Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –

Step/Workshop 7: Implementing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

After making the organisational structure of your chosen Play, Run and Vote Projects, it is now the time to proceed with the Implementation Step.

 

• • What Is an Implementation Step?

 

There are many definitions within the literature about project implementation.  One of them comes from ‘taskmanagementguide.com’ (4) which states that

“Project implementation is a practice of executing or carrying out a project under a certain plan in order to complete this project and produce desired results”.

The above definition indicates that one needs an implementation plan.  As an all-year-round project implementor, you can draw up your implementation plan that shows the way you would like to execute and carry out your project.

Having said that Project Implementation is the step you put your project plan into action.  This step can be broken into exploration, installation, initial implementation and full implementation.  Because all-year round projects are such small initiatives, you will not need to break this step.

You want your all-year-round project to fulfil and accomplish the goals and objectives you have set up for it.  It is also the phase during which you can register, review and approve/reject any changes and variations.  As an all-year-round project manager of your project, you need to coordinate all project aspects and resources to meet the objectives of the project plan.  One of the aspects of the project implementation is change control.

 

• • What Is Change Control in a Project implementation Process? 

 

The website ‘ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub’ (5) states that

“Change control is a set of procedures that lets you make changes in an organised way”.

The same ‘ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub’ explains this:

“If you find a problem,… you will need to look at how it affects the triple constraint (time, cost, scope) and how it impacts the project quality… If you evaluate the impact of the change and find it won’t have an impact on the project triple constraint, then you can make the change without going through change control”.

 

 

• • An Example of Implementing Your All-year Round Projects

 

Let us take the example of Voting Your 2025 International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager.

Your goal is to find a person who will meet the managerial qualities of such a position.  Amongst the objectives are the design of a job description and person specification that match with the profile of your ideal International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager of the Year.

In project implementation jargon, you will put approved plan into practice to proceed with the selection of your International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager of the Year.  He/she must meet your selection criteria.  If you are voting as a group, you could set up a selection panel or recruitment board like you will do it for real job interview.  You can start by shortlisting 12 candidates, cutting down your list to 6, then to 3 until you reach/vote the last one, who has scored the best and most results of your jury questions and responded to most criteria.

You can decide to add a fundraising feature to your voting activity.

 

• • Fundraising during the Vote of International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager of the Year

 

You can invite the members of the public pay to participate in voting and/or to participate in the selection procedure.  Their payment will be the money you will raise for good causes like CENFACS‘ noble and beautiful ones.  The money raised will help to make a difference in the lives of those we serve.

For those who would like to dive deeper into Implementing their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Activité 2 du Programme d’Inclusion Economique pour les Ménages : Atelier sur l’Accès à des Opportunités Bien Rémunérées (à partir du 09/04/2025)

L’activité 2, qui se déroulera sous la forme d’un atelier, fournira des conseils et des informations sur les moyens d’accéder à des opportunités bien rémunérées.  Peut-être que la façon la plus simple de se préparer à cet atelier est de savoir ce qu’est l’accès et ce qu’est l’opportunité ; puis de fournir les sujets que l’atelier abordera.

• • Comprendre l’accès et les opportunités

Expliquant la différence entre l’accès et l’opportunité, le site web « thisvsthat.io » (2) dit que

« L’accès fait référence à la disponibilité et à la capacité d’accéder aux ressources, aux services et aux opportunités.  Il englobe des facteurs tels que la proximité physique, l’abordabilité et l’inclusion.  D’autre part, l’opportunité fait référence à la chance et aux possibilités qui sont présentées aux individus pour améliorer leur situation et atteindre leurs objectifs, tandis que l’accès se concentre sur la disponibilité des ressources, l’opportunité met l’accent sur le potentiel de croissance et d’avancement ».
Ainsi, l’accès à des opportunités bien rémunérées fait référence à la disponibilité et à la capacité de saisir ces opportunités et possibilités qui sont présentées aux ménages afin qu’ils puissent améliorer leurs conditions et atteindre leurs objectifs.  Au cours de l’atelier, nous allons explorer ce que nous venons de décrire.

• • Points à couvrir par l’atelier

L’atelier s’appuiera sur les domaines couverts par la précédente réponse du Gouvernement Britannique au rapport de la Commission de Progression de l’Emploi (3).  En particulier, nous traiterons des trois questions suivantes :

≈ Rendre le travail rémunérateur et renforcer les incitations au travail pour les ménages à faible revenu

≈ Donner aux gens plus de possibilités de développer de nouvelles compétences ou d’améliorer et d’utiliser les compétences existantes
≈ Aide ou soutien supplémentaire aux ménages pour les aider à surmonter les obstacles à un travail mieux rémunéré et à saisir les opportunités d’emplois plus qualifiés et mieux rémunérés.

Ceux/celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par l’atelier peuvent le faire savoir au CENFACS.

Les membres de la communauté CENFACS qui souhaitent s’impliquer dans l’atelier peuvent contacter le CENFACS.

Pour toute autre question et/ou demande de renseignements sur cet atelier ou le Programme d’Inclusion Économique pour les Ménages, veuillez communiquer avec le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Protection Month with the Protection of Poor Households’ Assets

 

Protecting the assets of poor households involves strategies and policies that safeguard their livelihoods and financial stability.  The following contents will help to approach these strategies and policies, as well as the other elements constituent of asset protection for poor households:

 

≈ What Is Asset Protection?

≈ Strategies for Protecting Poor Households’ Assets

≈ Types of Poor Households’ Assets to Protect

≈ Action Plan for the Implementation of Asset Protection This April 2025

≈ From Wednesday 02/04/2025: Financial Asset Protection for Poor Households

≈ Other Areas of Protection.

 

Let us look at each of these contents.

 

• • What Is Asset Protection?

 

There are many ways of defining asset protection.  In the context of these notes, the definition used here comes from ‘ocelderlaw.com’ (6), which explains that

“Asset protection is a set of strategies designed to safeguard your wealth from various risks, such as creditor claims, lawsuits, and other financial threats.  It involves legally insulating assets to prevent their seizure or loss while staying within the bounds of the law”.

The website ‘ocelderlaw.com’ also provides the necessary steps for effective asset protection, steps, which are: identification of assets, asset risks assessment, choice of asset protection strategies, implementation of asset protection strategies, regular review and adjustments of your asset protection strategies.

There are several methods to protect your assets, which have been highlighted under the following content.

 

• • Strategies for Protecting Poor Households’ Assets

 

Within the literature about asset protection, it is published a number of strategies to protect assets of poor households.  Among the strategies found, we can mention those below.

 

• • • Social protection programmes (SPPs)

SPPs can provide social insurance which can help prevent asset loss and improve livelihoods.

 

• • • Asset-building initiatives (AbIs)

AbIs focus on helping poor households accumulate assets through savings, credit and investment in productive assets.

 

• • • Legal and regulatory frameworks (L&RFs)

L&RFs can protect property rights, prevent land grabbing, and ensure access to credit and financial services for poor households.

 

• • • Financial inclusion programmes (FIPs)

Generally, FIPs will provide access to financial services, such as savings accounts, credit and insurance, and can help poor households manage their finances and protect their assets.

 

• • • Educational and awareness programmes (E&APs)

E&APs help educating poor households about financial literacy and numeracy, asset management, and their rights.

 

• • • Asset transfer programmes (ATPs)

ATPs provide a one-off large scale asset transfer (like livestock) combined with complementary training.

 

• • • Asset protection trusts

There are trusts that safeguard assets from unexpected costs or changes.

 

The above-mentioned strategies indicate that there are various ways of shielding your assets.  But, what are those assets that poor households would like to protect?

 

  • • Types of Poor Households’ Assets to Protect

 

It is known that poor people and households often lack financial resources and wealth.  But, they can still possess valuable assets such as physical possessions, skills, and social connections.

The Types of their assets that need protection include the following ones:

 

≈ Financial assets (they include cash, bank deposits, stocks, bonds, and investments)

≈ Productive assets (e.g., land, livestock, farm equipment, business assets, etc.)

≈ Quality-of-life-enhancing assets (such as housing, basic utilities, home appliances, vehicles, etc.)

≈ Intangible assets (like social capital, human capital, political capital, cultural capital, access to credit, etc.).

 

These assets need protection and are important for livelihood, well-being and asset-poverty reduction of poor households.  These types of assets make up the different areas of protection that we would like to cover this April 2025 and which frame our asset protection action plan.

 

• • Action Plan for the Implementation of Asset Protection This April 2025

 

To implement asset protection this April 2025, we have selected four key notes, which are given in the table below.

 

 

These notes will be developed starting every Wednesdays of April 2025 as scheduled above.

Also, this plan of protection needs to be combined with the Spring Relief 2025 Activities, Projects and Programmes (which we released on the 26 March  2025 in our Post No. 397).

Besides these selected notes and areas of protection, we would like to keep on working on other areas that need particular attention, like protection of flora, fauna, funga and beneficial micro-organisms; and climate protection.

Before summarising these other areas of protection, let us look at the first selected key note of our plan, which is Financial Asset Protection for Poor Households.

 

 

• • From Wednesday 02/04/2025: Financial Asset Protection for Poor Households

 

It is known that poor households have limited or no financial assets.  Their wealth consists of basic necessities and sometimes with modest savings or investments.  The limited financial assets they have need protection.

 

• • • Limited financial assets of poor households that need protection

 

They include the following ones:

 

≈ Their limited wealth expressed as the minimum they need for survival

≈ Limited resources to meet basic needs

≈ Debts or their financial liabilities that exceed their assets

≈ Their access to financial products

≈ Small savings

etc.

 

Besides the above-mentioned financial assets, protection is also needed for their tangible assets (like properties, vehicles, household goods, etc.) which can be a source of financial wealth.

 

• • • Ways in which CENFACS can work with the Community regarding Financial Asset Protection

How to engage the community, particularly households or families making our community, in terms of protection of their financial assets

 

CENFACS can work with households making its community to tackle issues relating to the loss of asset value by implementing with those households that would like to develop an asset management plan.  To be more specific, CENFACS can engage the community on the matter of financial asset protection in a number of the ways like the following:

 

√ Financial strategy to choose to accumulate financial assets

√ Affordable financial asset protection programmes to select from

√ Financial assets they need to stay resilient to shocks and crises

√ How to use their asset ownership to have a greater control over their lives and opportunities

√ How to break the cycle of poverty through financial asset protection 

√ Working out their net worth or wealth 

√ Looking at their financial assets and evaluating them

√ Carrying out financial asset management and analytics with them

√ Setting up a basic asset protection plan

√ Getting informed about financial asset opportunities

√ Providing them with leads to financial asset protection for the poor

√ Guiding them on the best possible options to asset protection

√ Explaining them financial asset protection products and tools for poor households

√ Adding an inflationary index-link to their financial asset protection plan

√ Helping them to read and understand financial asset protection literature and information 

√ Advising them on how to react and prepare for financial news, warnings, notices and alert messages about financial asset protection 

√ Developing the basic financial skills to interpret the impact of economic indicators (like inflation, interest rate, exchange rate, etc.) on financial asset protection

√ Building their financial literacy statistics and numeracy skills to enable them to read financial information pages about financial asset protection (e.g. charts, tables, in brief infographics about financial asset protection)

√ Organising activities or workshops to help them embrace financial asset protection in the handling of their household financial affairs and plans

√ Improving their knowledge in terms of the key financial asset protection dates to save in the calendar about key policy announcements 

√ Motivating them to follow news and information about financial asset protection

√ Asking them to subscribe to free providers of financial asset protection information that touches their life (e.g. free subscription to magazines, papers and websites that provide information about financial asset protection for poor households)

etc.

 

All these ways of working with the community will help to protect them and their financial assets.  This is because the more informed they are, the more they will find the tools, tips and hints they need in order to protect their financial assets.  It is all about working with them to develop and improve the strategies and practices to safeguard their limited finances in order to prevent asset loss due to unforeseen circumstances and unpredictability.

Those who may have some questions about Financial Asset Protection, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Other Areas of Protection

 

There are other areas of protection that will be highlighted and on which we will be working.  Two of them are:

 

≈ protection of flora, fauna, funga and beneficial micro-organisms

≈ climate protection and stake.

 

• • • Protection of Flora, Fauna and Funga

 

This month, we shall as well revisit progress made so far in protecting animals, plants and fungi.  We shall do it by recalling our Save Flora, Fauna and Funga projects (including the Big Beasts sub-advocacy), which were one of our last XI Starting Campaign and Projects for Autumn 2024.

Indeed, we continue to advocate for the protection of animals (fauna) in Africa and elsewhere in developing world whereby animals get killed, traded and extinct to such extent that some species are at the brink of disappearing.

We are as well working on the safety of other species in danger like trees, plans and flowers (flora).  The work on this matter is about building forward these species that are threatened with extinction.

We also included Funga in our Save Flora and Fauna.  In short, we are working on saving animal, plants and fungi.

To advocate and raise your voice to protect and build forward better endangered plant, animal and fungi species, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Full Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.4)

 

We are continuing to work on the outcomes of COP29 (7) and how they can fit into CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, and how they can help us prepare for COP30 (8) which will be convened in Belém, Brazil.

Without anticipating what may happen at the climate talks in Belém, let us inform our supporters that the slogan for this follow-up is: Belém Do Better for Children!

To enquire about the working plan about this follow-up within CENFACS  and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, please contact CENFACS.

For any further details about CENFACS’ Month of Protection, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) Geographic data (2025): UNCS, Population Statistics: UNHCR Monthly Statistical Reports or latest available, IDP Statistics from OCHA, IOM

(2) https://thisvsthat.io/access-vs-opportunity (accessed in March 2025)

(3) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1123353/helping-people-secure-stay-succeed-higher-quality-higher-paying-jobs.pdf (accessed in March 2025)

(4) www.taskmanagementguide.com/glossary/what-is-project-implementation.php (Accessed in April 2023)

(5) https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/projectmanagement/chapter/chapter-17-project-implementation-overview-project-management/ (Accessed in April 2023)

(6) https://www.ocelderlaw.com/what-is-asset-protection/ (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop29-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-baku/ (accessed in December 2024)

(8)  https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/71474/climate-events-2025 (accessed in March 2025)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

26 March 2025

Post No. 397

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Spring Relief 2025: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes

• Climate Action 4 – In Focus from 24 to 30/03/2025: Lithium; Water Harvesting Techniques

• Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Spring Relief 2025: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes

 

Last Spring Relief, we Built Forward Better Together to a Greener, Cleaner, Safer, Inclusive and Climate-Resilient Future within the context of Squeezed Household Spending. This Spring Relief, we will be moving forward to protect the gains or legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.  In this process of building upon progress, we shall as well launch new initiatives.

In Spring Relief 2024, we also reset and changed our system of poverty reduction.  After resetting our poverty reduction system, we now need to reinstall and restore the contents and settings of our system of poverty reduction to get it to a usable state.  Where the system or its parts needed change, we are required to stabilise, test, communicate, continuously monitor and maintain system elements to ensure the new system functions as intended and address any new or outstanding issues or bugs that may arise.

So, this Spring Relief 2025, we are going to move forward to protect the gains or legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.  We are as well going to reinstall and restore the contents and settings of our system of poverty reduction to get it to a usable state; while stabilising, testing, communicating, continuously monitoring and maintaining the elements of our new system.

The above makes the theme for this Spring Relief 2025, theme which is moving forward to protect the gains or legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.

The announcement of Spring Relief’s theme comes with that of activities, projects and programmes making it or the notes composing this theme.  We have provided, under the Main Development section of this post, the activities, projects and programmes we have selected to make this Spring – Spring Relief 2025 Season.

For further details about Spring Relief 2025 Season, please go to the Main Development section of this post and read more about it.

 

 

• Climate Action 4 – In Focus from 24 to 30/03/2025: Lithium; Water Harvesting Techniques

 

This fourth climate action covers lithium as one of the metals needed for low-carbon technology and sustainable water management via water harvesting techniques.  This action will be taken around the following headings:

 

~ Lithium as a metal needed for low-carbon technology

~ What are water harvesting techniques?

~ Working with the Community on lithium and water harvesting techniques

~ A final word about Climate Actions 2025.

 

Let us explain each of these headings.

 

• • Lithium as a Metal Needed for Low-carbon Technology

 

Lithium as a metal needed for low-carbon technology can be explained in many ways.  One the ways of explaining it comes from the website ‘carbonbrief.org’ (1), which argues that

“Lithium, a soft, silvery-white metal which is also the lightest in the periodic table, is a crucial ingredient of lithium-ion batteries.  These are used in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles (EVs), now their biggest consumer.  The lithium-ion battery is the battery of choice for most car makers, including Tesla, BMB, Ford and Nissan”.

However, its extraction and processing can be environmentally intensive, requiring sustainable solutions.  There are reasons for which lithium is important metal for low-carbon technology.  Amongst these reasons, we can mention four of them:

 

1) Powering electric vehicles (with lithium-ion batteries) and storing energy

2) Electrification of transportation (meaning the reduction of carbon emissions from transportation)

3) Renewable energy integration (e.g., stabilisation of electricity grid)

4) Growing demand of lithium due to transition to low-carbon economy.

 

This week’s action is about highlighting the above-mentioned benefits of lithium as a critical metal for low-carbon technology and energy transition.  The action is also on how these benefits can reach the poor, especially in African countries (like the Democratic Republic of Congo) where this scarce resource is found and represents an object of covetousness and conflict, but does not sometimes benefit the local population where it is mined.

 

• • What Are Water Harvesting Techniques?

 

According to ‘agrifarming.in’ (2),

“Techniques for collecting and managing rainfall and surface runoff sustainably are referred to as water harvesting techniques.  These cutting-edge techniques are crucial in solving the global problem of water scarcity”.

The website ‘agrifarming.in’ also mentions the following benefits deriving from water harvesting techniques: reduced flooding, water quality improvement, energy savings, financial savings, climate resilience, community empowerment, water access in remote areas, carbon green spaces, reduced water stress, etc.

Within the literature about water harvesting, the following properties have been highlighted making it a climate technology:

 

σ It helps communities adapt to changing rainfall patterns and droughts while ensuring access to water during dry periods (climate adaptation property)

σ It lowers energy consumption and emissions associated with water treatment and distribution (climate mitigation property)

σ It improves water security for both domestic and agricultural use (water security property)

σ It enhances resilience of communities and ecosystems to climate variability and extreme weather events (enhanced resilience property)

σ It increases agricultural productivity in dryland areas (food security and economic resilience property)

σ It is a relatively simple, low-cost, and accessible technology (cost-effectiveness property).

 

The above-mentioned properties of water harvesting techniques clearly speak for themselves about why action is needed to harvest water.

 

• • Working with the Community on Lithium and Water Harvesting Techniques

 

The all purpose of writing this note is to guide our action.  In other words, what is key here is to take action.  The note is only a guided principle.

For instance, taking action together could be on the following:

 

~ how to help our community members to find out how the benefits of lithium-ion batteries can be expanded to those in need

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies between Africa and the rest of the world, including technologies linked to lithium and water harvesting techniques

~ educating the members of the CENFACS Community who are unaware of help deriving from taking a water harvesting drive and motivating them to do it

~ explaining the benefits of water harvesting techniques

~ reducing and/or ending poverty linked to the lack of access to lithium-ion batteries and water harvesting technologies.

 

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Lithium and Water Harvesting Techniques as well as on Poverty Reduction linked to them; they can take climate actions with us.

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 4 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

This note for Climate Action 4 ends this Week’s Climate Action contents.

 

• • A Final Word about Climate Action 2025

 

Climate action is about action, not words only.  We have only written these notes to guide us and galvanise our action.  This is because to take action, one needs a roadmap or simply to say how they are going to conduct this action.

As said above, the notes on Climate Action 4 conclude this Week’s Climate Action contents without ending our March 2025 Climate Actions.  There will  be impact monitoring and evaluation on 31/03/2025 to wrap up  Climate Action March 2025.

For any other queries and enquiries about CENFACS‘ Climate Action Month, the theme of ‘Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction’ and the All Four Climate Actions; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity

 

This week, we are dealing with the second part of Economic Inclusion Programme for Households, which is Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity.  The first part is/was Economic Inclusion for Households’ Resilience.  In the first part, we worked with households to strengthen their ability to manage risk and respond to and cope with sudden overwhelming shocks.

This second part will be covered under the following headings:

 

~ What is economic inclusion?

~ What is economic inclusion programme?

~ What is opportunity?

~ What is Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity?

~ The topics we have selected to highlight this second part.

 

Let us look at these headings.

 

• • What Is Economic Inclusion?

 

Economic inclusion can be defined in many ways.   Amongst the definitions we found is the one provided by ‘oxford-review.com’ (3), which explains it in the following terms:

“Economic inclusion refers to creating equitable access to financial resources, opportunities, and support systems that enable individuals and communities, especially those historically marginalised, to participate fully in the economy.  It emphasises breaking down economic barriers and ensuring everyone, regardless of background, has access to quality education, employment, entrepreneurship opportunities, and financial resources”.

Another view on economic inclusion comes from the World Bank (4) which sees it as

“The gradual integration of individuals and households into broader economic and community development processes” (p. 195)

These definitions will be used in our Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity by looking how opportunities can be created or how households can seize the opportunities available to them in order to reduce or escape from poverty and hardships.

 

• • What Is Economic Inclusion Programme?

 

According to the World Bank (op. cit.),

“Economic inclusion programmes, which are also known as productive inclusion programmes, refer to bundles of coordinated, multidimensional interventions that support individuals, households, and communities to sustainably increase their incomes and assets”.

CENFACS‘ Economic Inclusion Programme for Households consists of working with households making the CENFACS Community  in order to strengthen their resilience against intermittent shocks and stressors, while seizing economic opportunities deriving from these shocks and stressors.  The latter being the random and unpredictable sometimes significant events – in the form of electric shocks – that can disrupt the normal functioning of an economy as well as households’ economic life.

 

• • What Is Opportunity?

 

The same World Bank explains that

“Opportunity is the capacity of households in economic inclusion programme to capture and capitalise on investments that improve livelihoods and build human capital and one that they would otherwise miss” (p. 197)

Households need opportunity or capacity to reduce poverty and the adverse impacts of climate change, to enhance their economic status, to access well paid jobs, to better raise their children, etc.

From what it has been argued about opportunity, it is possible to explain Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity.

 

• • What Is Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Opportunity (EIP4HO)?

 

It is a set of projects or activities newly designed by CENFACS in order to work with households making its community so that they can create their own opportunities or capture the available opportunities and capitalise on investments that improve their livelihoods and build their human capital.

The programme will help them either create their own opportunity or seize opportunities that are available so that they can gradually and better integrate into processes that will enable them to reduce or end poverty.

EIP4HO will be helpful to households.

 

• • • Helpfulness of EIP4HO

 

The programme will be helpful for the economically weak households and or those households that would like find opportunity of improving their economic inclusion skills and understanding.  It will be useful for them as follows:

 

√ to better access economic support

√ to gain tips to facilitate asset accumulation

√ to diversify their income streams

√ to strengthen their socio-economic and environmental networks

√ to improve their access to financial services and income transfers

√ to enhance their access to credit facilities

√ to boost their savings plan

√ to expand and vary their chance to capture economic opportunities

√ to move forward toward greater economic health and wellbeing

etc.

 

To enable them to enjoy the above-stated benefits, we are running four activities as highlighted below.

 

• • • Four Activities Making EIP4HO

 

They include the following:

 

1) Increasing opportunity to access and afford digital technologies for households

2) Promoting access to well paid job opportunities

3) Enhancing self-employment/income-generating opportunities

4) Improving households’ opportunity for adaptive safety net schemes.

 

 

As the above figure shows, these activities will run from every Wednesdays of April 2025.  They will be approached from the perspective of households rather than from the point of view of those who manage the economy.  There will a short break during the Easter Holiday (from 16 to 22 April 2025).

 

 

• • • Activity 1: Discussion on Accessibility to and Affordability of Digital Technologies (From 02 to 08/04/2025)

 

The discussion is about how ordinary households making our community can better access and afford the opportunity provided by digital technologies.

For instance, at the moment many aspects of life are digitally run.  This means that everybody, including households are required to be equipped with technologies to be able to manage aspects of their households.  Having a smart phone or continuous access to digital technology has become today’s modus vivendi.  Can all households making our community access and afford these technologies to run their daily lives?  Those who cannot access and/or afford them, what help is available for them?

Those members of the CENFACS Community who may be interested in the discussion can contact CENFACS.

For any queries and or enquiries about this discussion or EIP4HO, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 5 (from 26/03 to 01/04/2025): Matching Organisation’s Follow-up and Further Assessment  with Impact Investor’s Monitor

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 6: Starting the Organisation of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme: Open for Applications

 

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 5 (from 26/03 to 01/04/2025): Matching Organisation’s Follow-up and Further Assessment  with Impact Investor’s Monitor

 

The last episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project is about Matching Organisation’s Follow-up and Further Assessment  with Impact Investor’s Monitor.

Because ecosystems can take years to adjust and adapt, there is a need to have a follow-up management for a successful restoration.  ASCO has to reveal its follow-up maintenance needs and how it will know what will work and not work to inform future restorations.  Similarly, the N-f-p Impact Investor will want to assess the project’s performance across ecological, social and economic parameters.

Knowing what each of the parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investor) has to do, they have continued to work to ensure that their talks result in agreement.  The points they have already scored are enough for them to tackle this last episode.

 

 

They seem to be using different words at this stage, but they could be talking about the same thing.  ASCO is using the concept of follow-up while the N-f-p Impact Investor is employing the word ‘monitor or monitoring’.  To clarify the matter, we need to explain the difference and indifference between project follow-up and project monitoring as the two parties approach this last stage.

Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) is coming to the negotiating table with the proposal to follow up and carry out further assessment prior to any agreement.  The Not-for-profit (n-f-p) Impact Investor is bringing to the same table its monitor.

To approach this last part of the matching talks, we have organised our notes as follows:

 

σ The Difference between Project Follow-up and Project Monitoring

σ Negotiation over Follow-up, Further Assessment and Monitor

σ Negotiated Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test

σ Concluding Note on Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

 

Let us explain each of these headings.

 

• • The Difference between Project Follow-up and Project Monitoring

 

Project follow-up and project monitoring have something in common; just as they have some differences.  What is common between them is that both project follow-up and project monitoring involve keeping track of a project’s progress.

They are different as project monitoring is the ongoing process of tracking metrics and tasks to ensure the project stays on schedule with budget and meets requirements; whereas project follow-up focuses on assessing project outcomes, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring objectives were met after the initial phase.  This difference can be expressed in their focus, purpose and activities conducted for each.

Knowing what unites and separates project follow-up and project monitoring, it makes easy to speak about the negotiation.

 

• • Negotiation over Follow-up, Further Assessment and Monitor 

 

The negotiation will between the contents of follow-up and further assessment to be presented by ASCO and monitor to be proposed by the N-f-p Impact Investor.  Let us uncover what each is bringing to the negotiating table.

 

• • • ASCO’s Project Follow-up and Further Assessment

 

To explain what it is going to happen, let us first explain follow-up, then further assessment.

 

• • • • What is project follow-up?

 

Project follow-up can be defined in various ways.  If one considers the field of project management, a project follow-up can be explained, according to ‘knowledgehut.com’ (5), as

“The process of monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of a project or plan as well as managing and communicating its performance”.

From the perspective of knowledgehut.com’, to conduct effective project follow-ups, ASCO will follow eleven steps:

 

1) Define follow-up objectives

2) Establish follow-up criteria

3) Collect and data and information

4) Analyse and evaluate

5) Identify improvement opportunities

6) Communicate findings

7) Take corrective actions

8) Monitor progress

9) Engage stakeholders

10) Document lessons learned

11) Repeat follow-up activities.

 

At this point of the negotiation, the N-f-p Impact Investor may want to know if ASCO has a follow-up action plan (that is, a strategic framework designed to ensure the continuous monitoring and assessment of tasks or goals after their initial implementation).

According to ‘meetjamie.ai’ (6), this type of plan focuses on measuring progress, making necessary adjustments, and guiding ongoing efforts to achieve sustained success.

With reference to this plan, the N-f-p Impact Investor will be keen in knowing if ASCO has a strategic map that will track and evaluate the advancement of particular tasks or objectives following the initial execution.  ASCO needs to demonstrate that it has such map or something similar.

 

• • • • What is project assessment?

 

The perspective retained here for project assessment comes from ‘vasundhara.io’ (7),which explains that

“Project assessment is the systematic process of assessing a project’s progress, performance, and impact.  It involves analysing different aspects such as goals, resources, execution, and outcomes to determine the project’s success”.

ASCO can demonstrate that its Land Restoration Project has been or will be assessed in accordance to the above definition or other relevant one.  ASCO can categorise its project assessment into pre-project assessment, mid-project assessment and post-project assessment.

If ASCO can show that it is able to better follow up and further assess the Land Restoration Project, then this can reinforce its glimmer of hope in these matching talks.

 

• • • N-f-p Impact Investor’s Monitor

 

The N-f-p Impact Investor has entered this last episode with its monitoring file or monitor.   What is project monitoring?

According to ‘plane.so’ (8),

“Project monitoring is defined as the process of tracking, reviewing, and regulating the progress and performance of a project to ensure it stays on course and meets the objectives outlined in the project plan”.

The N-f-p Impact Investor can decide to appoint a project monitor to oversee the project on their behalf, acting as their ‘eyes and hears’ to ensure it progresses according to plan and budget.  The project monitor will track the project’s metrics, progress and associated tasks to ensure everything is completed on time, on budget, and according to project requirements and standards.

To be sure that the project will be properly monitored, the N-f-p Impact Investor will be interested to know if ASCO has the key performance metrics to measure that tasks will be completed on time and within budget.

In addition, ASCO will need to explain how it will not deviate from its plan early, and how it will make adjustments to keep the project within its scope, schedule, and budget.

ASCO can prove that it has a plan for regular reviews of the project’s status, and will track key performance indicators and will assess the quality of deliverables.

 

• • Agreement 

 

In order to reach an agreement, both participating parties need to approve processes over Follow-up, Further Assessment and Monitor.  If there is no approval in any of these processes, the matching talks may not go further.  In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s Follow-up and Further Assessment (FFA) and N-f-p Impact Investor’s Monitor.  If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test

 

As part of the match or fit test, the n-f-p Impact Investor’s view on ASCO’s FFA must be matched with the information coming out of ASCO’s FFA.

The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement.  If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the investor wants and what ASCO is saying about its FFA, between what the investor would like the phase of FFA to indicate and what ASCO’s FFA is really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this fifth round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

However, if this happens there is still a chance as CENFACS can step in to advise ASCO and guide n-f-p Impact Investor on their approaches to Land Restoration Project.

 

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to n-f-p Impact Investor

 

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the FFA they are bringing forward.  CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p Impact Investors to work out their expectations in terms of the FFA to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.  CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p 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.

However, to reduce or avoid this likelihood both parties need to follow the rule of the matching game.

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the matching game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s FFA the better for ASCOs.  Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the FFA 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 fifth stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a land restoration project in Africa and n-f-p impact investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to 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 to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy.  The Hub 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 in data or results.

 

For any queries and/or enquiries about this fifth stage/activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Concluding Note on Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project

 

To close this project, let us recognise that although this project has been based on a 5 essential stages of restoration projects and 5-step process of ecological restoration, there could be more than five stages in any land restoration project lifecycle.

The match probability can be high or average or low depending on how much ASCOs’ needs meet Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ interests.

CENFACS is still available to work with ASCOs that are looking for Impact Advice  and  Not-for-profit Impact Investors who need Guidance with Impact so that the former can find the investment they are looking for and the latter the organisation to invest in, and both of them can realise their respective Easter dreams.

To work together to make your matching dream come true by finding your ideal investee or investor, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –

Step/Workshop 6: Starting the Organisation of Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

After negotiating and agreeing the terms of your all-year-round project, you can now start organising it.

 

• • Organising Your All-year Round Projects

 

This is the step from which you start to put in place your organisational structure.  In project planning parlance, you will identify the roles and responsibilities (as shown in the table below) of each person to be involved in the project in order to facilitate the coordination and implementation of the project activities.

 

 

• • An Example of Organising Your All-year Round Projects

 

Let say you would like to Run for Poverty Reduction and you want to undertake it as a group in your local area.  You decide to set up a running group and to name it as “All-year-round Runners’ Group”.  

To start your organisation, you will proceed with the points below.

 

• • • Create a Basic Organisational Structure

 

You can create a basic organisational structure that identifies your project personnel, creates a management and delivery teams, and assigns roles and responsibilities including coordination.  In practical terms, you will have to decide on the following:

Who is (are) going…

 

∝ to be first at the meeting/gathering point each time the running takes place?

∝ to hold the contact number/details of the group to keep everybody on board?

∝ to keep the attendance register?

∝ to check that everybody is fit and well to run?

∝ to lead or coordinate the run?

∝ to deal with health and safety of the group?

∝ to sort out the equipment if any?

∝ to care for people belongings while they are running?

∝ to make sure that everyone is countable after the Run?

∝ to record your Run event (e.g., filming it, using camera on your phone, a video or voice recorder, etc.)?

∝ to check that everyone leaves the meeting/gathering point safely after the event?

etc.

 

Depending on your skills, knowledge, experience and resources; you may add more roles and responsibilities.

You can even include a fundraising element into your running activity.

 

• • • Including a Fundraising Element into Your Run

 

If your Run involves any fundraising activity, you need to decide who will volunteer to undertaking fundraising responsibility (or everybody in the group).   You can decide how much to raise each time you run without making it as an obligation since the aim of your Run is not to raise money.  The aim of your Run is to impact poverty, the health and wellbeing of group members.

 

• • • Impact Reporting on Your Run

 

If you would like to report on your Run, you need to appoint someone to produce a report.  You can decide everyone of your members reports on their own Run session/activity.  In fact, it is a good idea to report on your Run.  This is one of the ways of capturing and sharing the impact you are making on yourself, on the group and others.  In monitoring and evaluation jargon, it is called impact reporting.

 

• • • Monitoring and Evaluating the Performance of Each Runner and Giving a Prize

 

If your group is going to select the best runner of the year 2025 and give a prize/reward accordingly; then you need to organise yourself to monitor and evaluate the performance of each runner against your given performance criteria throughout the year, and decide by the 23rd of December 2025 who is the group’s best runner of the year 2025.

For those who would like to dive deeper into Start Organising their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme (LRDRP): Open for Applications

 

Our LRDRP has already started and applications are open for those ASOs that would like to apply.  The following summarises LRDRP:

What is LRDRP?, key aspects of LRDRP, projects making LRDRP, areas CENFACS can work in together with ASOs and applying to LRDRP.

Let us look at these summaries.

 

• • What Is LRDRP?

 

LRDRP is a series of planned SMART projects to be undertaken with ASOs; projects that focus on combating desertification and building resilience against drought while promoting sustainable land management practices.  It is also an agenda for work with ASOs that are specialised in or would like to work on land restoration, drought resilience and ecological poverty reduction.

 

• • Key Aspects of LRDRP

 

They include land restoration, water management, and community engagement. These main aspects of LRDRP are essential in designing projects or responses to land degradation and drought issues.

 

• • Projects Making LRDRP

 

LRDRP is specifically crafted to work with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) that are working or would like to embark on restoration projects in areas like healthy soils, resilient crops, nutritious foods, sustainable land restoration, etc.

 

• • Areas CENFACS Can Work in Together with ASOs

 

CENFACS‘ intervention will be at the levels of restoration project planning and development, fundraising and resource development, monitoring and evaluation, and project reporting.

At all these levels of intervention, there will be metrics, tools and key performance indictors to guide and operationalise our intervention.

 

• • Applying to LRDRP

 

We are ready to work with Africa-based Sister Organisations that are willing to embark on this programme.

For those ASOs that would like us to get involved in LRDRP, they should not hesitate to apply to the programme or communicate with CENFACS.

For any further queries or enquiries about LRDRP; please also contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

À paraître ce printemps 2025 : Le numéro 87 de FACS qui s’intitulera « Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Le Financement de la Lutte contre le Changement Climatique et de la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique »

Pour collecter des fonds afin de faire face aux problèmes de changement climatique et de pauvreté, les Organisations Caritatives Africaines (OCA) font face à toutes sortes de défis et d’obstacles. Pourtant, il est nécessaire de mettre en œuvre des objectifs de réduction du changement climatique et de la pauvreté.

Par exemple, le rapport de ‘greenfinanceplatform.org’ (9) indique que

« Les gouvernements africains se sont engagés à mobiliser environ 10 % de leurs besoins au niveau national, ce qui laisse un immense déficit – environ 80 % ou 2,5 milliards de dollars – dans le financement de la lutte contre le changement climatique nécessaire pour atteindre les objectifs d’atténuation et d’adaptation au changement climatique en Afrique ».

De plus, avec toutes les coupes qui ont été faites ici et là dans les pays développés en ce qui concerne leurs budgets d’aide au développement, ces coupes ne peuvent qu’exacerber le déficit de financement de la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique. Il y a donc un déficit de financement pour les questions climatiques ; tout comme il y a un vide d’aide financière pour la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique.

Qu’il s’agisse du climat ou de la réduction de la pauvreté, les Organisations Caritatives Africaines ont besoin de financement pour poursuivre et soutenir leur mission tout en améliorant la vie des personnes dans le besoin. Elles ont besoin d’un financement climatique pour aider à atténuer les impacts du changement climatique et à s’y adapter; tout comme elles ont besoin de financement pour s’attaquer aux causes profondes et aux conséquences de la pauvreté en Afrique. Ceci fait l’objet du 87e numéro du FACS.

Le 87e numéro du FACS traitera des stratégies et des outils que les Organisations Caritatives Africaines (OCA) utilisent ou peuvent utiliser pour entreprendre la planification et la budgétisation climatiques, ainsi que pour formuler leur offre d’investissement afin de rechercher et d’obtenir ou de mobiliser des fonds.

Il étudiera comment les OCA tentent d’accéder à des fonds par le biais d’institutions locales dotées de capacités et d’autonomisation où elles opèrent. Ceci sans ignorer les efforts qu’elles peuvent faire pour travailler avec le secteur privé ou à but lucratif sur les questions de changement climatique. En d’autres termes, le 87e numéro du FACS examinera comment les OCA tentent de collaborer et de s’associer avec d’autres pour améliorer leurs capacités et les questions de coordination relatives au financement sur la lutte contre le changement climatique.

Le 87e numéro traitera également du financement de la réduction de la pauvreté. En effet, obtenir un financement climatique n’implique pas nécessairement d’obtenir des financements pour la réduction de la pauvreté. C’est pourquoi le 87e numéro s’intéressera également à l’utilisation d’instruments financiers qui permettent aux OCA d’accès aux fonds et de répondre aux besoins de leurs utilisateurs et des locaux. À cet égard, le 87e numéro vérifiera s’il y a un alignement entre la stratégie des OCA en matière de financement du climat et le financement de la réduction de la pauvreté. Et s’il y en a, où cet alignement mène.

Le 87e numéro analysera la relation entre le financement de l’action climatique et le financement de la réduction de la pauvreté. Plus précisément, il mettra en évidence l’interdépendance entre le changement climatique et la pauvreté. On sait que le changement climatique peut exacerber la pauvreté en provoquant des catastrophes naturelles, l’insécurité alimentaire et les déplacements, tandis que la pauvreté peut rendre les personnes et les communautés plus vulnérables aux impacts climatiques.

Loin d’être un catalogue de défis et d’obstacles, le numéro 87 examinera s’il y a des améliorations dans les stratégies de financement des OCA en ce qui concerne les questions de changement climatique et de réduction de la pauvreté. En particulier, le 87e numéro portera sur les points suivants :

σ l’intégration entre la stratégie de financement de l’action climatique et la stratégie de financement de la réduction de la pauvreté, étant donné qu’il existe des synergies entre le changement climatique et les initiatives de réduction de la pauvreté

σ le modèle de collaboration entre les OCA et tous les autres acteurs pour mobiliser le financement de l’action climatique et le financement de la réduction de la pauvreté et du développement durable

σ l’alignement entre le financement de l’action climatique et le financement de la réduction de la pauvreté

σ l’amélioration de la planification des projets des OCA qui reflète non seulement les besoins du climat, mais aussi ceux de la pauvreté en Afrique

σ le suivi des fonds climatiques et des fonds pour la réduction de la pauvreté et le développement durable

σ l’élaboration de cadres de travail qui incluent à la fois l’investissement climatique et l’investissement d’impact dans la réduction de la pauvreté

σ l’amélioration de la planification et de la coordination entre les projets de lutte contre le changement climatique et les projets de réduction de la pauvreté

etc.

Pour en savoir plus sur ce nouveau numéro, veuillez continuer à consulter les messages entrants du CENFACS ce printemps 2025. Pour réserver une copie papier de ce 87e numéro du FACS, veuillez contacter le CENFACS avec vos coordonnées postales.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Spring Relief 2025: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes

 

We can present Spring Relief 2025 by re-explaining its Focus and highlighting its Activities, Projects and Programmes.  This is without forgetting the meanings or properties of the kind of building we would like to erect.  So, the following items covers Spring Relief 2025:

 

σ Spring Relief 2025 Focus

σ Key Terms Embodying Our Spring Relief 2025

σ Spring Relief 2025 Activities, Projects and Programmes

 

Let us briefly uncover the above-mentioned items.

 

• • Spring Relief 2025 Focus

 

This Spring Relief 2025, we are going to move forward to protect the gains or legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.  We are as well going to reinstall and restore the contents and settings of our system of poverty reduction to get it to a usable state; while stabilising, testing, communicating, continuously monitoring and maintaining the elements of our new system.

So, the theme for this Spring Relief 2025 is moving forward to protect the gains or legacies of our building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.

To reinstall and restore the contents and settings of our system of poverty reduction, we need activities, projects and programmes.  To stabilise, test, communicate, continuously monitor and maintain the elements of our new system; it requires activities, projects and programmes as well.  But, before we unveil these activities, projects and programmes; let us highlight the key terms embodying our Spring Relief 2025.

 

• • Key Terms Embodying Our Spring Relief 2025

 

They are the terms we can use after resetting and changing our systems of poverty reduction.  These terms are given below.

 

• • • Key terms after a system reset

 

Depending on the way one has reset its system, they may use the steps they find the most suitable for them after resetting.  In the context of Spring Relief 2025, we are going to utilise the following steps, which are commonly used in the information, technology and communication environment: reinstallation, restoration, reconfiguration of settings and updates of software.  The words or expressions used for these steps make up the key terms after our system reset. Let us highlight these terms.

 

• • • • Reinstall

 

After resetting your poverty reduction system, the contents of this system will removed.  You will need to put them in place and make them ready for use again or the reset ones.

 

• • • • Restore

 

You need as well to bring these contents back to a normal or proper state, or restore them from a back-up.

 

• • • • Reconfigure settings

 

You will need to reset these contents to their default values and to your preferences.

 

• • • • Updates of our system for poverty reduction

 

When doing reset, please make sure to check for and install any available updates.

The above-mentioned expressions or words or verbs are the ones we shall use after resetting our poverty reduction systems.  There are also relationships between them in order to make our reset system better work.

 

• • • Key terms after a system change

 

Following the type of change initiated to the system, one can use the steps they feel appropriate to them after system change.  For the convenience of our Spring Relief 2025, we are going to employ the steps that are familiar with what happens in the information technology and communications systems.  To be precise, we are using the following steps: stabilisation and verification, communication and training, ongoing maintenance and improvement.  The terms used for these steps constitute the key terms or terminology after our system change.  Let us briefly explain these terms.

 

• • • • Stabilisation and verification

 

There are about testing the new system to ensure it correctly functions and meets the requirements, tracking the system’s performance and identifying any potential problems, and addressing any issues or bugs that arise during the initial phase of operations.

 

• • • • Communication and training

 

It is about communicating the change to all relevant stakeholders (e.g., project users and beneficiaries, Africa-based Sister Organisations, funders/donors, volunteers and other supporters, etc.), explaining how to effectively use the new system, and documenting all the changes made to the system.

 

• • • • Ongoing maintenance and improvement

 

It is about ensuring the system is kept up-to-date with security patches and updates, continuously monitoring the system’s performance and optimising it as needed, gathering feedbacks to identify areas for improvement, maintaining and updating the relevant documentation to the system.

The above key terminology will be part of the activities, projects and programmes we have planned to deliver this Spring.  What are those activities, projects and programmes?

 

• • Spring Relief 2025 Activities, Projects and Programmes

 

CENFACS is delighted to present its New Season’s (Spring) Collection of Selected Activities, Projects and Programmes with a choice of relief and climate smart services.  For each of these activities, projects and programmes; you will find climate resilient development ambition as well as user-friendly and –centred relief.  They are designed with the scents of inclusivity, cleanness, safety, sustainability, resilience and opportunity.

These are the activities, projects and programmes to rebuild lives, infrastructures and institutions as we move forward better together greener, cleaner, inclusive and safer towards a net-zero world.  They are free, but we do not mind donations.  The more you donate, the more we can help relieve lives.

Please find below the selection of Spring Relief 2025 Activities, Projects and Programmes.

 

• • • April: Protection Month

 

There will be two initiatives to deliver and sustain protection in April 2025, which are:

Protection of Women and Children against Extreme Weather Events, and Protection of Household Assets.

 

a) Women and Children Projects (3W & PPS Reflection Day):

Reflection on Protection of Women and Children against Extreme Weather Events (Protection project)

 

On our Reflection Day, we will reflect on ways of tackling extreme weather events.  What are extreme weather events?

According to the World Economic Forum (10),

“Extreme weather events (floods, heatwaves, etc.) are those leading to the loss of human life, damage to ecosystems, destruction of property and/or financial loss due to extreme weather
events. Includes, but is not limited to: land-based (e.g. wildfires), water-based (e.g. floods), and atmospheric and temperature-related (e.g. heat-waves) events, including those exacerbated by climate change.” (p. 77)

The same World Economic Forum tells us extreme weather events are the second-most severe risk over the short term and consistent concern amongst the groups it surveyed.

Our Reflection Day will try to look at what can be further done to protect and give sense of security to women and children from this second-most severe risk.  In particular, we shall reflect on ways of tackling extreme weather events.

Additionally, we shall reflect on rebuilding trust and a sense of shared values out of the life-threating context of the impacts of extreme weather events on our network and system of protection in the process of moving forward to protect the legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work while building upon progress to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.

 

b) Protection of Household Assets  (Protection and Asset Management project)

 

Protecting household assets involves safeguarding household possessions and financial resources from potential risks like lawsuits, creditors or unexpected, often achieved through strategies like asset protection trusts or insurance.  Even a poor household/family has assets that need protection.

It is known that poor people and households often lack financial resources and wealth.  However, they can still possess valuable assets like physical possessions, skills, and social connections, which could be critical for reducing vulnerability and enhancing the quality of their livelihoods.

Because of that, we shall look at measures to protect poor households’ real estate (e.g., house or land), financial assets (e.g., bank accounts, savings, investments, retirement accounts, etc.), personal property (e.g., jewellery, art, furniture, and other valuables) and business assets (business and income-generating activities are part of household assets if owned by households).

 

• • • May: Stories Telling Month

 

The plan for May 2025 is made of two main features:

Stories Telling and Sharing project, and the continuation of our Rebuilding Africa project/campaign.

 

a) All in Development Stories (Volunteer’s Stories Telling & Sharing project)

Tell Your Story after Resetting and/or Changing the System – Tell it! 

 

Entries for Stories on Poverty Relief and Development for May 2025 (May Stories) are now open. To tell and share your story of change for change to CENFACS, please contact CENFACS for story telling terms and conditions.

This year’s All in Development Stories will be “two horses” ones.  They will be about how people and communities are trying or have tried to reinstall, restore, reconfigure and update things in their life to reduce or end poverty or simply improve their life.  They will also be about how people and communities are trying or have tried to stabilise, test, communicate, monitor and maintain things in their life to reduce or end poverty or simply improve their life.

This coming May, we shall run two types of stories: after-system-reset stories and after-system-change stories.

 

a.1) After-system-reset stories are the tales of reinstallation, restoration, reconfiguration and updating of our system of poverty reduction or life.

 

a.2) After-system-change stories are the accounts of stabilisation and initial testing, ongoing maintenance and support, continuous improvement and adaptation, documentation and knowledge management, and maintenance of our system of poverty reduction or life.

 

b) Rebuilding Africa: Monitoring, Adapting and Learning of Africa’s Systems for Poverty Reduction with Communities and Africa-based Organisations (Advocacy programme)

 

In our work on Rebuilding Africa, we shall work with communities in Africa and Africa-based Organisations to continuously monitor, adapt and learn from challenges, ensuring that Africa’s systems for poverty reduction remain robust and capable of thriving in the face of future uncertainties and threats.

This work will involves continuous monitoring, adaptability and flexibility, learning from experience, cultivation of adaptable leaders, thriving a cycle of resilience, anticipation, coping and adaptation, and resilience as a state of being.

Therefore, we shall have two types of rebuilding work as highlighted below.

 

b.1) Broad Monitoring, Adapting and Learning of Africa’s Systems for Poverty Reduction with Communities and Africa-based Organisations (ASOs) will be based on the broad aspect of the rebuilding work.

 

b.2) Specific Monitoring, Adapting and Learning of Systems for Poverty Reduction with Communities and Africa-based Organisations (ASOs) where our ASOs operate will specifically deal with the specific aspects of the rebuilding work (like monitoring, adapting and learning of community members’ system of poverty reduction).

 

• • • June: Creation & Innovation Month

 

The plan to work on creations and innovations will around natural resources or critical minerals for energy transition and the loss of assets value.

 

a) Creations and Innovations relating to the use of critical or strategic natural resources or minerals for energy transition and poverty reduction  (Creation and Innovation project)

 

Forming from nothing ideas or introducing changes to move forward together will be the main activity during the month of June 2025.  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 achieve a more equitable and inclusive society.

Using our experience, skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with the use of critical or strategic natural resources or minerals for energy transition (like aluminium, cobalt, copper, lithium, platinum, etc.) and poverty reduction will not be enough  unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate future crises.  It means there could be another need to bring into existence ideas and introduce changes and new methods to address future crises if they happen when they happen.

In practical terms, we shall work on creations and innovations that make critical or strategic minerals to reduce poverty by creating jobs for those in need, generating income for the poor, focussing on artisanal and small-scale mining of these minerals to create opportunities for local people and communities.

 

b) Creations and Innovations to deal with the loss of value of  households’ assets  (Creation and Innovation project)

 

Loss of asset value of poor households is the decline in the worth of their possessions.  This decline can push them further into poverty, particularly but not limited to asset-based poverty, or prevent them from escaping from this type of poverty.

This is why it is better to create and innovate to tackle households’ loss of asset value by implementing a robust asset management plan.  Such plan will consider strategies like depreciation, impairment testing and asset disposal.

Creations and innovations to tackle the causes of asset loss (e.g., distress sales, health shocks, lack of savings, low-income and high costs, inefficiency or inadequacy, etc.) will be conducted to help reduce asset-based poverty.

The above summarises the programmes, projects and activities we have planned to deliver this coming Spring.  To request further information about Spring Relief 2025 Activities, Projects and Programmes; please contact CENFACS.

 

Note: 

The above initiatives are only a selection of what we have planned for Spring Relief Season 2025.  We may introduce new initiatives and or upgrade the existing ones depending on the circumstances as we have from time to time to respond to emergencies and urgent humanitarian issues like we did with the sanitary crisis (the coronavirus) and the cost-of-living crisis crisis.  In which case, we shall let you know. 

Also, in every work we do to try to help reduce poverty, there is always a cost to bear.  If you could help alleviate some of our costs, we would more acknowledge your support than just appreciate your gesture. 

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-these-six-metals-are-key-to-a-low-carbon-future/ (accessed in March 2025)

(2) https//www.agrifarming.in/top-19-water-harvesting-techniques-what-is-water-harvesting-and-benefits-of-it# (accessed in March 2025),

(3) https://oxford-review.com/the-oxford-review-dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dictionary/economic-inclusion-definition-and-explanation/ (accessed in March 2025)

(4) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/4f94ee11-7ff7-48c5-954d-eBad37083572/content (accessed in March 2025)

(5) https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/project-management/project-follow-up (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://www.meetjamie.ai/blog/follow-up-action-plan (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://vasundhara.io/blogs/project-assessment-process-definition-methods-steps (accessed in March 2025),

(8) https://plane.so/blog/what-is-project-monitoring (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://www.greenfinanceplatform.org/research/climate-finance-africa-oveview-climate-finance-flows-challenges-and-opportunities# (accessed in March 2025)

(10) https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2025/ (accessed in March 2025)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

19 March 2025

Post No. 396

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) Resource, Holiday with Relief – In Focus for Spring 2025 Issue: A Restorative Holiday 

• Climate Action 3 – In Focus from 17 to 23/03/2025: Plant-based Protein; Climate-resilient Crops

• Coming This Spring 2025: FACS Issue No. 87 Which Will Be Titled as African Charities and Finance for Climate and Poverty Reduction in Africa

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) Resource, Holiday with Relief – In Focus for Spring 2025 Issue: A Restorative Holiday 

How to use your holiday to improve your health, strength and spirits

 

The current Issue of our ICDP Resource entitled as ‘Holiday with Relief’ focuses on a Restorative Holiday.  The Issue echoes the year’s dedication within CENFACS of 2025 as a Year of Restoration.  It also comes at the right time as we shall enter soon Spring Relief 2025 within CENFACS; season of Rebuilding and Renewing Lives, Infrastructures and Institutions.

A Restorative Holiday happens when one uses its holiday to improve their health, strength and spirits, or any other aspects of their life.  In this respect, the aim of a restorative holiday is to provide a break from daily life, focussing on rejuvenation, relaxation, and reconnection with oneself, family, or nature.  It is about making space for rest, rebuilding and renewing, often through activities like quiet relaxation, wellness retreats, or disconnecting from technology.

As Everwell Mama (1) puts it,

“A restorative holiday reset helps busy moms get their energy and joy back”.

This year, ‘Holiday with Relief’ provides wealthy advice, tips and hints to improve health, strength and spirits during your holiday.  Through this wealth of information, we will try to tackle poverty linked to the lack of break to refresh one’s mind and body.

Therefore, the purpose of this year’s Issue of ‘Holiday with Relief’ is to work with our users in order to find way of having enjoyable and streamlined poverty-relieving holiday experience by focussing on activities that genuinely rejuvenate, relax, and reconnect them with themselves, their families and nature.  It is about breaking in order to improve performance, focus and creativity.

The resource is packed with Spring-like poverty-relieving ideas about how to reduce poverty linked to the lack of restorative holiday.  Although the contents of this year’s ‘Holiday with Relief’ will be for holiday, they can also be used for restorative breaks.

Concerning restorative breaks, the website ‘focuskeeper.co’ (2) explains that

“Restorative breaks are any short periods of time away from tasks that allow individuals to refresh their minds and bodies.  Unlike typical breaks, which may involve mindless scrolling on social media or simply standing up to stretch, restorative breaks focus on activities that genuinely rejuvenate us”.

This definition of restorative breaks will help in providing tips and hints which are included in this 2025 Issue of Holiday with Relief.

Key highlights or content summaries about the 2025 Issue of Holiday with Relief are given under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Climate Action 3 – In Focus from 17 to 23/03/2025: Plant-based Protein; Climate-resilient Crops

 

This third climate action deals with protein found in plants only and crops that are resilient to stress factors.  This action is on both plant-based protein as a low-carbon technology and climate-resilient crops as climate technologies.  This action will be taken around the following headings:

 

~ What is plant-based protein?

~ What are climate-resilient crops?

~ Working with the Community on plant-based protein and climate-resilient crops.

 

Let us explain each of these headings.

 

• • What Is Plant-based Protein?

 

There are many ways of defining plant-based protein.  One of its definitions comes from ‘geneticnutrition.in’ (3).  According to the website ‘geneticnutrition.in’,

“Plant-based protein refers to proteins derived entirely from plant sources such as beans, lentils, peas, nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables.  Unlike animal proteins found in meat, dairy, and eggs, plant proteins are entirely vegan, meaning they contain no animal products”.

The same ‘geneticnutrition.in’ provides six benefits of plant-based protein which are:

 

σ Nutrient-dense and low in calories

σ Supports heart health

σ Environmentally friendly

σ Digestive benefits

σ Supports muscle growth and recovery

σ Rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals.

 

Further to the benefits of plant-based protein, this week’s climate action is to encourage the production and consumption of plant-based protein, especially for those who are unaware of these benefits.

 

• • What Are Climate-resilient Crops?

 

The survey of the literature about climate-resilient crops provides many definitions.  One of them comes from Farmers Click (4).  According to the later,

“Climate-resilient crops are plant varieties that can withstand extreme weather conditions, such as drought, floods, high temperatures, and salinity while maintaining productivity”.

Farmers Click provides five features about these crops, which are:

 

σ drought-tolerant

σ heat-resistant

σ salt-tolerant

σ flood-resistant

σ pest and disease-resistant.

 

Because the health of crops can be affected by extreme weather conditions, it makes sense to act in building their resilience.

For example, Karine Prado et al. (5) argues that there are emerging technologies and approaches that could enhance crop resilience, such as synthetic biology, advanced breeding techniques, and high-throughput phenotyping.

Briefly, it is possible to choose plant-based protein or options which reduce one’s carbon footprint; just as it is feasible to improve the resilience of crops against climate stressors.

 

• • Working with the Community on Plant-based Protein and Climate-resilient Crops

 

The all purpose of writing this note is to guide our action.  In other words, what is key here is to take action.  The note is only a guided principle.

For instance, taking action together could be on the following:

 

~ how to help our community members to embrace plant-based options

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies between Africa and the rest of the world, included technologies linked to plant-based protein and climate-resilient crops

~ educating the members of the CENFACS Community who are unaware of help deriving from taking a plant-based drive

~ explaining the benefits of plant-based proteins which require significantly fewer resources – such as water and land – and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to animal farming

~ reducing and/or ending poverty linked to the lack of access to plant-based protein as a low-carbon technology and climate-resilient crops as climate technologies.

 

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Plant-based Protein and Climate-resilient Crops as well as on Poverty Reduction linked to them; they can take climate actions with us.

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 3 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Coming This Spring 2025: FACS Issue No. 87 Which Will Be Titled as African Charities and Finance for Climate and Poverty Reduction in Africa

 

To raise funds to deal with climate change and poverty issues, African Charities experience all sorts of challenges and barriers.  Yet, there are needs to implement climate and poverty reduction goals.

For instance, the report from ‘greenfinanceplatform.org’ (6) indicates that

“African governments have committed to mobilising around 10 percent of their need domestically, this leaves an immense gap – around 80 percent or $2.5 trillion – in climate finance that is needed to achieve climate mitigation and adaptation targets in Africa”.

Additionally, with all the cuts that have been done here and there in the developed worlds regarding their aid budgets, these cuts can only exacerbate the gap in funding for poverty reduction in Africa.  So, there is a funding gap for climate issues; just as there is financial aid vacuum for poverty reduction in Africa.

Whether it is for climate or poverty reduction, African Charities need funding for both to continue and sustain their mission while improving lives of those in need.  They require climate finance to help mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts; just as they need finance to address the root causes and consequences of poverty in Africa.  This is what the 87th of FACS will be about.

The 87th Issue of FACS will deal with the strategies and tools that African Charities (ACs) use or can use to undertake climate planning and budgeting as well as frame their investment bid in order to seek and secure or mobilise funds.

It will study how ACs try to access funds through capacitated and empowered local institutions where they operate.  This is without ignoring any efforts they may do to work with the private or for-profit sector on climate change issues.  In other words, the 87th Issue of FACS will investigate how ACs try to collaborate and partner with others to improve their capacity and coordination issues relating to climate finance.

The 87th Issue will also deal with finance for poverty reduction.  Indeed, securing climate finance does not necessarily imply obtaining finance for poverty reduction.  That is why the Issue will also work on the use of financial instruments that enable ACs to access funds and respond to the needs of their users and of locals.  In this respect, the 87th Issue will check if there is an alignment between ACs strategy for climate finance and finance for poverty reduction.  And if there is, where this alignment lead to.

The 87th Issue will analyse the relationship between climate finance and finance for poverty reduction.  Specifically, it will highlight the interconnectedness between climate change and poverty. It is known that climate change can exacerbate poverty by causing natural disasters, food insecurity, and displacement, while poverty can make people and communities more vulnerable to climate impacts.

Far from being a catalogue of challenges and barriers, the 87th Issue will look at if there are some improvements in ACs finance strategies regarding both climate and poverty reduction issues.  In particular, the 87th Issue will argue about the following:

 

σ the integration between strategy for climate finance and strategy relating to finance for poverty reduction since there are synergies between climate change and poverty reduction initiatives

σ the model of working together between ACs and all other actors in mobilizing climate finance and finance for poverty reduction and sustainable development

σ the alignment between climate finance and finance for poverty reduction

σ the improvement of ACs project planning that does not only reflect the needs of climate, but also those of living in poverty in Africa

σ the tracking of both climate funds and funds for poverty reduction and sustainable development

σ the development of frameworks that include both climate investment and impact investing in poverty reduction

σ the improvement in planning and coordination between climate change projects and poverty reduction projects

etc.

 

To read more about this new Issue, please keep checking on CENFACS incoming posts this Spring 2025.  To reserve a paper copy of this 87th Issue of FACS, please contact CENFACS with your mailing details.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 4 (from 19 to 25/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Initial Implementation with Impact Investor’s Implement

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 5: Negotiating and Agreeing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero Waste e-Store during This Coming Spring Giving Season

 

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 4 (from 19 to 25/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Initial Implementation with Impact Investor’s Implement

 

The fourth episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project is about Matching Organisation’s Initial Implementation with Impact Investor’s Implement.

Both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investor) have worked hard in every step of the way of the serialisation and fragmentation of this Project.  They have so far made noticeable progress, as they have continued to score points.  These scored points are enough to enable them to enter the fourth stage of the matching talks.

For Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO), initial implementation is about getting crews in the field to start the physical restoration activities.  For Not-for-profit (n-f-p) Impact Investor, implement is the process of carrying out the restoration intervention on the ground.  Both of them may be talking about the same thing.  But, let us look at what they mean through the following headings:

 

σ Negotiation between ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

σ Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

• • Negotiation between ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

 

This negotiation will happen around ASCO’s Initial Implementation and Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Implement.

 

• • • ASCO’s Initial Implementation

 

To explain what is going to happen here, let us start with the meaning of implementation.  The website ‘projectmanager.com’ (7) states that

“Project implementation, or project execution, is the process of completing tasks to deliver a project successfully.  These tasks are initially described in the project plan, a comprehensive document that covers all areas of project management”.

From the above definition, it is possible to describe what initial implementation is.  The website ‘implementationpractice.org’ (8) explains that

“Initial implementation begins when staff initiate the use of the programme or practice or parts of an initiative; it is a time of learning, with attention to using data for continuous improvement and for identifying and addressing adaptive issues that may affect implementation. As improvement efforts are identified and infrastructure needs potentially shift, an implementation plan helps in tracking changes over time”.

To demonstrate that it is taken its initial implementation seriously, ASCO needs to craft and have an implementation plan (that is, a document that describes the necessary steps for the execution of a project).  It will make sure that the implementation contains the following elements: project goals and objectives, success criteria, project deliverables, scope statement, resource plan, risk analysis, implementation timeline, implementation milestones, team roles and responsibilities, and implementation plan metrics (e.g., Key Performance Indicators, Objectives and Key Results, etc.).

 

• • • Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Implement

 

Referring to its own understanding of implementation, the n-f-p Impact investor will check if ASCO follows the key steps in project implementation.  To be sure, the n-f-p Impact Investor would like some clarification or answers to the following questions:

 

Q: Does ASCO have an implementation plan to help those who are going to implement the Land Restoration Project to better execute and track the project?

Q: How will ASCO handle changing conditions relating to natural systems in the outdoors?

Q: What is the level of adaptable process to adjust if weather and landscape conditions change?

 

ASCO is required to satisfactorily respond to the above-mentioned questions if it wishes to secure funds from the N-f-p Impact Investor.

 

• • Agreement 

 

In order to reach an agreement, both participating parties need to approve the implementation plan.  If there is no approval, the matching talks may not go to the next stage or to progress.  In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s Initial Implementation and N-f-p Impact Investor’s Implement.  If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test

 

As part of the match or fit test, the n-f-p Impact Investor’s view on ASCO’s Initial Implementation must be matched with the information coming out of ASCO’s Initial Implementation.

The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement.  If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the investor wants and what ASCO is saying about its Initial Implementation, between what the investor would like the phase of Initial Implementation to indicate and what ASCO’s Initial Implementation is really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this fourth round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

However, if this happens there is still a chance as CENFACS can step in to advise ASCO and guide n-f-p Impact Investor on their approaches to Land Restoration Project.

 

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to n-f-p Impact Investor

 

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the Initial Implementation they are bringing forward.  CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p Impact Investors to work out their expectations in terms of the Initial Implementation to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.  CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p 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.

However, to reduce or avoid this likelihood both parties need to follow the rule of the matching game.

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the matching game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s Initial Implementation the better for ASCOs.  Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the Initial Implementation 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 fourth stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a land restoration project in Africa and n-f-p impact investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to 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 to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy.  The Hub 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 in data or results.

 

For any queries and/or enquiries about this fourth stage/activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –

Step/Workshop 5: Negotiating and Agreeing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

Step/Workshop 5 contains two tasks: negotiations and agreement.

 

•  •  What Is Negotiation?

 

Negotiation is part of humans’ everyday life.  To explain it, we are going to refer to what ‘pmi.org’ states about it.  The website ‘pmi.org’ (9) provides three features about negotiation, which are

 

“[a] Communication back and forth for the purpose of making a joint decision

[b] A way of finding a mutually acceptable solution to a shared problem

[c] Achieving an ideal outcome: a wise decision, efficiently and amicably agreed upon”.

 

Negotiation can be hard, soft and principled.  As an all-year-round project user, your negotiation needs to end with negotiated agreement to put your all-year-round project into action, whereby there could be a win-win outcome for you and those engaged with you in the negotiation.  Negotiation can lead to an agreement.

 

•  •  What Is an Agreement?

 

An agreement is simply a joint decision after negotiation or discussion, and can be translated into a contract or promise to carry out what has been negotiated or discussed.  The agreement helps to outline the terms and conditions between all-year-round project user and the other party.

 

• • Example of Negotiated Agreement: Your Project about Playing the CENFACS’ League of Poverty Reduction

 

Let say you want to run a tournament over this coming Easter season with friends or relatives in order to find which African country is making commendable progress in terms of poverty reduction.  You need to negotiate with friends and/or relatives the terms and conditions of this tournament.

 

• • • What to include into your negotiated agreement

 

Your negotiation could revolve around the following:

 

~ the number of African countries making your Easter tournament

~ the criteria or metrics to rate them in terms of performance relating to poverty reduction

~ the analytical period you would like to consider (e.g., 01/01/2025 to 31/03/2025 or first quarter of 2025)

~ the roles each of the participants to the game would like to play

~ the length of the tournament

~ the time and day of the Easter holiday to play

~ the way of recording and communicating your results

etc.

 

You can think whether or not to insert a fundraising element (such as crowdfunding) into your tournament.

 

• • • Crowdfunding your tournament

 

You can start crowdfunding for the tournament so that any money donated by friends and relatives go to good causes such as CENFACS‘ noble and beautiful ones.  You can set up a minimum or maximum amount as target to raise as money, and share crowdfunding tasks to achieve this target.

 

• • What Will Happen after Negotiation

 

After negotiation, you need to agree on certain terms, conditions and rules to follow during the play.  Depending on your skills, knowledge, experience and resources; you may decide to turn your game into a play station or use a game theory to solve some of the hurdles you may encounter.

For those who would like to dive deeper into the negotiation and agreement relating to their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero Waste e-Store during This Coming Spring Giving Season

 

CENFACS e-Store is opened for your Spring goods donations and goods purchases.

Every season or every month is an opportunity to do something against poverty and hardships.  This coming Spring too is a good and great season of the year to do it.

You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods to CENFACS’ Charity e-Store, the zero waste 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 Zero Waste e-Store.

You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:

 

√ DONATE unwanted Easter GOODS, GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store this April and Spring.

√ SHOP at CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store to support noble and beautiful causes of poverty relief this coming Spring.

 

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships brought by the cost of living pressures.

This is what the Season of Giving is all about.

Please do not hesitate to donate goods or purchase what is available at CENFACS Zero Waste e-Store.

Many lives have been threatened and destroyed by the cost of living pressures. 

We need help to help them come out poverty and hardships caused by these pressures.

To donate or purchase goods, please go to: http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

 

 

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

 

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses Higher Tariffs as an Opportunity or Threat for Poverty Reduction in Africa

Higher tariffs can represent an opportunity or a threat for African countries.  It all depends on each country’s own economic situation and the business cycle.  There are competing arguments about their effects.  One of these arguments comes from the United Nations (10) which thinks that

“Higher tariffs are expected to have significant economic costs by increasing market inefficiencies, inflationary pressures, and supply chain disruptions.  However, they may also create opportunities for some developing countries as major trading partners realign their supply chains and forge new trade relationships… Tariffs can be regressive form of revenue generation when they are disproportionally generated from goods consumer by poor consumers”.

This argument from the United Nations leaves us to believe that there is a mixed message.  Higher tariffs can be an opportunity or threat to poverty reduction depending on the circumstances.  This mixed message pushes us to ask the following questions:

~ Do higher tariffs result in gain for African countries or opportunity for poverty reduction or simply a threat to it?

~ How can poor people stay resilient and adapt to the threats posed by new higher tariffs?

The above-mentioned questions are part of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum 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 information on this website.

 

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de la Hausse des Droits de Douane comme une Opportunité ou une Menace pour la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Des droits de douane plus élevés peuvent représenter une opportunité ou une menace pour les pays africains.  Tout dépend de la situation économique de chaque pays et du cycle économique.  Il existe des arguments contradictoires sur leurs effets.  L’un de ces arguments vient des Nations unies (10) qui pensent que

« On s’attend à ce que des tarifs plus élevés aient des coûts économiques importants en augmentant les inefficacités du marché, les pressions inflationnistes et les perturbations de la chaîne d’approvisionnement.  Cependant, ils peuvent également créer des opportunités pour certains pays en développement, car les principaux partenaires commerciaux réalignent leurs chaînes d’approvisionnement et forgent de nouvelles relations commerciales… Les droits de douane peuvent être une forme régressive de génération de revenus lorsqu’ils sont générés de manière disproportionnée par des biens consommés par des consommateurs pauvres.

Cet argument des Nations Unies nous laisse penser qu’il y a un message contradictoire.  Des tarifs plus élevés peuvent être une opportunité ou une menace pour la réduction de la pauvreté, selon les circonstances.  Ce message contradictoire nous pousse à nous poser les questions suivantes :

~ Des droits de douane plus élevés entraînent-ils des gains pour les pays africains ou des possibilités de réduction de la pauvreté ou une simple menace pour celle-ci ?

~ Comment les pauvres peuvent-ils rester résilients et s’adapter aux menaces posées par de nouvelles hausses des droits de douane ?

Les questions susmentionnées font partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en 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 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

 

• ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) Resource, Holiday with Relief – In Focus for Spring 2025 Issue: A Restorative Holiday 

How to use your holiday to improve your health, strength and spirits

 

Looking forward to building a restorative holiday experience?

You are in the right place as the following contents will show you:

 

∝ What Is Holiday with Relief (HwR)?

∝ What Is the Focus for This Year’s HwR?

∝ Reduction of Poverty as a Lack of Refreshing Break

∝ For Whom This Resource Is Designed 

∝ Types and Examples of Restorative Holiday Activities

∝ Restorative Holiday Plan and Budget

∝ Ways of Making Your Holiday Restorative 

∝ Organisations Dealing with Restorative Holiday 

∝ Needing Help and Support to Plan Your Restorative Holiday

 

Let us summarise these contents.

 

• • Content Summaries, Tips and Hints about Spring 2025 Holiday with Relief

 

• • • What Is Holiday with Relief?

 

Holiday with Relief (HwR) is an awareness, preparedness and solutions focussed Resource to Manage Information over holidays (e.g. Easter and Summer holidays).

As an Information Manager, HwR is a set of life-changing tips and tricks to help and enable vulnerably unaware people to plan and have their holiday or break with confidence in taking into account all aspects of life and by making sure that key areas of those life aspects are not adversely affected.

 

• • • What Is the Focus for This Year’s HwR?

 

The focus for HwR for this year is on Restorative Holiday.  It is about providing a set of life-enhancing tips and hints to support those who are looking for simple but practical advice to improve their health, strength and spirits during their holiday.

As explained in the Key Messages, the aim of a restorative holiday is to provide a break from daily life, focussing on rejuvenation, relaxation, and reconnection with oneself, family, or nature.  It is about making space for rest, rebuilding and renewing, often through activities like quiet relaxation, wellness retreats, or disconnecting from technology.

 

 

• • • Reduction of Poverty as a Lack of Refreshing Break

 

This Spring Season, we shall find ways of working with the members of our community who are likely to face poverty as a lack of refreshing break to refresh their minds and bodies.  Poverty can be reduced through restorative breaks that focus on activities that genuinely rejuvenate them.

We hope that working together with them will help them avoid during their holiday this type of poverty.

Through this wealth of information contained in the ‘Holiday with Relief’, we will try together to tackle this type of holiday poverty.

 

 

• • • For Whom This Resource Is Designed

 

This resource is primarily designed for the CENFACS Community members and those related to them.

The resource also caters for the following:

 

√ Those who are looking for some basic ideas about how to build a restorative holiday 

√ Those who are searching for holiday schemes and programmes with restorative contents, that is that de-stress, provide peace and rejuvenate

√ Those who would like to use their holiday to rejuvenate, relax, and reconnect with themselves, family, or nature

√ Those who need a time for reflection and self-care

√ Those who want holiday that involves activities that promote relaxation, mindfulness and connection

√ Those who are planning to unplug or disconnect from technology during their restorative holiday

√ Those who are interested in creating holiday plan and budget that meet their restoration needs or requirements 

√ Busy parents eager to use holiday to get their energy and joy back

√ Those who are looking forward to raising money for their restorative holiday 

√ Those who wish to fund their restorative break as disabled persons and their carers

√ Those who are keen in measuring the restorative effects of their holiday experiences

√ Anyone interested in improving the perceived restorative qualities of their holiday, breaks and vacation destinations.

 

All these above-mentioned potential beneficiaries can find in HwR and its theme of Restorative Holiday a really useful resource or tool about their plans for a restorative holiday. 

 

 

• • • Types and Examples of Restorative Holiday Activities

 

• • • • Types of Restorative Holiday Activities

 

The types of restorative holiday include wellness retreats, staycations, family holiday, solo travel, etc.  Depending on one’s circumstances, they may choose to take family holiday or solo travel or other type of restorative holiday.  Whatever the choice they make, the primary goal of their restorative holiday is to de-stress, find peace and rejuvenate.

 

• • • • Examples of Restorative Holiday Activities

 

Restorative holidays involve activities that promote relaxation, mindfulness, and connection.  Examples of restorative holiday activities that can make this promotion to happen include the following:

nature walks or hikes, trying new hobbies, yoga or meditation, reading a book, spending time in a quiet place, taking a relaxing bath or shower, practising mindfulness, all-inclusive trips, sleep retreats, spending time with loved ones, etc.

In short, examples of restorative holiday activities are nature-based, relaxing, social, creative pursuits, sleep and wellness retreats.

Advice, tips and hints can be given on the above types and examples of restorative holiday activities.

 

 

• • • Restorative Holiday Plan and Budget

 

The starting point in the planning process of your restorative holiday is to have a plan for your restorative holiday and a budget for it.

Regarding your restorative holiday plan, you need to include the following:

the peaceful and calming environment to go if not staying at home, when to go, how to go, who to go with, where to stay, what to do, what to eat, when to return, what not to take with you to maximise the restorative effect of your holiday, etc.

In your plan, you would consider a restorative holiday place which will provide you with a sense of renewal, rejuvenation, and reconnection.  Perhaps, it will be a good idea to refer to what the ‘Attention Restoration Theory’ says.  This is whether you choose to go away or stay at home.

Concerning your restorative holiday budget, the theory recommends to take inventory or stock of last year’s holiday accounts.  In practice, you will use your last year’s holiday expenses and divide them by 12 to obtain the monthly amount of saving or spending you need to budget for the next holiday.

To create your restorative holiday budget, you can use the following steps as provided by ‘hrss.cpa’ (11):

Income evaluation, setting spending limit, review of past expenses, allocation of funds, expense monitoring, future planning, and adaptability to challenges.

However, you should bear in mind that there are economic factors (like changes in interest rate, exchange rate, inflation, the cost of living, the cost of holidaying, trade tensions, etc. ) you should include when working your numbers.  You budget will be adjusted for these factors.  You could as well use an online holiday budget calculator to do it for you.  It could be a good idea not to forget to use the retreat cost calculator.

 

 

 

• • • Ways of Making Your Holiday Restorative 

 

There is a number of ways or strategies that can be used to make your holiday restorative.  They include:

 

~ Making space

It is about stepping away from daily stressors and creating space for reflection and relaxation.

~ Choosing a good restorative environment

This is about choosing a peaceful and calming environment to pass your restorative holiday.  This includes those who would like to have a break at home without travel.

~ Rebuilding and renewing

These two ways or strategies imply that you find time to recharge and rebuild yourselves, whether physically or mentally or emotionally.

~ Reconnecting

This strategy helps you to reconnect with yourself, loved ones, or the natural world.

~ Choosing a quiet and peaceful environment

It is about choosing a location away from noise and crowds to truly experience restoration.

~ Engaging in mindful activities

This refers to undertaking activities that bring you joy and relaxation (e.g., spending time in nature, reading, or practising mindfulness).

~ Unplugging

It is about taking break from technology and social media to enhance the restorative nature of your holiday.

~ Setting boundaries

To rest and rejuvenate during your restorative holiday, there could be a need to set some boundaries like limiting screen time or work-related tasks.

~ Prioritising sleep

Having adequate sleep is necessary for physical and mental restoration.  This can be achieve by prioritising sleep during your holiday.

 

The above-mentioned strategies or techniques show that it is possible to restore the nature of your holiday.  It all depends on what you feel needs to be restored during your holiday.

 

• • • Organisations Dealing with Restorative Holiday 

 

There is a number of organisations working on restorative holiday matters, such as making space, rebuilding and renewing, reconnecting, unplugging and prioritising sleep.  Among these organisations, we can mention the following ones:

 

~ Turadh (https://www.turadh.org.uk)

~ Pathways Fund (https://www.hfholidays.co.uk)

~ Richmond Holidays (https://www.richmon-holidays.com)

~ Upskill360 (https://upskill360.co.uk)

~ Family Holiday Charity (https;//familyholidaycharity.org.uk)

~ Responsible Travel (https://www.responsibletravel.com)

~ Ogilvie Charities (https://www.ogilviecharities.org.uk)

etc.

 

Some of these organisations provide grants or financial support.

There are organisations that give short breaks and holidays to families caring for a child with complex disabilities or health issues (e.g., www.togetherforshortlives.org.uk).

There are organisations that deal with family holiday grants or short break activities (e.g., The 3H Foundation, The Henry Smith Charity).

There are other organisations that are specialised in grants for disabled children and adults, adventurous holidays for adventurous families, etc.

Most of the organisations listed in this Spring 2025 Issue of Holiday with Relief are generally from the charity and voluntary sectors.

For those who are interested in them, it will be a good idea to check their requirement, size, length, decision timescale, deadline and qualifying criteria.

For those who may be having some problems in finding these details, they can contact CENFACS for guidance and support.

 

 

 

 

• • • Needing Help and Support to Plan Your Restorative Holiday

 

CENFACS can work with the members of its community to plan their restorative holiday.  The plan will include the following tips:

 

~ the focus (which will be on relaxation and rejuvenation)

~ the location (it is about choosing a quiet location)

~ the time (which will relate to the time for reflection and self-care)

~ the connection (which will refer to the links you want have with nature or loved ones)

~ the boundaries (which will need to be set in order to have a truly restorative holiday)

~ the unplugging from technology (which technologies or devises you would like to switch off in order for you to better relax)

~ the priority (which could be about prioritizing sleep)

~ the engagement (it is about deciding to undertake activities you really enjoy)

~ the budget (whether you stay home or go away for your restorative holiday, you need to budget it).

 

Through this restorative holiday plan, people will be more aware of the key elements of their restorative holiday, elements which are: relaxation, reduced stress, reconnecting with themselves and others, mental detachment, renewed energy and motivation while enjoying the simple things.

CENFACS can as well work together with you to measure the restorative effects of your holiday by tracking changes in stress levels, mood, cognitive function and physical health before, during, and after the holiday; using tools like questionnaires, diaries and physiological measurements.

We can work together on the above-mentioned matters.  Where our capacity is limited, we can signpost beneficiaries to organisations, particularly charities working in the field of restorative holiday or tourism for restorative counselling.

Additionally, there are charities and voluntary organisations that can help around holiday budget matters such as

 

∝ paying for a restorative holiday

∝ finding the right holiday for families with a member with a restorative needs

∝ finding a break and or respite.

CENFACS can as well work with the members of its community to streamline holiday budget processes and achieve better results in terms of spending by guiding them on the following matters:

∝ what to do with unused holiday funds

∝ how to use unrestricted/unassigned/undesignated/designated fund balance to help balance your restorative holiday budget

∝ how to coordinate your needs of raising funds for your restorative holiday and the necessities of accounting for the holiday money raised to be received

∝ what to do with unspent restorative holiday grants

etc.

 

We hope that the above content summaries will provide an insightful idea about this year’s Issue of Holiday with Relief.  

For those users who would like to dive into Restorative Holiday, we can provide them with online and print resources (e.g., a detailed list of organisations providing holidaying support for those in need) relating to Restorative Holiday.

To support the theme of Restorative Holiday and get the full Spring 2025 Issue of ICDP Resource (Holiday with Relief), please contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://everwellmama.buzzsprout.com/2429510/episodes/16333031-a-simple-restorative-holiday-reset-for-moms (accessed in March 2025)

(2) https://focuskeeper.co/glossary/what-is-restorative-breaks-implementation/ (accessed in March 2025)

(3) https://www.geneticnutrition.in/blogs/genetic-life/what-is-plant-based-protein-and-overview-of-its-origins-benefits-and-popularity (accessed in March 2025)

(4) https://library.farmersclick.com/knowledge-base/climate-resilient-crops-and-farming-methods-adapting-agriculture-to-a-changing-climate/ (accessed in March 2025)

(5) Prado, K. et al., Building Climate-Resilient Crops: Genetic, Environmental, and Drought Stress Tolerance, Journal of Experimental Botany, 2025; erf111, https://doc.org/10.1093/jxb/eraf111  (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://www.greenfinanceplatform.org/research/climate-finance-africa-oveview-climate-finance-flows-challenges-and-opportunities# (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://wwww.projectmanager.com/blog/implementation-plan (accessed in March 2025)

(8) https://www.implementationpractice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CIP-Practice-Guide-Implementation-Plans_12.20.21.pdf (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/negotiating-project-outcomes-develop-skills-6781 (Accessed in March 2023)

(10) https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-march-2025-briefing-no-188/ (accessed in March 2025)

(11) https://hrss.cpa/budgeting-for-the-holidays-guide-to-keeping-your-finances/ (accessed in April 2024)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

12 March 2025

Post No. 395

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

• Climate Action 2 – In Focus from 10 to 16/03/2025: Biofuels; Efficient Cookstoves

• Double Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty as Lacks of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project –

Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

 

Both Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and Not-for-profit (n-f-p) Impact Investor scored enough points in the Second Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.  They would like to continue their talks and move to the third round of negotiations, which is Activity 3.

This third round of talks consists of agreeing on Project Management Plan to be presented by ASCO, and on the Finance File to be open by the n-f-p Impact Investor before the start of any restoration works that deem necessary for the Land Restoration Project (LRP). Both the Project Management Plan and Finance File will provide the information indicated below.

Regarding the Project Management Plan (PMP) to be presented by ASCO, it will be a document outlining how the LRP will be managed and monitored, detailing the key milestones, timelines, budget allocations, resource requirements, and performance metrics to ensure that the LRP achieves its planned outcomes and aligns with ASCO’s charity objects and mission.

PMP will include LRP objectives, scope, timeline and schedule, budget allocation, performance metrics, stakeholder management, risk management, and reporting and monitoring plans.

The PMP will serve as a communication tool, a reference for evaluation, and an instrument for alignment and transparency.

Concerning the Finance File to be open by the n-f-p Impact Investor, this file will be about conducting due diligence on the ASCO, analyse its financial health and charity activities, charity model, business model if any income generation activity is appended to its charity mission, and potential risks before the n-f-p Impact Investor decides to invest.  The n-f-p Impact Investor will use financial statements (e.g., balance sheet, income statement, cash flow projections, income and expenditure account, etc.)  to evaluate ASCO’s financial health and income potential.  ASCO’s financial statements will help the n-f-p Impact Investor determine ASCO’s ability to set up a LRP, to grow and generate poverty-relieving and climate benefits.

Both ASCO and n-f-p Impact Investor would like to reach an agreement through PMP for ASCO and Finance File for the n-f-p Impact Investor.  To reach an agreement, each side of this Activity 3 needs to clarify what they are offering in the negotiation to meet the matching terms and conditions.

If this Activity 3 is successful, they will move to the next activity – Activity 4.  Where the two (i.e., investee and investor) need support, CENFACS will work with each party to fill the gap.

More about Activity 3 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Climate Action 2 – In Focus from 10 to 16/03/2025: Biofuels; Efficient Cookstoves

 

This second climate action is about accessing both efficient cookstoves and fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean cooking.  This action will be taken around the following headings:

 

~ biofuels

~ efficient cookstoves

~ the links between inefficient cookstoves and fuels on the one hand and poverty on the other

~ working with the Community on efficient fuels and cookstoves.

 

Let us uncover each of these headings.

 

• • Understanding Biofuels

 

Our understanding of biofuels comes from ‘capgemini.com’ (1) which explains that

“Biofuels represent renewable energy sources derived from biological feedstocks such as corn, algae, and organic waste.  These sources play a critical role in mitigating carbon emissions, resulting in a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional fossil fuels”.

They are a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  They can be used in vehicles, infrastructure, and heating.

After the understanding of biofuels as a low-carbon technology, one can try to act on their role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy as well as in helping reduce poverty linked to the use of inefficient fuels.  To achieve this transition, it could require to take into account generation biofuels.

There are different generation biofuels; just as there are criticisms about biofuels.  However, what is important is to keep on improving biofuels so that they continue to achieve sustainable energy future and energy security.  This achievement will depend on market dynamics and growth drivers.

 

• • Acting for Efficient Cookstoves

 

Efficient cookstoves are a climate technology that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by burning fuel more efficiently.  They can improve health and reduce deforestation.

The action about efficient cookstoves as a climate technology is about access and use of clean cooking methods that help reduce emissions and negative health impacts, while increasing wellbeing outcomes.  This is because those who use stoves in certain parts of the world (like in Africa) often rely on biomass fuels like wood and charcoal, which can have detrimental health impacts.

The use of fuels contributes to deforestation; let alone the toxic emissions from the stoves that can cause serious respiratory illnesses.  This suggests that there could be some links between inefficient cookstoves and fuels on the one hand and poverty on the other.

 

• • Links between Inefficient Cookstoves, Fuels and Poverty

 

Poverty could be linked to inefficient cookstoves and fuels.  This can happen if people are forced to walk long distances to find fuel or firewood.  This could affect their time for other productive activities.  The poorest amongst these people are those with the responsibility to collect fuels.  Amongst these poorest are women and children in places like Africa.  In this respect, poverty could be linked to inefficient cookstoves and fuels.  Arguing that there is such link is one thing.  Working with the Community to reduce poverty induced by inefficient cookstoves and fuels is a better thing to do.

 

• • Working with the Community on Efficient Fuels and Cookstoves

 

The all purpose of writing this note is to guide our action.  In other words, what is key here is to take action.  The note is only a guided principle.

For instance, taking action together could be on the following:

 

~ how to help those who are suffering from the lack of access to efficient cookstoves and fuels to access them

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies between Africa and the rest of the world, included technologies linked to efficient cookstoves and fuels

~ educating the members of the CENFACS Community who are unaware of the help that biofuels provide; help which includes decarbonisation of transport, increase in energy security and reduction of climate change

~ explaining the benefits of efficient cookstoves; benefits which are improvement in health, reduction of deforestation, money savings and improvement in the quality of life

~ reducing and/or ending fuel poverty and poverty linked to the lack of access to efficient cookstoves.

 

In short, clean cooking technologies can help mitigate the environmental and health problems linked to inefficient stoves and biomass fuels.

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Efficient Cookstoves and Fuels as well as on Poverty Reduction linked to them; they can take climate actions with us.

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 2 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Double Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty as Lacks of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies

 

Our goal for March 2025 is double: reduction of poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption and reduction of poverty as a lack of climate technology.  Let us first explain this double goal, then highlight the implications for selecting the goal of the month.

 

• • Reducing Poverty as a Lack of Low-carbon Technology Adoption

 

Poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption is the state in which poorer households have not the money or means to buy and install low-carbon technologies.

Reducing poverty as the lack of low-carbon technology adoption would be about promoting the adoption of low-carbon technology among the poor, informing them what support is available for them to access low-carbon technologies and helping them to transition to and adopt low-carbon energy.

 

• • Reducing Poverty as a Lack of Climate Technology

 

Poverty as a lack of climate technology is about linking poverty and climate technology.  This type of poverty happens when poorer households do not have the financial means to acquire climate technologies.

Reducing poverty as the lack of climate technology would be about providing digital technologies to these households so that they can monitor greenhouse gas emissions, solar home systems as renewable energy, and other energy efficiency equipment.  It is finally about balancing their energy needs with their economic situation.

 

• • Implications for Selecting the Goal for 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., March 2025).

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.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Full Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.4)

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 12/03/2025: Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

 

• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Full Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.4)

 

Since at COP29 in Baku (2), developed nations pledged to channel $300 billion a year into developing countries by 2035 to support their efforts to deal with climate change, the Installation Sub-phase of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation (TCPSACI) has now moved from Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3) to Full Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.4)

To understand this new sub-phase of our Climate Protection and Children Advocacy, one may need to know what full implementation means.

 

• • What Is Full Implementation?

 

To comprehend full implementation, it may be better to explain implementation stages.  According to ‘implementationpractice.org’ (3),

“Implementation stages are the phases that commonly occur during implementation process”.

For ‘implementationpractice.org’, full implementation occurs when the majority of practitioners can skilfully deliver the programme or practice, and the focus population experiences improved outcomes.

This view on implementation and the science behind it will help in the way we run our climate protection advocacy within CENFACS.

 

• • Full Implementation of CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4

 

The implementation process of CENFACS’ TCPSACI was organised in four stages: exploration, installation, initial implementation and full implementation.  The full implementation will tell if the outcomes of our Climate Talks Follow-up Project; stage known as Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level starts to bring results.

Besides this Full Implementation, we are continuing to work on the outcomes of COP29 (op. cit.) and how they can fit into CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, and how they can help us prepare for COP30 (4) which will be convened in Belém, Brazil.

Without anticipating what may happen at the climate talks in Belém, let us inform our supporters that the slogan for this follow-up is: Belém Do Better for Children!

To enquire about the working plan about this follow-up within CENFACS  and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 12/03/2025: Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review

 

The fourth financial control of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is Making Financial Forecasting and Projections, while the fourth financial monitor is Frequency of Monitoring Review.  Let us briefly explain this control and this monitor.

 

• • Financial Forecasting and Projections

 

Let us start with financial forecasting.  According to ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (5),

“Financial forecasting refers to the process of drafting projections relating to the future performance of the business.  It helps with direction and finding problem areas of the business.  It includes analysing the business’s particular performance and thoroughly studying current trends”.

Although households are not businesses, they can apply financial forecasting to find out their performance if the future.  The components of their financial forecasting models may differ from those used by businesses.  Despite that, their financial forecasting would still include the following financial documents or statements: projected income statement, cash budget, projected balance sheet, projected sources and uses of fund.  All these statements will be customised to reflect household or family relationships and reality.

Regarding financial projections, ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (6) explains that

“A Financial projection shows forecasts and predictions on the financial estimates and numbers that range from revenues and expenses pertaining to financial statements and takes external market factors and internal data into account”.

Still for ‘wallstreetmojo.com’, financial projections are a decision-making tool for the management and creditors.  Those who would like to respond to households’ funding applications can base their decision on household financial forecasts.  Households will calculate their estimates and projections based on certain factors such as household performance, the prevailing economic conditions, the market volatility, the demand, and supply of the products and services.

Briefly, financial projections are about making informed financial decisions and projection statements.  The data regarding financial projections helps in assessing the credit worthiness of households, especially if households are looking for a loan, a mortgage, a credit, a financial support, etc.

Households need as well to review and update their financial projections in the light of changes in their personal circumstances and economic factors.

 

• • Frequency of Monitoring Review

 

To understand this frequency, let us first explain monitoring and review.

According to ‘scvo.scot’ (7),

“Monitoring is the ongoing process of regularly collecting and analysing relevant information to make sure your are doing what you set out to do… Review is when you look at the results of an evaluation and decide whether it needs to change”.

From the definition of monitoring and review, it is possible to argue that monitoring review happens when you are looking at the results of the ongoing process of regularly collecting and analysing relevant information.  Because our financial advocacy/campaign is on financial matter, let us focus on financial review.

Financial review of activity for households will help them to identify errors, anomalies, potential compliance issues and significant budget variances.  However, the frequency of this review will depend on whether households are conducting a perpetual monitoring (that is, continuous, uninterrupted) or trigger monitoring (that is linked to changes and alerts) or periodic monitoring (i.e., refreshing the data at set intervals in the relationship), as explained by ‘thirdfort.com’ (8).

In short, the frequency of monitoring review will depend on households’ circumstances, timing, and analysis that the review may require.  Some households may prefer to do it on a monthly basis, others may want to do it annually.  Other busy households may find it easier to do it when they are on holiday, etc.  As ‘financestrategists.com’ (9) puts it,

“The frequency of financial plan monitoring will depend on individual circumstances, goals, and preferences.  At a minimum, it is advisable to review and update the financial plan annually but more frequent monitoring may be necessary to track progress and make adjustments as needed”.

The above are the fourth financial control and fourth financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members needs support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Last Thoughts

 

Financial controls and monitoring are needed for households no matter their size or level of wealth.  We all need established policies and procedures to manage and monitor our financial resources, to prevent errors and ensure compliance (for instance about council/local tax).  We also require an ongoing process of reviewing financial activities to identify potential issues, anomalies, and compliance risks.  These needs and requirements are even greater for households striving for high impact with constrained financial resources.

We hope that the topics we covered in the last four weeks would have helped those who have been following us to find answers to some of the problems they may have in order to financially control and monitor their finances.

For those who have any queries and or enquiries about any of these topics, they should hesitate to contact CENFACS.  They can as well give us their own feedback on the overall or specific areas of Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – 

Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

To carry out this step/workshop 4, we are going to briefly explain what this step/workshop is about and give an example about it.

 

• • Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects 

 

It is about assessing the feasibility, viability and potential impact of a proposed project.  It means that an all-year-round project user will proceed with the following:

identify the project, screen it, scope it, analyse its market, technically study it as feasible, assess its financial viability and its economic impact, analyse risks, examine environmental and social impact and report its appraisal.

Because All-year Round Projects are such small and practical initiatives, there is a need to simplify the appraisal relating to it.  To simplify the matter, we are going to limit to financial appraisal.

 

• • Example of Financial Appraisal: Your Project about Running for Poverty Reduction 

 

Let say you want to run 4 km.

You have two options.

 

~ Option 1

You could simply dress and get out your home start running without thinking of any financial appraisal.

 

~ Option 2

You can conduct a basic financial appraisal by asking yourself if you need to buy a bottle of water, a pair of trainers, a clock or watch to time yourself, the frequency of your run activity (e.g., once a week or every particular day of the week), decide whether you want to run alone or as a group or even join a local group of runners where you live, etc.

You can even work out how much it costs to run in open space like a park compared to a close space such as a gym.  As part of the costs of running, you could include the costs of a pair of running shoes, appropriate clothes, a watch, earphones, gels, water bottles, etc.

You can as well assess the benefit of running in terms of your health and general wellbeing.  The benefits of physically running in terms of health could be improved cardiovascular health, weight management, increase bone density, enhanced mood, stress reduction, etc.  The benefits of physically running relating to wellbeing would be an improvement in brain, confidence boost, stress management, mindfulness, etc

You can even include a fundraising element so that money to be raised through your running hobby goes to good causes such as CENFACS’ noble and beautiful ones.  To include this element into your physically running activity, you need to define your goals and narrative, engage your network and friends, and use fundraising ideas (like running in fancy dress).

In this second option, you can carry out more appraisal and come out with a sort of financial plan in terms of basic costs and benefits of running.  In project planning terms, it means you have financially appraised Your Project about Running for Poverty Reduction. 

For those who would like to dive deeper into the appraisal of their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

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

 

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses the Impact of Arms Trade on Poverty Reduction in Africa

In the aftermath of the cold war, everybody was hoping that the peace dividend from the end of cold war would result in more investment in civil economy, environment, development and poverty reduction.  This was going to be a new norm or model of living.  Many countries, including African countries, reviewed their metric relating to military expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product compared to metrics in other areas like health, education, housing, etc.  The idea after this review was mostly to prioritise social, economic and environmental spending compared to military one.

Unfortunately, with the rising geo-economic and geo-political tensions the post cold-war peaceful state of the world cannot maintain by itself.  Arms industry (that is the business whose participants manufacture, sell, and service weapons, military technology or the defence technological base and complementary equipment) has continued to flourish.  This flourishing situation can only have some impacts on efforts to reduce poverty as resources have been diverted to meet other needs of security and intelligence forces than those of lifting people out of poverty.

Due to this situation, CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum is asking the following question:

Does arms trade increase or have no effect on poverty reduction in Africa? 

The above-mentioned question is part of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum 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 information on this website.

 

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de l’Impact du Commerce des Armes sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Au lendemain de la guerre froide, tout le monde espérait que les dividendes de la paix de la fin de la guerre froide se traduiraient par une augmentation des investissements dans l’économie civile, l’environnement, le développement et la réduction de la pauvreté.  Cela allait être un nouveau mode de vie.  De nombreux pays, y compris ceux d’Afrique, ont revu leurs indicateurs relatifs aux dépenses militaires en pourcentage du produit intérieur brut par rapport aux indicateurs dans d’autres domaines tels que la santé, l’éducation, le logement, etc.  L’examen visait principalement à donner la priorité aux dépenses sociales, économiques et environnementales par rapport aux dépenses militaires. 

Malheureusement, avec la montée des tensions géoéconomiques et géopolitiques, l’état pacifique du monde de l’après–guerre froide ne peut pas se maintenir par lui–même.  L’industrie de l’armement (c’est–à–dire l’entreprise dont les participants fabriquent, vendent et entretiennent des armes, de la technologie militaire  ou de la base technologique de défense et des équipements complémentaires) a continué à prospérer.  Cette situation florissante ne peut qu’avoir des impacts sur les efforts de réduction de la pauvreté, car les ressources ont été détournées pour répondre à d’autres besoins des forces de sécurité et d’espionage que ceux de sortir les gens de la pauvreté.

En raison de cette situation, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS pose la question suivante :

Le commerce des armes augmente-t-il ou n’a-t-il pas d’effet sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique ? 

La question susmentionnée fait partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en 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 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

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project –

Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

 

Both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Investor) have made some steady progress so far as they continue to score points; points which are enough to enable them to enter the third stage of the matching talks.  These matching talks will be about finding ways to reach an agreement between Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File.

To explain what is going to happen in this Activity 3, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

 

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Management Plan

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Finance File

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

Let us look at each of these headings.

 

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Management Plan

 

As part of the negotiations/talks, ASCO will present its Project Management Plan (PMP).  To understand this plan, let us briefly define it and provide some questions to answer to back up this plan.

 

• • • What is a project management plan?

 

Project management plan can be defined in many ways.

For example, the website ‘forbes.com’ (10) argues that

“A project management is a set of documents that outline the how, when and what-ifs of a project’s execution.  It overviews the project’s value proposition, execution steps, resources, communication tools and protocols, risks, stakeholders (and their roles) and the deliverables involved in project’s completion.  Its documents include an executive summary, charts, risk assessment and communication – and resource-management subplans”.

ASCO’s project management plan would include the above-stated documents.  Additionally, ASCO needs to prepare itself to answer any questions or issues revolving around its PMP that n-f-p Impact Investor may raise.

 

• • • Questions to answer by ASCO to back its PMP

 

Among the questions that the n-f-p impact investor would like to have answers and that will help ASCO to better handle key aspects of its PMP, are the following:

 

~ Does ASCO have a blueprint or roadmap to the project’s success?

~ Does ASCO align all the project needs (i.e., resources, manpower, risk management, high-quality communication, etc.)?

~ Will ASCO have clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities?

~ Are tasks and deadlines are clearly established?

 

The N-f-p Impact Investor can base its investment decision on the PMP.  To enable the N-f-p Impact Investor in this investment decision, ASCO will show that it has identified beneficiaries’ or end-users’ needs, wants and hopes to be met after the implementation of Land Restoration Project (LRP).  To illustrate this information, ASCO’s PMP will contain management tools like charts, graphics and reports to record information.

Briefly, ASCO’s PMP will include an executive summary, timeline, risk assessment, team chart, communication subplan, and resource management subplan.

 

• • Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Finance File (FF)

 

The Not-for-profit Impact Investor will approach the matching talks from two perspectives: project financial management and project financials.

 

• • • Approaching the matching talks from the perspective of project financial management

 

The Not-for-profit Impact Investor will come to the negotiations to held during Activity 3 with a Project Financial Management.  What is a project financial management?

According to ‘projectmanager.com’ (11),

“A project financial management is the process of controlling the financial aspect of a project, such as its cost, revenue and profit.  To do this requires planning, estimating, budgeting, funding, managing project expenses and billing”.

The N-f-p impact investor will use the elements contained in the definition of project financial management to check if ASCO meets them.  To find out that ASCO will be able to meet them, the n-f-p impact investor may want some answers or clarification regarding the following matters:

 

~ Will ASCO have a project manager office to oversee the process of Land Restoration Project?

~ Will ASCO well manage the budget over the life cycle of the Land Restoration Project?

~ Will ASCO prioritise restoration activities that have higher return on investment?

~ Will ASCO use project management software (e.g., ProjectManager) to track costs?

 

To respond to the four questions, ASCO needs to show that it has a good selection of restoration activities or subprojects that will make it to meet its goals.

 

• • • Approaching the matching talks from the perspective of project financials

 

Not-for-profit impact investors will scrutinise the Land Restoration Project financials.

ASCO can as well explain the project financials.  The latter are the money related to the project, programme or portfolio it will be managing.  These project financials will include

 

~ project costs (the total funds that the Land restoration Project will require)

~ project revenue (the total amount of money that the Land Restoration Project will earn before subtracting its costs)

~ project funding sources (e.g., fundraising pledges, members’ contributions to the project, other donors or funders so that n-f-p impact investor will know how much gap that needs to be filled)

~ cash flows (cash to be moved in and out).

 

These financials will help ASCO to gain retention in n-f-p impact investor confidence.

Besides the project financials, n-f-p impact investor can use financial metrics in measuring project performance.

 

• • • Project financials to consider

 

Amongst these financial metrics, we can mention the following:

 

~ Cost Performance Index (CPI)

(through the CPI, the n-f-p impact investor may want to know if the Land Restoration Project will be under budget and the cost will not overrun)

 

~ Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

(through the SPI, the n-f-p impact investor would like to know if they will be delays in project execution compared to its schedule what ASCO will do)

 

~ Return on Investment (ROI)

(through the ROI, the n-f-p impact investor wants proof that the Land Restoration Project benefits justify the investment)

 

~ Net Present Value (NPV)

(through the NPV, the n-f-p impact investor requires some assurance that the Land Restoration Project will generate value and contribute to ASCO wealth or the Land Restoration Project many not be financially viable, even though it is not a for-profit investment).

 

Not-for-profit Impact Investors will use the above-mentioned financial metrics and other project management metrics to check that the Land Restoration Project is a financially viable proposition for impact investing and for making an agreement.

To reach an agreement between Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s PMP and Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s FF, there should alignment between the two.  If there is no alignment, the matching talks may not go to the next stage or to progress.  In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s PMP and N-f-p Impact Investor’s FF.  If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test

 

As part of the match or fit test, the n-f-p Impact Investor’s view on ASCO’s PMP must be matched with the information coming out of ASCO’s PMP .

The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement.  If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the investor wants and what ASCO is saying about its PMP, between what the investor would like the phase of PMP to indicate and what ASCO’s PMP is really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this third round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

However, if this happens there is still a chance as CENFACS can step in to advise ASCO and guide n-f-p investor on their approaches to Land Restoration Project.

 

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to n-f-p Impact Investor

 

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the PMP they are bringing forward.  CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors to work out their expectations in terms of the PMP to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.  CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p 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.

However, to reduce or avoid this likelihood both parties need to follow the rule of the matching game.

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s PMP the better for ASCOs.  Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the PMP 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 third stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a land restoration project in Africa and n-f-p impact investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to 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 to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy.  The Hub 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 in data or results.

 

For any queries and/or enquiries about this third stage/activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.capgemini.com/au-en/insights/expert-perspectives/biofuels-potential-applications-and-challenges/ (accessed in March 2025) 

(2) https://www.carbonbrief.org/cop29-key-outcomes-agreed-at-the-un-climate-talks-in-baku/ (accessed in December 2024)

(3) https://www.implementationpractice.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/NIRN-CIP-Practice-Guide-Implementation-Stages_7.29.21.pdf (accessed in March 2025)

(4) https://thinklandscape.globallandscapesforum.org/71474/climate-events-2025 (accessed in March 2025)

(5) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-forecasting/ (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-projection/ (accessed in March 2025) 

(7) https://scvo.scot/support/running-your-organisation/business-planning/monitoring-evaluation-review (accessed in March 2025)

(8) https://www.thirdfort.com/insights/the-three-types-of-ongoing-monitoring-which-is-right-for-your-firm/ (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-plan-monitoring (accessed in March 2025)

(10) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/project-management-plan/ (accessed in March 2025)

(11) https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-financial-management (accessed in March 2025)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

05 March 2025

Post No. 394

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Climate Actions 2025

• Activity 2 of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project: Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design 

• Activity/Task 3 of the ‘R’ Project: Support Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Climate Actions 2025 –

Theme: Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction

 

Climate Actions 2025 within CENFACS will be about efforts made and to be made to develop, share and transfer technologies that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (that is, low-carbon technologies) and those that address climate change more broadly (i.e., climate technologies),  particularly but not exclusively in Africa.  We shall as well deal with the impacts of these technologies on poverty reduction, particularly on how actions taken on these technologies  can affect the reduction of poverty.

This March 2025, we are essentially dealing with both technologies and their effects on poverty reduction.  Our work on climate actions taken about these technologies will include low-carbon and climate technology transfer and sharing initiatives.  Transferring and sharing these technologies can help the people who are experiencing problems in accessing them, particularly in places like Africa where more than 50% of the population do not have access to electricity and have problems to get other forms of renewable energy.

We are thus working on technologies that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as those that address climate change more broadly.  Both technologies impact the people living in poverty or those who are looking for ways to get out of poverty.  These are the climate actions that we would like to take this month.  To act and explain that, we are going to develop four key notes for our theme (of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction) every Monday of March 2025 starting from 03 March 2025.  However, these notes will be released or published every Wednesday of March 2025 through our weekly posts.  The stated notes will respectively be on four low-carbon and climate actions, which are:

 

a) Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

b) Biofuels; Efficient cookstoves 

c) Plant-based protein; Climate-resilient crops

d) Lithium; Water harvesting techniques

 

Additionally, during this year’s Month of Climate Actions we will broadly look at the outcomes from the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1).  In particular, we shall discuss how these outcomes will contribute to our climate ask, which is ‘giving poor children a climate stake‘.

For those who would like to get more informed about this first key message, they can read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Activity 2 of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project: Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design

 

The second activity or episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project is about Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design.

Both Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and not-for-profit (n-f-p) impact investor have decided to move with the matching talks as they scored points each of them during Activity 1.  They agreed to move to Activity 2 while finalising the little bits remaining from Activity 1 of the matching negotiations.

At this level of talks, ASCO is dealing with Project Site Assessment and Background while the n-f-p impact investor is preoccupied with Project Design.  To reach a deal at this round of negotiations, they may need a match or fit test.

To summarise what is going to happen at this Activity 2, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

 

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Design

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

Let us look at each of these headings.

 

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background (SAB)

 

ASCO will negotiate and argue about the site assessment and background for the Land Restoration Project.  In other words, it will explain its knowledge of the history of the land and the site conditions before the restoration begins.

To prove that it has this knowledge, ASCO needs to think of the following matters: the light, water, soil, vegetation community, vegetation diversity, known history, topography and site access, position in the landscape, etc.

The n-f-p impact investor may want to know how ASCO will assess the site (for instance, by walking around the area making note of things or hiring a land surveyor).

ASCO needs to respond to n-f-p impact investor if the latter asks questions about site assessment method.

 

• • Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Design (PD)

 

The n-f-p impact investor’s understanding of project design is about conceptualising, defining and organising all the internal and external processes that will be involved in the project during the implementation.  The investor will use its interpretation of project design to verify that ASCO’s Land Restoration Project will meet these processes.

Indeed, project design involves planning a project’s structure, tasks, and deliverable.  It also includes creating a plan to achieve goals and stay within budget and deadlines.  From the perspective of design, the n-f-p impact investor will look at the design brief if it outlines the core details and expectations of a project design.  The investor will scrutinise ASCO’s Land Restoration Project if its idea, goals and timelines align before starting.  And ASCO needs to demonstrate that there is an alignment.

If there is no alignment, the matching talks may not go to the next stage or to progress.  In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s SAB and N-f-p Impact Investor’s Approach to ASCO’s PD.  If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test

 

As part of the match or fit test, n-f-p Impact Investor’s view on ASCO’s SAB must be matched with the information coming out of ASCO’s SAB process.

The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement.  If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the investor wants and what ASCO is saying about its SAB process, between what the investor would like the SAB phase to indicate and what ASCO’s SAB process is really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this second round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

However, if this happens there is still a chance as CENFACS can advise ASCO and guide n-f-p investor on their approaches to Land Restoration Project.

 

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to n-f-p Impact Investor

 

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the SAB process they are bringing forward.  CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors to work out their expectations in terms of the SAB process to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.  CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p 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.

However, to reduce or avoid this likelihood both parties need to follow the rule of the matching game.

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s SAB process the better for ASCOs.  Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SAB process 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 stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a land restoration project in Africa and n-f-p impact investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to 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 to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy.  The Hub 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 in data or results.

 

For any queries and/or enquiries about this second stage/activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Activity/Task 3 of the ‘R’ Project: Support Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts

 

The third activity/task of the “R” Project is about Supporting Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts.  These restoration initiatives include reforestation, wetland restoration, mangrove planting and other ecosystem restoration projects, which effectively absorb carbon dioxide and mitigate the effects of climate change.

There are many ways of supporting.  As part of carrying out Activity/Task 3, we can mention these three ways of supporting: donation, volunteering and advocacy.

Let us highlight them.

 

σ Donation

 

One can donate to environmental organisations or organisations working on sustainability issues (like CENFACS) to support carbon offset programmes and impact invest in sustainable projects.

 

σ Volunteering

 

Instead of financially contributing, one can consider spending their free time in carrying out non paid micro-tasks to support organisations and causes dealing with restoration initiatives that reduce adverse climate change impacts.

 

σ Advocacy

 

One can as well advocate for policies that support these initiatives at local, national and international levels.  They can raise awareness, back campaigns and contact those who in a position to do something about restoration to reduce negative climate change effects.

 

The above is what Activity/Task 3 is about.

For those who need any help before embarking on this activity/task, they can speak to CENFACS.

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

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 05/03/2025: Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection

• Activity 4 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Survey on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation (From Wednesday 05/03/2025)

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

 

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 05/03/2025: Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection

 

The third financial control of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is scenario analysis, while the third financial monitor is tools and software selection.  Let us briefly explain this control and this monitor.

 

• • Scenario Analysis

 

The website ‘businessvaluecalculator.com’ (2) argues that

“Scenario analysis involves examining and evaluating potential future events or scenarios to predict different outcomes… To perform a scenario analysis effectively, it is necessary to generate different scenarios based on various assumptions.  These scenarios include the base case, worst-case, and best-case scenarios allowing for a comprehensive analysis of potential outcomes”.

Based on the argument of ‘businessvaluecalculator.com’, households can conduct a scenario analysis of their finances to keep control on their household matter.  They can generate scenarios for analysis of their finances.  The analysis will help them find out the future states or scenarios of their finances, based on assumptions made that reflect factors such as change of their earning capacity or capability, the cost of living, and other relevant financial and economic metrics.  However to conduct this scenario analysis and other financial analyses, they need tools.

 

• • Tools and Software Selection

 

By following certain steps and criteria, households can choose the right tools and software to financially monitor their finances.

 

• • • Selecting financial tools

 

Financial tools include budgeting, saving, investment and financial management tools to perform given accounting and financial functions in a streamlined manner.

Financial tools can be used by households to monitor their financial health by planning, organising, controlling and monitoring their financial matters (e.g., earnings, purchases, bills, credits, savings, etc.).  These tools will help in financial management by keeping an eye on the inflow and outflow of cash and budgeted future expenses.

For example, households can use accounting spending tools (like Quicken) for their finance management to track and manage their expenses and savings, and make informed investment decisions (e.g., investing in their children education).   They can create monthly budgets and expense trackers to help them track their progress monthly.

 

• • • Selecting financial software

 

The website ‘avantiico,com’ (3) explains that

“Software selection is the process of assessing and choosing the most suitable software for a specific need or task within your organisation.  This involves evaluating software options based on criteria like functionality, cost, ease of use, compatibility with existing systems, and vendor support”.

For instance, households can decide whether they need a goals-based or cash flow based software, or consider to have their financial plans in digital or paper form.

Briefly, as the website ‘financestrategists.com’ (4) puts it,

“There are many financial tools and software available to help monitor and manage personal finances.  Selecting the right tools depends on individual preferences, budget, and the complexity of one’s financial situation”.

The above are the third financial control and third financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Activity 4 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Survey on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation (From Wednesday 05/03/2025)

 

Activity 4 is about a list of questions aimed for extracting specific data from the members of the CENFACS Community on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation.

Indeed, not all systems (or group of people or processes having a common goal) do support households’ participation.  There are some that do it, others do not.  The survey aims at support systems that enable households’ participation.

To facilitate the understanding of this survey, let us explain support system and enabling participation.

 

• • What Is a Support System?

 

To explain a support system, let us refer to what ‘mywellbeing.com’ (5) argues about it.  For ‘mywellbeing.com’, a support system is

“A group of people who provide you with support when you need it most.  They are also there when things are going well to sustain you and keep you going”.

So, households need a support system to stay resilient and maintain resilience when things go bad and well.  Without this sort support system, it could difficult when households badly need people to deal with short and intermittent shocks and crises.

 

• • What Is Enabling Participation?

 

To understand enabling participation, let us first explain active participation.  According to ‘activesocialcare.com’ (6),

“Active participation is a way of working that supports an individual’s right to participate in the activities and relationships of every life as independently as possible”.

Knowing what is active participation, it is possible to explain enabling participation.  Enabling participation would happen when there are conditions or actions that allow someone to actively take part in an activity, process, or decision-making.  It also means giving to the same person the opportunity to be involved and contribute, rather than passively receiving something.  Therefore, enabling participation implies active involvements, removing barriers and empowerment.

Households need enabling conditions that provide necessary support to facilitate their full involvement.  When they do not have these conditions, it is better for them to participate in a survey like this so that they can convey their thoughts and feelings about their lack of participation.  There are benefits for them in taking part in this survey.

 

• • Survey Benefits

 

The survey will offer the following opportunities:

 

√ to gather or gain knowledge in terms support system and enabling participation for households

√ to assess thoughts, opinions and feelings within the community

√ to measure happiness within the community via one of the predictors of happiness, which is having someone to count on in difficult times.

 

• • Questions Relating to the Survey

 

One of the questions making this survey is:

 

Do you have a group of people on whom to count for support when you need it most?

 

Those who may be interested in the survey can directly answer the question to  CENFACS.

Those members of the CENFACS Community who would like to get involved in the survey can contact CENFACS.

For any other queries and or enquiries about this workshop on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –

Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

In this 3rd step or workshop, users will learn (for those users who are new to project planning) or revisit (for those who are familiar with project planning) the evaluation of the practicality of their chosen Play or Run or Vote project.  In project planning terms, it means they need to conduct feasibility study.  But, what is feasibility study?

 

• • Basic Understanding of Feasibility Study

 

Feasibility study is a ‘go/no-go’ decision time for any project planner.  In other words, it is the time when an All-year-round project user will decide whether or not to continue with their proposed project.

As ‘simplilearn.com’ (7) puts it,

“A feasibility study is a comprehensive evaluation of a proposed project that evaluates all factors critical to its success in order to assess its likelihood of success”.

Referring to this definition or any suitable definition, All-year-round project users will look at the practicality of the Play, Run and Vote projects from the perspective of required cost and expected value.  To proceed, they may outweigh different types of feasibility and select the ones that are affordable and suitable to their projects.

 

• • Types of Feasibility

 

Feasibility can cover many aspects of the project to be implemented; aspects like technical, economic, financial, operational, legal, etc.  To simplify the matter, we are going to limit in this workshop to the technical and economic aspects of feasibility study; leaving to those who would like to dive deeper into feasibility study to let us know what other aspects of feasibility study they may be interested in.

The technical feasibility of your Play, Run and Vote projects will include the technical resources and capacities to convert your idea of playing, running and voting into a workable or working project.  The economic feasibility will analyse the cost and benefit of the same projects.

 

• • Example of Feasibility Study: Your 2025 Vote for African Poverty Reduction and Development Manager

 

In order to conduct your feasibility study of your vote, you need to carry out the following tasks:

 

~ Evaluate if your Vote project is technically achievable by determining and steering the technical resources (like time, budget, technical skills, etc.) to be committed to drive you to the process of looking for your Poverty Reduction and Development Manager of the year and of voting him/her

~ Carry out a viability test in terms of the cost associated with your selection process and benefits linked with your Vote project

~ Financially work out the cost and benefit of your Vote project as you will do in the recruitment selection process of any personnel.

 

Feasibility study can be basic (simple) or complex depending on the type of your Vote project.  In the above example, we have simplified the matter.

For those who would like to dive deeper into feasibility study, including the tools, metrics, examples, skills and steps in feasibility study of their Play or Run or Vote project; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

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

 

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses An Africa Without International Financial Aid: What Will This Africa Be?

This week, CENFACS’ Better Africa Forum discusses the effectiveness of the management of international development finance in Africa, in particular on An Africa without International Financial Assistance.

Indeed, there are voices that are being raised here and there in the face of the decisions of certain decision-makers in the world to reduce or eliminate development aid for Africa.  On the other hand, there are often humanitarians, who believe that development aid should be maintained if not increased for Africa, that it would be a historic mistake to abolish it.

Faced with these divergent views, CENFACS’ Better Africa Forum asks the following questions:

~ Is development aid well managed by Africans?
~ Is the accounting of development assistance clear, transparent and monitored enough?
~ Is the development aid model out of breath and obsolete, and Africa needs to get out of that model?
~ Can Africa do without international financial aid and live without it?

The above-mentioned questions are parts of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum 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 information on this website.

 

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne d’Une Afrique Sans l’Aide Financiere Internationale: Quelle Sera Cette Afrique?

Cette semaine, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS aborde l’efficacité de la gestion du financement international du développement en Afrique, en particulier sur Une Afrique Sans Assistance Financière Internationale.

En effet, il y a des voix qui s’élèvent ici et là face aux décisions de certains décideurs dans le monde  de réduire ou de supprimer l’aide au développement pour l’Afrique.  D’autre part, il y a souvent des humanitaires, qui pensent que l’aide au développement doit être maintenue, sinon augmentée pour l’Afrique, que ce serait une erreur historique de l’abolir.

Face à ces points de vue divergents, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS pose les questions suivantes :

~ L’aide au développement est-elle bien gérée par les Africain(e)s ?
~ La comptabilité de l’aide au développement est-elle assez claire, transparente et suivie ?
~ Le modèle de l’aide au développement n’est-il pas essoufflé et obsolète, est-ce que l’Afrique doit-elle sortir de ce modèle ?
~ L’Afrique peut-elle se passer de l’aide financière internationale et vivre sans elle ?

Les questions mentionnées ci-dessus font partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en 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 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

 

• Climate Actions 2025 –

Theme: Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction

 

The following items are the ones shaping the contents of our Climate Action Month and its theme:

 

a) Meaning of Climate Action

b) Direct and Indirect Climate Actions

c) Key Terms

d) Work Plan for Climate Action March 2025

e) Action 1: Low-carbon Concrete, Steel and Aluminium Energy; Solar Power and Poverty Reduction.

 

Let us look at the contents of our Climate Action Month.

 

• • Contents of 2025 Climate Action Month

 

Before kicking off our action, let us precise the working definitions to be used for climate action.

 

• • • Meaning of Climate Action

 

According to ‘eur-lex.europa.eu’ (8),

“Climate action refers to efforts taken to combat climate change and its impacts”.

Climate action is an activity of engaging and putting ideas into practice to deal with any natural or induced change in the long term average weather conditions of a place, especially when this change adversely affects people’s and communities’ lives and livelihoods.  In other words, it is any effort to mitigate the adverse effects of this change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening capacities and resilience to climate-induced impacts.

Climate action is also the 13th Goal of the United Nations’ (9) 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.

In the context of CENFACS’ Climate Action Month for this year, climate action is about acting on Low-carbon and Climate Technologies while investing in poverty reduction with impact.

These climate actions or efforts could be direct or indirect.

 

• • • Direct and Indirect Climate Actions

 

Direct climate actions can directly lead to outcomes such as reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, poor quality air, pollution, etc.  They could also include the increase in the number of poor people benefiting from carbon markets through projects generating greenhouse gas emissions reductions or removals.

As to indirect climate actions, they can help to keep the advocacy and campaign about measures and activities to be carried out to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change going.  Examples of such indirect climate actions will include the prevention of the next pandemic to happen, a campaign to halt human-induced extinction of known threatened species, etc.

Without breaking climate actions into direct and indirect ones, the coming periods and sub-themes of climate action will guide our readers and audiences about the kind of climate actions CENFACS is conducting this month.  This guidance will help those who may be interested to join in.  But, before that let us try to briefly explain the key terms of our Climate Actions 2025.

 

• • • Key Terms

 

Under these key terms, we are going to explain the following:

 

technology, low-carbon emitting and climate technologies, the difference between low-carbon and climate technologies, what we mean by investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon and climate technologies.

 

• • • • Brief definition of technology

 

The definition of technology used here comes from the Dictionary of Economics written by Christopher Pass et al. (10).  According to the latter,

“Technology is the application of scientific and technical knowledge in order to improve products and production processes” (p. 513)

The application that we are dealing with is the one linked to carbon and climate issues.

 

• • • • What are low-carbon emitting technologies (LCET)?

 

LCET are defined by ‘weforum.com’ (11) as

“Innovative technical solutions that are characterised by a low emission intensity, compared to state of the art alternatives”.

Most low carbon technologies are clean technologies as they minimise environmental harm and promote sustainability by directly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

 

• • • • What are climate technologies?

 

The website ‘unfccc.int’ (12) define them as

“The technologies we use to combat climate change”.

The same ‘unfccc.int’ explains that climate technologies help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.  There are soft and hard climate technologies.  These technologies can be transferred to support climate action.  As part of Climate Action March 2025, we shall look at the transfer and sharing of climate technologies.

Some of these climate technologies are low-cost as they can be implemented at a relatively low cost.  Low-cost climate technologies (like the ones found in Africa) primarily focus on renewable energy solutions like solar power, particularly through off-grid solar systems like ‘pay-as-you-go’ model’.  They are designed to address climate challenges and limited financial resources. They can help reduce poverty as well.  However, climate technologies have to be differentiated from low-carbon ones.

 

• • • • The difference between low-carbon and climate technologies

 

Low-carbon technologies are those that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while climate technologies are those that address climate change more broadly.

Low-carbon technologies help reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, mitigate climate change, and maintain the balance of the ecosystem.  They include wind turbines, solar panels, biomass systems, and carbon capture equipment.

Climate technologies contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and resilience, support economic growth, and help adapt to the diverse effects of climate change.  Among these technologies are renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, geoengineering, etc.

Furthermore, the difference between low-carbon and climate technologies can be interpreted as the difference between clean technology and climate technology.

According to ‘techtarget.com’ (13),

“Climate tech primarily  focuses on greenhouse gas emissions.  Clean tech covers a broader area, including clean water”.

The website ‘techtarget.com’ adds that

“Clean tech also addresses energy efficiency in areas such as the following: clean water, air quality and pollution, recycling and waste, and clean energy.

In short, both low-carbon and climate technologies can be transferred and shared, especially if one wants to invest in poverty reduction where these technologies can be inaccessible and unaffordable like in Africa.

 

 

• • • • What is investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon and climate technologies?

 

It is about devoting your time, effort, energy, money, etc. in measures that are intended to economically, socially and environmentally lift people out of poverty on a lasting basis.  These measures can be taken at various levels and by different persons (both moral and physical).  Climate actions are also about investing in those measures to relieve those suffering from climate poverty or low-carbon poverty.

 

• • • • • Investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption

 

Poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption is the state in which poorer households have not the money or means to buy and install low-carbon technologies.

Investing in reducing poverty as the lack of low-carbon technology adoption would be about promoting the adoption of low-carbon technology, informing them what support is available for them and helping them to transition to low-carbon energy.

 

• • • • • Investing in reducing poverty as a lack of climate technology

 

Poverty as a lack of climate technology is about linking poverty and climate technology.  This type of poverty happens when poorer households do not have the financial means to acquire climate technologies.

Investing in reducing poverty as the lack of climate technology would be about providing digital technologies to these households so that they can monitor greenhouse gas emissions, solar home systems as renewable energy, and other energy efficiency equipment.  It is finally about balancing their energy needs with their economic situation.

The above-mentioned understanding will help to better execute our working plan for Climate Action March 2025.

 

• • • Work Plan for Climate Action March 2025

 

The following Climate Actions and periods of March 2025 make up our work plan:

 

∝ Action 1 (03 to 09/03/2025): Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

∝ Action 2 (10 to 16/03/2025): Biofuels; Efficient cookstoves 

∝ Action 3 (17 to 23/03/2025): Plant-based protein; Climate-resilient crops

∝ Action 4 (24 to 30/03/2025): Lithium; Water harvesting techniques

 

Within the above broad actions, there will be specific actions to be taken.  Because our 2025 Climate Actions are on Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction, each of these actions will be linked to low-carbon and climate poverty reduction.

Finally, there will be impact monitoring and evaluation on 31/03/2025 to end the Climate Action March 2025.

 

 

• • • Climate Action 1 (03 to 09/03/2025): Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

 

This first action will be approached through the following items:

 

σ Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy (LCCSAE) as low-carbon technologies

σ Solar power (SP) as climate technology

σ LCCSAE, SP and poverty reduction

σ Low-carbon and climate technology sharing and transfer

σ Working with the Community on LCCSAE and SP.

 

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

 

• • • • Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy (LCCSAE) as low-carbon technologies

 

Concrete, steel and aluminium are all important materials in construction and energy systems, but their production contributes to climate change.  Yet, less carbon-intensive materials and lower carbon output of the construction processes can contribute to emissions reductions in concrete. 

To support the above statement, ‘hydro.com’ (14) explains that

“Aluminium enables the use of concrete mixes where more than 50 percent of the cement can be substituted with sustainable blinders.  The result is a concrete that requires far less energy and CO2 emissions to produce slimmer, lighter concrete structures with a long service life”.

Elaborating on green steelmaking, ‘steel-technology.com’ (15) argues that

“Green steelmaking is the utilization of new generation technologies and processes whose main objectives is to minimize or even completely eliminate the emission of CO2 in the process of steelmaking”. 

According  to ‘steel-technology.com’, the aim is to produce steel more sustainable, quite regularly with the means of some alternative energy sources, technologies or recycling. 

For instance, hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of these technologies.

That is why it is better to use low-carbon concrete (e.g., limestone calcined clay), low-carbon steel (like hydrogen-base DRI, renewable electricity, etc.), low-carbon aluminium (such as low-carbon power, recycled aluminium).

 

• • • • Solar power (SP) as climate technology

 

Solar power or solar energy or photovoltaic energy, which is the conversion of energy from from sunlight into electricity, is a renewable energy source that uses solar panels.  It can provide affordable and reliable electricity to those who do not have it.

Because solar power reduces energy use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions and fights climate change; it makes sense to take action on it.

 

• • • • LCCSAE, SP and poverty reduction

 

• • • • • LCCSAE and poverty reduction

 

Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy can help lift people out of poverty.  There are studies about the impacts LCCSAE on poverty reduction.  There is a consensus that the development of LCCSAE will improve access to sustainable resources which help reduce poverty.

 

• • • • • Solar power and poverty reduction

 

Solar power is a clean and renewable energy source that offers a sustainable solution to energy poverty.  Energy poverty is, according to ‘green.org’ (16),

“The lack of access to modern energy services, including electricity and clean cooking facilities”.

The same ‘green.org’ provides three benefits of solar energy in reducing energy poverty, which are:

 

a) It provides increased access to electricity in remote or underserved areas

b) Solar energy enhances education, healthcare, and economic opportunities

c) Solar energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and minimise environmental impact.

 

Therefore, promoting solar energy for energy poverty reduction makes sense.

 

• • • • Low-carbon and climate technology sharing and transfer

 

Climate action is also about sharing and transferring technologies, knowledge and know-how with those who do not have them or have less so that they can effectively and actively take part in any efforts deployed or to be deployed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change more broadly.  In this respect, we are going to consider two technology transfers: low-carbon technology transfer and climate technology transfer.

 

• • • • • Low-carbon technology transfer (LCTT)

 

LCTT will be about sharing of technologies that reduce emissions to help African countries (via CENFACS Africa-based Sister Organisations) transition to clean energy and mitigate climate change while achieving sustainable development.

LCTT implies the removal of barriers to transfer, even distribution of low-carbon technologies and access to resources to make LCTT happen.

 

• • • • • Climate technology transfer (CTT)

 

CTT will be the exchange of technologies to help African countries adapt to and mitigate climate change.  In doing so, it will assist in reducing technological gap in terms of climate technologies.  To make this reduction to materialise, it requires the following:

 

~ sharing of know-how, knowledge, experience, expertise and equipment

~ developing and communicating standards for climate technologies

~ giving financial support for technology transfer

~ helping Africa-based Sister Organisation to access climate technology financial support

~ reducing together greenhouse gas emissions

etc.

 

 

• • • • Working with the Community on LCCSAE and SP

 

The all purpose of writing this note is to guide our action.  In other words, what is key here is to take action.  The note is only a guided principle.

For instance, taking action together could be on the following:

 

~ how to help those who are suffering from the lack of access to low-carbon energies to access concrete, steel and aluminium energy and solar energy

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies included in  concrete, steel and aluminium energy as well as solar energy between Africa and the rest of the world

~ reducing and/or ending energy poverty and poverty linked to the lack of access to low-carbon energies deriving from concrete, steel and aluminium.

 

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy as well as on Solar power and Climate Poverty Reduction; they can take climate actions with us.

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 1 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/11/27/explainer-what-was-decided-at-the-cop29-climate-talks-in-baku-outcomes/ (accessed in March 2025)

(2) https://businessvaluecalculator.com/scenario-analysis/ (accessed in March 2025)

(3) https://www.avantiico,com/software-selection-process-criteria-and-eamples/ (accessed in March 2025)

(4) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-planning/financial-plan-monitoring/ (accessed in March 2025)

(5) https://mywellbeing.com/therapy-101/how-to-build-a-support-system (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://activesocialcare.com/handbook/privacy-and-dignity/how-to-support-active-participation (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://www.simplilearn.com/feasibility-study-article (Accessed in March 2023)

(8) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/ (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in March 2025)

(10) Pass, C., Lowes, B. & Davies, L. (1988), Dictionary of Economics, HarperCollins Publishers, London & Glasgow

(11) https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/02/what-are-low-acrbon-emitting-technologies-an-expert-explains/ (accessed in March 2025)

(12) https://unfccc.int/topics/climate-technology/what-is-technology-development-and-transfer (accessed in March 2025)

(13) https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Climate-tech-vs-clean-tech-whats-the-difference (accessed in March 2025)

(14) https://www.hydro.com/gb/global/about-hydro/stories-by-hydro/dare2c-how-aluminium-can-help-solve-concrete-sustainability-challenge/ (accessed in March 2025)

(15) https://www.steel-technology.com/articles/green-steelmaking-technologies-paving-the-way-for-a-low-carbon-future (accessed in March 2025)

(16) https://green.org/2024/01/30/solar-energy-role-in-reducing-energy-poverty-worldwide/ (accessed in March 2025)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support until the end of 2025 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

26 February 2025

Post No. 393

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project

• Week Beginning Monday 24/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

• Projects of Shared Prosperity

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project

 

Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP) takes at the levels of guidance and advice what we explained in the 2025 Edition of Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing (1).  In this Edition, we focused on Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Working to Reduce the Risk of Desertification, to Restore Degraded Lands and Ecosystems.

The Guidance Service is for Not-for-profit Impact Investors who would like to invest in land restoration projects initiated by Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs).  The Advice Service is for those ASCOs that have or are planning to set up a land restoration project and are looking for impact investors to back them.

As part of the Guidance and Advice Services, CENFACS is going to work with impact investors and ASCOs so that the former can find the organisation to invest in and the latter the impact investors willing to meet their funding needs relating to a Land Restoration Project.  The Guidance and Advice Services are organised to support both Impact investors and ASCOs to reach an agreement.

 

• • Reaching an Agreement

 

In order to reach an agreement between the two sides (i.e., investor and investee) of the matching process, they will be talks or negotiations between the two.  The talks or negotiations will revolve around the Land Restoration Project to be presented by ASCOs to Not-for-profit Impact Investors.  Specifically, these talks or negotiations will be around the project planning cycle to used.

For convenience of this presentation, ASCOs will be using the planning model of any ecological restoration project as suggested by ‘nativeresourcepreservation.com’ (2).  This model is made up with five steps as follows:

 

Step one: Project goals and stakeholders

Step two: Site assessment and background

Step three: Management plan

Step four: Initial implementation

Step five: Follow-up and further assessment.

 

As to Not-for-profit Impact Investors, they will be referring to 5 essential stages of restoration projects as highlighted by ‘wri.org’ (3), which are:

 

Stage 1: Scope

Stage 2: Design

Stage 3: Finance

Stage 4: Implement

Stage 5: Monitor.

 

The two sides will try to reach an agreement through the planning model of any ecological restoration project for ASCOs and 5 essential stages of restoration projects for Not-for-profit Impact Investors.

 

• • The Difference That This Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project Will Make

 

Through this 5-week Winter/Spring 2025 project, each side of the project will have the opportunity to match their strategy and goals with of the other.  In technical parlance, it means that the matching exercise will be between ASCOs’ planning model of any ecological restoration project and Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ 5 essential stages of restoration projects.

One can hope through and after the matching process, the two sides will agree.  At the end of this matching process, if successful, the project will result in making a difference in the lives of ASCO’s beneficiaries or a world of difference for land and the ecological poor in Africa who are simply beneficiaries of ASCO.

More on MOIvLRP can be find under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Week Beginning Monday 24/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

 

The fourth note of 2025 Sustainable Development Month is composed of these items:

 

σ What Do We Mean by Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems?

σ Key Strategies for Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

σ What to Consider When Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

σ Final Word or Note about 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty.

 

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

 

• • What Do We Mean by Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (RDCME)?

 

It emerges from the literature about ecological restoration that RDCME is about taking steps to revive damaged habitats by addressing the root causes of degradation, such as pollution, overfishing and coastal development, through methods like replanting mangroves, coral reef restoration, seagrass re-establishment, and managing fisheries sustainably. 

The aim of RDCME is to bring back biodiversity and ecosystem functions to their natural state.  In order to achieve this aim, there are key strategies to follow.

 

• • Key Strategies for Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

 

Among these strategies, which can be found within the literature about RDCME, it is worth mentioning the following: mangrove replanting, coral reef habitat restoration and pollution mitigation, fisheries management, coastal development management, etc.  However, to implement these strategies, there are some considerations to have for any restoration efforts.

 

• • What to Consider When Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

 

Among what to consider is community engagement.  The latter is about involving local communities in restoration projects to ensure their support and participation.  In this respect, it is normal to mention the essential aspects of community-based coastal and marine ecosystem restoration which are:  community engagement and outreach, capacity building and skill development, collaborative decision-making, and participatory monitoring and assessment.

The above highlights provide the key message about the fourth note of 2025 Sustainable Development Month.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, they are free to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Final Word or Note about 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

 

Combating desertification includes activities which are part of the integrated development of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas for sustainable development which are aimed at: prevention and/or reduction of land degradation; rehabilitation of partly degraded land; and reclamation of desertification, as explained by ‘unccd.int’ (4).

In this fight against desertification, degraded lands and soils should not be forgotten.   Equally, the restoration of deteriorated terrestrial and that of deteriorated inland water ecosystems should also be part of ecological restoration work.

However, we cannot conduct ecological restoration by not thinking of those suffering the most from ecological poverty.  Our work will be relevant by including them – those who bear the brunt of degradation of lands, forests, seas, ecosystems, etc.

Finally, the work of ecological restoration will bring more and better result by working together.  So, working with the community, Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and other stakeholders on this matter will help achieve more and better results than one singly handling it.

For those members of our community and ASOs interesting in matter relating to Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any further queries or enquiries about 2025 Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems; please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Projects of Shared Prosperity (PSP)

 

To understand these projects, let us define them, highlight their points and indicate areas covered by them.

 

• • What Are PSP?

 

These are new projects aiming at reducing poverty by evenly and equitably distributing economic benefits and opportunities, tackling inequalities and improving the quality of life for all beneficiaries in Africa.

They are projects that we will be considered from those of our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) working on or investing in areas that improve poor people access to basic services (like healthcare, education, infrastructure, et.) or areas of shared prosperity in Africa.

 

• • Key Points about PSP

 

In order for a project to be labelled as PSP, it needs to carry these three features:

 

1) Have a focus on levelling up

2) Use a community-driven approach

3) Employ multiple funding sources.

 

 

The above-mentioned characteristics will tell if a project is a PSP or not.

 

• • Areas Covered by PSP

 

They include education, skills development and training, infrastructure, community development and revitalization, etc.

Projects falling within the above-named scope will be easily eligible amongst the projects to be supported by CENFACS.

 

• • Working with ASOs on Shared Prosperity

 

Those of our ASOs that have PSP and would like to work with us on shared prosperity matter, they are welcome to contact CENFACS with their project proposals or their request on particular areas of their projects they want us to get involved.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from Wednesday 26/02/2025: Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Focus Group on Creating Equitable Access to Financial Resources (From Wednesday 26/02/2025)

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

 

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 26/02/2025: Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators

 

To present the second financial control and second financial monitor, we are going to briefly explain updating and key performance indicators (KPIs).

 

• • Brief Explanation of Updating and KPIs

 

Let us start with updating.  According to ‘statisticseasily.com’ (5),

“Updating refers to the process of refreshing or modifying datasets, models, or algorithms to ensure they remain relevant and accurate”.

As to KPIs, Online Harvard Business School (6) states that

“KPIs are metrics organisations use to track, measure, and analyse the financial health of the company.  These financial KPIs fall under a variable of categories, including profitability, liquidity, solvency, efficiency, and valuation”.

Households are organisations.  They can customise and use KPIs according their needs.

Knowing what updating and KPIs mean, we can now proceed with the second financial control and the second financial monitor.

 

• • Timely Updating

 

According to ‘statisticseasily.com’ (op. cit.), it is about refreshing or modifying all available data and all management practices and policies concerning the existing financial control methods.

In the definition of ‘statisticseasily.com’, let us single out the term policy management and explain it.  Its explanation comes from ‘timespro.com’ (7) which argues that

“Policy management refers to the systematic approach organisations adopt to manage their policies effectively.  It involves a comprehensive framework for creating, implementing, and maintaining policies that are clear, concise, and aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives”.

Indeed, household data analysts or heads need to update their datasets to reflect the most current information if new data are available.  It is equally important for households to update their policy management and to ensure that they comply with current laws and regulations, deal with new technological advancements, and enhance their operational efficiency  by updating their household financial policies and procedures.  Policies and procedures are the rules they set up to strategically guide them, according to ‘onpolicy.com’ (8).

There are methods for updating data; just as there are benefits in doing so.

 

• • • Methods for updating data

 

There are several methods for updating data and models which include the following:

 

~ incremental updating (that is, adding new data points to an existing dataset)

~ batch updating (i.e., collection of new data)

~ online updating (in other words, adjusting data in real-time as new data flows in).

 

• • • Benefits from data updating

 

Updating data help households to make their financial decisions on accurate data instead of outdated information, on the latest trends and patterns.

For instance, if a given household receives a communication from utilities company (e.g., electricity, gas and water providers) that they will increase their prices, then household needs to act by updating their data from the time this increase takes effect.

So, data updating helps ensure that households are working and making decisions on relevant accurate and effective data.

 

• • Identifying Key Performance Indicators

 

KPIs are measurable values that indicate progress towards financial goals.  There are many KPIs that households can use.  From the financial statement analysis (of their financial statements like balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, etc.), they can pull out these metrics.

Examples of KPIs to pull out include net worth, savings rate, debt-to-income ratio, and investment portfolio performance.

 

• • • Helpfulness of KPIs 

 

The metrics help or will help households as follows:

 

~ to know their performance

~ to adjust performance knowledge to their financial goals

~ to contribute to household strategy.

 

So, identifying and using a number of financial KPIs, households can review their key financial documents to gain a better understanding of how their household is financially performing.  This understand can help them take appropriate measures if there is a need to do so.

The above are the second financial control and second financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Focus Group on Creating Equitable Access to Financial Resources (From Wednesday 26/02/2025)

Activity 3 consists of having an interactive discussion to research on ways of creating equitable access to financial resources.  The activity will be a discussion that will focus on access to capital, funding, and financial support necessary to live as a household or investment in household members.

Perhaps, the smooth way of introducing this discussion is to explain access to resources and what the focus group will help achieve.

 

• • What Is Access to Resources?

 

Access to resources has be understood here, in the terms of ‘oxford-review.com’ (9), as

“The fair distribution and availability of essential tools, opportunities, and support necessary for individuals or groups to thrive”.

This access to resources is equitable when there is impartial and just allocation of resources, opportunities, or services, guaranteeing that individuals or groups with varying backgrounds have equal opportunities to reap the benefits.

Having equitable access to resources could mean that households have equal opportunity to succeed, to contribute to their lives and of others as well.  This will empower households to reach their full potential as households.

So, discussing equitable access to resources can improve the way one perceives resources in terms of outcomes in the context of Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience.

 

• • Focus Group’s Outcomes

 

The discussion will enable the following:

 

σ to learn about opinions and experiences on access to resources

σ to understand households’ attitudes and feelings regarding access to resources

σ to gather information for community research on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience

σ to help guide actions on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience

etc.

 

Those who may be interested in the focus group can let CENFACS know.

Those members of the CENFACS Community who would like to get involved in the focus group can contact CENFACS.

For any other queries and or enquiries about this workshop or Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) –

Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

Once you have identified your idea of your Play, Run and Vote Projects; you can start the preparation step.  What is this preparation about?

 

• • Preparing Your Play or Run or Vote Project

 

It is about ensuring that they are feasible and appropriate, and can be successfully implemented.  It is also the step you try to de-risk and conceptualise them.

 

• • Example of Preparation of Your All-year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives)

 

Let say, you choose to play the CENFACS League for Poverty Reduction.  Because of the choice you made, you need to be aware of three basic principles as given below.

 

a) Your Play project is feasible, appropriate and can be successfully implemented; in other words it is SMART (that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound).

In practical terms, you need to strategize your actionable plan to attain Play project outcome, to use quantitative (numbers), qualitative (words) and infographics to measure the progress, to set a goal that pushes towards its realisation, keep the project’s core vision, and to allow realistic time frame to achieve the goal or complete the project.

 

b) You need as well to de-risk your Play project from the risk of not researching enough information or not having enough data about poverty reduction efforts or achievements of the selected African countries in your league model are making.

To apply this principle, you need to proactively identify potential risks early on, thoroughly assess their impact and implement strategies to mitigate or eliminate them by creating a detailed project plan, setting realistic goals, effectively allocating resources and consistently monitoring progress to address emerging issues.

 

c) You finally have to reduce any asymmetric information gaps when comparing and contrasting African countries in order to get reliable results in your sample.

In project parlance, it means the following: involve published data on the performance of African countries, finding the rules for information disclosure, identify and prioritise knowledge gaps, and foster a culture of continuous learning. 

 

For those who are not familiar with project preparation and would like some support, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

They can contact CENFACS by

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

We can together discuss in detail the proposals about either their Run or Play or Vote project.

 

 

 

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

 

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses the Impact of Tariff Rate Increases on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Tariff rates can increase and decrease depending on economic circumstances.  However, varying tariff rates can affect either the price or quantity of goods subject to this variation or both; just as they can affect poverty.  For instance, tariff rate reduction on energy can reduce energy poverty in Africa.

This week, CENFACS be.africa Forum is e-discussing tariff rate changes, particularly increases, and how they affect any efforts deployed to reduce or end poverty in Africa.  But, before going any further let us recall the meaning of tariff.

• • What Is Tariff?

By referring to the Dictionary of Economics written by Christopher Pass et al. (10), tariff or import levy is defined as

“A duty (a form of tax) that is levied on imports.  There are two main types of tariff: ad valorem duty and specific duty” (p. 508)

As Christopher Pass et al. put it,

“Tariffs are used to protect domestic industries from foreign competition and to raise revenue for the government” (p. 508)

However, tariffs can become problematic if there are retaliatory measures and if they affect any efforts to reduce or end poverty in particular if imports come from developing countries like of Africa.

• • The Impact of Tariff Rate Increases on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Tariff rates increases can affect any efforts to reduce poverty in Africa.  These effects depend upon the price-elasticity of demand for the imported good.  If import demand is highly price-inelastic, there will be little reduction in the volume of imports.  On the contrary, if import is highly price-elastic, there could be more reduction in the volume of imports.  This can eventually impact any income that could have raised by exporting countries.  If this income was expected to be used to reduce poverty, poverty reduction could be negatively impacted.

To explain this further, the report released by the World Trade Organisation (11) explains that

“Tariffs tend to place a heavier burden on economically disadvantaged individuals and families, countering the misconception that open markets are contributing to a more unequal world… Tariffs and countermeasures have the potential to escalate and harm not only low-income households but also domestic prices and consumption”.

It is the impact of tariff rate increases that we are e-discussing this week, especially when decisions to increase tariff rates come from developed nations.  Our discussion will take into account what has been argued so far on this matter, including any tools or metrics.

For example, we will consider the World Bank’s work (12) about the Household Impacts of Tariffs Simulation Tool.

The above is what this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum will be about.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum 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 information on this website.

 

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de l’Impact de l’Augmentation des Droits de Douane sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Les taux tarifaires peuvent augmenter ou diminuer en fonction des circonstances économiques.  Toutefois, des taux de droits variables peuvent influer sur le prix ou la quantité des marchandises qui font l’objet de cette variation ou les deux; tout comme ils peuvent affecter la pauvreté.  Par exemple, la réduction des tarifs sur l’énergie peut réduire la pauvreté énergétique en Afrique.

Cette semaine, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne des modifications des taux tarifaires, en particulier des augmentations, et de la manière dont elles affectent les efforts déployés pour réduire ou mettre fin à la pauvreté en Afrique.  Mais, avant d’aller plus loin, rappelons le sens du terme tarif.

• • Qu’est-ce que le tarif ?

Si l’on se réfère au dictionaire de l’économie écrit par Christopher Pass et al. (10), le tarif ou le prélèvement à l’importation est défini comme

« Un droit (une forme de taxe) qui est prélevé sur les importations.  Il existe deux grands types de tarifs douaniers : le droit ad valorem et le droit spécifique » (p. 508)

Comme l’ont dit Christopher Pass et les autres,

« Les tarifs douaniers sont utilisés pour protéger les industries nationales de la concurrence étrangère et pour augmenter les revenus du gouvernement » (p. 508)

Cependant, les droits de douane peuvent devenir problématiques s’il y a des mesures de rétorsion et s’ils affectent les efforts visant à réduire ou à mettre fin à la pauvreté, en particulier si les importations peuvent provenir de pays en développement comme l’Afrique.

• • L’impact de l’augmentation des droits de douane sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique 

L’augmentation des droits de douane peut affecter les efforts visant à réduire la pauvreté en Afrique.  Ces effets dépendent de l’élasticité-prix de la demande pour le bien importé.  Si la demande d’importations est fortement inélastique par rapport aux prix, il y aura peu de réduction du volume des importations.  Au contraire, si les importations sont fortement élastiques par rapport aux prix, il pourrait y avoir une réduction plus importante du volume des importations.  Cela peut éventuellement avoir un impact sur les revenus qui auraient pu être générés par les pays d’exportation.  Et si l’on s’attendait à ce que ce revenu soit utilisé pour réduire la pauvreté, la réduction de la pauvreté pourrait être affectée négativement.

Pour expliquer davantage ce point, le rapport publié par l’Organisation Mondiale du Commerce (11) explique que

« Les tarifs douaniers ont tendance à imposer un fardeau plus lourd aux personnes et aux familles économiquement défavorisées, ce qui contredit l’idée fausse selon laquelle l’ouverture des marchés contribue à un monde plus inégalitaire… Les tarifs douaniers et les contre-mesures ont le potentiel d’augmenter et de nuire non seulement aux ménages à faible revenu, mais aussi aux prix intérieurs et à la consommation ».

C’est cet impact des hausses de tarifs que nous discutons en ligne cette semaine.  Notre discussion tiendra compte de ce qui a été argumenté jusqu’à présent sur cette question, y compris les outils ou les mesures.

Par exemple, nous considérerons les travaux de la Banque Mondiale (12) sur l’outil de simulation des impacts des tarifs sur les ménages.

Ce qui précède fera l’objet du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en 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 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

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP)

 

The following items explain this project:

 

σ What Is a MOIvLRP?

σ The Aim of MOIvLRP

σ Land Restoration Project

σ Key Points about Matching Organisation-Investor Programme (MOIP) to Consider

σ How MOIP Works

σ Benefits of Matching Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investors 

σ How Can Africa-based Sister Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors be Matched through LRP?

σ Matching Guidelines

σ Outcomes of MOIvLRP

σ Plan for 5-week Matching Activities

σ 26/02/2025 to 04/03/2025:  Activity 1 of MOIvLRP

 

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

 

• • What Is a MOIvLRP?

 

MOIvLRP, which is part of CENFACS’ Matching Organisation-Investor Programme, refers to the process of connecting or aligning a charitable organisation (specifically Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations) seeking investment (investee) with a suitable potential impact investor via a land restoration project.

Essentially, it is about finding a charitable organisation that fits the impact investor’s investment criteria, goals and interests; as well as creating a good match/fit between the two parties involved in an investment transaction.

MOIvLRP is indeed an exercise to keep active and engaged Africa-based sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) and n-f-p impact investors for the rest of the Winter Season and the first week Spring Season 2025.  The exercise is meant to keep their respective dreams alive and to awake their potentials to grab any existing opportunities within the n-f-p market.

For those ASCOs and n-f-p property investors willing to realise their Easter dream of winning an investment for the former and a share for the latter, this February and March project is a golden opportunity for each of them.

 

• • The Aim of MOIvLRP

 

The aim of MOIvLRP is to reduce ecological poverty amongst the people in need in Africa; ecological poverty that could be due to the lack of best match or fit between ASCOs’ needs and not-for-profit impact investors’ interests.  Where the needs of the ASCOs best meet or match the vested interests of not-for-profit impact investors, there could be high probability to reduce ecological poverty amongst the beneficiaries of ASCOs, while restoring land.  The match probability could be high or average or low depending on how much ASCOs’ needs meet impact investors’ interests.

 

• • Land Restoration Project (LRP)

 

To illustrate this project, let us explain it, give its aim and restoration techniques.

 

• • • What is a LRP?

 

It is an initiative aimed at actively repairing and improving degraded land by implementing various methods like reforestation, soil conservation, and habitat enhancement, with the goal of restoring ecosystem functions, biodiversity, and mitigating climate change impacts on a specific area of land that has been damaged or degraded through human activities.

So, the current project will focus on degraded land, that is land that experienced deforestation, overgrazing, erosion, pollution, etc.

 

• • • What is LRP’s Aim?

 

The aim is to bring back the land to its healthier state.  It is to restore the natural ecosystem functions of the land (that is, improving water quality, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity).  Through this process, the project will help reduce ecological poverty as well.

Briefly, ASCO’s project is an ecologically sustainable, socially inclusive and economically feasible to spur self-sustaining restoration economic benefits to the nature and to the local community.  Consequently, ASCO is looking for an impact investor to help reverse land degradation and reduce ecological poverty.

To achieve that, ASCO is planning to use restoration techniques.

 

• • • Restoration techniques

 

These techniques will include planting trees, reintroducing natural species, managing water flow, implementing soil improvement techniques, and controlling invasive species.

 

• • Key Points about Matching Organisation-Investor Programme to Consider

 

There are three points that need explanation to understand the implementation of MOIvLRP , which are: investee, investor, and matching process or programme.

 

a) Investee is the ASCO that is seeking and receiving the investment.

b) Investor is the person or entity providing the capital for land restoration project.  In our matching model, this investor is not-for-profit impact one.  A not-for-profit (n-f-p) impact investor is a kind of an investor who is trying to invest in a project without looking to make money for themselves.  Our n-f-p impact investor, who is driven by selfless motivations, would invest to reduce ecological poverty for impact in Africa’s not-for-profit organisations and charitable causes.

c) Matching process is the analyse of factors (like charity sector, industry, business stage, investment size, risk tolerance, and strategic fit) to find the best possible pairing between investee and not-for-profit impact investor.

 

• • How MOIP Works

 

MOIP works under CENFACS’ Matching Platform by comparing and contrasting investor’s profiles and investee’s profiles.

 

• • • Investor’s profiles

 

Impact investors outline their investment preferences, including target sectors, preferred investment stages, and desired return on investment.

 

• • • Investee’s profiles

 

ASCOs seeking funding create profiles detailing their charitable models, programmes, volunteering policies, financials, teams, achievements, and investment needs.

 

• • • CENFACS’ matching platform 

 

This platform helps match investors with investees based on their stated criteria.

 

• • Benefits of Matching Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investors

 

There are benefits when organisations’ needs match not-for-profit investors’ interest.  These benefits include:

 

√ Cost-effectiveness as MOIvLRP reduces the costs for both organisations (for instance, the costs of looking for investment) and impact investors (e.g., the costs of finding the right organisation in which to invest)

√ Reduction of opportunity costs between the two parties (i.e., investee and investor) engaged in the MOIvLRP

√ Increased efficiency which facilitates quicker connection, creates and sustains relationships between organisations seeking funds and investors

√ Better alignment as impact investors find organisations that align with their investment goals, as well as problems-solving mechanisms or solutions for organisations’ problems and needs, and solutions to investors’ requests

√ Opportunity for a fit test (i.e., testing organisation-investor fit on mutual interests and contribution to the right decision)

√ Qualitative feedback about Organisation-Investor and background knowledge

√ Better decision-making processes for the two parties (e.g., organisations and investors)

√ Access to diverse opportunities as CENFACS’ Matching Platform provides access to pool of potential investees for impact investors looking for organisations to invest in

Etc.

 

• • How Can Africa-based Sister Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors be Matched through LRP?

 

The matching happens through the two main components of this programme, which are Impact Advice to ASCOs and Guidance to Not-for-profit Investors for Impact.

 

• • • What is Impact Advice to ASCOs?

 

It is an approach to or methodology of working with ASCOs that uses a theory of change to measure impact following advice given on project planning.

Impact Advice uses impact measuring tools and frontline metrics to track results and outcomes.

 

• • • Guidance to Not-for-profit Investors for Impact

 

This is a service we offer to those n-f-p investors who would like to not-for-profit invest for impact in Africa’s not-for-profit organisations and charitable causes.

Briefly, Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors can be matched via Impact Advice on project planning for the former and Guidance on Impact Investing for the latter.  They can as well be advised on project appraisal.  To realise a successful match, some guidelines need to be followed.

 

• • Matching Guidelines

 

To carry out matching, one needs to know the profile of the organisation that is looking for not-for-profit  investment, the specification or description of the investor, and identification of possible ways of matching organisation’s profile and investor’s specification.

 

• • Outcomes of MOIvLRP

 

It is better to differentiate outcomes for not-for-profit investors from those relating to Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes.

 

• • • Outcomes for Not-for-profit Investors

 

The activity will provide peace of mind for n-f-p investors and a good return in terms of  the land to be restored and the rate or size of ecological poverty reduction they will expect from the organisations or causes in which they will invest or support.

 

• • • Outcomes for Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes

 

The activity will enable them to access the type of investment they need and build the capacity they are lacking.  In doing so, this helps them to achieve their project aims, objectives and key deliverables with peace of mind.

 

• • • Plan for 5-week Matching Activities

 

As part of CENFACS‘ Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP), we are running a 5-week matching activities to support both land restoration charitable organisations and not-for-profit impact investors.  It is a 5-week work about Impact Advice Service for land restoration charitable organisations and Guidance Service on Impact Investing for not-for-profit investors.

The project is based on a 5-step planning model of any ecological restoration project lifecycle as suggested by ‘nativeresourcepreservation.com’ (op. cit.) and 5 essential stages of restoration projects as highlighted by ‘wri.org’ (op. cit.).

ASCOs will be using the 5-step model of any ecological restoration project lifecycle made up with five steps as follows:

 

Step one: Project goals and stakeholders

Step two: Site assessment and background

Step three: Management plan

Step four: Initial implementation

Step five: Follow-up and further assessment.

 

As to Not-for-profit Impact Investors, they will be referring to 5 essential stages of restoration projects, which are:

 

Stage 1: Scope

Stage 2: Design

Stage 3: Finance

Stage 4: Implement

Stage 5: Monitor.

 

We have adapted these steps and phases to LRP.

However, let us recognise that there could be more than five steps or stages in any land restoration designing process and any land restoration investment lifecycle.  Because we set up some boundaries by limiting ourselves to deliver this activity in five weeks, we choose a five-model for land restoration investment lifecycle.

The project is designed to work with both those seeking not-for-profit impact investors and those who would like to invest in the not-for-profit land restoration charitable organisations and causes.  The following is our action plan.

 

Notes to table no. 1:

(*) Match periods are portions of time intended to help discover whether or not investors’ interests match organisations’ needs

(**) Impact Advice uses a 5-step model of ecological restoration

(***) Guidance for Impact Investing follows a 5 essential stages of  restoration projects lifecycle.

 

If you want advice, help and support to find not-for-profit impact investors; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, starting from 26 February 2025.

If you need guidance to outsource land restoration charitable organisations and causes in Africa; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, starting from 26 February 2025.

These matching activities are a great opportunity for a land restoration charitable organisation to realise their Easter dream  of getting an investment they badly need.  They are also a grand aspiration for a not-for-profit land restoration investor to find Easter peace of mind through a suitable organisation in which to impact invest in Africa.

Need to engage with Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • 26/02/2025 to 04/03/2025: Activity 1 of MOIvLRP –

Matching Organisation’s Project Goals and Stakeholders with Impact Investor’s Project Scope

 

There are many scenarios in which an investor can invest in an organisation.  In our scenario or model of matching organisation-investor programme, we are trying to bring a potential impact investor in an Africa-based Sister Land Restoration Charitable Organisation and/or Cause through Project Goals and Stakeholders of this ASCO.  We are trying to match ASCOs’ Project Goals and Stakeholders  with a land restoration investor’s Project Scope.

In order to carry out the matching process, it is better to clarify the meaning of Project Goals and Stakeholders on the one hand, and Project Scope on the other hand.

 

• • • The meaning of project goals, stakeholders and scope

 

According to ‘smartsheet.com’ (13),

“A project goal is a statement that explains the expected outcome of a project.  Project goals consist of objectives – measurable action items that support the goal’s success”.

When setting its project goals, ASCO needs to ensure they are SMART (that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely).

As to project stakeholders, ‘invensislearning.com’ (14) states that

“A project stakeholder refers to an individual, group or organisation that can impact or be impacted by a project’s decisions, activities, or outcomes”.

Project stakeholders could include beneficiaries, sponsors, end-users, regulatory bodies, etc.  When planning its project, ASCO needs to list all its project stakeholders, especially if the not-for-profit impact investors want to know if ASCO did carry out any stakeholder analysis.

Regarding scope, World Resources Institute (op. cit.) explains that

“It is the process of assessing the ecological, social, economic, financial and regulatory context of any potential project site to determine where restoration is most feasible”.

Not-for-profit investors will use this definition to check if LRP has  a good scope.

 

• • • Matching Organisation’s Project Goals and Stakeholders with Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ Scope

 

In order to make matching possible, ASCO needs explain or clarify the following matters:

its restoration goals, mapping of restoration opportunities, prioritization of landscapes and interventions, enabling conditions and barriers, the analysis of trade-offs and the development of a strategy to mitigate risks, the selection of project site, the determination of value proposition, etc.

In addition, the not-for-profit impact investor may want to know whether ASCO is the project developer or it will be working with a local community or is going to employ a restoration contractor, etc.  This way the not-for-profit impact investor will be able to check that ASCO’s project goals are directed towards restoration activities.

To enable this Activity 1 or first level of matching talks to move further, ASCO needs to respond to the queries, enquiries and questions from the not-for-profit impact investors.

Briefly, the not-for-profit impact investors would like to be ensured that ASCO’s project goals are SMART enough and will be directed towards restoration activities and ecological poverty reduction.  If this is the case, there will be a possibility to reach an agreement.

 

• • • Reaching an Agreement on the the Key Areas of the Project Goals, Stakeholders and Scope

 

The two sides (ASCO and the n-f-p impact investor) need to reach an agreement on the contents of project goals and stakeholders for the former and project scope for the latter.  If there is a disagreement between ASCO and n-f-p 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 the land restoration project.

 

 

• • • The Match or Fit Test

 

As part of the match or fit test, n-f-p impact investor’s project scope and ASCO’s project goals and stakeholders must be matched.

The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement.  If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between what the investor wants and what ASCO is saying about its project goals and stakeholders, between what the investor would like the project goals and stakeholders to indicate and what ASCO’s project goals and stakeholders are really saying), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this first round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.

 

• • • Impact Advice to ASCO and Guidance to n-f-p Impact Investor

 

CENFACS can impact advise ASCO to improve the contents of its project goals and stakeholders.  CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors with impact to work out their expectations in terms of project scope to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs.  CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p 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 ASCOs’ project goals and stakeholders the better for ASCOs.  It means that ASCO’s process must pass the attractiveness test.  Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the land restoration project documentation 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 first Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up land restoration project and n-f-p land restoration investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to 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 to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy.  The Hub 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.

 

For any queries and/or enquiries about this first stage/activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) cenfacs.org.uk/blog/02/12/2025 (accessed in February 2025)

(2) https://www.nativeresourcepreservation.com/blog/process-of-ecological-restoration (accessed in February 2025)

(3) https: //www.wri.org/update/restoration-launchpad-guide-investors-landowners-and-practioners# (accessed in February 2025)

(4) https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/least-100-million-hectares-healthy-land-now-lost-each-year (accessed in February 2025) 

(5) https://statisticseasily.com/glossario/what-is-updating-in-data-science-and-analysis (accessed in February 2025)

(6) https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/financial-performance-measures (accessed in February 2025)

(7) https://timespro.com/blog/what-is-policy-management-and-its-elements (accessed in February 2025)

(8) https://onpolicy.com/importance-updating-policies/# (accessed in February 2025).

(9) https://oxford-review.com/the-oxford-review-dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dictionary/access-to-resources-definition-and-explanation/ (accessed in February 2025)

(10) Pass, C., Lowes, B. & Davies, L. (1988), Dictionary of Economics, HarperCollins Publishers, London & Glasgow

(11) https://globaltrainingcenter.com/the-impact-of-tariffs-on-low-income-households-insights-from-the-wto/ (accessed in February 2025)

(12) https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/brief/hit (accessed in February 2025)

(13) https://www.smartsheet.com/content/project-goals# (accessed in February 2025)

(14) https://www.invensislearning.com/blog/who-are-project-stakeholders/# (accessed in February 2025)

_________

 

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

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