Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

25 March 2026

Post No. 449

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Spring Poverty Relief 2026: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes

• Climate Action 4 – In Focus from 23 to 29/03/2026: Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change and Share Reputable Information

• Coming This Spring 2026: FACS Issue No. 91 which Will Be Titled as African Charities Fostering Alternatives to High-emission Industrialization and Tackling Pollution-induced Poverty in Africa

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Spring Poverty Relief 2026: Focus, Activities, Projects and Programmes

 

Last Spring Poverty Relief, we moved 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 reinstalled and restored 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.

After building upon foundational efforts to achieve more equitable and inclusive society, the next steps involve embedding, sustaining, and scaling sustainable initiatives to create deep-rooted, systemic change.  Moving from initial progress to long-term impact requires transitioning from compliance-driven actions to cultural transformation.

After protecting the gains or legacies of our Building-forward-better-together work and after building upon progress made to achieve a more equitable and inclusive society, we are now going to focus on long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, and further innovation for endurance to ensure future-proofing progress is embedded rather than merely secured temporarily.

We are as well going to strategically transition from simply protecting previous progress to accelerating it through systemic integration, while ensuring the new, more resilient baseline is continuously built upon.  In other words, we are transforming our strategy from holding the line to breaking through using systemic integration to accelerate our achievements and continuously elevate our resilience.

The information about what we are going to do makes the key words of our theme statement for this Spring Poverty Relief 2026.  These key words are long-term sustainability, systemic resilience, further innovation, progress acceleration, and continuous resilient baseline.  These key words can be turned into the following theme statement formula:

“Embedding long-term resilience through innovation to secure future progress”.

The announcement of Spring Poverty Relief’s theme statement comes with that of activities, projects and programmes making it or the notes composing this theme.  These activities, projects and programmes find their expression in this theme and season since Spring Poverty Relief refers to the surge in charitable appeals, fundraising, and community-based aid aiming at addressing poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness, particularly in the Spring months and aligning with Easter and after Easter.

We have provided, under the Main Development section of this post, the activities, projects and programmes we have selected to make this Spring – Spring Poverty Relief 2026 Season.

For further details about Spring Poverty Relief 2026 Season, please go to the Main Development section of this post and read more about it.

 

 

• Climate Action 4 – In Focus from 23 to 29/03/2026: Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change and Share Reputable Information

 

The Fourth Climate Action is Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change and Share Reputable Information.  In order to take this action, we are going to cover the following points:

 

σ What is urgency of climate change?

σ Understanding reputable information

σ Explaining sharing information

σ Communicate the urgency of climate change

σ Key strategies for communicating the urgency of climate change

σ Actionable steps for engagement

σ Compelling communication strategies

σ Effective communication techniques

σ Sharing reputable information

σ Working with the community on ways of communicating the urgency of climate change and sharing reputable information

 

Let us briefly explain each of these points.

 

• • What Is Urgency of Climate Change?

 

It emerges from the climate literature review on climate change that the urgency of climate change refers to the critical need for immediate action to address the accelerating changes in the Earth’s Climate System, primarily driven by human activities.  This urgency is underscored by the scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are trapping heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and related environmental problems.  The term emphasizes that we are not just facing a gradual shift, but a rapidly accelerating crisis that demands swift and decisive action to mitigate and adapt to these changes.

 

• • Understanding Reputable Information

 

According to ‘libanswer.pstcc.edu’ (1),

“Reputable sources (sometimes called reliable sources) rely on the reputation of their publication (ex. newspaper or journal) or institution … for having high standards of researching, fact-checking, accountability, and ethical reporting”.

Information coming from these sources can be treated as reputable.

The website ‘uagconline.libanswers.com’ (2) speaks instead about credible or reliable source, which it defines as

“One where you can trust the information that the source provides.  You can rely on the information provided within the source because the person, publisher, or institution that is providing this information is a credible source for that information”.

 

• • Explaining Sharing Information

 

It is stated on the website ‘sciencedirect.com’ (3) that

“Share information refers to the act of distributing knowledge, experiences, or data with others for various reasons such as keeping them informed, reciprocating, helping with research, connecting people, or simply sharing enjoyable moments”.

The information to be shared in the context of these Climate Actions is reputable one.

 

• • Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change

 

Perceptions converge that communicating the urgency of climate change requires shifting from abstract data to personal, local stories, emphasizing immediate risks rather than distant threats, and pairing urgent warnings with actionable, hopeful solutions.  Consequently, the focus would be on human impacts, such as health and local weather.  It implies using plain language and tailoring messages to the audience’s values to foster engagement rather than fear-driven paralysis.

In order to better communicate the urgency of climate change, it may require some communication strategies and techniques.

 

• • Key Strategies for Communicating the Urgency of Climate Change

 

Communication experts in this matter recommend the following core strategies:

 

σ Make your communication personal and local

σ Pair urgency with hope

σ Use plain language

σ Focus on immediate risks, not future scenarios

σ Understand your audience

σ Use trusted messengers

σ Avoid ‘Doom and Gloom’ alone

Etc.

 

• • Effective Communication Techniques

 

Theories in climate science communication suggest the following tips:

 

σ Tell stories, don’t just show statistics

σ Focus on risks, not just uncertainty

σ Engage in dialogue, not debate

Etc.

 

• • Actionable Steps for Engagement

 

The involve highlighting co-benefits, using visual aids, and showing that climate action is happening in real life.

 

• • Sharing Reputable Climate Science Information

 

Recommendations from experts on the information sharing suggest using authoritative, science-based sources and communicating the information in a relatable, constructive form.  To do that, there are key strategies to adopt.

Key strategies will include the following ones:

 

σ Using data from trusted organizations like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and NASA Global Climate Change

σ Focusing on local impacts

σ Empowering individuals with actionable solutions rather than just focusing on ‘doom and gloom’

Etc.

 

• • Working with the Community on Ways of Communicating the Urgency of Climate Change and Sharing Reputable Information

 

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.

Working with our members to Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change and Share Reputable Information can be done by highlighting the co-benefits in the fight against climate change, using visual aids to illustrate the severity of the climate crisis, and showing that climate action is happening where and when people like them have taken action.

We can work together with them to both communicate the urgency of climate change and share reputable findings on this from trusted, credible sources.

We can engage with them to transform their passive support into active, informed and effective activism that drives both community-level and structural climate action.

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Communicating the Urgency of Climate Change and Sharing Reputable Information as well as on Climate Poverty Reduction; 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.

 

 

• Coming This Spring 2026: FACS Issue No. 91 which Will Be Titled as African Charities Fostering Alternatives to High-emission Industrialization and Tackling Pollution-induced Poverty in Africa 

 

African Charities can foster alternatives to traditional, high-emission industrialization.  They can do it by promoting green energy, sustainable, or circular economies instead of traditional, dirty industrial methods.  They can as well help communities that have been made poorer by environmental degradation (e.g., loss of fishing or farming due to pollution or high healthcare cost from toxic environments).

Statistics about both high-emission industrialization and pollution-induced poverty tell at lot the stories of these emissions and type of poverty.

Statistics about high-emission industrialization indicate that while African Charities and innovators are fostering low-emission, green industrial alternatives – such as solar-powered agriculture, electric mobility, and clean cooking stoves – their impact is hindered by limited climate change.  Essential findings are related to green alternatives, in particular renewable energy and agriculture, clean cooking and e-mobility, green innovation, etc.  Key statistical trends cover finance constraints, high-emission dependence, carbon market limitations, etc.

For instance, ‘furtherafrica.com’ (4) notes that

“With 60% of the world’s solar energy potential yet receiving just 2% of global solar investment, the continent [Africa] is well-positioned to play a central role in the global transition to green energy”.

Similarly, ‘africaclimatereports.org’ (5) points out that

“The continent [Africa] hosts 20% of the world’s carbon sinks and contributes less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet receives under 10% of adaptation finance and only 3% of total climate funding, this shortfall carries existential consequences”.

Regarding statistics linked to pollution-induced poverty, it is worth mentioning that the latter is a severe, interconnected crisis.  Key statistics on pollution-induced poverty are related to the indicators like death toll and economic cost linked to air pollution, poverty exposure as a result of living in areas with unsafe particulate matter  or PM2.5 pollution levels, the annual gross domestic product loss linked to pollution-related impacts, and energy poverty driver as a result of the lack of modern energy services.

To illustrate this poverty, the World Bank (6) estimates that

“716 million people living in extreme poverty, calculated as living on less than $1.90 per day, are directly exposed to unsafe PM2.5 concentrations; of these 405 million, or 57 percent are in Sub-Saharan Africa”.

Likewise, ‘greenpeace.org’ (7) mentions the 1.1 million deaths caused yearly by air pollution.

The 91st Issue of FACS, which has to be placed in CENFACS Year of Alternatives and of searching for alternative models and systems for poverty reduction, will be about dealing with alternatives in the fields of industrial development and industrialization.  It will involve developing, promoting, and scaling economic models, technologies, and production methods that diverge from conventional, high-carbon, and extractive industrial approaches.  It will focus on creating sustainable, inclusive, and localized alternatives – such as circular economies, corporative ownership, or community-based production – to address environmental degradation, social inequality, and the limitations of traditional, resource-intensive growth, without forgetting the reduction and end of pollution-induced poverty.

The 91st Issue of FACS will take into account key theories relating to high-emission industrialization in Africa, in particular the following ones: Pollution Haven Hypothesis/Pollution Halo Effect, Environmental Kuznets Curve, the IPAT (Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology) Model/Identity, Regulatory Chill Theory/”Stuck to the Mud”, and Neoclassical Economic Theory/Pollution Nexus.  The 91st Issue of FACS will approach them not only in terms of their explanations on high-emission industrialization in Africa, but also concerning pollution-induced poverty in Africa.

The 91st Issue of FACS will focus on African Charities working on climate justice, that is organisations recognizing that the poorest populations are often the most affected by industrial pollution.  The 91st Issue of FACS will also be interested in development charities, which are agencies that promote clean, sustainable, and local livelihoods rather than relying on heavy pollution industries.  The 91st Issue of FACS will as well pay some attention to the work of African Charities involved in environmental law or policy, in particular those that campaign to stop pollution at its source to prevent it from causing economic hardships.

The 91st Issue of FACS will also be a story of the relationship between high-emission industrialization and pollution-induced poverty, and how African Charities are trying to play their game well in helping to reduce this form of poverty in Africa.

Far from being simply a negative portrait on high-emission and pollution information, the 91st Issue of FACS will provide some positive usage examples of green alternatives in the areas of renewable energy and promoting regenerative agriculture, empowering small holders, waste-to-value innovations, clean cooking and e-mobility, green innovation, etc. to show that African Charities are engaging with local communities to overturn high-emission and pollution-led processes.  African Charities are driving change by helping local people and communities to move away from the high-emission and pollution pathways to long-term sustainability, despite some challenges.

To read more about this new Issue, please keep checking on CENFACS incoming posts this Spring 2026.  To reserve a paper copy of this 91st Issue of FACS, please contact CENFACS with your mailing details.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project – Activity 5 (from 25/03 to 01/04/2026): Matching Organisation’s Operation and Maintenance with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 6: Organizing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Organizing

• Household- and Area-focused Programmes for Assets and Economic Building for Families (H&AfP4A&EB4Hs)

 

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project – Activity 5 (from 25/03 to 01/04/2026): Matching Organisation’s Operation and Maintenance with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability

 

The last episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project is about Matching Organisation’s Operation and Maintenance with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability Criteria.

In order to reach this last episode, African Charity Investee/African-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ACI/ASCO) and Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor settled their difference on project implementation and installation. ACI/ASCO explained how it will integrate the human element with the technology to avoid any failure to adequately invest in the people making the Sustainable Water Project (SWP).  ACI/ASCO also clarified how it will link technology development cycle (installation) and human development cycle (implementation).  Becasue its explanations were convincing, the two parties agreed to move to this last phase of the matching talks – Activity 5.

 

 

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

 

σ Activity 5 Matching Concepts

σ Negotiation Terms between ACI/ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

σ Reaching a Negotiated Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test

σ Concluding Note on Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project.

 

Let us explain each of these headings.

 

• • Activity 5 Matching Concepts

 

There are 5 concepts or key words that need clarification to facilitate the matching talks.  These key words are Operation, Maintenance, Monitoring, Evaluation and Sustainability.

Let us clarify them

 

• • • Operation

 

To explain operation, let us refer to what ‘deepprojectmanager.com’ (8) articulates about it, which is

“Operations represent the ongoing, repetitive activities that sustain your business and deliver consistent value to customers.  These are the day-to-day processes that maintain efficiently, quality, and service levels”.

The same ‘deepprojectmanager.com’ adds that projects are different from operations.  According to ‘deepprojectmanager.com’,

“Projects are temporary with defined start and end dates.  Projects close once objectives are met… Operations are continuous and ongoing.  Operations run indefinitely as long as the business exists”.

From the definition of operation, ACI/ASCO needs to demonstrate to the NFP Impact Investor that SWP will have ongoing and repetitive activities to sustain.

 

• • • Maintenance

 

The website ‘safetyculture.com’ (9) explains that

“Maintenance, otherwise known as technical maintenance, refers to a set of processes and practices that aim to ensure the continuous and efficient operation of machinery, equipment, and other types of assets typically used in business”.

There are many types of maintenance like routine, planned, corrective and predictive ones.

This general definition of maintenance can be adapted to SWP. 

 

• • • • Maintenance in a Sustainable Water Project (MSWP)

 

MSWP refers to the ongoing activities required to ensure the efficient, effective, and long-term operation of water supply and sanitation systems.  This includes regular inspections, maintenance activities, and system monitoring to address issues promptly and maintain the infrastructure in good condition.  It encompasses both technical and managerial aspects, ensuring that the system continues to function optimally and sustainably.  Effective maintenance practices are essential for the longevity and reliability of water infrastructure, contributing to the overall sustainability of water resources and services.

ACI/ASCO can clarify its position in terms of the types of maintenance it will conduct.

 

• • • Monitoring and Evaluation

 

Let us first start with monitoring.  Monitoring is, according to ‘indepthresearch.org’ (10),

“The systematic and ongoing collection of data and information to track the progress and performance of project, programme, or policy.”

The same ‘indepthresearch.org’ explains that

“Evaluation is a systematic assessment of a project, programme, or policy to determine its relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability”.

The website ‘indepthresearch.org’ finally puts together monitoring and evaluation by stating that

“Monitoring and Evaluation is a methodical process that involves acquiring, analyzing, and interpreting data in order to evaluate the development, efficacy, and impact of initiatives, programmes, policies, or interventions”.

The NFP Impact Investor will want see that ACI/ASCO has a monitoring and evaluation plan for the SWP.

 

• • • Sustainability

 

Sustainability can be explained in many ways, which all convey more or less the same message.  In the opinion of the Community Tool Box (11),

“Sustainability is the active process of establishing your initiative – not merely continuing your programme, but developing relationships, practices, and procedures that become a lasting part of the community”.

The website ‘instituteprojectmanagement.com’ (12) explains it as

“The incorporation of environmental, social, and economic principles into project planning, execution, and evaluation.  It entails designing and implementing projects in ways to reduce harm to the environment, support social equity, and contribute to long-term economic resilience.  This approach requires considering the broader implications of project decisions, including their impact on future generations”.

The NFP Impact Investor will use these definitions of sustainability in the matching negotiations.  ACI/ASCO needs to develop or have a plan for SWP sustainability.

The above-mentioned definitions will formulate the basis to reach a negotiated agreement.

 

• • Negotiation Terms between ACI/ASCO and Not-for-profit Impact Investor

 

As part of the negotiating terms, it is understood that ACI/ASCO’s Operation and Maintenance Stage includes project monitoring and evaluation as well.  Likewise, it has to be noted that unlike traditional aid, sustainable projects (like SWP) require ongoing, long-term monitoring (often more than 5 years) to ensure the system is still working and that water quality is maintained.  This includes evaluating whether the project has created the intended social impact, such as reduced waterborne disease or improved economic productivity.

As indicated by ‘thewaterproject.org’ (13), to make and/or keep SWP sustainable ACI/ASCO needs to be prepared to clarify some issues of concern from the NFP Impact Investor.  

Notably and first of all, the NFP Impact Investor may want to know what ACI/ASCO will do to maintain SWP.  ACI/ASCO can answer that it will listen to and connect with those who will be closest to the problems that SWP will address.

The NFP Impact Investor could also ask if ACI/ASCO will keep sustainability in mind at each project stage.  ACI/ASCO could answer it will do it at all levels (including mapping or sitting, proposal and construction, training and handover, monitoring and maintenance).

The NFP Impact Investor can additionally ask questions about the monitoring and evaluation challenges (like data quality and reliability, lack of resources, complexity of impact assessment, time constraints, limited utilization of evaluation findings, etc.).  The NFP Impact Investor can as well ask ACI/ASCO to produce its monitoring and evaluation plan.

ACI/ASCO is required to successfully answer to all these issues if it wants to reach a negotiated agreement.

 

• • Reaching a Negotiated Agreement 

 

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach a negotiated agreement on the contents of Operation and Maintenance (O&M) for the former and Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability (ME&LTS) for the latter.  It means they need to align their positions.  This alignment requires active ongoing collaboration that merges ACI’s/ASCO’s mission-driven expertise with the NFP Impact Investor‘s requirements for measurable impact and financial stewardship,  This can be achieved through structured planning, clear impact mapping (Theory of Change), agreed Key Performance Indicators and active support.

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

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test Service

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ACI’s or ASCOs’ O&M Stage the better for ACIs or ASCOs.  It means that ACI’s or ASCOs’ process must pass the attractiveness test (that is, the evaluation of market’s appeal).  Likewise, the more ACIs or ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SWP 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 Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via SWP.

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

 

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

 

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

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

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses 

 

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

 

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

 

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

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

 

• • • • Hypotheses testing about ACI/ASCO’s Project Operation and Maintenance and NFP Impact Investor’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability

 

Hypotheses regarding ACI/ASCO’s Project Operation and Maintenance and NFP Impact Investor’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Long-term Sustainability can be structured around the causal links between technical performance, data-driven oversight and long-term sustainability.  Based on the negotiations between ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor, key hypotheses can be formulated by theme.  One can have the following themes:

 

a) O&M Quality and Long-term Sustainability (with a focus on ACI/ASCO)

b) NFP Impact Investor M&E and Project Sustainability (with a focus on NFP Impact Investor)

c) Interaction between ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor (integrated hypotheses)

Etc.

 

If one considers the theme a) and focuses on ACI/ASCO, one of the hypotheses could be: Predictive Maintenance Improves sustainability.

Concerning theme b) and NFP Impact Investor focus, one of the hypotheses could be: Joint M&E Increases Technical Commitment.

Regarding theme c) and ACI/ASCO-Impact Investor interaction, one of the hypotheses could be: ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Transparency Improves Operational Performance.

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

 

• • Concluding Note on Matching Organisation-Investor via Sustainable Water Project

 

To close this project, let us recognize that although this note/presentation has been based on a 5-stage lifecycle thinking tool or model and 5 essential stages of water projects, there could be more than five stages in any sustainable water 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 Lifecycle –

Step/Workshop 6: Organizing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Organizing

 

This workshop is divided in two parts: organisation and integration. Let us preent them.

 

• • Organizing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects (6.1)

 

After negotiating and agreeing the terms of your all-year-round project, you can now start organising it.  What is organizing or organize in the project lifecycle and what is organizing your all-year-round project.

 

• • Organising in a Project Lifecycle

 

The literature on the matter suggests that organise or organizing refers to the planning and structuring phase that translates a project’s authorized charter into a concrete, actionable roadmap.  It is the crucial bridge between initiation (getting approval) and execution (doing the work), focused on defining who will do the work, what tools they will use, and how the work will be managed.

Organizing, which occurs during the project planning phase, includes creating the project organizing chart, assigning roles, assembling the team, defining scope and work structure, and developing the project plan.

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.

In short, Organizing is a component of the broader planning phase.  Planning deals with the technical project aspects (like dates, budget, and risks), while Organizing focuses on the structural aspects (such as teams, responsibilities, and reporting lines).

However, organizing your All-Year-Round Projects require a bit more effort.

 

• • Organizing Your All-year Round Projects (AYRPs)

 

• • • What is AYRP organizing?

 

It emerges from theories and practices on project planning that an AYRP organizing refers to a continuous, strategic approach to managing multiple projects and tasks throughout the entire year, rather than treating them as isolated, temporary events. 

It involves a systematic, often digital, process of planning, prioritizing and maintaining projects in a consistent, ongoing flow to avoid burnout and overwhelm.  There are components in this organizing.

 

• • • Key components of AYRP organizing

 

Key components of this approach include continuous workflow, structured planning, proactive maintenance, and centralized information.  These components are normally handled within specific strategies.

 

• • • Common strategies for AYRP organizing

 

They are

 

σ The 4P’s Framework (which focuses on People (roles), Product (deliverables), Process (procedures), and Project (tasks) to structure work

σ Quarterly Goal Mapping

σ Getting Things Done Methods

σ Digital Board Utilization.

 

This approach helps to maintain a steady space, improves efficiency.

Let us look at in practice how one can organise its AYRP.

 

 

• • • 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 2026 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 2026 who is the group’s best runner of the year (BRY) 2026.

However, Organizing your AYRP will not be enough unless you incorporate Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) in it.

 

•  • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Organizing (6.2)

 

Integrating the Triple Value Initiative (TVI) or Triple Bottom Line (TBL) – People, Planet and prosperity – into year-round project organising requires shifting from traditional, short-term project constraints (like time, cost, and scope) to a holistic, value-driven approach.  This involves embedding sustainability into project conceptualization, planning execution, and reporting phases throughout the entire project liefcycle.

To integrate the TVI into year-round project organising, you can consider the practices below.

 

a) Conceptualization and strategic alignment

It includes embedding in project objectives, establishing a purpose-driven culture, and extending planning timeframes.

 

b) Stakeholder engagement and social value planning

It involves identifying broader needs, developing a social value strategy, and co-creating with beneficiaries.

 

c) Integrated project execution and governance

It encompasses routinization strategy, adjustment of budgeting processes, and continuous improvement.

 

d) Monitoring and reporting

It is comprised of the development of comprehensive reporting frameworks, enhanced status reports, Key Performance Indicators-led performance review.

 

e) Cultivating sustainable project habits

It consists of continuous training, empowerment, and experimentation.

With these practices, your AYRP will transition from simply meeting a goal to delivering lasting integrated value (that is, People, Planet, and Prosperity) throughout the year.

 

CENFACS can work with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their project tools and lifecycle thinking processes.  This will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the organisation of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project organizing and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects, as well as the integration of TVIs into these projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Organizing as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Household- and Area-focused Programmes for Assets and Economic Building for Families (H&AfP4A&EB4Hs)

 

These programmes are among those Seasonal initiatives or initiatives falling within the Season of Light, which ended last week.  They are strategic marketing efforts that CENFACS undertakes to align its campaigns with the specific time of the year when supporters’ interest and willingness to give are high.  In this respect, they are conceptualised to tap into heightened fundraising activities and emotions associated with the continuation of the giving moments.  But what are really H&AfP4A&EB4Hs?

 

• • Understanding H&AfP4A&EB4Hs

 

H&AfP4A&EB4Hs are strategic approaches designed to foster wealth retention, economic resilience, and local ownership by focusing on specific geographic areas and individual household capacities.

H&AfP4A&EB4Hs often framed under ‘Community Wealth Building’ (CWB) or ‘Asset-Based Community Development’ (ABCD) – shift away from traditional economic models that solely focus on attracting external investment, instead of leveraging existing local resources.

Within H&AfP4A&EB4Hs a distinction is made between Household-Focused Programmes (HFPs) and Area-Focused Programmes (AFPs).

HFPs are initiatives that focus on increasing the financial security, skills, and tangible assets of individual families, and residents particularly in low-income scenarios.  Among HFPs, it can be mentioned the following ones:

 

σ Asset-building for Low-income Households

σ Asset-based Community Development

σ Financial Inclusion and Educational Programmes

σ Workforce and Employment Initiatives

σ Affordable Housing and Energy Efficiency.

 

AFPs are initiatives that target specific communities, neighbourhoods, or regions to keep wealth circulating locally and strengthen the economic base.  AFPs include the following:

 

σ Community Wealth Building (CWB) Strategy

σ Community Asset Transfer

σ Local Procurement and Supply Chains

σ Economic Development Area

σ Support for Alternative Ownership.

 

It is possible to work with the community so that they access and gain the benefits offered by this programme.

 

• • Working with the Community on H&AfP4A&EB4Hs

 

As part of supporting our community members in the process of building their assets and economy to reduce poverty we will be working with them on these programmes from next April.  The first series of work or activities/projects with them will be on HFPs.

Those who may be interested in working with us on HFPs, they can contact CENFACS.  Also, those who have any queries and/or enquiries about H&AfP4A&EB4Hs, they should not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Sources de Revenus et Projets Alternatifs pour Pâques 2026 (SRPAP2026)

Le programme SRPAP2026 est un soutien similaire à l’aide financière que nous proposons chaque année vers le mois de décembre. Il s’agit d’une nouvelle formule, plus courte, destinée à aider les enfants, les jeunes et les familles à faibles revenus (EJF) en leur fournissant des informations, des conseils et un accompagnement pour générer un petit revenu supplémentaire afin de couvrir les dépenses de Pâques, particulièrement en cette période difficile marquée par un coût de la vie élevé.

Puisque CENFACS consacre cette année aux alternatives, le programme SRPAP2026 se concentre sur les Sources de Revenus Alternatives et les Projets Liés à Pâques. Ces sources et projets visent à tirer parti de la forte demande des consommateurs/rices pour les activités thématiques, l’artisanat et les produits alimentaires, allant de petits boulots à des initiatives de collecte de fonds communautaires.

Pour générer ou diversifier leurs revenus, les EJF à revenus alternatifs ont besoin d’un projet ou d’une idée pouvant se transformer en une véritable activité lucrative. Cette activité ou profession constitue leur projet de revenus, tandis que les flux financiers qui en résultent représentent leur source de revenus. Autrement dit, leur projet de revenus alternatifs pour Pâques serait une activité ou un événement organisé et spécifique, utilisant une méthode précise pour générer des revenus pendant la période pascale, avec une date de début et de fin clairement définies. Leur source de revenus alternatifs pour Pâques serait une catégorie générale de revenus, générant des gains ou des recettes, qui peuvent être saisonniers ou passifs.

Les sources de revenus alternatives pour Pâques sont nombreuses : vente d’articles et de décorations sur le thème de Pâques, prestations de services et participation à des événements saisonniers. Avec ses thèmes de printemps, de renaissance et de célébration, Pâques offre diverses opportunités de générer des revenus supplémentaires. Ces activités permettent non seulement de gagner un peu d’argent pendant cette période, mais aussi d’exprimer sa créativité et de contribuer à l’esprit pascal.

Puisque le programme SRPAP2026 vise à générer un revenu supplémentaire pendant la période de Pâques, les personnes qui entreprennent ces activités doivent disposer d’indicateurs pour vérifier si une source de revenus choisie produit les revenus escomptés. Cela signifie qu’elles peuvent évaluer la performance de leur modèle de génération de revenus grâce à des indicateurs clés de performance spécifiques à SRPAP2026, tels que des indicateurs financiers (retour sur investissement), opérationnels (respect du budget) et de marque (notoriété).

Le programme SRPAP2026 propose des méthodologies et des techniques pour créer une source de revenus alternative pendant la période de Pâques, répondant à vos besoins ou à ceux/celles des utilisateurs/rices et bénéficiaires de CENFACS en matière de réduction de la pauvreté, notamment, mais pas exclusivement, de la pauvreté monétaire, durant cette période et au-delà.

Ceux ou celles qui disposent d’une source de revenus alternatifs pour Pâques et souhaitent la transformer en projet de revenu alternatif pour Pâques sont invité(e)s à nous contacter. Nous pouvons également examiner leurs propositions de projet, le cas échéant.

Nous pouvons collaborer avec eux/elles pour concrétiser leurs projets de revenus pour Pâques.

Pour plus d’informations sur le programme SRPAP2026, n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.

 

Spring Poverty Relief 2026 will be about addressing poverty and hardships (in terms of food insecurity, homelessness, and other issues) for those making our community and sister communities in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations in the Spring months, while aligning with Easter spirit.  It is an effort to provide support to those in need during the Spring season.  The focus is therefore shifting from emergency, short-term help to long-term, systemic and dignified support.

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

 

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

Speaking about systemic resilience, ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (14) states that

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

Arguing instead about system resilience, ‘biologyinsights.com’ (15) points out that

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

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

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

 

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

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

 

This initiative is about the link between protection and alternative income sources.  This link is that alternative income is crucial for providing financial protection against risks and threats to one’s primary livelihood.  The type of protection can widely vary from financial security for individuals to conservation for entire communities.  This type of protection can cover areas such as finance, environment and conservation, investor’s portfolios, social matters, etc.

They are the tellings of leveraging existing gains to rapidly scale up systemic change.  They represent a strategic shift from defensive maintenance (simply protecting progress) to transformative acceleration (integrating improvements deeply into institutional structures).  Key aspects of these tellings include systemic integration, strategic transition, and accelerating progress.

They are the anecdotes describing continuous, iterative strengthening – building on recent improvements (the new baseline) to ensure ongoing adaptability.

 

a.8) Using systemic integration to accelerate our achievements and continuously elevate our resilience

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

18 March 2026

Post No. 448

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Easter 2026 Alternative Income Sources and Projects

• Tacking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Full Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.4): Stocktaking Activity on COP30 and Preparation to Follow up COP31

• Climate Action 3 – In Focus from 16 to 22/03/2026: Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism and the Reduction of Climate Poverty

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Easter 2026 Alternative Income Sources and Projects (E2026AIS&Ps)

 

E2026AIS&P is a similar support to the Festive Income Booster we provide in around December 0f every year.  E2026AIS&P is a new short version or cycle to support low-income poor Children, Young People and Families (CYPFs), giving them some information, guidance and advice to generate some little extra income to cover Easter Season’s expenses, especially at this uneasy time of the high costs of living.

Since we are in a dedicated Year of Alternatives within CENFACS, E2026AIS&P focuses on Alternative Income Sources and Projects for Easter.  These sources and projects involve leveraging the relatively high consumer demand for themed activities, crafts and food, ranging from active side hustles to community fundraising initiatives.

To generate or diversify their income, CYPFs need a project or idea that can be turned into a real income-generating activity or occupation.  This activity or occupation is their income project, while the resultant stream of money is their income source.  In other words, their Easter Alternative Income Project would be a specific organized activity or event that employs a specific method of generating earnings for Easter Season, with a clear start and end date.  Their Easter Alternative Income Source would be a general category of earning income, that generates earnings or revenue, and that can be ongoing seasonal or passive.

Easter Alternative Income Sources, which are numerous, include selling themed goods and decor, offering special services, and participating in seasonal events.  With themes of Spring, rebirth, and celebration, Easter holiday offers a variety of opportunities for earning extra income.  These activities not only provide an extra income during the Easter Season but also allow people to express their creativity and contribute to the holiday spirit.

Because E2026AIS&P is about an extra income during the Easter Season, those who undertake these activities need to have some metrics to check if a particular chosen source is generating income they need or not.  It means they can check the strengths of their income generation model via key performance metrics for E2026AIS&P, such as financial metrics (return on investment), operational metrics (like budget adherence), and brand metrics (such as brand awareness).

E2026AIS&P as a resource provides some methodology and techniques on how to create an easterly alternative income source that meets your need or the need of CENFACS’ users and beneficiaries of reducing poverty, particularly but not exclusively income poverty, during the Easter Period and beyond.

We have given key highlights about E2026AIS&Ps under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Tacking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Full Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.4): Stocktaking Activity on COP30 and Preparation to Follow up COP31

 

We are continuing to work on the outcomes of COP30 (1) and how they can fit into CENFACS’ Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation (TCPSACI) and its sub-phase 3.4, as well as how they can help us prepare for COP31 (2) which will be convened in Antalya, Türkiye.

The following points help understand how we are continuing our climate talks follow-up and how we are preparing for the next climate talks:

 

~ Stocktaking activity on COP30

~ Preparation to follow COP31

~ Giving African children a stake in global climate talks

~ CENFACS slogan for following up COP31.

 

Let us briefly explain these points.

 

• • Stocktaking Activity on COP30

 

This week, we are having a stocktaking activity of looking at the key achievements of COP 30, held at Belém, Brazil.  It emerges from World Resources Institute (3) that the key agreements and initiatives include the following ones:

 

σ Mutirão Decision and Implementation Focus (meaning actions to combat climate change to be in line with the Paris Agreement)

σ Triple adaptation finance by 2035 (i.e., Reaffirmation of the pathway to mobilize at least $300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035, with a goal of $1.3 trillion per year from public and private sources, and $9 billion for Brazil’s Tropical Forests Facility)

σ Voluntary plan to curb fossil fuels and roadmaps (e.g., Global Implementation Accelerator and the Belem Mission to 1.5)

σ Nature and indigenous recognition (e.g., Land rights for indigenous and traditional communities were secured)

σ Sectoral and technological action (e.g., Expanding renewable energy capacity, deploying electronic vehicles, and investing in carbon removal technologies)

Etc.

 

We are as well discussing shortcomings and challenges resulted from COP30 like the ones below:

 

σ No formal commitment to phase out fossil fuels (as part of fossil fuel transition)

σ Emissions gap between global emitters and others

σ Logistical and political challenges

σ and other issues surrounding adaptation and finance technology.

 

Besides this stocktaking exercise, we are preparing ourselves to follow up COP31.

 

• • Preparation to Follow up COP31

 

The website ‘cop31.co.uk’ (4) notes that

” The primary function of COP31 will be to operationalise the outcomes derived from preceding conferences, particularly focusing on the post-2025 financial architecture and the synthesis of the collective response to the Global Stocktake”.

Similarly, the website ‘earth.ac.uk’ (5) mentions the following considerations which are bound to prove critical along the road to Antalya:

 

“σ The integrity of the new generation of Nationally Determined Contributions

σ A decisive pivot from climate finance negotiations to climate finance delivery

σ Rebuilding trust in multilateral climate governance

σ Accountability and transparency mechanisms

σ Advancing a just energy transition

σ Adaptation and loss and implementation

σ Strengthening environmental democracy and public participation

σ Technology transfer and capacity building

σ Alignment between climate action and development goals”.

Our preparation is about looking into the above-mentioned points.  It also includes the following:

σ Learning and sharing knowledge about climate issues (e.g., climate finance, deforestation, and adaptation)

σ Re-educating the community and the public about climate issues

σ Taking action to reduce our own climate footprint

σ Engaging in advocacy and campaigns via TCPSACI

σ Staying informed by following COP31 news

σ Running pre-COP31 events

σ Participating in climate webinars and local actions

Etc.

 

One can hope that COP31 will provide opportunity to children to have their rights, voices, and futures embedded into international climate policy.

 

• • Giving African Children a Stake in Climate Talks

 

Our request remains the same: “Giving African children a stake“; African children being representative of all other children.  This is because the stake for African children is exceptionally high, encompassing their survival, health, education, and future, with many of them facing high or extremely high climate risk and impact.  Therefore, what is at stake for African children is their health, survival, education disruption, protection and safety, and future prospects.

African children can be given a stake in climate talks by establishing formal platforms like an African Children’s Climate Council, integrating youth climate negotiators into official delegations, and prioritizing child-specific vulnerabilities in climate policies, etc.

 

• • CENFACS Slogan for Following up COP31

 

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

Antalya Prioritizes Children! refers to the recognition of children as a priority group in climate finance and policy.  This slogan will help us in our efforts to meet the “triple bottom value” (that is, People, Planet, Prosperity).  It will as well assist in meeting the needs of our climate stakeholders (that is, African children) who are adversely impacted but have no thing or little to do with climate change and have an interest in climate action.

To enquire about the above-mentioned pre-COP31 follow-up activity within CENFACS and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Climate Action 3 – In Focus from 16 to 22/03/2026: Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism and the Reduction of Climate Poverty

 

The Third Climate Action is Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism and the Reduction of Climate Poverty.  In order to take this action, we are going to cover the following points:

 

σ What is a climate activist?

σ Meaning of ‘Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism’

σ Components of Grassroots Climate Science Activism

σ  The links between Grassroots Climate Science Activism and Climate Poverty Reduction

σ Working with CENFACS Community members to Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism.

 

Let us unwrap each of these points.

 

• • What Is a Climate Activist?

 

According to ‘scienceinsights.org’ (6),

“A climate activist is someone who takes deliberate action to push governments, corporations, and the public towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the effects of climate change.  This action can range from marching in the streets to filing lawsuits against national governments.  Climate activists focus on systemic change aiming to shift policies, economic structures, and public behaviour rather than just individual habits”.

Climate activists can organise, protest and push for systemic change.  They act based on climate science and scientific evidence.

 

• • Meaning of Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism

 

The literature on grassroots activism reveals that engaging in grassroots activism in terms of climate science means using localised, evidence-based data and scientific understanding to drive community-led action for climate mitigation and adaptation.  It moves beyond abstract, global climate discussions to focus on tangible, local impacts – such as air pollution, water contamination, or land degradation – and advocates for solutions that align with scientific recommendations such as from the International Panel for Climate Change.

To act for or stand with climate science, one can use bottom-up approaches, evidence-based advocacy, connecting local to global, and actionable sustainability.

 

• • Components of Grassroots Climate Science Activism

 

There are elements that one needs to consider in order to Engage in Grassroots Climate Science Activism.  Among them, it is worth mentioning the following:

 

σ Translating scientific knowledge: Making complex climate data accessible and relevant to the local community to spur action

σ Citizen science: Involving community members in collecting data, such as monitoring air quality or tracking biodiversity loss to challenge developers or policy decisions

σ Fighting injustice: Addressing the unequal and dissymmetric distribution of climate impacts, often focusing on how environmental degradation affects marginalised communities

σ Targeted policy pressure: Using data to lobby for local policy changes, such as demanding better public transportation, renewable energy, or opposing new fossil fuel infrastructure

σ Direct action: Utilising protests, petitions, and in some cases, civil disobedience to create urgency around scientific warnings.

 

This approach helps foster a sense of agency and deals with climate issues that affect the community as whole.

 

• • The Links between Grassroots Climate Science Activism and Climate Poverty Reduction

 

There could be some relationships between grassroots science activism and the reduction of poverty induced by climate change.  Indeed, poor people and households have limited capacity to manage climate risks and crises.  This limited capacity can be exacerbated with their limited access to formal insurance, low incomes and meager assets.  Yet, they have to deal with climate-related shocks, sometimes under severe constrained conditions and circumstances.

Using evidence data and evidence in the way climate change affects them can drive community-led action to mitigate climate effects on their behalf.  This will help address the unequal and dissymmetrical distribution of the adverse climate impacts on them.

 

• • Working with the Community on Ways of Engaging in Grassroots Climate Science Activism

 

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.

Working with our members to engage in grassroots climate science activism can be done by helping to understand climate data and vulgarizing complex climate scientific knowledge, fighting climate injustice, lobbying in those who are in a position to change the factors adversely changing climate, encouraging to join sensible grassroots climate science activism where they live, etc.

We can work together with them to transform their passive support into active, informed and effective activism that drives both community-level and structural climate action.

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Engaging in Grassroots Climate Science Activism as well as on Climate Poverty Reduction; 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.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 18/03/2026: Impact Measurement

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project – Activity 4 (from 18 to 24/03/2026): Matching Organisation’s Physical Project Implementation with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Implementation and Installation 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 5: Negotiating and Agreeing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Negotiated Agreement

 

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 18/03/2026: Impact Measurement

 

The fourth AI-powered financial tracking, monitoring and control tool of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is on Impact Measurement.  To deal with this fourth tool, we are going to explain the following:

 

σ The meaning of Impact Measurement, including it in the context of AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households

σ Key dimensions of impact in household AI finance

σ Key metrics for measuring impact

σ The role of AI in measurement

σ How CENFACS can work with households on impact measurement.

 

Let us cover each of these points.

 

• • What Is Impact Measurement?

 

The definition retained here for Impact Measurement comes from ‘nvpc.org’ (7) which argues that

“Impact measurement is the process to measure and attribute change created through a programme” (p. 6)

The same ‘nvpc.org’ adds that

“The impact measurement includes outcome evaluation and impact evaluation.  An outcome evaluation assesses short- and medium-term effects of a programme.  An impact evaluation assesses longer term effects of a programme”.

Impact measurement can be applied in the context of AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households.

 

• • What Is Impact Measurement in the Context of AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households?

 

It emerges from within the literature on AI that an Impact Measurement in the Context of AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households refers to the quantifiable assessment of how AI-driven tools alter, improve, and manage a household’s financial health, behavioural habits, and economic security.  It moves beyond merely tracking spending to determining the actual value created – such as increased savings, reduced debt, or better adherence to budgets – enabled by AI insights and automated controls.

In this context, impact measurement acts as a feedback mechanism that tracks ‘how much’ change is occurring (depth, duration, and scale) in a household’s financial situation.

 

• • Key Dimensions of Impact in Household AI Finance

 

Impact Measurement (IM) in this area breaks down into three main categories, which are financial outcomes, behavioural changes and risk mitigation.

 

~ Financial outcomes (or the ‘what’): The IM will be about quantifiable improvement in a household’s balance sheet.  Examples of IM in this area include Savings Rate Increase, Debt Reduction and Budget Adherence.

~ Behavioural changes (the ‘how’): The IM will involve shifts in habits driven by AI insights.  Examples in this case include Reduced Discretionary Spending, Improved Financial Literacy or Awareness, and Reduced Cognitive Load.

~ Risk mitigation (the ‘safety’): The IM will look at enhanced security and stability.  Examples in this circumstance could be Fraud Detection and Cash Flow Forecasting.

 

• • Core Metrics for Measuring Impact

 

To quantify these effects, AI-powered tools track specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).  Among these KPIs are Variance Analytics, Automated Savings Volume, Subscription Savings, Cash Flow Buffer, and Automate Insights Adoption Rate.

All these metrics can used for Impact Measurement in the Context of AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households.

 

• • The Role of AI in Measurement

 

AI does not just track data, it provides the analysis of the impact, transforming raw data into actionable insights.  This involves the following:

 

~ Pattern Recognition: Identifying recurring spending habits that impact long-term financial goals

~ Predictive Modeling: Forecasting future cash flow issues to prevent them, rather than just reporting on them after they occur

~ Personalisation: Tailoring financial advice and goals to the specific demographic and financial situation of the household.

 

In short, IM in household AI finance is about proving that the technology is driving better household financial decisions, increased security, and improved financial well-being.

 

• • Working with Households on Impact Measurement in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools

 

CENFACS is not a bank or building society or a financial institution that can provide facilities to its members to measure the impact from the use of AI-powered tools.  However, CENFACS can – under some circumstances – work with households through the integration of AI-powered tools to measure impact in the financial tracking, monitoring and controls of their accounts.

CENFACS can work together with them to enhance the financial management of their accounts, providing them with the necessary support to navigate their financial challenges and achieve their financial goals.

CENFACS can work with them to measure and attribute change created through the use of AI-powered tools.

CENFACS can help them to quantifiably assess how AI-driven tools can alter, improve, and manage their financial health, behavioural habits, and economic security.

CENFACS can as well encourage them to use these AI-powered and life-saving financial tools, to move beyond passive budgeting spreadsheets to actively monitoring their financial transactions, to measure impact, to interact with them to prevent overspending and theft, manage debt and optimize savings to reduce poverty as the lack of knowledge about AI-powered tools and capabilities.

For any queries and/or enquiries about Impact Measurement in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Likewise, those who want further information or clarification about AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences; they are welcome to communicate with CENFACS.

In addition, for those who have financial planning problems, they can speak to CENFACS so that we can work together on their financial planning needs, and help them overcome these problems and stay financially stronger.

 

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project – Activity 4 (from 18 to 24/03/2026): Matching Organisation’s Physical Project Implementation with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Implementation and Installation 

 

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.

In this fourth episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project, ACI/ASCO (African Charity Investee/African-based Sister Organisation) will present its plan for the Physical Implementation of the Sustainable Water Project (SWP) – including resource procurement and construction -, while the Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor will be re-entering the matching negotiations with its Project Implementation and Installation.  They are both speaking about project implementation, with a slight difference that the NFP Impact Investor is adding to it installation.

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

 

σ Activity 4 Matching Concepts

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

σ Reaching a Negotiated Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

Let us provide some highlights about each of these points.

 

• • Activity 4 Matching Concepts

 

There are two concepts that need some clarification, concepts which are implementation and installation.

 

• • • What are project implementation and installation?

 

Project implementation is, according to ‘projectmanagertemplate.com’ (8),

“The structured process of executing planned activities to achieve a project’s objectives.  This phase involves mobilizing resources, coordinating tasks, monitoring progress, and ensuring deliverables are completed on time, within budget, and according to quality standards”.

However, project implementation has to be differentiated from project installation.  In other words, project installation means the system functions, whereas project implementation signifies that the system optimization is achieved.

Because of this difference between the two (i.e., implementation and installation), ACI/ASCO needs to explain how it will integrate the human element with the technology to avoid any failure to adequately invest in the people making the SWP.  It is also about how ACI/ASCO will link technology development cycle (installation) and human development cycle (implementation).  This matter can be settled during the negotiation.

 

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

 

Before the negotiation begins, both parties need to aware that implementing sustainable water projects involves a comprehensive approach that includes planning, financing, and community engagement.

From the perspective of ACI/ASCO, physical implementation of the SWP will include resource procurement and construction.

For the NFP Impact Investor, the construction phase will involve building the infrastructure, such as drilling wells, installing pipes or building sand filters.  This stage will also include training local people and technicians to manage the SWP, fostering a sense of responsibility for the local community.

Both parties need to negotiate their individual perception of implementation and close the gap if there is any.  They have to bridge the gap between grant-based, mission-driven work and market-based financial sustainability, as argued in the previous notes.

For instance, regarding the investment in local capacity and governance, the focus would be on sustainability and local empowerment.  The NFP Impact Investor could provide funding for training local staff, which would increase the technical capability of ACI/ASCO to run the SWP.  Likewise, incorporating training programmes that will connect ACI/ASCO with other successful water projects or experiences will be helpful.  Furthermore, ensuring that ACI/ASCO will have skillful board members who will manage the aspects relating to SWP installation and implementation will be very welcome by the NFP Impact Investor.

 

• • Reaching a Negotiated Agreement 

 

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach a negotiated agreement on the contents of Physical Project Implementation (PPI) for the former and Project Implementation and Installation (PI&I) for the latter.  It means they need to align their positions.  This alignment requires active ongoing collaboration that merges ACI’s/ASCO’s mission-driven expertise with the NFP Impact Investor‘s requirement for measurable impact and financial stewardship,  This can be achieved through structured planning, clear impact mapping (Theory of Change), agreed Key Performance Indicators and active support.

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

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test Service

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ACI’s or ASCOs’ PPI Stage the better for ACIs or ASCOs.  It means that ACI’s or ASCOs’ process must pass the attractiveness test (that is, the evaluation of market’s appeal).  Likewise, the more ACIs or ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SWP 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 Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via SWP.

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

 

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

 

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

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

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses 

 

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

 

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

 

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

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

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

 

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – 

Step/Workshop 5: Negotiating and Agreeing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Negotiated Agreement

 

• • Negotiating and Agreeing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects (5.1)

 

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 (AYRP) 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.

Knowing what negotiation and agreement are, we can now deal with an AYRP Negotiation and integrate Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) into an AYRP Negotiated Agreement.

 

• • • AYRP Negotiation

 

What is an AYRP negotiation?

The literature provided on this matter says that an AYRP negotiation refers to the continuous, ongoing process of negotiation that occurs throughout the entire project lifecycle, rather than just during the initial contract signing or major project milestones.

Because projects are dynamic and involve diverse stakeholders, negotiation is considered a fundamental, day-to-day skill for AYRP managers, essential for managing scope, time, cost, and team resources.

There are key characteristics of ongoing project negotiation that an AYRP manager needs to be aware.  These characteristics are continuous progress (negotiation from project initiation to closure), formal contract negotiations and informal bargaining, triple constraint (managing the balance between scope, budget and time, and relationship management with stakeholders).

Therefore, an AYRP negotiator will follow the 5-step structured approach to ongoing negotiation to successfully manage the ongoing process which includes

 

a) Understanding the need

b) Plan the strategy

c) Bargain or negotiate

d) Agree or close

e) Review.

 

An effective AYRP negotiator will prioritize active listening, maintain a win-win mindset, and understand that negotiation is about building consensus, not just winning.

Knowing what an AYRP negotiation is, let us provide an example of negotiated agreement.

 

• • • 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., 01/01/2026 to 31/03/2026 or first quarter of 2026)

~ 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.

Those who would like to integrate TVIs into their negotiation and agreement, they can also communicate to CENFACS.  CENFACS can assist them on integration matter as well as make them to realise how their Play or Run or Vote project will be meaningful if they add a TVI dimension in it.

 

•  • Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Negotiated Agreement (5.2)

 

Integrating a triple value initiative (often referring to the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ of social, environmental, and economic value, or ‘Triple Value Impact’ of outcomes, experiences, and efficiency) into a project negotiated agreement requires shifting from cost-only procurement to outcome-based, collaborative contracting.  To achieve this integration, there are strategies and ways of doing it.

 

• • • Key strategies for integrating TVIs

 

Key strategies include defining broader value metrics in the planning phase, using collaborative deal design, and embedding sustainability/social goals as as contractual obligations.

 

• • • Ways of integrating TVIs

 

Ways of integrating these initiatives into the diferent phases of your AYRP negotiated agreement include the following:

 

a) Preparation Phase (Define and Measure Triple Value)

In this phase, you need to define or establish value metrics beyond cost, set measurable targets, and adopt a ‘Triple Value’ mindset.

b) Negotiation Phase (Collaborative Deal Design)

This is the phase during which you can negotiate multiple issues simultaneously, shift to outcome-based procurement, and use ‘Make Three Offers Simultaneously’.

c) Contractual Integration (The Agreement)

This phase involves embedding into key clauses, utilizing collaborative contracting modeling, and alignment with legal frameworks.

d) Implementation (Governance and Monitoring)

It is the phase of establishing a dedicated joint board (e.g., an AYRP steering committee), undertaking continuous reporting and auditing (e.g., integrating social and environmental progress into regular performance tracking), and incentivizing long-term value (e.g., reward participants to your AYRP at its closure based on the value they created to the project).

 

By following these steps, an AYRP user will show that they are taking sustainability seriously in the negotiation and agreement of their projects.

 

• • Working with AYRP Users on TVI integration

 

CENFACS can work with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their project tools and lifecycle thinking processes.  This will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the negotiated agreement of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project negotiated agreement and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

 

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

 

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects, as well as the integration of TVIs into these projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Negotiated Agreement as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project Negotiated Agreement, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Ressources du Programme de Développement des Capacités Individuelles (PDCI): Vacances Reposantes –

À la Une du Numéro du Printemps 2026: Des Vacances avec des Activités Alternatives

Comment profiter de vos vacances pour renforcer les liens, acquérir de nouvelles compétences et créer des souvenirs inoubliables

Le numéro actuel de notre ressource PDCI, intitulé « Des Vacances Reposantes », est consacré aux vacances proposant des activités alternatives. Ce numéro fait écho à l’engagement de CENFACS pour l’année 2026, placée sous le signe des alternatives. Il arrive à point nommé, à l’approche de la campagne de printemps 2026 de CENFACS, période de reconstruction et de renouveau des vies, des infrastructures et des institutions. Des vacances actives peuvent contribuer à cette reconstruction et à ce renouveau.

Pour mieux présenter ce sujet, définissons ce que signifie « Vacances avec Activités Alternatives ». Il s’agit de vacances en famille proposant des expériences et des activités uniques, en dehors des plages traditionnelles ou des parcs d’attractions. Ces vacances peuvent inclure des séjours d’aventure, des expériences éducatives et des excursions locales adaptées à différents intérêts et groupes d’âge. Elles offrent aux familles l’occasion de renforcer leurs liens, d’acquérir de nouvelles compétences et de créer des souvenirs inoubliables de manière plus enrichissante et instructive.

Un séjour de vacances avec activités alternatives est un voyage axé sur des activités spécifiques et organisées – comme le sport, l’aventure ou l’apprentissage de nouvelles compétences – plutôt que sur la simple détente. Ces séjours, tels que les retraites de yoga, la voile ou la randonnée, proposent un mélange de bien-être, d’aventure et de découverte de la culture locale, offrant souvent une expérience plus active et immersive.

Le numéro du printemps 2026 de notre guide PDCI est consacré à ces séjours. Il contient des outils pour planifier et budgétiser des vacances avec activités alternatives, ainsi que des conseils pour organiser un séjour axé sur ces activités. Il mentionne également les organismes qui proposent ce type de séjours.

Ce numéro, destiné aux personnes dans le besoin, propose des stratégies pour faire face à la pauvreté liée au manque d’activités de vacances alternatives ou de moyens d’y accéder et d’en profiter. Il aborde également la diversité des activités évoquées et en donne des exemples.

Vous pouvez demander à CENFACS les points saillants ou un résumé du contenu du numéro 2026 de « Vacances Reposantes ».

 

 

Main Development

 

• Easter 2026 Alternative Income Sources and Projects

 

The following contents provide the essential aspects for Easter 2026 Alternative Income Sources and Projects (E2026AIS&Ps):

 

∝ What is the aim of E2026AIS&P?

∝ Who E2026AIS&Ps are for

∝ Key terms

∝ Easter Alternative Income Sources (EAIS)

∝ Easter Alternative Income Project (EAIP)

∝ Key performance metrics for Easter Alternative Income Sources and Projects

∝ Monitoring and evaluating your project to create an alternative income source

∝ Contacting CENFACS for this Easter/Spring Support.

 

Let us now highlight these contents.

 

• • What Is the Aim of E2026AIS&P?

 

The main aim of E2026AIS&P is to build financial resilience, reduce economic strain, and provide opportunities for income generation for poor households and families during the Easter period and school holidays.

E2026AIS&Ps – which include small-scale entrepreneurship, craft sales, and community projects – are designed to help low-income families and households manage higher living costs and seasonal expenses.

E2026AIS&Ps also include a variety of aims like

 

σ Maximising income

σ Reducing financial strain

σ Building financial literacy and carbon literacy skills as well as resilience

σ Turning hobbies into income

σ Supporting vulnerable households

σ Promoting sustainable alternatives

Etc.

 

Those low-income or income poor families and households wanting to set an Easter Alternative Income Project can select the aim (like the ones provided above) that suits the model of their Easter Alternative Income Sources.

 

 

• • Who E2026AIS&Ps Are for

 

The beneficiaries of Easter-themed Alternative Income Sources and Projects are primarily and mostly households facing high financial pressure during Easter and school holidays.  Amongst them are the following potential beneficiaries:

 

√ Those relying on free school meals

√ Lower-income families needing alternative income sources

√ Children and young people

√ CENFACS Community members looking to set up an Easter Alternative Income Project

Etc.

 

E2026AIS&P Resource can also be useful for the following target audiences or end-users:

 

√ Local artisans and crafters

√ Event planners and venues

√ Community organisations and charities

√ Visitors and parishioners

√ Photographers

Etc.

 

E2026AIS&P can help reduce the ‘poverty premium’ (that is, the extra cost that low-income families and households face) by alleviating the added financial stress of holiday expenses (like Easter celebrations).

 

• • Key Terms

 

There are two main terms, which are: Alternative Income Source and Alternative Income Project.  Let us explain them.

An Alternative Income Source (AIS) is a general category for various ways to generate money outside of primary job, especially around the Easter season.  For instance, Easter AIS is a general category of earning income during the Easter season, that is seasonal or passive.  Selling crafts can be classified as AIS.

An Alternative Income Project (AIP) is a specific and organised activity, often a fundraising event used to create on these income streams.  For example, Easter AIP is a specific and organised activity or event that uses a specific method to generate earnings on a temporary basis, with a clear start and end dates.  Easter raffle can be an AIP.

The distinction between AIS and AIP is one of scope.  AIP is the specific method, and the income it generates is AIS.

Knowing what AIS and AIP are, it is possible to look at them in details.

 

 

• • Easter Alternative Income Sources (EAIS)

 

There are many alternative income sources around Easter, including selling themed goods and decors, offering special services and participating in seasonal events.  With themes of Spring, rebirth, and celebration, the holiday offers a variety of opportunities for earning an extra income.

Among EAIS, there are four main categories we would like to consider here:

 

a) Seasonal Goods and Crafts

b) Event-based Services

c) General Services

d) Online and Digital Services.

 

Let us provide some highlights about each of them.

 

• • • Seasonal Goods and Crafts (SGCs)

 

SGCs are items and projects that are primarily available or relevant during specific times of the year.  These items often align with holidays, weather patterns, agricultural cycles, or cultural events.  Seasonal goods can include seasonal produce, crafts, and decorations that reflect the changing seasons.

For instance, the website ‘lifeinlilac.co.uk’ (10) provides a Guide to Seasonal Finds and Handmade Crafts.

Briefly speaking, SGCs include the following items:

 

~ Easter-themed baked goods (e.g., Selling special treats like decorate cupcakes)

~ Handmade decorations (e.g., Creating and selling personalised wooden eggs)

~ Custom Easter baskets (e.g., Selling custom-filled Easter baskets)

~ Eco-friendly goods (e.g., Standing out and creating sustainable crafts)

~ Floral arrangement (e.g., Becoming a freelance florist to create Easter-themed bouquets).

 

• • • Event-based Services (EbS)

 

EbS refer to the range of services that help event organizers execute their plans effectively.  These services can include logistical help, technical assistance, staffing, and vendor management.   Easter EbS encompass a variety of activities and entertainment options designed to create memorable experiences for attendees.

Among EbS, it can be noted the following ones:

 

~ Organize egg hunts (e.g., You can charge admission to host a community egg hunt at a local park)

~ Event planning (e.g., You can offer event planning services for Easter festivals)

~ Easter bunny performer (e.g., You can dress up as Easter Bunny for meet-and-greets at community events)

~ Easter photography (e.g., You can offer themed photography sessions for families).

 

• • • General Services (GS)

 

GS means, according to ‘lawinsider.com’ (11),

“Those services that are not Professional Services.  GS include, but are not limited to, janitorial, security guard, pest control, parking lot management, and landscaping services”.

Among the GS that one can think of include the following:

 

~ Spring cleaning services (e.g., One can offer gardening services to help people freshen up their homes and gardens)

~ Lawn care and landscaping (e.g., Offering general gardening maintenance)

~ Childcare and pet-sitting (e.g., Providing babysitting or pet-sitting services).

 

• • • Online and Digital Products (ODPs)

 

Online products are those goods and services bought or sold on the internet using a computer, smartphone, or other connected device.  This definition stems from that of ‘online shopping’ as given by ‘fabbuikdre.com’ (12).

A digital product is defined by ‘omnisend.com’ (13) as

“Downloadable or viewable content that you sell or use on a desktop or handheld device, such as a PDF download or a video course locked behind a membership site”.

The website ‘omnisend.com’ adds that

“Digital products are items you sell online that customers download or access through the internet.  Ebooks, course videos, Lightroom presets, Notion templates, printable planners – anything delivered electronically rather than shipped a box”.

Similarly, ‘shopify.com’ (14) argues that

“Digital products are goods that exist in a digital format.  These include ebooks, music, video, digital art, software, online course, NFTs (Non-fungible tokens), AI-generated content, and virtual goods sold inside video games, like Roblox, or metaverse platforms”.

Based on the above-given definitions of ODPs, we can mention the following products:

 

~ Downloadable printables (e.g., You can create and sell digital Easter-themed printable assets)

~ Affiliate marketing (e.g., You can earn commission by promoting Easter-related products)

~ Online courses (e.g., You can create an online course on a particular platform to teach people how to make Easter decorations).

 

As the above information shows, there are many sources of alternative income that one can try to generate or earn a little extra income during Easter season and beyond.  However, to do it one may need to have a project, an AIP.

 

• • Easter Alternative Income Project (EAIP)

 

EAIP is a SMART (that is, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) and detailed undertaking or plan you create to implement your income source (that is, a specific method or activity to be used to generate additional income during the holiday/Easter season).  EAIP has a defined start and end date, usually within the Easter period (e.g., the two weeks Easter Holiday).

EAIP is also temporary income-generating initiative or side hustle that leverages the increased consumer demand and celebratory mood of the Easter holiday season to generate extra cash for those who see it as a business opportunity.

EAIP – which is a temporary, a defined mechanism, a specific undertaking designed to create a one-time or limited-duration income stream – can become a new source of income (that is, a permanent category that describes the origin of a person’s regular earnings).

However, whether it is about EAIS or EAIP, one needs to plan to measure their performance as a result of investing in them.

 

• • Key Performance Metrics for Easter Alternative Income Sources and Projects

 

One thing is to identify a possible source for Easter alternative income or to translate this source into a project.  Another is to have quantifiable, numerical measures to track, compare, and assess the performance, status or quality of that source or project.  To do that, those who would like to engage with E2026AIS&P need to use metrics.  There are metrics for measuring Easter Alternative Income Sources and Projects.

 

• • • Metrics for measuring Easter Alternative Income Sources

 

Metrics for measuring Easter Alternative Income Sources (for households) focus on evaluating the profitability, efficiency, and time investment of seasonal, short-term economic activities compared to regular income.  These metrics help determine if activities like Spring cleaning services, crafting, or hosting Easter events are financially beneficial.

Key metrics for Easter Income Streams will include the following:

 

σ Net Income per Activity

σ Return on Time Invested (ROTI)

σ Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Efficiency

σ Percentage of Monthly Income

σ Customer Acquisition Cost

Etc.

 

For instance, one can measure Spring services like gardening, window cleaning, or lawn mowing.

There are also Performance Indicators for Household Financial Health that are quite useful.  Among them are

 

σ Savings Ratio Increase

σ Seasonal Budget Variance

σ Cash Flow Timing

Etc.

 

The above-mentioned metrics are necessary to evaluate whether one’s chosen Easter income-generating activities provide meaningful income or merely cover seasonal costs, and whether they are worth repeating them in future seasons or not.

 

• • • Metrics for measuring Easter Alternative Income Projects

 

Metrics for measuring Easter Alternative Income Projects (for households) cover financial gains, operational efficiency, and social impact.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) include net income generated, return on investment and the number of beneficiaries reached.

However, metrics can be of various kinds depending on what a particular household wants to measure.  They can be financial, operational, social and impact, or simply Easter-specific performance.

 

a) Financial Metrics

They are related to income generation and profitability.  Among them are the following ones:

 

σ Net Household Income

σ Return on Investment

σ Gross Profit Margin

σ Increase in Household Disposable Income

σ Average Income per Participant.

 

b) Operational Metrics

Operational metrics, which are for EAIP performance and efficiency, include the following:

 

σ Cost per Beneficiary

σ Rate of Project Completion/Attendance

σ Sales Conversion Rate

σ Inventory Turnover.

 

c) Social and Impact Metrics

They include

 

σ Number of Households Participating

σ Percentage of Participants Reporting

σ Skill Acquisition Rate

σ Gender Balance of Participants

σ Sustainability Score.

 

d) Easter-specific Performance Metrics

They consist of

 

σ Volume of Easter Products Sold

σ Peak Sales Time

σ Customer Satisfaction Score.

 

Those who would like to set an EAIP, they need to plan to collect both quantitative and qualitative data about their projects.  This double collection will enable them to carry out effective monitoring and evaluation of their EAIP.

 

• • Monitoring and Evaluating Your Project to Create an Alternative Income Source

 

• • • What do Monitoring and Evaluation track?

 

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for your project (e.g., selling handmade Easter crafts, seasonal baking, etc.) to create an alternative income source tracks progress (monitoring) and assesses effectiveness (evaluation) to ensure your financial goals are met. 

Monitoring tracks daily sales, participation adoption rates, and income generation against planned goals.  M&E helps ensure efficiency and impact by measuring progress and, if necessary, making in-flight adjustments.

 

• • • Types of monitoring 

 

Monitoring can be on results, process, finance, participation, or survey methods.  

 

• • • What are the key methods for Monitoring and Evaluation?

 

Key M&E methods to use include attendance records, questionnaires, budget trackers, surveys, and focus group discussions to gauge the livelihood improvement.

For E2026AISP, there will be tracking of KPIs, checking of attendance and participation records, using case studies and focus groups, monitoring inputs (i.e., resources), and reviewing budgets.

 

• • • Planning for Monitoring and Evaluation

 

As part of the M&E plan, project owners need to use KPIs, collect data and report on project performance against aims.  They can use M&E metrics to track economic gains and social impact.  There are metrics linked to inputs (resources), output (immediate results), outcome (changes in behaviour or conditions), and impact (long-term changes).

For instance, these metrics could be increased household income, number of new products created, training attendance, participant profit margins, and adoption of new skills.

In short, M&E helps to know if E2026AIS&P is financially viable and the alternative income source is effective, allowing for adjustments to be made to increase success.

 

The above information only provides the essential aspects of E2026AIS&P.  For those who would like the full coverage of E2026AIS&P, they can ask to CENFACS about it.

 

• • Contacting CENFACS for This Easter/Spring Support

 

Those who have an Easter Alternative Income Source and would like to transform it into an Easter Alternative Income Project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.   We can as well look at their project proposals if they have already got any.

We can work together with them to make their Easter income dreams come true.

For further details about E2026AIS&Ps; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/12/what-happened-cop30-whats-next/ (accessed in March 2026)

(2) https://unfccc.int/cop31 (accessed in March 2026)

(3) https://www.wri.org/insights/cop30-outcomes-next-steps (accessed in March 2026)

(4) https://cop31.co.uk (accessed in March 2026)

(5) https://earth.ac.uk/the-road-to-antalya-reflection-on-the-outcomes-of-cop30-and-key-considerations-for-cop31/ (accessed in March 2026)

(6) https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-a-climate-activist-and-what-do-they-do (6)

(7) https://nvpc.org.sg’/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Guide-To-Impact-Measurement.pdf (accessed in March 2026)

(8) https://www.projectmanagertemplate.com/post/what-is-project-implementation-a-complete-guide (accessed in March 2026)

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

(10) https://www.lifeinlilac.co.uk/winter-markets-uk-a-guide-to-seasonal-finds-and-handmade-crafts (accessed in March 2026)

(11) https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/general-services (accessed in March 2026)

(12) https://fabbuikdre.com/blogs/what-is-online-store-and-types/ (accessed in March 2026)

(13) https://www.omnisend.com/blog/what-is-digital-product/ (accessed in March 2026)

(14) https://www.shopify.com/blog/digital-products (accessed in March 2026)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

11 March 2026

Post No. 447

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project – Activity 3 (from 11 to 17/03/2026): Matching Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation

• Climate Action 2 – In Focus from 09 to 15/03/2026: Advocate for Science-based Policies

• Activity/Task 3 of the “A” Project: Replace High-emission Systems with Low-carbon, Sustainable Alternatives

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project –

Activity 3 (from 11 to 17/03/2026): Matching Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation

 

Both African Charity Investee (ACI)/Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor scored enough points in the Second Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project.  They managed to overcome the stumbling block which was revolving around conceptual design for ACI/ASCO and technical design for NFP Impact Investor.  They aligned their positions as ACI/ASCO agreed and will commit to translate the idea of SWP into a viable technical roadmap that will satisfy the NFP Impact Investor demands for risk mitigation, scalability, and market readiness.  To that effect, ACI/ASCO will employ a number of strategies (such as aligning with investment milestones, conducting rigorous technical due diligence, and utilizing prototyping) to validate technical feasibility.  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 Design and Action Planning to be presented by ACI/ASCO, and on Project Financing and Capital Allocation to be argued by the NFP Impact Investor before the start of any water works that deem necessary for the Sustainable Water Project (SWP).

Regarding the Project Design and Action Planning to be presented by ACI/ASCO, Project Design will be about establishing SWP’s goals, structure, and overall plan before execution begins while Action Planning will show how ACI/ASCO will translate it into a business plan.

Concerning Project Financing and Capital Allocation, Project Financing will be about the funds or capital to be raised for SWP and to be provided by NFP Impact Investor whereas Capital Allocation will be about how capital is distributed within ACI/ASCO and how will it be for SWP.

Both ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor would like to reach an agreement through Project Design and Action Planning for ACI/ASCO and Project Financing and Capital Allocation for the NFP Impact Investor.  In other words, they need to align their positions.  Aligning ACI’s/ASCO’s Project Design and Action Planning with NFP Impact Investor‘s Project Financing and Capital Allocation involves creating a milestone-based, transparent framework where capital is released in stages upon the achievement of verifiable, agreed-upon technical and water poverty-relieving targets.  This alignment will turn capital or funds received or raised into investment-related actions by bridging the gap between SWP strategic goals, project management, and SWP reporting.

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 09 to 15/03/2026: Advocate for Science-based Policies and the Reduction of Climate Poverty

 

This Second Climate Action is Advocating for Science-based Policies.  Advocating for Science-based Policies is essential for reducing climate risks and accelerating the transition to low-carbon and resilient economy.  It ensures that policies are effective, reducing the chance of investing in suboptimal or ineffective solutions.  Also, such advocacy helps build trust in both government and scientific institutions.

In order to take this action, we are going to cover the following points:

 

~ What is climate advocacy?

~ What is a science-based climate policy?

~ The links between Advocating for Science-based Policies and Climate Poverty Reduction

~ Working with CENFACS Community members to advocate for science-based climate policies.

 

Let us uncover each of these headings.

 

• • What Is Climate Advocacy?

 

The meaning of climate advocacy used here comes from ‘meegle.com’ (1) which explains that

“Climate advocacy refers to the concerted efforts to influence public opinion, policy decisions, and industry practices towards sustainable environmental stewardship.  It encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at raising awareness about climate change, promoting environmental policies, and encouraging sustainable practices at the individual and organizational levels.  At its core, climate advocacy seeks to bridge the gap between scientific understanding and actionable change, empowering communities and stakeholders to take meaningful steps towards reducing their carbon footprint”.

Climate advocacy is part of some the works we do within CENFACS, notably with our initiative known as Climate Protection and Stake for African Children; initiative which features the Climate Action Month within CENFACS.

 

• • What Is a Science-based Climate Policy?

 

On the website ‘corpgov.law.harvard.edu’ (2), it is stated that

“Science-based policy aligns policy efforts with the latest climate science to limit global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, with immediate and rapid emissions reductions in every sector of the economy, halving emissions by 2030 and achieving ‘net-zero’ emissions in the US and other industrialized nations by 2050 at the latest”.

Our Climate Action 2 falls within the scope of this statement.

 

• • The Links between Advocating for Science-based Policies and Climate Poverty Reduction

 

Advocating for science-based policies and reducing climate-driven poverty are deeply interconnected, as the most vulnerable populations often bear the heaviest and direct burden of adverse climate change.  Science-based policies provide the evidence necessary to create targeted and effective strategies that simultaneously mitigate environmental damage, foster sustainable development, and build resilience in low-income communities.

Science-based policies can help…

 

# Identify risks of climate change

# Develop ‘triple win’ solutions (i.e., reducing emissions, enhancing resilience to climate change, and promoting economic development)

# Create inclusive green economies

# Prevent ‘lock-in’ to vulnerability or fossil fuel dependence

# Strengthen resilience by reducing both poverty and climate vulnerability.

 

So, Advocating for Science-based Policies can ensure that climate action is not just an environmental imperative, but a direct and effective strategy for eradicating poverty.

 

• • Working with the Community on Advocating for Science-based Policies

 

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.

Working with our members to advocate for science-based climate policies can be done by bridging the gap between complex climate science and actionable, locale or mission-aligned steps.  This will involve the following:

 

# Educating and building capacity of our members on the links between climate change and CENFACS’ mission (this can be done via workshops, raising awareness, newsletter information and advice, etc.)

# Providing or signposting them to training (e.g., carbon literacy training) for political advocacy

# Leveraging digital tools to organize collective action

# Mobilizing members for action (e.g., digital mobilization) to combat misinformation

# Co-creating and engaging together through community events

# Collaborating and networking to share resources

Etc.

 

We can work together with them to transform their passive support into active, informed and effective advocacy that drives both community-level and structural climate action.

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Advocating for Science-based Policies as well as on Climate Poverty Reduction; 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.

 

 

• Activity/Task 3 of the “A” Project: Replace High-emission Systems with Low-carbon, Sustainable Alternatives

 

Both Year of Alternatives and Climate Action Month within CENFACS have some relationships.  Their relationships can be explained through the link between climate action and alternatives.

Indeed, climate action and alternatives are linked by the need to replace high-emission systems (like fossil fuels) with low carbon and sustainable options (such as renewable energy, ethical consumption, and active green travel) to reduce emissions, improve public health, and drive economic, social and environmental benefits.  These alternatives often provide eco-benefits – positive impacts beyond climate, such reduced poverty, better air quality, and stronger ecosystems.

There are many usage examples of Replacing High-emission Systems with Low-carbon, Sustainable Alternatives, like the following ones:

 

~ Replacing coal and oil with solar, wind, or nuclear power

~ Switching to plant-based diets, reducing energy consumption, buying ethical products

~ Restoring wetlands and forests as natural carbon sinks rather than relying solely on engineered solutions.

 

The above makes up Activity/Task 3 of the “A” Project.

 

• • What Does This Activity/Task 3 of the “A” Project Consist of?

 

It involves transforming infrastructure to rely on renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and shifting from fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, gas) to cleaner alternatives.  These changes do not happen by themselves or by chance.  An engagement is required.

 

• • Engaging with Activity/Task 3 of the “A” Project

 

To engage with it, there are both individual and organizational actions.  By focusing on individual actions, the following ones can be taken:

 

~ Adopting renewable energy sources

~ Enhancing energy efficiency

~ Leveraging circular economic practices to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials.

 

Those who would like to engage with this Activity/Task can go ahead with it.

For those who need some help before embarking on this Activity/Task, they can speak to CENFACS.

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

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 11/03/2026: Fraud Detection

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Appraisal

• Wednesday 11/03/2026: Key Activity 4 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Financial Tracking Tools and Apps

 

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 11/03/2026: Fraud Detection

 

The third AI-powered financial tracking, monitoring and control tool of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is on Fraud Detection.  To start with Fraud Detection, let us first provide its meaning and explain how AI-powered tools and techniques can intervene as part of Fraud Detection and how CENFACS can work with households on it.

 

• • What Is Fraud Detection?

 

Fraud Detection can be explained in many ways.   According to ‘spiceworks.com’ (3),

“Fraud detection is a process that detects and prevents fraudsters from obtaining money or property through false means.  It is a set of activities undertaken to detect and block the attempt of fraudsters from obtaining money or property fraudulently”.

Another definition of Fraud Detection comes from ‘ibm.com’ (4),

“Fraud detection is the process of identifying suspicious activity that indicates criminal theft of money, data or resources might be underway.  It is commonly performed by fraud detection software that monitors transaction, applications, APIs and user behaviour”.

Examples of Fraud include credit card theft to investment scams, account takeovers, money laundering, etc.

 

• • Techniques to Detect Fraudsters

 

There are many techniques to detect frausters.  Among these techniques are data analysis-based techniques and AI (Artificial Intelligence) or AI-based techniques.  In these Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences for Households, we will consider AI-based fraud detection techniques only.

 

• • Households’ AI-powered Financial Tools to Detect Fraud

 

Households can use AI-powered financial tools to detect fraud by leveraging real-time monitoring, behavioural analysis, and automated alerts to catch suspicious activity faster than traditional methods.  These tools analyze spending habits, location, and transaction velocity to identify anomalies – such as unusual purchases in a foreign country – and can automatically trigger alerts or freeze amounts to prevent further loss.

Households can implement and use AI-powered fraud detection in a number of ways like the following ones:

 

a) Real-time Transaction Monitoring and Alerting

Households can implement Instant Anomaly Detection (AI-powered tools monitoring bank accounts and credit cards in real-time), Immediate Notifications (AI can immediately alert households for suspicious transactions), and Account Freezing (AI systems can freeze accounts when high-risk and unusual activity is detected).

 

b) Behavioural Analytics for Identity Protection

Households can use Behavioural Baselining (AI learns the normal spending habits of household members to identify deviations from these habits), Account Takeover Detection (AI can prevent unauthorized access from login attempt), and Biometrical Verification (AI can use facial recognition or voice patterns to verify identity).

 

c) Protection against Specific Fraud Types

Households can implement Authorized Push Payment Scams (AI can monitor for signs of coercion), Credi Card Fraud (AI can analyze transaction patterns to detect stolen card usage), and Phishing Detection (AI can analyze email and chat messages to identify phishing attempts).

 

d) Implementing and Using Tools

Households can instead implement and use Fintech Apps and Bank Toos (Households can enable the features of these apps and tools to protect them), Third-party AI Tools (Specialized tools like Sift or Feedzai can also be used), and Data Integration (Households can link their financial accounts – bank, credit cards and investment – to a central AI-powered tracking tool).

 

By implement and using the above-mentioned AI-powered tools, households can continuously track, monitor, and control their finances and accounts.

 

• • Working with Households on Fraud Detection in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools

 

CENFACS is not a bank or building society or a financial institution that can provide facilities to its members to detect and protect against fraud.  CENFACS can – under some circumstances – work with households through the integration of AI-powered tools to detect fraud in the financial tracking, monitoring and controls of their accounts. 

CENFACS can work together with them to enhance the financial management of their accounts, providing them with the necessary support to navigate their financial challenges and achieve their financial goals.

CENFACS can work with them to identify suspicious activity that may result in their money, data or resources being stolen.

CENFACS can encourage them to use these AI-powered and life-saving tools, to move beyond passive budgeting spreadsheets to actively monitoring their financial transactions, to interact with them to prevent overspending and theft, manage debt and optimize savings to reduce poverty as the lack of knowledge about AI-powered tools and capabilities.

For any queries and/or enquiries about Fraud Detection in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Likewise, those who want further information or clarification about AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences; they are welcome to communicate with CENFACS.

In addition, if you have financial planning problems, you can speak to CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you stay financially stronger.

 

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – 

Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Appraisal

 

To carry out this step/workshop 4, we are going to deal with the two main items of it, which are

 

a) Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects (4.1)

b) Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your All-Year-Round Projects Appraisal (4.2).

 

• • Appraising an All-Year-Round Project (AYRP)

 

An AYRP Appraisal is a continuous and ongoing process of assessing a project’s viability, performance, and strategic alignment throughout its entire lifecycle, rather than just at the beginning.

While traditional appraisal often happens once before a project starts (pre-feasibility) or once after it ends (post-mortem), an all-year-round approach ensures that the project remains aligned with your goals, stays within budget, and meets its objectives as circumstances change.

The key components of your AYRP Appraisal will include ongoing monitoring and evaluation, formative evaluation, and re-forecasting and alignment.

Techniques to be used in this case will be regular milestones review, real-time dashboards, key stakeholder check-ins, financial and operational re-evaluation.

In short, AYRP Appraisal transforms the process from a passive, one-off bureaucratic exercise into an active and strategic project management tool.

 

• • • 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 and monitor your health, 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. 

Although in the above examples/options we made as it looks like one-off exercise or once-for-all appraisal, one can adopt an AYR approach.  Adopting such an approach it will help in improving decision-making process, proactively solving problems, increasing flexibility, as well as providing transparency and accountability.

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.

To complete your AYRP Appraisal, one needs to integrate TVIs into it.

 

• • Integration 4: TVIs into Your AYRP Appraisal

 

Integrating TVIs – encompassing social, environmental, and economic impact (People, Planet, Prosperity) – into an AYRP Appraisal requires embedding these pillars into the entire project lifecycle rather than treating them as a one-time check.  This involves setting measurable goals, using consistent metrics, and engaging stakeholders continuously to ensure long-term value creation.

To integrate TVIs into an AYRP, one needs to follow some steps relating to each phase of project appraisal.

 

a) Pre-project and Concept Phase

At this phase, one needs to define Triple Bottom Line (i.e., People, Planet, Prosperity) in the project charter and requirement, actively engage stakeholders, and set measurable targets.

 

b) Appraisal Phase

This is the phase to integrate decision-making by using tools like Local Needs Analysis, embed into procurement (tenders and contracts), and balance priorities.

 

c) Implementation and Monitoring

It is the phase of tracking social and environmental key performance indicators of your AYRP, adopting frameworks (like Social Value Measurement or Economic-Social-Governance metrics), and creating a steering group.

 

d) Review and Evaluation

In this phase, an AYRP user will regularly report on their projects, review them against long-term goals, adopt a ‘comply or explain’ approach to ensure transparency in their reporting.

 

By following these steps, an AYRP user will show that they are taking sustainability seriously in the implementation of their projects.

 

• • Working with AYRP Users on TVI integration

 

CENFACS can work with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their project tools and lifecycle thinking processes.  This will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the appraisal of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project appraisal and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

 

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

 

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects, as well as the integration of TVIs into these projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Appraisal as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project Appraisal, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Wednesday 11/03/2026: Key Activity 4 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Financial Tracking Tools and Apps

 

To start this week’s campaign, let us first explain Financial Tracking Tools and Apps for Households, and provide some usage examples of these tools.

 

• • What Are Financial Tracking Tools and Apps?

 

Financial Tracking Tools and Apps for Households are digital solutions – apps, software, and spreadsheets – that automate expenses tracking, budget creation, and net worth monitoring by securely linking to bank accounts.  In other words, they are digital platforms – like Euna, Plum, and Monzo – that automate personal finance management by connecting to bank accounts to monitor income, categorize expenses, and track savings goals.

They provide real-time insights into spending habits, enabling users/households to create budgets, analyze financial health, and optimize saving and investing, and replacing manual spreadsheets.  They help households effectively manage their finances.

There are plenty resources or solutions for households to use depending on household interest and budget.

 

• • Usage Examples of Financial Tracking Tools and Apps

 

Among these usages, it is worth mentioning the following ones:

Automated budgeting, savings automation, envelope-style budgeting, net worth and investment tracking, manual tracking or spreadsheets.

Within these usages, there are particular financial tools. 

For instance, for a household wanting to automate their budget, they can use apps like Emma or Monarch Money sync with bank accounts to automatically categorize their spending and allow them to track expenses against set monthly limits.

In this campaign, the focus is on modern financial tools, like the following:

 

# Open Banking Integration: Securely connects to bank accounts for real-time transaction updates

# AI-powered Insights: There are apps that provide personalized suggestions to save money and reduce spending (e.g., Snoop)

# Joint Account Functionality: Allows a couple to track share household expenses

# Goal Setting: Helps track progress towards savings, debt repayment, or investment targets.

 

To find the right tools and apps to track their finances, households need to consider their features, usability, cost and security.  This campaign is about working with them to make the right choice for the right tool and apps.

Those may be interested in this Key Activity 4 and need some Financial Tracking Tools and Apps, they can contact CENFACS.

Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

• Objectif du Mois : Réduction de la Pauvreté Écologique

Pour comprendre cet objectif, laissez-nous vous l’expliquer.

• • Qu’est-ce que la pauvreté écologique ?

Dans les travaux sur la pauvreté, la pauvreté écologique désigne une situation où des communautés humaines sont piégées dans la pauvreté en raison d’un environnement dégradé, caractérisé par un manque de ressources naturelles essentielles telles que l’eau potable, les terres fertiles et la biodiversité. Il s’agit souvent d’un cercle vicieux où la dégradation de l’environnement freine la croissance économique, entraînant une raréfaction accrue des ressources. La pauvreté écologique se manifeste par un manque de besoins fondamentaux comme l’accès à une alimentation saine, à des soins de santé adéquats et à un environnement sain.

Les populations peuvent se retrouver prises au piège de la pauvreté écologique, situation dans laquelle les régions à faibles revenus, aux ressources biologiques épuisées, n’ont plus les moyens d’importer des ressources, ce qui entraîne un déclin économique et environnemental continu.

Pourtant, la pauvreté écologique, tout comme le piège de la pauvreté écologique, peut être réduite. C’est notre objectif pour le Mois de l’Action Climatique – mars 2026.

• • Réduire la pauvreté écologique

Réduire le manque d’accès aux ressources naturelles propres et la vulnérabilité à la dégradation de l’environnement exige d’intégrer le développement durable aux efforts de réduction de la pauvreté, notamment par la promotion des emplois verts, l’investissement dans les énergies renouvelables et le renforcement de la résilience climatique des communautés vulnérables. Parmi les stratégies pouvant servir à cette fin figurent la gestion durable et localisée des ressources, la réduction de la consommation à fortes émissions et la transition vers une économie circulaire. Ces stratégies peuvent contribuer à atteindre l’objectif du mois.

• • Implications du choix de l’objectif du mois

Après avoir choisi l’objectif du mois, nous concentrons nos efforts et notre attention sur celui-ci en veillant à l’appliquer concrètement dans notre vie quotidienne. Nous attendons également de nos donateurs/rices qu’ils/elles s’engagent pour cet objectif en y contribuant et en soutenant les personnes susceptibles de souffrir du type de pauvreté lié à l’objectif du mois (par exemple, mars 2026).

Pour plus d’informations sur l’objectif du mois, sa procédure de sélection, les moyens de le soutenir et comment y contribuer, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

Main Development

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project –

Activity 3 (from 11 to 17/03/2026): Matching Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation

 

This third round of talks consists of agreeing on Project Design and Action Planning to be presented by ACI/ASCO, and on Project Financing and Capital Allocation to be argued by the NFP Impact Investor before the start of any water works that deem necessary for the Sustainable Water Project (SWP).

Regarding the Project Design and Action Planning to be presented by ACI/ASCO, Project Design will involve establishing SWP’s goals, structure, and overall plan before execution begins while Action Planning will show how ACI/ASCO will translate this planning into a business plan.

Concerning Project Financing and Capital Allocation, Project Financing will be about the funds or capital to be raised for SWP and to be provided by NFP Impact Investor whereas Capital Allocation will be about how capital is distributed within ACI/ASCO and how will it be for SWP.

To summarise what is going to happen at the level of this Activity 3, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

 

σ Activity 3 Matching Concepts 

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning (PD & AP)

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation (PF & CA)

σ Reaching an Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

Let us look at each of these headings.

 

• • Activity 2 Matching Concepts 

 

There are four key concepts making this Activity 3, which are: project design, action planning, project financing, and capital allocation.

Concerning design, both ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor sorted their difference on it in Activity 2 when the former argued for conceptual design and the latter for technical design.  Consequently, ACI/ASCO will simply speak about project design in this Activity 3.

Let us now explain the four concepts.

 

• • • Project Design

 

Project design can be approached from various ways.  The website ‘asana.com’ (5) argues that

“Project design is an early phase of the project lifecycle where ideas, processes, resources, and deliverables are planned out.  A project design comes before a project plan, as it is a broad overview whereas a project plan includes more detailed information”.

Approaching it from the perspective of project management, ‘plaky.com’ (6) explains that

“Design in project management refers to establishing the project’s goals, structure, and overall plan before the execution begins”.

The same ‘plaky.com’ adds that

“The required elements of project design can vary depending on the project scope, nature, and complexity, but the following core ingredients are generally present in most cases: Project goals, Stakeholder identification, Resource planning, Timeline and milestones, Risk management plan, and monitoring approval”.

These approaches to project design will be included in the matching talks.

 

• • • Action Planning

 

The definition used here for action planning comes from ‘england.nhs.uk’ (7) which argues that

“Action planning is the process that guides the day-to-day activities of an organisation or project.  It is the process of planning what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, by whom it needs to be done, and what resources or inputs are needed to do it.  It is the process of operationalizing your strategic objectives.  That is why it is also called operational planning when an action plan or an operational plan are presented as the basis for a funding proposal, or for a loan application, or to get others to buy into a process or project in some way, they are referred to as business plan”.

Various elements of this definition of action planning will be featured in the negotiating talks between ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor.

 

• • • Project Financing

 

The definition of financing is given by ‘thefreedictionary.com’ (8) which states that

“Financing is the act of providing or raising funds or capital, or funds or capital provided by investors or lenders”.

Talking about project finance, the website ‘pw.live’ (9) goes further by arguing that

“At its core, project finance is the arrangement of financing based on the projected cash flows of a particular project, rather than the balance sheet of the project sponsor.  The project is structured as a separate legal entity, a special purpose vehicle, which is responsible solely for the project’s development, construction, and operation.  Lenders look primarily to the project’s future revenue as the source of repayment, with project assets and contracts serving as collateral”.

Types of project financing include debt financing, equity financing, funding, crowdfunding, sponsorship, venture capital, etc.  In the SWP, what ACI/ASCO is looking is funding or crowdfunding.

There are metrics that are used to deal with project finance for charity which can be employed in matching negotiations.  These metrics focus on measuring the financial sustainability, efficiency and impact of specific and time-bound initiatives rather than just the overall organisation.  Among these metrics, it is worth mentioning these below:

Fundraising Return on Investment, Programme Expense Ratio, Cost Per Beneficiary, Restricted versus Unrestricted Funding Ratio, etc.

In the context of the SWP, ACI/ASCO can monitor these metrics by using a dashboard and take data-driven decisions on the SWP.

 

• • • Capital allocation

 

To explain capital allocation, we can refer to its definition in the context of not-for-profit organisations as provided by ‘fastercapital.com’ (10).  According to the latter,

“Capital allocation refers to the strategic distribution of resources across various initiatives, programmes, and activities to achieve the maximum return on investment (ROI).  This involves balancing the need for equity, growth, and continuity with limited financial resources, making it an essential aspect of any nonprofit’s financial management strategy”.

Capital allocation also involves directing financial resources towards projects, programmes, or investments that maximize social impact while maintaining financial sustainability.

There are metrics to deal with charity capital allocation which can be used in these matching talks; metrics which are:

 

a) Financial Health and Efficiency Metrics (FHEMs)

FHEMs ensure that the charity has the capacity to operate and is using funds effectively.  Amongst these metrics, we can mention the following ones:

Programme Efficiency Ratio, Working Capital divided by Reserve Ratio, Fundraising Efficiency, Revenue Reliability divided by Composition, Cash Flow from Operations, Liabilities to Assets Ratio, etc.

 

b) Investment and Asset Management Metrics (IAMMs)

IAMMs will be useful for ACI/ASCO if the latter has endowments or long-term investments.  Among IAMMs, we can retain these ones below:

Total Return on Investment, Inflation-adjusted Returns, Sharpe Ratio, Cash-on-Hand by Liquidity Ratio, Asset Allocation, etc.

 

c) Impact and Performance Metrics (IPMs)

IPMs help allocate capital to the most effective programmes.  Examples of IPMs are as follows:

Cost-Effectiveness, Programme Expense Growth, Donor Retention Ratio, Impact Return, etc.

 

ACI/ASCO can use the above-mentioned metrics to create its Investment Policy Statement.

 

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning (PD & AP)

 

At this stage, we can go back to Lifecycle Thinking Tools as explained by Jennifer R. McConville and James R. Miheleic (11) to state that PD & AP uncover logistical constraints that affect the feasibility of the selected design.   PD & AP stage is also of finalisation of the details for the technical design and implementation plan.

Concerning PD, ACI/ASCO needs to create the best possible project design to increase its chance of winning any NFP Impact Investor.  It is required to have clear, measurable social and environmental key performance indicators, and map them directly to the NFP Impact Investor‘s financial risk and impact goals.  It also has to adopt blended finance models, use impact reporting to demonstrate accountability, and integrate ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria into the SWP design.

For instance, ACI’s/ASCO’s project design can follow the steps recommended by ‘charityvillage.com’ (12), which are:

 

Step 1: Conduct a needs assessment

Step 2: Conduct a stakeholder analysis

Step 3: Conduct a problem analysis

Step 4: Document project design.

 

Additionally, ASCO has to demonstrate that it has a project design framework.  It can use key metrics for SWP design in Africa, such as water-borne disease incidence, water access and coverage, community ownership and participation, willingness to pay for water, etc.

Regarding AP, ACI’s/ASCO’s action planning is, in fact, a business plan for SWP.  ACI/ASCO will need to show how it is going to convert its action planning into a business plan.  Its action plan will consist of the following pieces:

A statement (of what must be achieved), a spelling of the steps that have to be followed, a schedule for each step and timing, a clarification of responsibilities and the inputs/resources needed.

 

ACI/ASCO can as well refer to action planning metrics such as increased access to basic water sanitation, reduced water-related diseases, and improved water-use efficiency.  These metrics will show that SWP will focus on enhancing water security (as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6), improving infrastructure, and increasing financial investment.

The NFP Impact Investor will study ACI’s/ASCO’s basic model for building up action plan. He/she will look at how ACI/ASCO will translate its action plan into a business plan.

 

• • Not-for-profit Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation (PF & CA)

 

The NFP Impact Investor will provide the necessary capital in the form of blending philanthropic grants with social investment to make the project bankable.  This involves securing funding not just for the construction of water infrastructure but also for long-term operational costs to ensure the infrastructure does not fall.

As far as PF is concerned, the NFP Impact Investor will study the SWP cash flows, structure, fundraising strategy, future revenue, assets and contracts.  He/she can use its capital to de-risk the SWP, making it attractive for further investment while ensuring ACI’s/ASCO’s mission is upheld.

At this stage, there could be a combination of grants and investments through the use of donor-funded grants (from ACI/ASCO) to fund the risky early-stage feasibility studies or initial infrastructures, while impact capital funds the operational phase.

With regards to CA, the NFP Impact Investor will study ACI’s/ASCO’s distribution, re-distribution and investment of financial resources to further its charity objects or mission.  He/she will check if this distribution allows ACI/ASCO to build a strong foundation, adapt to changing water market conditions as well as increase its resilience.

In these negotiations, ACI/ASCO needs to demonstrate that its capital allocation will enable this distribution to happen.  ACI/ASCO can provide or explain its Investment Policy Statement, aligning capital allocation with ACI’s/ASCO’s mission, risk tolerance and liquidity needs.

 

• • Reaching an Agreement 

 

Reaching an agreement in the water sector between ACI/ASCO (focused on community impact, water access and water poverty reduction) and NFP Impact Investor (concentrated on sustainable and scalable solutions) requires bridging the gap between grant-based, mission-driven work and market-based financial sustainability.  It also means aligning metrics on sustainability.  In other words, the NFP Impact Investor requires financial sustainability while ACI/ASCO needs social impact.  Both parties should adopt standardized frameworks to measure both social outcomes (water access) and financial results.

They should as well shift from purely charitable and free-water models to sustainable and low-cost user-free models that allow for maintenance and replacement of infrastructure, reducing dependance on foreign aid.

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach an agreement on the contents of PD & AP for the former and on those of PF & CA for the latter.  If there is a disagreement between ASCO and NFP Impact Investor, this could open up the possibility for a match/fit test.  The match/fit test can be carried out to try to help the two sides of the matching process.  The match/fit test can also be undertaken if there is a disagreement on any of aspects of SWP.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test Service

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ACI’s or ASCOs’ PD & AP Stage the better for ACIs or ASCOs.  It means that ACI’s or ASCOs’ process must pass the attractiveness test (that is, the evaluation of market’s appeal).  Likewise, the more ACIs or ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SWP 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 Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via SWP.

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

 

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

 

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

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

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses 

 

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

 

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

 

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

In the current case of Matching Organisation’s Project Design and Action Planning with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Financing and Capital Allocation, hypotheses can be tested around de-risking, revenue modeling and stakeholder engagement.  Key testable hypotheses will focus on whether community-led design, blended finance structures, and sustainable, revenue-generating models (e.g., water kiosks) will attract more capital, improve long-term viability and deliver measurable, sustainable social impact compared to traditional aid models.

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

For any queries and/or enquiries about this Third Stage (or Phase) Activity of Matching Organisation-Investor via SWP, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.meegle.com/en_us/topics/carbon/climate-advocacy (accessed in March 2026)

(2) https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2020/08/03/blueprint-for-responsible-policy-engagement-on-climate-change/#:~:text=… (accessed in March 2026)

(3) https://www.spiceworks.com/security/what-is-fraud-detection/ (accessed in March 2026)

(4) https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/fraud-detection (accessed in March 2026)

(5) https://asana.com/resources/project-design (accessed in November 2025)

(6) https://plaky.com/blog/project-design/ (accessed in March 2026)

(7) https://www.england.nhs.uk/improvement-hub/wp-content/uploads/sites/44/2018/06/An-Overview-of-Action-Planning.pdf (accessed in March 2026)

(8) https://www.thefreedictionary.com/financing (accessed in March 2026)

(9) https://www.pw.live/finance-courses/exams/project-finance (accessed in March 2026)

(10) https://fastercapital.com/articles/Capital-Allocation-Strategies-for-Nonprofit-Organizations.html (accessed in March 2026)

(11) McConville, J. R. & Miheleic, J. R., (2007), Adapting Lifecycle Thinking Tools to Evaluate Project Sustainability in International Water and Sanitation Development Work, Environmental Engineering Science, Volume 24, Number 7, 2007@Mary Ann Libert, In. DOI: 10.1089/ees.2006.0225

(12) https://resources.charityvillage.com/project-design-a-brief-how-to-guide-for-nonprofits-and-charities/ (accessed in March 2026)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

04 March 2026

Post No. 446

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Climate Actions 2026 – Theme: Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction

• Activity 2 of Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project: Matching Organisation’s Conceptual Designs and Feasibility Studies with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Feasibility Study and Technical Design 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 04/03/2026: Automated Communication

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Climate Actions 2026 –

Theme: Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction

 

Climate Actions 2026 within CENFACS will be about Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction.  It is also the theme for this month of March 2026.  The theme of Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction revolves around the importance of science in addressing the climate crisis and climate poverty, as well as advocating for effective climate and poverty reduction actions.  It emphasizes the need to stay grounded in science, advocate for evidence-based solutions, and freely share findings to ensure that the world benefits from the best solutions available.

However, what do we mean by Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction?

Standing with Climate Science means adopting a positive or taking actions that are fundamentally aligned with the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding the reality, causes, and urgency of climate change.  It involves basing actions, policies, and behaviours on evidence-based research rather than opinion or denial.

However, to Stand with Climate Science, one needs to know what Climate Science is.

 

• • What Is Climate Science?

 

Findings from research about the definition of Climate Change are many.  According to ‘acs.org’ (1),

“Climate science is the effort by humans to understand the natural forces that control the climate”.

In Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2), it is stated that

“Climate science investigates the structure and dynamics of earth’s climate systems.  It seeks to understand how global, regional and local climates are maintained as well as the processes by which they change over time.  In doing so, it employs observations and theory from a variety of domains, including meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry and more”.

These definitions of climate science will help in understanding of Standing with Climate Science.

We also need to stand with Climate Poverty Reduction.  Standing with Climate Poverty Reduction is about expressing active solidarity, support, and alignment with strategies that simultaneously fight climate change and alleviate poverty.  It signifies an understanding that climate action and poverty eradication are deeply interconnected, and that solutions to one often hinge on the other.

Indeed, climate change and poverty reduction are inseparable.  Failure to align the reduction of adverse climate change and poverty reduction can cause climate policies to hurt the poor or poverty to accelerate climate change.  In other words, efforts have to be made to achieve net-zero emissions while simultaneously lifting people out of poverty.

This standing with Climate Poverty Reduction will help undertake “triple win” actions – that is, actions that provide immediate development benefits (like climate poverty reduction), enhance resilience to climate shocks (i.e., adaptation), and lower emissions (i.e., mitigation).

This March 2026, we will be dealing with what we need to do to Stand with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction linked to climate change.  This involves the following:

 

a) Actively adopting sustainable habits

b) Advocating for science-based policies

c) Communicating the urgency 0f evidence-based, human-caused climate change

d) Engaging in grassroots activism

e) Sharing reputable information.

 

These above-mentioned actions will make up four key notes for our theme (of Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction) every Monday of March 2026 starting from 02 March 2026.  However, these notes will be released or published every Wednesday of March 2026 through our weekly posts.  The stated notes will be on our ‘standing’ on both climate science and climate poverty reduction.  They are:

 

a) Actively adopting sustainable habits

b) Advocating for science-based policies

c) Communicating the urgency 0f evidence-based, human-caused climate change and sharing reputable information.

d) Engaging in grassroots activism.

 

Additionally, during this year’s Month of Climate Actions we will broadly look at the outcomes from the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (3).  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 a Sustainable Water Project: Matching Organisation’s Conceptual Designs and Feasibility Studies with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Feasibility Study and Technical Design 

 

The second activity or episode of our 5-week Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor via Sustainable Water Project (SWP) is about Matching Organisation’s Conceptual Designs and Feasibility Studies with Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Feasibility Study and Technical Design.

Both African Charity Investee (ACI)/Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor have decided to move forward with the matching talks as they scored points each of them during Activity 1.  They agreed to move to Activity 2 of the matching process while finalising the little bits remaining from Activity 1 of the matching negotiations.

In this Activity 2, both parties will use the same concept, which is Feasibility Study.  However, their approaches differ when it comes to design or the design of SWP.  ASCO prefers to use the term ‘Conceptual Design‘, whereas NFP Impact Investor utilises the concept of ‘Technical Design‘.   To summarise what is going to happen at the level of this Activity 2, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

 

σ Activity 2 Matching Concepts 

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Conceptual Designs and Feasibility Studies (CD & FS)

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Feasibility Study and Technical Design (FS & TD)

σ Reaching an Agreement

σ The Match or Fit Test.

 

Let us look at each of these headings.

 

• • Activity 2 Matching Concepts 

 

There are three concepts making this Activity 2.  The first concept is feasibility study which both of them are using from their perspectives (ASCO’s/Investee’s perspective and the NFP Impact Investor‘s point of view).   The second one is design.  Because ASCO speaks about conceptual design and NFP Impact Investor prefers the term ‘technical design‘, this second concept can be split into second and third concepts.

Let us explain these concepts.

 

• • • Feasibility Study

 

Feasibility study is, according to ‘projectmanager.com’ (4),

“An assessment of the practicality of a proposed project plan or method.  This is done by analyzing technical, economic, legal, operational and time feasibility factors.  Just as the name implies, you are asking: Is this feasible?”.

The website ‘projectmanager.com’ adds the following:

“The main purpose of a feasibility study is to determine whether the project can be not only viable but also beneficial from a technical, financial, legal and market standpoint”.

For instance, the findings from ACI’s SWP feasibility study will be compiled in a feasibility report, which will include the following elements:

Executive Summary, Description of product/service (e.g., water), Technology considerations, Product/service marketplace, Marketing strategy, Organisation/staffing, Schedule, Financial projections, Findings and recommendations. 

 

• • • Project design 

 

Project design can be defined in many ways.  One way of defining it comes from ‘asana.com’ (5), which argues that

“Project design is an early phase of the project lifecycle where ideas, processes, resources, and deliverables are planned out.  A project design comes before a project plan, as it is a broad overview whereas a project plan includes more detailed information”.

Knowing project design, it is possible to explain conceptual design and technical design.

 

• • • • Conceptual design

 

It is stated on the website ‘designrush.com’ (6) that

“Conceptual design is the discipline exploration of what a product could be and why it should exist before you commit to detailed specs, tooling, or code”.

Another perception of conceptual design comes from ‘ester.co’ (7) which argues that

“Conceptual design is the bedrock of any design project.  It combines intangible, theoretical, and visual representations of an idea, while keeping the end goal in mind throughout the design process.  Rather than delving into specific details, conceptual design focuses on key design choices that provide a clear vision that can be integrated into other components of the project”.

As said earlier, ACI uses the term of conceptual design, whereas the NFP Impact Investor employs the concept of technical design in this Activity 2.

 

• • • • Technical design

 

The definition of technical design retained here comes from ‘fastercapital.com’ (8) which explains that

“Technical design is the process of planning, creating, and testing solutions that address a specific problem or goal… Technical design is important because it helps to ensure that the solutions are feasible, efficient, effective, and user-friendly.  It also helps to communicate the vision and requirements of the project to other stakeholders, such as clients, users, developers, and testers”.

There are differences and similarities between conceptual design and technical design.

 

• • • • Conceptual design vs technical design

 

The literature surveyed on the two terms indicates that conceptual design focuses on the initial high-level, “what” of a project (function, user experience, and vision), while technical design defines the detailed “how” (exact materials, specific dimensions, and engineering specifications).  Conceptual design defines the project’s goal through sketches and brainstorming, whereas technical design translates these into manufacturable, functional, and precise blueprints.

The differences between the two concepts also constitute the sticking points in the matching talks between ACI/ASCO and NFP Impact Investor.

In these negotiations, ASCO needs to demonstrate that it has properly designed its project and professionally planned its ideas, processes, resources and deliverables about the SWP.

 

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Conceptual Designs and Feasibility Studies (CD & FS)

 

Concerning feasibility study, ACI needs to demonstrate that it follows the appropriate steps relating to it.  For instance, it can provide evidence it has professionally handled the 7 feasibility study steps – as indicated by ‘projectmanager.com’ (op. cit.) – which are:

 

1] Conduct a preliminary analysis

2] Prepare a projected income statement

3] Conduct a market survey or preform market research

4] Plan business organisation and operations

5] Prepare in opening day balance sheet

6] Review and analyse all data

7] Make a go/no-go decision.

 

Regarding conceptual design, ACI is also expected to show that it has followed the required stages in this conceptual design process.  For example, it needs to prove in its conceptual design that it has applied the four essential stages, as proposed by ‘designrush.com’ (op. cit.), which are:

 

a) Definition (Identification of the problem and goals)

b) Research (Gathering information and context)

c) Verbal ideation (Shaping the concept)

d) Visual ideation (Concrete visual interpretation).

 

ASCO should bring some clarity regarding both its conceptual designs and feasibility studies if it wants these negotiations to progress to the next phase.

 

• • Not-for-profit Investor’s Feasibility Study and Technical Design (FS & TD)

 

As far as feasibility study is concerned, the NFP Impact Investor will refer to its understanding of this study as well as what the theory says about it to check if ACI/ASCO has conducted its study accordingly.  He/she examines the contents of ACI’s feasibility report to see if there are any missing elements and if these elements stick together or speak to each other.

With regards to project design, he/she prefers technical design instead of conceptual one.  This is because technical design defines the system’s data structure and coding logic.  It focuses on building simulation and finalizing technical specifications.  It also provides detailed documentation suitable for production or constructions.

ACI/ASCO can highly speak about the merits of conceptual design.  In particular, it can explain the conceptual design defines the user’s needs and system behaviour.  It involves brainstorming and exploration, as well as ends with an approved high-level design.

ACI/ASCO has to demonstrate that it has done all it can to bridge the gap between its conceptual design of the SWP and the NFP Impact Investor’s technical design.

 

• • Reaching an Agreement 

 

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach an agreement on the contents of CD & FS for the former and FS & TD for the latter.  If there is a disagreement between ASCO and NFP Impact Investor, this could open up the possibility for a match/fit test.  The match/fit test can be carried out to try to help the two sides of the matching process.  The match/fit test can also be undertaken if there is a disagreement on any of aspects of SWP.

 

 

• • The Match or Fit Test Service

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

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

The above is the second Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via SWP.

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

 

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

 

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

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

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses 

 

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

 

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

 

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

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

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

 

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences – In Focus on Wednesday 04/03/2026: Automated Communication

 

The second AI-powered financial tracking, monitoring and control tool of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is on Automated Communication.  To start with Automated Communication, let us first provide its meaning and explain how AI-powered tools can intervene as part of automation of communications and how CENFACS can work with households on it.

 

• • What Is Automated Communication?

 

There are many definitions to explain it.  One of them comes from ‘partnerstack.com’ (9) which contends that

“Automated communication refers to the strategic use of technology to streamline and optimize various forms of communication between internal teams, external partners and consumers”.

Although, this definition relates to the business environment, it can however be used in the context of households.  Indeed, households can use technology to control and manage various household functions through interconnected smart devices.  They can use AI-powered communication tools to track, monitor and control their finances.

 

• • AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households

 

Households can leverage automated communication to transform financial management from a tedious, manual task into a real-time, proactive system.  By connecting bank accounts to smart apps, using chatbots, and setting up instant notifications, households can automate expense tracking, budget monitoring and financial controls.  They can use automated communication in financial tracking, monitoring and controls as the following ways explain it.

 

a) Automated financial tracking

Automation eliminates manual data entry, providing an up-to-date view of finances.  This can be done via

# Bank and credit card syncing (with tools like YNAB, Monarch Money and PocketGuard)

# Digital receipt management (with Apps that can automatically read digital receipts)

# Automated savings and round-ups (Apps such as Plum or Qapital can calculate affordable savings amounts using AI).

 

b) Real-time monitoring and alerts

Automated communication can act as a proactive ‘always-on’ monitoring system.

This can be achieved through

# Instant transaction notifications that can set up SMS or push notifications for every purchase

# Budget calling alerts which allow households to receive automated warnings when spending in a specific category (e.g., groceries) approaches or exceeds a set threshold

# Low balance warnings which enable households to receive alerts when bank accounts hit a certain minimum

# Subscription renewal notifications to notify households before an annual subscription renews

# Cash flow forecasting which involves AI-powered apps that analyze historical data to predict future cash flow and warn if a future payment might cause a deficit.

 

c) Financial controls and guardrails

These systems proactively limit overspending and enforce budgetary discipline.  This discipline can be materialised by

# Virtual envelope system controls whereby notifications can stop further discretionary spending for categories with monthly spending limits once the virtual envelope is empty

# Automated bills pay which schedules all regular utilities, rent and subscriptions to be automatically paid on specific dates

# Pre-paid card restrictions under which parents can set up family banking apps that allow children to use cards with strict and automated spending limits that notify parents in real-time

# Proactive spending intervention if households are nearing their budget limit.

 

The above illustrates that households can transition from manual accounting to a proactive model by using the methods (like Bank API, Chatbot Logging, SMS alerts, etc.), technologies and tools (such as YNAB, Monarch, Banking apps, Bill payment apps, etc.) highlighted so far.

 

• • Working with Households on Automated Communication in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools

 

CENFACS can work with households through the integration of AI-powered tools into their automated communication in financial, tracking, monitoring and controls.  This way of working together can enhance the financial management of households, providing them with the necessary support to navigate their financial challenges and achieve their goals.

CENFACS can work with them to encourage them to use these AI-powered tools, to move beyond passive budgeting spreadsheets to actively monitoring their financial transactions, to interact with them to prevent overspending, manage debt and optimize savings to reduce poverty as the lack of knowledge about AI-powered tools and capabilities.

For any queries and/or enquiries about Automated Communication in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households with AI-powered Tools, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Likewise, those who want further information or clarification about AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences; they are welcome to communicate with CENFACS.

In addition, if you have financial planning problems, you can speak to CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you stay financially stronger.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Feasibility Study

• Wednesday 04/03/2026: Key Activity 3 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Guidance on Building a Buffer to Withstand Financial Shocks

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 4 – Under Consideration on Wednesday 04/03/2026: A Survey on Coaching and Mentoring within the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households

 

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Feasibility Study

 

Let us first explain what a user of All-Year-Round Projects (AYRPs) can do in terms of feasibility study, then how they can integrate Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) into their AYRPs.

 

• • Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play or Run or Vote Project

 

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’ (10) 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 2026 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.

However, your feasibility study will be incomplete unless you include TVIs into it.

 

• • Integration 3: Integrating Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) into Your Feasibility Study

 

Integrating TVIs – or Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of People, Planet and Prosperity – into a project feasibility requires moving beyond purely financial analysis to assess the social, environmental, and economic impacts.  This involves incorporating sustainability metrics early in your AYRP planning process to enhance long-term viability, meet stakeholder expectations, and identify new opportunities.

There are steps to follow in order to accomplish this integration, steps which are:

 

a) Define scope with ‘Triple Value’ lens: It means broaden your AYRP objectives by including social and environmental benefits alongside financial aspects, find stakeholders, and identify Triple Botton Line (People, Planet, Prosperity).

b)  Conduct integrated feasibility assessments: It involves carrying out market/social feasibility by determining how your AYRP will improve local wellbeing, environmental impact analysis, economic analysis, and risk assessment.

c) Evaluate options and alternatives: It includes comparing alternatives based on their 3Ps (People, Planet, Prosperity) performance, leverage technology by investigate digital tools (e.g., AI) to optimize resource use.

d) Quantify and measure impact: It is about using standardized indicators, conducting a cost-benefit analysis by converting environmental and social impacts into economic terms, developing a monitor and report that attract.

e) Make a final decision and report: It encompasses making an integrated decision that reflects the go/no-go aspects and that takes into account the 3Ps, and that provides transparent reporting.

 

AYRP users who will integrate these TVIs will obviously generate positive value for themselves in terms of poverty reduction or wellbeing, the community and the environment.

 

• • Working with AYRP users on TVI integration

 

CENFACS can work with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their project tools and lifecycle thinking processes.  This will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the feasibility study of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project feasibility study and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

 

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

 

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Feasibility Study as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project Feasibility Study, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Wednesday 04/03/2026: Key Activity 3 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Guidance on Building a Buffer to Withstand Financial Shocks

 

Building a financial buffer – or an emergency fund or cash reserves – is a critical strategy to withstand unforeseen financial shocks like job loss, medical emergencies or any other life events.  This strategy is part of this week’s Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, which would be run in the form of guidance.

There are plenty resources or ways of building and maintaining a buffer.  One way of doing it could include following the steps below:

 

a) Assess your financial position by

# defining your essential expenses (like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, insurance, debt payments, etc.)

# determining your buffer target (e.g., multiplying your essential monthly outgoings by 3 to 6)

# evaluating your current savings (i.e., determining the gap between your current savings and your buffer target).

b) Develop a strategy for building the buffer by starting small and setting up automatic and regular transfers to as a separate account.

c) Think of storage and accessibility in case of emergency and separate the buffer account.

d) Maintain the buffer by reviewing it regularly, defining emergency, and promptly replenishing your buffer if you dip into it.

 

Those may be interested in this Key Activity 3 and need some Guidance on Building a Buffer to Withstand Financial Shocks, they can contact CENFACS.

Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 4 – Under Consideration on Wednesday 04/03/2026: A Survey on Coaching and Mentoring within the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households

 

Activity 4 is about a list of questions aimed for extracting specific data from the members of the CENFACS Community on Coaching and Mentoring within the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households.

To facilitate the understanding of this survey, let us explain coaching and mentoring and how they differ from each other.

 

• • What Are Coaching and Mentoring?

 

The website ‘highspeedtraining.co.uk’ (11) responds to this question in these terms:

“In the process of coaching, an individual is provided with guidance on their goals or objectives in order to help them reach their full potential in specific personal or career development areas.  The coach helps the individual to come to their own conclusion and next steps by listening, questioning, and respectfully challenging their views… In mentoring, the mentor provides support to – and feedback on – the individual and shares their knowledge, skills, and/or experience to help them develop and grow, after taking the time to understand the individual and their personal challenges”.

The same ‘highspeedtraining.co.uk’ points out that there are differences and similarities between coaching and mentoring.  Without speaking about all of them, let us focus on their respective outcome. 

For ‘highspeedtraining.co.uk’, the outcome from coaching agreement is specific and measurable (e.g., improvement in a specific performance area).  As to mentoring, the outcome may change over time – results do not need to be specific nor measurable, and the aim is the overall development of the mentee”.

Knowing these differences and similarities help to approach the Survey on Coaching and Mentoring in the Context of Economic Inclusion Programme for Households.

 

• • Survey on Coaching and Mentoring within the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households

 

A Survey on Coaching and Mentoring within an Economic Inclusion Programme for Households is a tool that can be used to measure the effectiveness, implementation process, and impact of personalized support provided to extremely poor or vulnerable households.  These surveys meanly assess how coaches assist participants in building income-generating assets, developing business skills, managing finances, and improving social or health outcomes.

Such surveys are considered critical because coaching often acts as a major element in economic inclusion programmes (like Graduation models), providing the human support necessary to make other interventions (like cash transfers or training) effective.

The current survey will combine quantitative data (e.g., income levels) with qualitative data (for instance, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions) to understand the why behind the results.  The survey will measure some indicators, like Increased Income/Assets. Like for any survey, there are questions in this one.

 

• • Questions Relating to the Survey

 

One of the questions making this survey is:

 

Did coaching help you as households diversify your income streams?

 

Those who took part in coaching or mentoring activity relating this question and 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 survey on Coaching and Mentoring within an Economic Inclusion Programme for Households, please communicate with CENFACS.

Those members of the CENFACS Community who would like to be part of this survey they can get in touch with CENFACS.

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

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Réduire de Moitié la Pauvreté pour et avec les Enfants Vulnérables en Afrique

Cet appel concerne les enfants vulnérables, c’est-à-dire les enfants et les jeunes qui ne reçoivent pas les soins, le soutien ou les mesures de sécurité nécessaires pour les protéger des préjudices, des abus, de la négligence ou de l’exploitation.

Ces enfants sont ceux que le système a abandonnés ou dont la protection est inexistante, les laissant ainsi exposés à des risques importants pour leur bien-être physique, émotionnel et social.

Ces enfants vulnérables peuvent être identifiés dans plusieurs situations : enfants exposés à un risque d’exploitation sexuelle, enfants en situation d’urgence humanitaire, enfants victimes de négligence, enfants dont les besoins ne sont pas diagnostiqués, enfants migrants non accompagnés, etc.

Leurs besoins essentiels comprennent :

σ Protection contre la violence, l’exploitation et les abus (notamment la protection contre les pratiques néfastes, le travail des enfants, les risques liés aux conflits, etc.)

σ Identité légale et prise en charge familiale (par exemple, enregistrement des naissances, regroupement familial et prise en charge alternative)

σ Services essentiels de survie et de santé (tels que l’alimentation nutritive, l’eau, le traitement de la malnutrition et les soins médicaux)

σ Soutien psychologique et éducation (par exemple, soutien en santé mentale, accès à l’éducation et réinsertion)

σ Soutien socio-économique (tel que les allocations familiales, les espaces sécurisés, etc.)

σ Prise en charge spécialisée pour les groupes d’enfants vulnérables (par exemple, les enfants handicapés, les enfants réfugiés et les enfants migrants).

Ces enfants ont besoin de votre aide humanitaire vitale pour survivre.

La plupart de ces enfants, âgés de moins de 18 ans, ont besoin de soutien.

Pouvez-vous leur proposer des solutions alternatives ?

Vous pouvez contribuer à réduire, voire à diviser par deux, le nombre d’enfants non protégés en Afrique.

Votre soutien précieux contribuera à

√ S’attaquer au problème des enfants non protégés

√ Prévenir les abus sexuels, le travail forcé, la traite, la toxicomanie et les problèmes de santé mentale dont sont victimes ces enfants

√ Inciter les parents à rechercher leurs enfants, notamment ceux qui en sont séparés pour diverses raisons

√ Renforcer la protection sociale de ces enfants

√ Réduire de moitié le nombre d’enfants non protégés vivant dans la pauvreté

√ Atténuer ou mettre fin aux privations liées au manque d’accès aux services essentiels, à la violence, aux abus, à la négligence, à l’exploitation et à d’autres formes de vulnérabilité.

Plus d’informations sur cet appel sont disponibles sur  http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

 

Main Development

 

• Climate Actions 2026 –

Theme: Standing with Climate Science 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 Month

b) Direct and Indirect Climate Actions

c) What is Climate Action Month within CENFACS?

d) Key Terms for Climate Action 2026

e) Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction

f) Work Plan for Climate Action March 2026

g) Action 1: Adopt Sustainable Habits and Climate Poverty Reduction.

 

Let us look at the contents of our Climate Action Month.

 

• • Contents of 2026 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’ (12),

“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’ (13) 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.

In the context of CENFACS’ Climate Action Month for this year, climate action is about Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction.

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.

 

• • • What is Climate Action Month within CENFACS?

 

Climate Action Month within CENFACS (CAMwC) is a dedicated month of March, designed to accelerate sustainability efforts, raise awareness of climate change, and promote net-zero goals through events, workshops and environmental activities.  It acts as a focal point for or runs alongside other climate actions in the UK, in Africa and across the world.

Amongst the events or activities that cover CAMwC  there is our new programme, that is Climate Programme.  The explanation about it can be found below.

Besides Climate Programme we shall include the following initiatives:

 

~ Community engagement (e.g., Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into All-Year-Round Projects)

~ Sustainability drives (e.g., We focus on waste reduction and recycling through CENFACS Zero-Waste e-Store)

~ Educational events (e.g., Workshop on alternative climate technologies)

~ Goal setting (involves supporting net-zero carbon target set up by CENFACS’ Africa-based Sister Organisations)

~ Action-oriented campaigns on climate change.

 

These events and activities tend to move beyond awareness, pushing for tangible, local and African action to reduce emissions and foster environmental sustainability.

Knowing what climate actions are and Climate Action Month is, we can now explain the key terms of our Climate Actions 2026.

 

• • • Key Terms for Climate Action 2026

 

Under these key terms, we are going to explain the following: climate science and climate poverty.

 

• • • • What is climate science?

 

The definition of climate science used here comes from ‘acs.org’ (op. cit.).  According to the latter,

“Climate science is the effort by humans to understand the natural forces that control the climate”

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (op. cit.) provides further information on climate science by indicating that

“Climate science investigates the structure and dynamics of earth’s climate system.  It seeks to understand how global, regional and local climates are maintained as well as the processes by which the change over time.  In doing so, it employs observations and theory from a variety of domains, including meteorology, oceanography, physics, chemistry and more”.

This understanding of natural forces and climates provide some substance in our efforts to stand with climate science.

 

• • • • What is climate poverty?

 

It emerges from the work by the United Nations (14), climate poverty refers to the phenomenon where climate change exacerbates existing poverty, disproportionately hurting the world’s most vulnerable people.  It creates a cycle where extreme weather – droughts, floods, and heatwaves – destroys livelihoods (especially farming), drives food insecurity, and forces displacement, preventing people from escaping poverty.

However, what we are interested in is climate poverty reduction.  The understanding of climate science and climate poverty reduction will help us stand with climate science.

 

• • • Standing with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction

 

We can stand with climate science.  Equally, we can support climate poverty reduction.  We can even champion both.  

 

• • • • What is standing with climate science?

 

It means adopting a positive or taking actions that are fundamentally aligned with the overwhelming scientific consensus regarding the reality, causes, and urgency of climate change.  It involves basing decisions, policies, and behaviours on evidence-based research rather than opinion or denial.

Standing with climate science has some implications, notably consisting of

 

a) Knowing the core principles (the What) surrounding climate science

b) Accepting the evidence: Recognizing that climate change is real, human-caused (primarily by burning fuels), and occurring at an accelerating rate

c)  Acknowledging urgency: Understanding that immediate action is necessary to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts, as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (15)

d) Trusting scientific institutions: Referring to findings from recognized bodies like the IPCC, World Meteorologic Organisation, NASA, and natural academics of science

e) Understanding the scope: Recognizing that climate change affects all aspects of the Earth system, including oceans, sea levels, ecosystems, and extreme weather patterns.

 

So, standing with science is about treating the climate crisis as an evidence-based reality requiring urgent, cooperative, and systemic action rather than an ideological debate.

 

• • • • What is standing with climate poverty reduction?

 

Standing with Climate Poverty Reduction is about expressing active solidarity, support, and alignment with strategies that simultaneously fight climate change and alleviate poverty.  It signifies an understanding that climate action and poverty eradication are deeply interconnected, and that solutions to one often hinge on the other.

To Stand with Climate Poverty Reduction, there is a need to undertake the following actions:

 

a) Recognizing the ‘double bind’: It means acknowledging that the poorest people and communities contribute the least to climate change but are the most affected by its impacts

b) Committing to integrated solutions (‘Triple Wins’): Supporting policies that provide a ‘triple win’ for the poor (that is, reducing vulnerability, cutting emissions, and bosting income)

c) Advocating for a just transition: Supporting a shift to a green economy that does not abandon but rather protects and empowers vulnerable communities

d) Supporting active advocacy and equity: It means having a commitment to equity, voice, and solidarity.

 

One cannot succeed in fighting climate change without fighting poverty and vice versa.  As Hans Peter Lanks, Eleonore Soubeyran and Nicholas Stern (16) put it in their policy publication in 2022: “If we fail on one, we fail on the other”.

Climate events and other factors (like geopolitical, economic, strategic, international and foreign aid cuts, conflicts over natural resources, etc.), in particular the worst ones, can make people to lose faith in climate poverty reduction.  Yet there is still a reason to believe in climate poverty reduction.  One needs to hope that climate poverty will be reduced and eventually disappear.

Therefore, one is required stand with the reduction of climate poverty.  The more one stands with it, the more and better solutions can be found to reduce and possibly end climate poverty.

 

• • • Standing with both Climate Science and Climate Poverty Reduction

 

We can Stand with both Climate Science and Climate Poverty Reduction.  This is because climate change and poverty reduction are increasingly treated as inseparable, with modern strategies focusing on how to achieve net-zero emissions while simultaneously lifting people out of poverty.  Failure to align the two goals can cause climate policies to hurt the poor, or poverty to accelerate climate change.

So, Standing with both Climate Science and Climate Poverty Reduction implies the following:

 

~ Recognizing the interconnectedness of crisis or polycrises (e.g., most people living in multidimensional poverty are exposed to high climate risk)

~ Prioritizing ‘triple win’ actions (i.e., actions that reduce poverty, enhance resilience to climate shocks or adaptation, and lower or mitigate emissions)

~ Supporting those in need of climate finance and technology (e.g., African countries that suffer the most from climate change while contributing less to greenhouse gas emissions)

~ Targeting training and support to those in carbon-intensive industries as part of just transition

~ Reducing income inequality to decrease carbon emissions linked to such inequality

~ Centre staging women and girls in terms of adaptation and resilience in any gender-sensitive strategy.

 

Approaching Standing both with Climate Science and Climate Poverty Reduction from the above perspective will enable to have an inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient development.

The above-mentioned understanding on Standing with both Climate Science and Climate Poverty Reduction will help to better execute our working plan for Climate Action March 2026.

 

• • • Work Plan for Climate Action March 2026

 

The following Climate Actions and periods of March 2026 make up our work plan:

 

∝ Action 1 (02 to 08/03/2026): Actively Adopt Sustainable Habits

∝ Action 2 (09 to 15/03/2026): Advocate for Science-based Policies

∝ Action 3 (16 to 22/03/2026): Engage in Grassroots Activism

∝ Action 4 (23 to 29/03/2026): Communicate the Urgency of Climate Change and Share Reputable Information

 

Within the above broad actions, there will be specific actions to be taken.

Besides, these Climate Actions, we shall start our new programme – Climate Programme.

 

• • • • What is Climate Programme (CP)?

 

It is a structured initiative designed to research, monitor, and mitigate climate change impacts through policy, science, and adaptation strategies.  CP aims to build resilience against environmental changes, promote sustainability and generate data for decision-making processes.

CP is part of thoughtfully planned initiatives (TPIs) to express Energy or Light Season.  As a TPI, CP aims to achieve CENFACS’ strategic objectives while helping to bridge planning and execution.  It is meant to be clearly measurable, action-oriented, proactive, and aligned with the overall CENFACS strategy while taking into account the environmental impact of any choices made.  It is made of initiatives that express the Energy or Light Season as they enable the shift to renewable energy sources.

 

• • • • • What do TPIs consist of?

 

They consist of featuring the season of light like light (or energy) and voluntary energy transition projects.  They are particularly those to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.  They also include financial and policy frameworks to enable transitions to happen.

These TPIs include four projects notably:

 

a) Project to Combat Disinformation (PCD)

b) Project for Finance Mobilisation Roadmap (PFMR)

c) Project for Long-term Energy Poverty Reduction (PLtEPR)

d) Zero-waste Skills Development Project (ZwSDP).

 

These four initiatives will be about moving from fossil-based energy system towards zero carbon alternatives.  Their explanations are given below.

 

• • • • • • Project to Combat Disinformation (PCD)

 

PCD aims to build resilience amongst our community members against misinformation through transparency, research, and public education.  It is about educating our community members on how to critically evaluate information about climate change, spot fake climate news, and understand manipulative techniques and tricks.  It is also about building trust in climate poverty reduction.

This will involve collaborating with other organisations working on similar climate disinformation issues, checking facts, researching, detecting and exposing falsehoods, analysing threats from disinformation, while improving media literacy within the community.

 

• • • • • • Project for Finance Mobilisation Roadmap (PFMR)

 

PFMR is a strategic plan that will outline the necessary steps, policies, and financial instruments required to raise and deploy capital from various sources (public, private, voluntary, and institutional) to achieve specific goals like the mobilisation of funds for climate change.

The aim of PFMR is to bridge the gap between planning and implementation by identifying bottlenecks, de-risking projects, and creating ‘bankable’ investment opportunities to attract sufficient funding, especially in the era of international aid cuts.

 

• • • • • • Project for Long-term Energy Poverty Reduction (PLtEPR)

 

Within the energy literature, a long-term energy poverty refers to a household consistently cannot afford or access essential energy services (like heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances), forcing them to reduce consumption to levels that harm health, well-being, and basic living standards, often due to low income, high-energy prices, and inefficient homes, creating a persistent cycle of deprivation and vulnerability, particularly in vulnerable populations.

PLtEPR aims to provide energy advice to empower households making the CENFACS Community with knowledge on low-cost measures to reduce energy consumption and help to avoid energy poverty becoming intergenerational.  PLtEPR will help the following low-income households:

 

~ In persistent deprivation (that is, those experiencing a chronic inability to meet basic energy needs over extended periods)

~ With inadequate heating and hard health problems because of energy poverty

~ With high energy costs living in poor housing

~ Spending a large chunk of income on energy or fall into arrears bills, impacting their overall financial stability

etc.

 

In short, PLtEPR is about accessing modern energy, transitioning away from biomass for cooking, stopping indoor air pollution and improving health risks, particularly but not exclusively in Africa.

 

• • • • • • Zero-waste Skills Development Project (ZwSDP)

 

ZwSDP is about teaching practical skills (like repair, composting, upcycling, cooking with leftovers) and promoting a waste-reduction mindset (reduce, reuse, recycle) to empower the community to minimise landfill waste, foster sustainable habits, and creating circular economies.

ZwSDP involves training, workshops, community engagement, and creating alternative models for waste management.

ZwSDP is finally about transforming waste management from disposal problem into a resource opportunity.

The above-mentioned initiatives are of our Climate Programme.

Finally, there will be impact monitoring and evaluation on 30 and 31/03/2026 to end the Climate Action March 2026.

 

 

• • • Climate Action 1 (02 to 08/03/2026): Actively Adopt Sustainable Habits

 

To kick off this first action, let us explain it and provide some usage examples.

 

• • • • What is Adopting Sustainable Habits?

 

Adopting Sustainable Habits means consciously changing daily behaviours to reduce environmental harm, such as minimizing waste, conserving resources, and making eco-friendly consumption choices.  It involves actions like reducing plastic, saving energy, eating locally, and choosing sustainable products to ensure a better quality of life and a healthier planet.

There are plenty examples to back this adoption.

 

• • • • Usage examples of Adopting Sustainable Habits

 

These examples include waste reduction, energy and water conservation, sustainable consumption, eco-friendly eating, and transportation choices.  We can highlight each of them.

 

~ Waste reduction: Carrying reusable shopping bags, water bottles and utensils, refusing plastic straws, composting food waste, etc.

~ Energy and water conservation: Turning off lights, unplugging unused electronics, repairing leaks, and taking shorter showers, etc.

~ Sustainable consumption: Buying secondhand clothing, choosing products with minimal packaging, and opting for durable, eco-friendly goods, etc.

~ Eco-friendly eating: Choosing seasonal, local, or organic food, reducing meat consumption, minimizing food waste, etc.

~ Transportation choices: Walking, biking, using public transport, or carpooling instead of driving alone, etc.

 

These habits are often adopted to reduce one’s carbon footprint, protect biodiversity, and promote a circular economy where resources are used efficiently.

 

 

• • • • Working with the Community to Stand with Climate Science and Poverty Reduction

 

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 finding it difficult to reduce waste

~ advocating for sharing good energy and water saving habits

~ reducing and/or ending climate poverty and its root causes.

 

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Adopting Sustainable Habits 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.acs.org/climate-science/what-is-climate-science.html (accessed in March 2026)

(2) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/climate-science/ (accessed in March 2026)

(3) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop30 (accessed in March 2026)

(4) https://www.projectmanager.com/training/how-to-conduct-a-feasibility-study (accessed in March 2026)

(5) https://asana.com/resources/project-design (accessed in November 2025)

(6) https://www.designrush.com/agency/product-design/trends/what-is-a-conceptual-design (accessed in March 2026)

(7) https://ester.co/blog/what-is-conceptual-designs (accessed in March 2026)

(8) https: //fastercapital.com/content/Technical-design-How-to-create-and-implement-technical-design-solutions-that-meet-needs-and-expectations.html (accessed in March 2026)

(9) https://partnerstack.com/glossary/automated-communication (accessed in March 2026)

(10) https://www.simplilearn.com/feasibility-study-article (Accessed in March 2023)

(11) https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/what-is-coaching-and-mentoring/ (accessed in March 2026)

(12) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/ (accessed in March 2025)

(13) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in March 2025)

(14) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/human-security (accessed in March 2026)

(15) https://www.ipcc.ch (accessed in March 2026)

(16) https://www.lse.ac.uk/grenthaminstitute/publication/acting-on-climate-and-poverty/ (accessed in March 2026)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

25 February 2026

Post No. 445

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project

• Week Beginning Monday 23/02/2026 of 2026 Sustainable Development Month – In Focus: Financial Contagion Risks to Households Resulting from Biodiversity Loss

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project

 

Matching an African Charity Investee (ACI) and a Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor via a Sustainable Water Project is a blended finance relationship designed to solve water poverty, improve sanitation, or enhance water sustainability in the area of operation of the ACI in Africa.  It combines mission-driven, high-risk tolerance of ACI capital with the sustainable, revenue-generating, and scalable approach of NFP Impact Investor.

Unlike pure philanthropy, ACI will have a sustainable, revenue-generating business model (e.g., water kiosks, sanitation services) that eventually reduces reliance on aid since we are still in the global context of international aid cuts and of African charities working to find alternative funding and business models to mitigate these cuts.  In this respect, ACI’s funds will act as catalytic capital to de-risk the Sustainable Water Project to attract more NFP Impact Investors.

The Sustainable Water Project proposed by ACI echoes the dedication by the African Union of 2026 as a Year of Water Sustainability (1).   This dedication was substantively materialised during the two-day Summit (held from 14 to 15 February 2026 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopa) by the African Union under the theme “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063” (2).  Agenda 2063 is, in the opinion of the African Union (3),

“Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future.  It is the strategic framework for delivering on Africa’s goal for inclusive and sustainable development and is a concrete manifestation of pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance”.

Indeed, Africa water statistics reveal some painful realities.  According to ‘dropinthebucket.org’ (4),

“Roughly 1 in 3 people in Africa lack access to at least basic drinking water services.  Basic drinking water is defined as having a water source within a 30-minute walk from where you live.  So, this still means that it could be up an hour trip to get water.  That means that about 30-32% of the population of the African continent – over 400 million people lack access to basic drinking safe water“.

Statistics also from the United Nations Development Programme (5) indicate that in 1990 and 2004, the percentages of population with sustainable access to an improved water source in Sub-Saharan Africa were 48 and 56 respectively.  (p. 308)

The current Sustainable Water Project has also to be perceived in the context of CENFACS Guidance Service for Not-for-profit Impact Investors, (here) for those who would like to invest in sustainable water projects initiated by ACI such as Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs). 

Besides the Guidance Service for NFP Impact Investors, there is also Advice Service for ACI.  The Advice Service is for those ASCOs that have or are planning to set up a Sustainable Water Project and are looking for NFP Impact Investors to back them.

As part of the Guidance and Advice Services, CENFACS is going to work with NFP 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 Sustainable Water Project.  The Guidance and Advice Services are organised to support both NFP Impact Investors and ASCOs to reach an agreement.

 

• • Reaching an Agreement by Aligning the Interests of the Two Sides

 

Aligning the interests of ACI (focused on community impact and water access) and a NFP Impact Investor (concentrated on sustainable, scalable solutions) in the water sector requires bridging the gap between grant-based, mission-driven work and market-based financial sustainability.  In other words, in order to reach an agreement between the two sides (i.e., investor and investee) of the matching process, they will be collaborative hybrid approaches, talks or negotiations between the two.  The talks or negotiations will revolve around the Sustainable Water Project to be presented by ACI (ASCOs) to Not-for-profit Impact Investors.  Specifically, these talks or negotiations will be around the project planning lifecycle to used.

Both ACI (ASCOs) and NFP Impact Investors will agree to use lifecycle thinking tools for the Sustainable Water Project planning process.  For convenience of this presentation, ACI (ASCOs) will be using the lifecycle thinking tool to evaluate project sustainability in international water and sanitation development work as proposed by Jennifer R. McConville and James R. Miheleic (6).  This model is made up with 5 lifecycle thinking stages as follows:

 

Stage one: Needs assessment

Stage two: Development of conceptual designs and feasibility studies 

Stage three: Design and action planning

Stage four: Physical implementation of the project

Stage five: Operation and maintenance.

 

As to Not-for-profit Impact Investors, they will be referring to models used by organisations already working on water projects and other impact-focused entities.  These projects often follow a structured five-stage lifecycle designed to ensure water security and social impact.  The 5 essential stages of water projects they can use are:

 

Stage 1: Needs assessment and community engagement

Stage 2: Feasibility study and technical design

Stage 3: Project financing and capital allocation

Stage 4: Implementation and installation

Stage 5: Monitoring, evaluation and long-term sustainability

 

The two sides will try to reach an agreement through their respective lifecycle thinking tools and processes, through the 5 lifecycle stages of water and sanitation projects for ACI (ASCOs) and 5 essential stages of sustainable water projects for Not-for-profit Impact Investors.

 

• • The Difference That This Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project Will Make

 

Through this 5-week Winter/Spring 2026 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 ACI‘s (ASCOs’) lifecycle thinking tool to evaluate project sustainability and Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ 5 essential stages of sustainable water 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 those lacking access to safe drinking water.  It will also contribute to Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063 in Africa.

More on Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project can be find under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Week Beginning Monday 23/02/2026 of 2026 Sustainable Development Month – In Focus: Financial Contagion Risks to Households Resulting from Biodiversity Loss

 

Biodiversity loss recognized as a systematic financial risk for households can trigger widespread cascading economic shocks that can disrupt household incomes, assets, and increase costs for households.  For households, this risk can translate through contagion risks.

 

• • What Is a Financial Contagion Risk?

 

According to ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (7),

“Financial contagion risk is about interconnectedness and how vulnerabilities in one part of the system can ripple outwards, causing widespread instability”.

Contagion risk is also explained by the website ‘familiarize.com’ (8), which argues that

“Contagion risk represents the potential for a localized shock, failure or crisis within one part of the financial system or economy to spread and trigger widespread distress across other seemingly unrelated sectors or markets”.

Biodiversity loss can trigger broader economic instability that directly impacts households.  This impact can also be the likelihood of increasing transmission of zoonotic diseases, as explained by the World Health Organization (9).  The latter explains that when ecosystems degrade the balance that once kept pathogens in check is lost, leading to increased human exposure to new and dangerous diseases.  This is particularly concerning as over 60% of known human infectious diseases are zoonotic meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans.  This risk of disease outbreaks is heightened by human disturbances to ecosystems, which can reduce the abundance of some organisms and the environment.

These contagion risks can cause a form of poverty.  However, there are ways of working with those affected by poverty associated with contagion risks.

 

• • How CENFACS Can Work with Those in Need of Reducing Poverty Linked to Contagion Risks from Biodiversity Loss

 

CENFACS can work with them to reduce contagion risks resulting biodiversity loss, whether their effects are economic, financial or zoonotic.  This work will help them reduce the likelihood of poverty linked to contagion risks from biodiversity loss.

For those members of our community who may be interested in tackling Contagion Risks associated with biodiversity loss, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and Biodiversity Loss as a Systemic Financial Risk; please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences

 

In our post of 23 January 2026, we announced areas of work with households to leverage AI to provide seemingly support to them to implement their financial tracking, monitoring and controls.  We summarised these areas (i.e., Predictive analytics, Automated communication, Fraud detection, and Impact measurement) where households can use AI-powered solutions to track, monitor and control their finances.  This was our second Structured Finance Activity and part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and Empowerment Programme.  This introduction was run in the form direct questions/answers on how to use AI-enabled Tools to Monitor and Control Your Finances.

This week, we are accompanying households in their journey to dive deep into the above-mentioned four areas.  The notes for these areas will be released Every Wednesdays as the following dates:

 

25/02/2026: Predictive Analytics

04/03/2026: Automated Communication

11/03/2026: Fraud Detection

18/03/2026: Impact Measurement

 

Let us provide the note for the first area of our Wednesdays AI-powered Tools, which is How AI-powered Tools Can Help in Predictive Analytics in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households

 

• • Wednesday 25/02/2026: Predictive Analytics in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households with AI-powered Tools

 

Predictive analytics in household financial tracking can use AI and machine learning algorithms to analyze historical, current, and external data to forecast future income, expenses, and financial health.  Unlike traditional, reactive budgeting that looks backward, AI-powered predictive tools enable a proactive, “what if” approach to financial management.

These AI-powered predictive tools can enhance household financial management in three main areas: Financial tracking, Monitoring and Controls.  Let us look at how this enhancement can happen.

 

a) Financial Tracking

This can happen at three levels: Automatic categorisation, Intelligent insights, and Data aggregation.

~ Automatic categorisation: AI can connect to bank accounts and credit cards, automatically classifying over 95% of transactions without manual entry.

~ Intelligent insights: These systems detect spending patterns over time, such as identifying if a user is overspending on recurring, non-essential items (e.g., streaming subscriptions or dining out).

~ Data aggregation: They centralize financial data, providing a holistic view of accounts to identify patterns that might go unnoticed.

 

b) Financial Monitoring

It includes three types of monitoring: Real-time cash flow forecasts, Anomaly detection, and Debt-to-Income monitoring.

~ Real-time Cash Flow Forecasts: AI models can predict future cash flow to alert users or households of potential shortfalls 2-3 weeks in advance, enabling proactive measures to avoid overdraft.

~ Anomaly Detection: AI can instantly identify unusual transactions or spending behaviour that deviate from established habits, flagging potential errors or fraudulent activities.

~ Debt-to-Income Monitoring: AI tools can analyse debt-to-income ratios and alert users or households if they exceed safe thresholds, helping to prevent excessive debt accumulation.

 

c) Financial Controls

Three areas are covered under financial controls, which are: Dynamic budgeting, Automated Saving, and Scenario planning.

~ Dynamic Budgeting: AI can offer personalised, adaptive budgets that update based on real-time spending behaviour and changing life circumstances.

~ Automated Saving: AI can calculate a surplus based on income and spending patterns and can automatically transfer this surplus to savings.

~ Scenario Planning (“What If” analysis): Users or households can model the impact of financial decisions, such as “What if I take on a new loan?” or “What if my income drops by 10%?” to visualise future outcomes.

 

In short, AI-powered tools can significantly enhance predictive analytics in financial tracking, monitoring, and controls for households by providing real-time insights and automating decision-making processes.  AI can assist households in their tasks of predictive analytics in financial tracking, monitoring and controls.  In integrating AI-powered tools in Predictive Analytics in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls; these tools help to both streamline household financial management and empower households with financial goals and protect their assets.

 

• • Working with Households on Predictive Analytics in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls with AI-powered Tools

 

CENFACS can work with households through the integration of AI-powered tools into their predictive analytics in financial, tracking, monitoring and controls.  This way of working together can enhance the financial management of households, providing them with the necessary support to navigate their financial challenges and achieve their goals.

CENFACS can work with them to use AI-powered tools in the following areas:

 

~ to estimate the likelihood of future outcomes from household historical and current data

~ to provide foresight and enable proactive decision-making

~ to analyse datasets and make predictions about dependent variable

~ to provide event-driven alerts related to unusual events.

 

This use of AI-powered tools will help them follow and check their credit scoring, improve their investment strategies, comply with financial monitoring, and better plan their financial operations.  It will provide them a structured approach to generating data-informed forecasts that reduce uncertainty and contribute to broader AI adoption strategy.

For any queries and/or enquiries about Predictive Analytics in Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households with AI-powered Tools, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Likewise, those who want further information or clarification about AI-powered Financial Tracking, Monitoring and Controls for Households’ Financial Capacity and Capability Building Experiences; they are welcome to communicate with CENFACS.

In addition, if you have financial planning problems, you can speak to CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you stay financially stronger.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into This Project Preparation

• Wednesday 25/02/2026: Key Activity 2 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Educational Resources to Better Manage Your Money

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 3: Focus Group on Consumption Support (Wednesday 25/02/2026)

 

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle –

Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects; and Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into This Project Preparation

 

Once you have identified your idea of your Play, Run and Vote Projects; you can start the preparation step.  What is this preparation about?

 

• • Workshop 2: 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 conceptualize them.

 

• • Example of Preparation of Your All-Year-Round Projects (AYRPs)

 

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) You are required to ensure 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, find 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.

 

• • Integration 2: Integrating Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) into Your Project Preparation

 

Integrating the Triple Value Initiatives (People, Planet, Prosperity) into AYRP Preparation requires shifting from traditional cost-focused planning to a holistic approach that embeds social, environmental, and financial value at every stage of the way, particularly the business case development and feasibility assessment.

To integrate Triple Value Initiatives into Project Integration, there are steps to follow, which include the ones provided below.

 

a) Project initiation and strategic definition

 

It is about redefining objectives by including Triple Bottom Line.  This involves embedding the “3Ps” (People, Planet, Prosperity) into the project charter.  It is also about moving beyond engineering outputs to focus on societal outcomes (e.g., connecting your AYRP members to jobs while reducing carbon footprint).

It is further about engaging with stakeholders by mapping stakeholders to understand societal, environmental, and economic needs, ensuring the AYRP creates value with communities, not just to them.

It is finally about aligning with long-term goals by ensuring the project aligns with organizational sustainability and strategies (e.g., Climate Action Plans).

 

b) Feasibility and outline of the business case

 

It consists of conducting multi-criteria assessment, economic and risk appraisals.

~ Multi-criteria assessment will use a multi-criteria approach to evaluate options, ranking them based on social, environmental, and economic benefits rather than just lowest cost.

~ Economic appraisal will be about expanding the economic appraisal to include social and environmental value.  This may involve assigning monetary to intangible impacts (social value) and using environmental impact assessments as core criteria in the selection process.

~ Risk appraisal will involve integrating climate risk assessments and social risks into the AYRP’s risk management plan.

 

c) Structuring for poverty reduction value

 

It is about explicitly defining value for poverty reduction to include social value and sustainability, not just initial capital expenditure.

It is also about designing your AYRP to attract support for it and around you by demonstrating it is a deserving cause, bankable and sustainable.

This involves defining performance metrics by establishing clear, measurable metrics for all three pillars (e.g., carbon reduction targets, opportunities created or poverty reduced, social return on investment) during the feasibility study.

 

d) Lifecycle thinking approach

 

It is the inclusion of social value to demonstrate how your AYRP will add social value and minimize environmental impacts in your proposals.  It also implies that your strategy or approach will focus on the entire project lifecycle (design, construction, operation) rather than just initiation construction costs or cost-benefit analysis.

 

The above-mentioned steps will ensure that your AYRP is not only financially viable but also socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.  By integrating these steps, your AYRPs will be designed to deliver not-for-profit value, by creating lasting impact on you, society and the environment.

By working with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their tools and lifecycle thinking processes, this will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the preparation of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project preparation and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Preparation as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project Preparation, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Wednesday 25/02/2026: Key Activity 2 of CENFACS Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign: Educational Resources to Better Manage Your Money

 

To understand ‘Educational Resources to Better Manage Your Money’, it demands to explain these resources, give some examples about them and ways of accessing them.

 

• • What Are Educational Resources for Money Management?

 

They are the means that teach budgeting, saving, and financial literacy, as well as the skills such as understanding interest rates, avoiding scams, and managing debt.  They help individuals and students learn about banking, debt and investment.  These life-saving resources can assist these individuals and students to move away from poverty as the lack of knowledge on money management.

 

• • Examples of Educational Resources for Money Management

 

They include tools, curriculum-linked programmes, workshops, and apps.  As examples, it is worth mentioning MoneyHelper, MoneySavingExpert Guides, NatWest MoneySense, the Bank of England’s “Money and Me”, and apps like Toca Store.  These resources are accessible.

 

• • Accessing Educational Resources for Money Management

 

These educational resources can be accessed via educational establishments, workshops, and seminars, interactive games and apps, online guides and calculators.

This week, these Educational Resources to Better Manage Your Money are part of our 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign.

Those may be interested in these resources and would like to join our campaign, they can contact CENFACS.

Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 3: Focus Group on Consumption Support (Wednesday 25/02/2026)

 

Our work on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households continues with Graduation and Livelihood Programme 3.  This Programme 3 will be run as a focus group which will be about Consumption Support.

To clarify the matter for those who may be interested in this Programme 3, let us briefly explain this focus group.

 

• • What Is a Focus Group on Consumption Support for Households?

 

A Focus Group on Consumption Support for Households is a qualitative research method that brings together a small-selected group of people or consumers to discuss their experiences, needs, and opinions regarding various forms of aid, subsidies, or services designed to help them manage household consumption.

The sessions we are planning to run will be made of 6 to 12 people to last between 60 and 90 minutes and be facilitated by CENFACS moderator.  They will focus on the “Why” behind consumer behaviour regarding household spending, energy usage, food security or access to essential services.  This will allow participants to uncover motivations, frustrations, and unmet needs that cannot be captured by surveys.  The focus group will help inform social policy and improve community engagement.

 

• • Joining the Focus Group

 

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 focus group or Economic Inclusion Programme for Households, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Journées Écologiques et Biologiques (ÉcoBio) – Pleins Feux sur : L’indissociabilité des Enjeux Écologiques et Biologiques dans les Efforts de Réduction de la Pauvreté

Cette année, les Journées ÉcoBio du CENFACS, qui se tiendront du 23 au 28 février 2026, porteront sur l’Indissociabilité des Enjeux Écologiques et Biologiques dans la Lutte contre la Pauvreté.

En effet, cette indissociabilité engendre un cercle vicieux : la dégradation de l’environnement aggrave la pauvreté, et la pauvreté conduit à une exploitation non durable des ressources naturelles.

Ces problèmes incluent les catastrophes climatiques, la perte de biodiversité, la dégradation des sols et la pénurie d’eau, qui touchent principalement les 70 % de la population mondiale vivant dans l’extrême pauvreté et dépendant des ressources naturelles pour leurs besoins.

Les enjeux écologiques et biologiques liés à la réduction de la pauvreté comprennent les éléments suivants :

a) Le changement climatique comme facteur aggravant

b) Perte de biodiversité et dégradation écologique

c) Insécurité hydrique et alimentaire

d) Facteurs sanitaires et biologiques

e) Le piège de la pauvreté écologique

f) Consommer des produits bio pour réduire la pauvreté.

Ces enjeux et leurs liens avec la réduction de la pauvreté seront au cœur de nos Journées ÉcoBio. Nous examinerons également des stratégies pour aborder les liens entre les solutions fondées sur la nature, l’autonomisation des femmes et l’intégration des connaissances et des nouvelles technologies telles que l’IA.

Pour plus d’informations ou pour participer à ces Journées ÉcoBio, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project (MOIvSWP)

 

The following items explain this project:

 

σ Key Matching Terms

σ What Is a MOIvSWP?

σ The Aim of MOIvSWP

σ Sustainable Water 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 Impact Investors be Matched through SWP?

σ Matching Guidelines

σ Outcomes of MOIvSWP

σ Plan for 5-week Matching Activities

σ 25/02/2026 to 03/03/2026:  Activity 1 of MOIvSWP

 

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

 

• • Key Matching Terms

 

There are three key terms relating to MOIvSWP, which are African Charity Investee, Not-for-profit Impact Investor and Sustainable Water.  Let us explain them.

An African Charity Investee in Sustainable Water is a non-profit organisation that receives funding to develop long-term term water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions across Africa.  These entities often build, manage or find infrastructure like wells, and crucially ensure their maintenance.

A Not-for-profit Impact Investor in Sustainable Water in Africa is a mission-driven entity, that utilises philanthropic capital, grants, or blended finance to support small and medium-sized organisations, water infrastructure projects and sanitation services.  These organisations or individuals aim to bridge the funding gap for water and sanitation initiatives, improving access for vulnerable communities.

Sustainable Water signifies, according to ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (10),

“The responsible management and utilization of water resources to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own requirements.  This explanation extends beyond simple conservation; it is about ensuring the long-term availability of clean and accessible water for all life forms and ecosystems.  Consider water not just as a commodity, but as a fundamental element of life, crucial for ecological balance and society well-being”.

 

These key terms shape the contents of MOIvSWP and facilitate the definition of MOIvSWP.

 

• • What Is MOIvSWP?

 

MOIvSWP is a blended finance relationship designed to solve water poverty in Africa, improve sanitation, or enhance water sustainability in the area of operation of the African Charity Investee (ACI) in Africa.  It combines mission-driven, high-risk tolerance of ACI capital with the sustainable, revenue-generating, and scalable approach of NFP Impact Investor.

Unlike pure philanthropy, ACI will have a sustainable, revenue-generating business model (e.g., water kiosks, sanitation services) that eventually reduces reliance on aid since we are still in the global context of international aid cuts and of African charities working to find alternative funding and business models to mitigate these cuts.  In this respect, ACI’s funds will act as catalytic capital to de-risk the Sustainable Water Project to attract more NFP Impact Investors.

MOIvSWP, which is part of CENFACS’ Matching Organisation-Investor Programme, refers to the process of connecting or aligning an African Charity (specifically Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations) seeking investment (investee) with a suitable potential Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact Investor via a sustainable water project.

Essentially, it is about finding an African Charity Investee that fits the NFP 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.

MOIvSWP is indeed an exercise to keep active and engaged Africa-based sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) and NFP Impact Investors for the rest of the Winter Season and the first week Spring Season 2026.  The exercise is meant to keep their respective dreams alive and to awake their potentials to grab any existing opportunities within the NFP market.

For those ASCOs and NFP Impact 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 MOIvSWP

 

The aim of MOIvSWP is to reduce water poverty amongst the people in need in Africa.  Water poverty in Africa refers to the critical lack of access to sufficient, safe, and affordable water for basic human needs and sanitation, affecting over 400 million people in Sub-Saharan African alone.  Driven by both physical scarcity (climate change-induced droughts) and economic scarcity (lack of infrastructure or management), it causes immense hardship, particularly in rural areas.

This water poverty could be due to the lack of best match or fit between ASCOs’ needs and NFP Impact Investors’ interests.  Where the needs of the ASCOs best meet or match the vested interests of NFP Impact Investors, there could be high probability to reduce water poverty amongst the beneficiaries of ASCOs.  The match probability could be high or average or low depending on how much ASCOs’ needs meet NFP Impact Investors’ interests.

 

• • Sustainable Water Project (SWP)

 

To illustrate this project, let us explain it and give its aim.

 

• • • What is a SWP?

 

It is a long-term initiative that provides reliable access to clean water and sanitation by incorporating community ownership, local capacity building, and environmental management.

Like most sustainable water projects do, SWP will focus on reducing water waste, maintaining water quality, and ensuring infrastructure – such as solar-powered wells, spring protections, and sand dams – lasts for generations.

 

• • • What is SWP’s Aim?

 

The aim is to ensure universal access to sufficient quantity of clean, safe, affordable water for drinking, sanitation, hygiene and productive activities as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (11); while empowering local communities, protecting ecosystems, and enhancing climate resilience.  Through this access, the project will help reduce water poverty as well.

Briefly, ASCO’s project will focus on water access, sanitation, plastics recycling (circular economy), and reducing agricultural water waste.  SWP will create the following three benefits:

 

a) Sustainability: It moves from dependence on total foreign aid to self-sustaining models

b) Scalability:  It is scalable since the combined capital will allow for much larger long-term impact

c) Alignment: It is aligned because both sides will focus on social and environmental outcomes.

 

• • Key Points about Matching Organisation-Investor Programme to Consider

 

There are three points that need explanation to understand the implementation of MOIvSWP , which are: investee, investor, and matching process or programme.

 

a) Investee is the African Charity or ASCO that is seeking and receiving the investment.

b) Investor is the person or entity providing the capital for Sustainable Water Project.  In our matching model, this investor is Not-for-profit (NFP) Impact one.  A NFP Impact Investor is a kind of an investor who is trying to invest in a project without looking to make money for themselves.  Our NFP Impact Investor, who is driven by selfless motivations, would invest to reduce water 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 MOIvSWP 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 MOIvSWP

√ 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 SWP?

 

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 NFP Impact 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 Impact 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 impact investment, the specification or description of the investor, and identification of possible ways of matching organisation’s profile and investor’s specification.

 

• • Outcomes of MOIvSWP

 

It is better to differentiate outcomes for NFP Impact Investors from those relating to Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes (ASCOCs).

 

• • • Outcomes for Not-for-profit Impact Investors

 

The activity will provide peace of mind for NFP Impact Investors and a good return in terms the rate or size of water 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.

 

• • • Aligning the Interests of ACI and NFP Impact Investor

 

To align the interests of ACI (which will focus on community impact and water access) with those of NFP Impact Investor (who will be concentrating on sustainable and scalable solutions) in the water sector required bridging the between grant-based, mission-driven work and market-based financial sustainability.

This can be achieved by employing blended finance models, structuring a fair deal between the two sides, and focusing on capacity building rather than solely on top-down investment scenario.  The following 5 weeks of matching talks will be help in understanding how this can be done.

 

• • • A 5-week Action Plan of Matching Activities

 

As part of CENFACS Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project (MOIvSWP), we are running a 5-week sequence of matching steps to support both sustainable water charitable organisations and not-for-profit impact investors.  It is a 5-week work about Impact Advice Service for sustainable water charitable organisations and Guidance Service on Impact Investing for NFP Investors.

The project is based on lifecycle thinking tool to evaluate project sustainability in international water and sanitation development work as proposed by Jennifer R. McConville and James R. Miheleic (op. cit.).  ACI (ASCOs) will be using this lifecycle thinking tool or model, which is made up with five stages as follows:

 

Stage one: Needs assessment

Stage two: Development of conceptual designs and feasibility studies 

Stage three: Design and action planning

Stage four: Physical implementation of the project

Stage five: Operation and maintenance.

 

As to NFP Impact Investors, they will be referring to models used by organisations already working on water projects and other impact-focused entities.  These projects often follow a structured five-stage lifecycle designed to ensure water security and social impact.  The 5 essential stages of water projects they can use are:

 

Stage 1: Needs assessment and community engagement

Stage 2: Feasibility study and technical design

Stage 3: Project financing and capital allocation

Stage 4: Implementation and installation

Stage 5: Monitoring, evaluation and long-term sustainability

 

The two sides will try to reach an agreement through their respective lifecycle thinking tools and processes, through the 5 lifecycle stages of water and sanitation projects for ACI (ASCOs) and 5 essential stages of sustainable water projects for Not-for-profit Impact Investors.

The above-mentioned stages will be adapted SWP.

However, let us recognize that there could be more than five steps or stages in any lifecycle thinking process of sustainable water projects.  Because we set up some boundaries by limiting ourselves to deliver this activity in five weeks, we choose a five-model for sustainable water 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 sustainable water charitable organisations and causes.  The following (Table no. 1) 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 lifecycle thinking tool to evaluate project sustainability

(***) Guidance for Impact Investing follows 5 essential stages of water projects.

If you want advice, help and support to find NFP Impact Investors; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project, starting from 25 February 2026.

If you need guidance to outsource sustainable water charitable organisations and causes in Africa; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Sustainable Water Project, starting from 25 February 2026.

These matching activities are a great opportunity for a sustainable water 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 sustainable water impact 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 Sustainable Water Project, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • 25/02/2026 to 03/03/2026: Activity 1 of MOIvSWP –

Matching Organisation’s Needs Assessment with Impact Investor’s Needs Assessment and Community Engagement

 

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 Sustainable Water Charitable Organisation and/or Cause through Needs Assessment of this ASCO.  We are trying to match ASCOs’ Needs Assessment with a NFP Impact Investor’s Needs Assessment and Community Engagement.

In order to carry out the matching process, it is better to clarify the meaning of Needs Assessment and Community Engagement.

 

• • • What Is Needs Assessment?

 

Needs assessment can be defined in many ways.  By referring to the definition of ‘asana.com’ (12),

“Needs assessment is a process for determining the needs, or gaps, between a current and desired outcome.  It is a part of strategic planning – essentially, a needs assessment helps you pinpoint how you’ll accomplish your strategic goals”.

This definition will help in explaining needs assessment from the perspectives of both ACI and NFP Impact Investor.

 

• • • What Is Community Engagement?

 

Just like for needs assessment, there are various views on community engagement which seem to convey the same meaning.  According to ‘ideascale.com’ (13),

“Community engagement refers to the process by which organisations, institutions, or individuals actively involve members of a community in discussions, decision-making, and activities that impact their collective well-being”.

Pennstate College of Agricultural Sciences (14) states that

“Community engagement seeks to better engage the community to achieve long-term and sustainable outcomes, processes, relationships, discourse, decision-making, or implementation”.

These definitions of community engagement will help the NFP Impact Investor to scrutinize ACI’s Needs Assessment stage to check how ACI’s SWP will work in collaboration with local people where this project will be implemented to address issues affecting the well-being of these people.

 

• • • ACI’s Needs Assessment versus Needs Assessment and Community Engagement from NFP Impact Investor

 

• • • • ACI’s Needs Assessment

 

SWP Needs Assessment from the perspective of ACI (recipient of investment) is a strategic, internal process that ACI will use to identify, analyze, and document the specific gaps between ACI’s current state and its desired future state.  This assessment will act as a foundational, data-driven justification for the investment, providing to potential NFP Impact Investors that the SWP is necessary, aligned with ACI’s charity objects and aim, and poised to deliver a strong social returns or poverty reduction outcomes.

The reasons for Needs Assessment are

 

~ to attract more NFP Impact Investors

~ to justify funding requirements

~ to avoid misaligned efforts

~ to enhance credibility.

 

In its Needs Assessment, ACI will include the following elements: Gap analysis (current versus desired state), Water poverty reduction return or Business Case Justification, Stakeholder requirements, Resource and budget planning, Risk identification, etc.

The key steps in its Needs Assessment will be:

 

a) Define the problem

b) Collect data

c) Analyse and prioritise

d) Develop action plan

e) Validate and document.

 

In brief, Needs Assessment from the perspective of ACI will consist of determining the motivation of ACI’s interventions and the extent of need of sustainable water in Africa.

 

• • • • Needs Assessment and Community Engagement from NFP Impact Investor’s Perspective

 

For NFP Impact Investor, Needs Assessment is a critical, foundational analysis that validates why the SWP should receive funding by clearly defining the gap between ACI’s current state and its desired future state.  The NFP Impact Investor will use this assessment to determine if ACI’s proposal for a SWP is financially viable, market-aligned and capable of delivering high results in terms of water poverty reduction while minimising its costs.

This Needs Assessment will serve as the foundation for the business case, directly influencing the decision to invest or decline.  The NFP Impact Investor will be looking for specific, data-driven insights in a needs assessment.

Key components of its Needs Assessment will be Gap and opportunity analysis, Quantifiable breakeven or social return on investment and Value creation, Market validation, Risk assessment and mitigation, Resource and financial feasibility, etc.

The NFP Impact Investor will use the Needs Assessment to reduce risk, ensure strategic alignment and evaluate SWP.  In its Needs Assessment, the NFP Impact Investor would like ACI to answer these questions:

 

σ Why does ACI want to set up SWP now?

σ How big will SWP be?

σ Will SWP breakeven?

σ What is the exit strategy?

 

ACI has to respond to all these questions for it to pass this investor-focused needs assessment test, which will be based on external market analysis and poverty reduction benefits.

Regarding Community Engagement, the NFP Impact Investor would like to be assured that ACI will be working with local communities to identify specific needs.  This also involves vetting communities, ensuring they express a need for water, and confirming that community ownership and organisation exist.

 

• • • Matching Organisation’s Perspective on Needs Assessment with Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ View on Needs Assessment and Community Engagement

 

In order to make matching possible, ACI or ASCO needs to respond to all the issues the NFP Impact Investor raised in its Needs Assessment and Community Engagement files.

In addition, the NFP 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 water contractor, etc.  This way the NFP Impact Investor will be able to check that ASCO’s project goals are directed towards sustainable water activities.

To enable this Activity 1 or first level of matching talks to move further, ASCO needs to respond to all the queries, enquiries and questions from the NFP Impact Investors.

Briefly, the NFP Impact Investors would like to be ensured that ASCO’s project goals are SMART enough and will be directed towards sustainable water activities and water poverty reduction.  If this is the case, there will be a possibility to reach an agreement.

 

• • • Reaching an Agreement on the Key Areas of the Needs Assessment and Community Engagement

 

The two sides (ASCO and the NFP Impact Investor) need to reach an agreement on the contents of Needs Assessment for the former and Needs Assessment and Community Engagement for the latter.  If there is a disagreement between ASCO and NFP Impact Investor, this could open up the possibility for a match/fit test.  The match/fit test can be carried out to try to help the two sides of the matching process.  The match/fit test can also be undertaken if there is a disagreement on any of aspects of the land restoration project.

 

 

• • • The Match or Fit Test Service

 

As part of the match or fit test, the contents of ASCO’s Needs Assessment Stage must be matched with NFP Impact Investor’s view on Needs Assessment and Community Engagement.

The match test (or matched sampling) will help to increase the accuracy and statistical efficiency of the study of the SWP by carefully selecting subjects for comparison.  The purpose here will be to increase the statistical efficiency of the study on SWP by controlling for confounding variables when forming a sample.

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

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

 

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ACI’s or ASCOCs’ Needs Assessment Stage the better for ACI or ASCOCs.  It means that ACI or ASCOCs’ process must pass the attractiveness test (that is, the evaluation of market’s appeal).  Likewise, the more ACIs or ASCOCs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SLS 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 SWP.

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

 

• • • CENFACS as a Matchmaker

 

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

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

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses 

 

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

 

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

 

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

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

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

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://au.int/ (accessed in February 2026)

(2) https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20260214/au-elects-new-chair-union-year-2026-and-priorities-water-security (accessed in February 2026)

(3) https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview (accessed in February 2026)

(4) https://dropinthebucket.org/africa-water-access-statistics/ (accessed in February 2026)

(5) United Nations Development Programme, (2006), Human Development Report 2006 – Beyond Scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis, New York, USA 

(6) McConville, J. R., & Miheleic, J. R., (2007), Adapting Lifecycle Thinking Tools to Evaluate Project Sustainability in International Water and Sanitation Development Work, Environmental Engineering Science, Volume 24, Number 7, 2007@Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/ees. 2006.0225

(7) https://climate.sustainability-directory.com/term/financial-contagion-risk/ (accessed in February 2026)

(8) https://docs.familiarize.com/glossary/contagion.risk/ (accessed in February 2026)

(9) https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/climate-change/qa-infectiousdiseases-who.pdf?sfvrsn=3a624917_3 (accessed in February 2026)

(10) https://climate.sustainability-directory.com/term/sustainable-water/ (accessed in February 2026)

(11) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in February 2026)

(12) https://asana.com/resources/needs-assessment (accessed in February 2026)

(13) https://ideascale.com/blog/what-is-community-engagement/ (accessed in February 2026)

(14) https://aese.psu.edu/research/centers/cecd/engagement/what-is-community-engagement (accessed in February 2026)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

18 February 2026

Post No. 444

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 1: Project Identification and Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into This Project Identification

• Ecological and Biological (EcoBio) Days – In Focus: The Inseparability of Ecological and Biological Issues from Poverty Reduction Efforts

• 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle – Step/Workshop 1: Project Identification and Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into This Project Identification

 

The planning process for All-Year-Round Projects, which is under way, includes the different steps of project lifecycle, which are:

Identification, preparation, feasibility study, appraisal, negotiations and agreement, start, implementation, monitoring and observability, reviews, termination, outcome evaluation and impact evaluation.

These steps of All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle will be completed in 12 weeks under a 12-week workshop programme.  At each of these steps, it is possible to integrate Triple Value (that is, People, Planet and Prosperity) Initiatives.

This week, we are starting with Project Identification as the first step or workshop for our project lifecycle, and the first integration of Triple Value Initiatives into this first step.

 

• • All-Year-Round Project Identification and the Integration of Triple Value Model into This Identification

 

• • • All-Year-Round Project (AYRP) Identification

 

To understand All-Year-Round Project Identification, it is better to start with the meaning of project identification.  What is project identification?

Project identification can be defined in various.  If we consider the website ‘theintactone.com’ (1), this site explains that

“Project identification is the initial phase in the project management process, where potential projects are recognized and defined based on organisational needs, opportunities, or challenges.  It involves identifying problems, goals, or opportunities that warrant attention and align with the organisation’s strategic objectives”.

There is a reason or purpose when one tries to identify a project.  The website ‘scribd.com’ (2) provides the purpose of project identification in the following terms:

“The purpose of project identification is to develop a preliminary proposal for the most appropriate set of interventions and course of action, within specific time and budget frames, to address a specific development goal in a particular region or setting.”

The website ‘techno-pm.com’ (3) goes further by giving the stages of project identification, which are initiation, feasibility, project schedule, risk analysis, identification close out, and approval.

It emerges from these three views that project identification is the initial, foundational stage in the project lifecycle that involves identifying, assessing, and selecting the best ideas, needs, or opportunities to solve problems or create value.

However, project identification can be slightly perceived differently in the context of All-Year-Round Projects lifecycle.  This is because AYRPs are initiatives or activities to be continuously run throughout the entire year rather than being restricted to a single season, short-term period or specific or temporary or seasonal event.  They are designed for longevity, providing consistent engagement, support, and production over a 12-month period.

Because of that, an All-Year-Round Project Identification refers to the continuous, proactive, and systematic process of identifying, scouting, and assessing your Play or Run or Vote projects throughout the entire year, rather than limiting this activity to specific, periodic planning season (like Winter 2026).  It involves scanning the internal and external environment to detect needs, problems or opportunities to maintain your Play or Run or Vote project hopper or pipeline.  This identification will be supported by the Integration of Triple Value (that is, People, Planet, Prosperity) Initiatives.

 

• • • The Integration of Triple Value Model into AYRP Identification

 

Integrating the Triple Value Model into your project identification consists of bringing the Triple Bottom Line (that is, People, Planet, Prosperity or the Value Toolkit’s Social, Environmental, and Economic Value) into project identification.  This integration requires shifting from a focus solely on cost or time to a broader assessment of long-term benefits.  This approach ensures projects are selected not just for financial viability, but for their positive impact on society and the environment. 

In practical terms, each All-Year-Round Project (that is, Play, Run and Vote projects) will contain this Triple Value Model.  Likewise, each step of your All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle needs to reflect the Triple Bottom Line.  In the context of this post, the step of project identification will be made with the Triple Value Model.

More on All-Year-Round Project Identification and the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into it can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Ecological and Biological (EcoBio) Days – In Focus: The Inseparability of Ecological and Biological Issues from Poverty Reduction Efforts

 

This year, CENFACS’ EcoBio Days, which will be held between 23 and 28 February 2026, will be on The Inseparability of Ecological and Biological Issues from Poverty Reduction Efforts.

Indeed, the inseparability of these issues from poverty reduction efforts creates a vicious cycle where environmental degradation accelerates poverty and poverty forces unsustainable exploitation of natural resources.

These issues include climate-related disasters, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and water scarcity, which predominantly affect the 70% of the world’s poor relying on natural resources for their households.

The ecological and biological issues in relation to poverty reduction include the following:

 

a) Climate change as a threat multiplier

b) Biodiversity loss and ecological degradation

c) Water and food insecurity

d) Health and biological factors

e) The ecological poverty trap.

 

These issues and their relations with poverty reduction will make our EcoBio Days.   Besides that, we shall look at strategies to address the nexus about nature-based solutions, empowering women and the integration of knowledge and new technology like AI.

For further details or to engage with these EcoBio Days, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign

 

Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign (FC&CC) is one of CENFACS seasonal initiatives falling within the Season of Light, which is from 21 December in the preceding year (e.g., 2025) to 21 March in the following year (e.g., 2026).

It is also a strategic marketing effort that CENFACS undertakes to align this campaign with the specific time of Winter when supporters’ interest and willingness to give are high.  In this respect, it is conceptualised to tap into heightened fundraising activities and emotions associated with the continuation of the giving moments.

Let us further explain it.

 

• • What Is FC&CC?

 

To understand FC&CC, it is better to explain financial capacity and financial capability separately.

Indeed, financial capacity is, according to ‘cobrief.app’ (4),

“An individual’s or organisation’s ability to meet financial obligations, such as paying debts, funding operations, or investing in new opportunities”.

As to financial capability, the World Bank (5) argues that

“It is the internal capacity to act in one’s best financial interest, given socioeconomic and environmental conditions.  It encompasses the knowledge (literacy), attitudes, skills, and behaviour, of consumers with respect to understanding, selecting, and using financial services, and the ability to access financial services that fit their needs”.

From these two definitions, it can be argued that FC&CC is designed to equip CENFACS Community members and households with the knowledge, skills, confidence, and motivation to manage their money effectively and build financial resilience.  FC&CC aims to improve financial wellbeing, reducing stress and anxiety linked to money worries, by helping campaign beneficiaries handle day-to-day finances, plan for the future, and manage unexpected financial difficulties.

 

• • What Are the Components of FC&CC?

 

Like for any FC&CC, CENFACS FC&CC is made of the following elements: financial capability, financial capacity, preventative support, and targeted outreach.  Let us summarise these components.

 

a) Financial Capacity

It is about providing resources and access to ensure our members have access to the necessary tools (such as bank accounts) and the ability to effectively use financial services.

 

b) Financial Capability

It involves working with our members to change financial behaviour and improve skills, like budgeting, saving, understanding credit, and managing debt.

 

c) Preventative Support

It is about acting early to prevent our members get into financial crises rather than just managing these crises.

 

d) Targeted Outreach

CENFACS FC&CC is tailored to the most vulnerable members of our community and sister communities who lack both financial capacity and financial capability.

 

The above-mentioned components will be delivered through a number of activities.

 

• • CENFACS FC&CC Key Activities

 

We are going to use the following methods to deliver CENFACS FC&CC: workshops, educational resources, one-to-one guidance, provision of digital tools and apps.  Table 1 provides the information about these Key Activities.

 

 

• • Wednesday 18/02/2026: CENFACS FC&CC Key Activity 1: Workshop on the Cost-of-living Advice

 

We are planning to run two workshops: one on the cost-of-living advice and the other on understanding benefits system.  The first one is on cost-of-living advice.

The Workshop on the Cost-of-living Advice is about ensuring that participants are receiving enough information about the cost of living and any support relating to it.  The workshop will help them to bridge gap in information and knowledge as well as to mobilise the tools and support they need to mitigate the adverse effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

Those may be interested in the workshop, they can contact CENFACS.  Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about 2026 Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 2: Workshop on Skill Training and Technical Support (Wednesday 18/02/2026)

• Week Beginning Monday 16/02/2026 of 2026 Sustainable Development Month – In Focus: Transition Risks to Households Resulting from Biodiversity Loss

• E-discussion on the Benefits of the Win-win Approach in the Context of the Double Transfer of Climate Technology and Finance to Africa

 

 

• Graduation and Livelihood Programme 2: Workshop on Skill Training and Technical Support (Wednesday 18/02/2026)

 

Our work on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households continues with Graduation and Livelihood Programme 2.  This Programme 2 will be run as a workshop that will focus on Skill Training and Technical Support that our members are looking for.  

To clarify the topic of this Programme 2, let us briefly explain skill training and technical support.

 

• • What Is Skill Training?

 

According to Talent LMS (6),

“Skills training is developing specific skills (hard skill or soft skills) for work or any activity through dedicated programmes.  In the workplace, skills training is a structured approach to improving specific employee capabilities, directly tied to business objectives.  It is a deliberate investment in your human capital’s most valued abilities”.

During the workshop, we shall refer to this definition and other ones to explore how skills training can help participants to graduate from poverty.

 

• • What Is Technical Support?

 

Technical support can be explained in various manners.  One of its explanations comes from ‘amazingalgorithms.com’ (7), which states that

“Technical Support (Tech Support) refers to assistance provided to users of technology products and services, including troubleshooting hardware and software issues, answering questions, and providing technical guidance.  It can be offered through various channels such as phone, email, or online chat”.

Again, during our workshop we shall figure out if participants to the workshop received timely assistance, the downtime was minimized and their experience was optimized.

 

• • What Is Workshop on Skill Training and Technical Support?

 

It is a training or learning event that will explore the benefits of skills training and technical support in terms of poverty reduction.  The workshop will provide recommendations for actions with options and opportunities for the participants.

 

• • What Is the Aim of Workshop on Skill Training and Technical Support?

 

The workshop aims to educate participants about economic inclusion from the perspective of skills training and technical support.  In other words, not being trained to acquire the skills one needs to escape from poverty and not having the technical support to operate some types of technology or equipment can keep people in poverty for a long time.

The objective of the workshop is to ensure that participants receive the necessary know-how, experience, and equipment to graduate from poverty.

 

• • For Whom the Workshop on Skill Training and Technical Support Is for?      

 

The workshop aims at supporting those who require training with the possibility that this training will provide them with the skills they need to graduate from poverty.  Those who need in-depth skills and knowledge about the beneficial effects of training and tech support can also participate.

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, please communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Week Beginning Monday 16/02/2026 of 2026 Sustainable Development Month – In Focus: Transition Risks to Households Resulting from Biodiversity Loss

 

Governments and companies can react to the biodiversity crisis or loss with new regulations and rules.  This reaction can impact household savings and wealth.  This can lead to transition risks for households.

 

• • What Are Transition Risks?

 

There are various definitions on Transition Risks that convey the same meaning.  One of these definitions come from the website ‘sustainability-directory.com’ (8) which states that

“Transition risk is the financial risk that arises from the process of adjusting to a low-carbon economy.  This includes risks from policy changes (e.g., carbon pricing), technological shifts (e.g., renewable energy replacing fossil fuels), market changes, and reputational shifts”.

Another definition is from ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (9), which contends that

“Transition risks refer to the risks related to transitioning an economy into a low-carbon economy or embracing changes to withstand climate change”.

From these two definitions, it can be concluded that transition risks are financial and socioeconomic costs that arise as governments, businesses, and society adjust to a nature-positive economy to stop further damage.  These risks, similar to the transition costs of climate change, are often driven by policy changes, new technology, or changing consumer habits.  These risks are summarised below.

 

• • Key Transition Risks to Households

 

They are higher consumer costs, stranded assets and reduced asset values, change in job market and livelihoods, limited access to goods (or consumer shift), increased insurance and financial costs.  Let us summarise these costs.

 

~ Higer consumer costs (felt through inflationary pressure)

As companies are required to pay for their environmental impact, they often pass these costs onto consumers.  Similarly, stricter rules on chemical use, water consumption, and land-use change in agriculture could raise the cost of agricultural products and food prices.  Additionally, increased regulation on logging and mining may raise the cost of material costs, furniture, and clothing.

 

~ Stranded assets and reduced asset values

Assets that are highly dependent on degraded natural capital many lose value.  For instance, homes or land located in areas that become strictly protected (e.g., wetlands, forests) might face tighter regulations, hindering development or decreasing resale value.  Likewise, household savings or pension funds invested in industries with large biodiversity footprints may suffer as those industries face regulating penalties.

 

~ Changes in job market and livelihoods

Households relying on resource-intensive industries (like extractive ones) may experience financial instability.  Households working in sectors like conventional fishing, forestry, or pesticide-intensive farming may face job losses or the need for retraining as sectors transition towards sustainable practices.  Sectors heavily dependent on nature (such as tourism, forestry, and fishing) may see rapid declines in employment as resources are depleted.

 

~ Limited access to goods

As companies phase out products deemed harmful to biodiversity, consumers may have to transition to alternatives, sometimes more expensive or less accessible, sustainable options.  Households may end up shifting their consumption from goods and services linked to deforestation.

 

~ Increased insurance and financial costs

As biodiversity loss leads to higher physical risks, the cost of insuring homes and property will likely and significantly increase, reducing household disposable income.

 

So, these transition costs could be higher depending on households’ circumstances.  What matters for these households could their ability to reduce poverty and hardships linked to transition risks resulting from biodiversity loss or crisis.

 

• • How CENFACS Can Work with Those in Need of Reducing Poverty Linked to Transition Risks from Biodiversity Loss

 

CENFACS can work with them to reduce transition risks resulting biodiversity loss, particularly inflationary pressures, the reduction of their assets value, threats to their job or occupational activities, limited access to goods and services, and the reduction of their disposable income.  This work will help them reduce poverty linked to transition risks from biodiversity loss.

For those members of our community who may be interested in tackling Transition Risks associated with biodiversity loss, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and Biodiversity Loss as a Systemic Financial Risk; please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• E-discussion on the Benefits of the Win-win Approach in the Context of the Double Transfer of Climate Technology and Finance to Africa

 

We are continuing to work on issues raised in the 90th Issue of FACS of this Winter 2026.  This Issue was/is titled ‘Local African Charities, the Double Transfer (of Climate Technology and Finance) and Poverty Reduction – Approaching Charitable Transfers from a Win-win Perspective’.

One of the issues raised was the benefits of win-win approach regarding finance and technology transfers.  We would like to organise an e-discussion to deal with this issue.

This e-discussion or online dialogue will be on…

the benefits of win-win approach for Local African Charities and Multinational Charities in the context of the double transfer of climate technology and climate finance to Africa.

It is about shifting power dynamics and embracing genuine partnership and how they can effectively drive sustainable development and climate resilience in Africa by benefiting all stakeholders.

For those of our members who may have any views or thoughts or even experience to share with regard to this matter, they can join our e-discussion to exchange their views or thoughts or experience with others.

To e-discuss with us and others, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Perspectives 2026 pour l’Investissement à Impact dans le Secteur à But Non Lucratif en Afrique –

Point de Mire : Organisations Caritatives Sœurs et Causes Basées en Afrique Oeuvrant pour l’Énergie Durable et la Réduction de la Précarité Énergétique

L’édition 2026 de Perspectives des Organisations à But Non Lucratif en Afrique en Matière d’Investissement à Impact (POBNLAMII) traite des Organisations et Causes Caritatives Sœurs Basées en Afrique (OCCSBA) travaillant dans le domaine de l’énergie durable. Ces organisations sont à but non lucratif, à mission, opérant localement ou régionalement en Afrique et visant à faciliter l’accès à une énergie abordable, fiable et renouvelable ou à promouvoir le développement social et économique.

L’Édition 2026 de POBNLAMII couvre également les OCCSBA travaillant sur la réduction de la précarité énergétique. Ce second type d’organisations est à but non lucratif, axé sur la communauté ou philanthropique, opérant en Afrique pour atténuer le manque d’accès à des services énergétiques abordables, fiables, durables et modernes.

Les deux types d’organisations (c’est-à-dire celles travaillant sur l’énergie durable et celles traitant de la pauvreté énergétique) composent cette édition 2026 de POBNLAMII. La plupart des organisations couvertes dans l’édition de cette année traiteraient les deux aspects (énergie durable et pauvreté énergétique). Leur travail s’entrecroise ou se rejoint, tout comme il existe des différences clés entre elles en termes de moteur principal, d’objectif, de zone cible et de but.

L’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII fournit leur mission et leur orientation, leur champ opérationnel, leurs actions en tant que générateurs de capacités, etc. Leur travail va au-delà de l’apport de lumière, car elles offrent des solutions énergétiques et de lutte contre la pauvreté de manière holistique.

L’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII inclut des tendances et des analyses sur le travail des OCCSBA en matière d’énergie durable et de réduction de la pauvreté énergétique. Elle fournit également certains domaines sur lesquels se concentrer tout en mettant en évidence les défis auxquels les OCCSBA sont confrontées dans leur travail. Cependant, elle ne traite pas des organismes de financement de l’énergie et des installations, bien que certains des principaux acteurs de l’énergie puissent fournir des fonds pour soutenir l’action locale.

Comme pour les éditions précédentes, l’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII doit être comprise comme une extension du programme d’orientation de CENFACS pour ceux ou celles qui souhaitent investir à but non lucratif à impact en Afrique. L’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII ne remplace cependant pas l’orientation pour investir en Afrique. Elle y ajoute simplement de la valeur.

En raison de sa contribution unique au secteur de l’investissement à but non lucratif, l’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII présente les informations que les investisseur(e)s à but non lucratif pourraient souhaiter, de manière simple mais concise. En particulier, elle met en évidence les types de services offerts par les OCCSBA dans les domaines de l’énergie durable et de la réduction de la précarité énergétique.

Plus d’informations sur l’édition 2026 de POBNLAMII, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle –

Step/Workshop 1: Project Identification and Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into This Project Identification

 

The planning process for All-Year-Round Projects, which is under way, includes the different steps of project lifecycle, which are:

Identification, preparation, feasibility study, appraisal, negotiations and agreement, start, implementation, monitoring and observability, reviews, termination, outcome evaluation and impact evaluation.

These steps of All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle will be completed in 12 weeks under a 12-week workshop programme.  At each of these steps, it is possible to integrate Triple Value (that is, Environmental, Social and Economic Value or People, Planet, Prosperity) Initiatives.

This week, we are starting with Project Identification as the first step or workshop for our project lifecycle, and the first integration of Triple Value Initiatives into this first step.  Let us see what potential users of All-Year-Round Projects (AYRPs) can undertake in this first workshop/step and integrate Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs) at each step for each project.

The following sub-headings cover this identification and integration:

 

σ What Is AYRP Identification? What Is TVI Integration?

σ Workshop 1: Identifying Your Run or Play or Vote Project

σ Integration 1: Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Project Identification

σ Working with AYRP Users to Facilitate TVI Integration.

 

Let us uncover each of these sub-headings.

 

• • What Is AYRP Identification? What Is TVI Integration?

 

AYRPs can be identified and TVIs can be integrated into them.

 

• • • What is AYRP Identification?

 

An All-Year-Round Project Identification refers to the continuous, proactive, and systematic process of identifying, scouting, and assessing your Play or Run or Vote projects throughout the entire year, rather than limiting this activity to specific, periodic planning season (like Winter 2026).  It involves scanning the internal and external environment to detect needs, problems or opportunities to maintain your Play or Run or Vote project hopper or pipeline.

If we consider each of these projects (that is, Play, Run, and Vote projects), we can explain the identification for each of them as follows:

 

~ AYRP Identification for Your Play refers to the continuous process of identifying, evaluating, and launching your small, manageable Play or Game-related project throughout the year rather than focusing solely on one long-term, high-risk, multi-year project.  This approach helps you as creator or researcher analysing player behaviour – maintain momentum, refine skills, and adapt to feedback without the pressure of a single ‘make-or-break’ release.

 

~ AYRP Identification of Your Run refers to the continuous process of planning, defining, and selecting running-related goals throughout the entire year rather than setting a single, annual goal.  This approach ensures consistent performance, health maintenance, and structured progression in running, such as base building, strength training, and racing.

 

~ AYRP Identification of Your Vote is a continuous, strategic process of scouting for, evaluating, and matching potential 2026 Poverty Reduction and Development Manager to organisational needs, rather than waiting for a crisis or project kick-off to find someone.  It treats project management as a specialised, continuous leadership role rather than an ‘ad-hoc’ assignment based on availability.

 

These three dimensions of identification will be supported by the integration of Triple Value (that is,People, Planet, Prosperity) Initiatives into them.

 

• • • What is TVI Integration?

 

Integrating the Triple Value Model into your project identification consists of bringing the Triple Bottom Line (that is, People, Planet, Prosperity or the Value Toolkit’s Social, Environmental, and Economic Value) into project identification.  This integration requires shifting from a focus solely on cost or time to a broader assessment of long-term benefits.  This approach ensures projects are selected not just for financial viability, but for their positive impact on society and the environment. 

In practical terms, each All-Year-Round Project (that is, Play, Run and Vote projects) will contain this Triple Value Impact.  Likewise, each step of your All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle needs to reflect the Triple Bottom Line.

The following notes on workshop 1 and integration 1 explain how this can be achieved/done.

 

• • Workshop 1: Identifying Your Run or Play or Vote Project

 

In this first step of the project lifecycle, those who would like to undertake a Run or Play or Vote activity need to identify their Run or Play or Vote project.  What do we mean by that?

They need to develop a preliminary proposal for the most appropriate course of actions, within specific time and budget frames, to say how they are going to achieve the goal of Running or Playing or Voting.

For example, let us take Running.  You could say you want to run 4 miles every Friday of the week in the morning in the local park and you plan to spend some few pounds on water bottles to refresh yourself, etc.  You could also be specific whether you want to run alone or as a group of people.

This identification will involve the following: review of alternative approaches or options, definition of your project objectives, and identification of major issues. 

Let us consider each of the project identification items through the example of Running.

 

σ Reviewing alternatives approaches or options for addressing any problems with your Running or Playing or Voting activity

For instance, if we take Running, you may consider other options such as swimming, cycling, walking, skipping rope, playing football, etc.  You could as well include opportunity cost in the reviewing process of alternative approaches or options (how much it costs to run compared to cycling).

 

σ Defining the objectives of your Run or Play or Vote project/initiative to justify the resources to be committed

Let take the example of Running.  Your objectives could be to improve your cardiovascular health, bone health, mental health, brain function, respiratory function, etc.  They could also be to learn other skills while running, achieve personal goals, being flexible, support CENFACS’ all-year-round running project, raise funds for CENFACS noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction, etc.

 

σ Identification of any major issues before implementing the Run or Play or Vote project

Let us once more consider Running.  You could review issues linked to the consequences of Running and how you are going to resolve them.  These issues could be the impact on your body: join pain, muscle strains, back pain, stress fractures, etc.  You could also check if the park will be open according to your running plan.

 

So, it is better to review alternatives approaches or options, define your objectives, and identify any major issues before implementing the Run or Pay or Vote projects.

The above is a basic starting point for project identification.  However, identifying your project does not stop there.  You need to integrate a Triple Value Initiative into your Running.

 

• • Integration 1: Integrating Triple Value Initiatives into Your Project Identification

 

Integrating the Triple Value Initiatives (conceptualised as Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Prosperity or the Value Toolkit’s Social, Environmental, and Economic Value) into project identification requires shifting from a focus solely on cost or time to a broader assessment of long-term benefits.  This approach ensures projects are selected not just for financial viability, but for their positive impact on society and the environment.

To integrate Triple Value Initiatives into Project Integration, there are steps to follow, which are given below.

 

• • • Steps to Integrate Triple Value Initiatives into Your Project Identification

 

Here are the steps.

 

1) Reframe your AYRP objectives early

Move beyond the ‘Iron Triangle’ by broadening AYRP objectives to include social, environmental, and economic outcomes, not just scope, budget, and time.  It implies defining ‘value’ early by utilising frameworks like the Value Toolkit to determine what success looks like in terms of environmental, social, and economic outcomes before detailed planning begins.

 

2) Identify Triple Value Stakeholders

It is about engaging with adverse range of stakeholders (community, friends, families, colleagues) to understand their needs regarding the social and environmental value.  It is also about setting SMART (that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) value objectives that cover all the three pillars.

 

3) Incorporate TVI into feasibility study and not-for-profit case

This involves enhancing the not-for-profit case in the project identification by including a value-based assessment rather than just a cost-benefit analysis.  This also implies using a multicriteria analysis that evaluates AYRP option against Triple Value criteria rather than just financial return on investment.

 

4) Use tools for measuring value

This encompasses the adoption of specialised tools (like the UK’s Social Value Model) which mandate the consideration of social, environmental, and economic factors.  It includes as well developing a Benefits Realisation Plan (i.e., creating a plan early to track how your AYRP will deliver these benefits throughout its lifecycle including the post-implementation).

 

5) Have an alignment with strategy

You need to ensure that your AYRP directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  It is also good to have a strategic fit review by foreseeing your long-term vision, social and environmental goals.

 

6) Process integration

You are required to include environmental and social impacts as mandatory screening questions during the brainstorming (or initial idea generation) of your AYRP.  It means including community impact analysis alongside feasibility studies, and prioritising AYRPs that rank high in all three areas of the Triple Value Model.

 

By integrating these steps, your AYRPs will be designed to deliver not-for-profit value, by creating lasting impact on you, society and the environment.

 

 

• • Working with AYRP Users to Facilitate TVI Integration

 

Integrating Triple Value (that is, Environmental, Social and Economic or People, Planet, Prosperity) Initiatives into project identification with AYRP users requires moving from ‘compliance’ mindset to a ‘value creation’ mentality.  Since these users would constantly manage their AYRPs, the key is to make the process simple, rewarding, and integrated into their existing workflow or plan.

To facilitate this integration, one needs to adopt a structured approach which can be expressed as follows:

 

a) Simplify and reframe the language by avoiding technical jargon (for instance, instead of saying Triple Bottom Line, one could speak about a long-term impact).

This can also be done by

– connecting to AYRP users’ motivation (for example, showing them that environmental savins = energy efficiency = lower costs)

– developing a 3 Value check prompt by integrating a simple mandatory question (like Which environmental, social and economic benefits would your AYRP contribute to?).

 

b) Embed into existing tools

This embedment can be achieved by updating the project identification through, for instance, adding a checkbox section for sustainability and/or automating prompts (e.g., creating a field for TV contribution for their AYRP).

 

c) Create ‘Plug-and-Play’ Resources

This approach can consist of developing a decision matrix to help AYRP users assess the potential TV impact of different options.

 

d) Foster culture and education

TV Model is about continuous education rather than one-off training.  It also involves empowering AYRP Champions (e.g., Sustainability Champions).

 

e) Incentivize and measure

It involves recognizing value over budget (e.g., celebrating AYRP completions that achieved high TV, not just those under budget), showcasing success stories (by sharing impact-driven stories), and aligning performance metrics with success

 

f) Start early

This implies holding or participating to a value mapping session or a pre-identification workshop.

 

By working with AYRP users to integrate these initiatives into their tools and thinking processes, this will stop these TVIs being ‘add-on’ and enable them become part of the definition of their AYRP success.

For those who are not familiar with project identification and the integration of Triple Value Model into their AYR project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS if they need support.

They can contact CENFACS by

 

phoning, texting, e-mailing and completing the contact form on this website.

 

We can together discuss in detail your/their proposals about either your/their Run or Play or Vote projects.

For any queries and/or enquiries about All-Year-Round Projects Lifecycle and Identification as well as about the Integration of Triple Value Initiatives into Project Identification, please contact CENFACS.

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• References

 

(1) https://theintactone.com/2019/pm-u1-topic-1-project-identification (accessed in February 2026)

(2) www.scribd.com/document/833650445/what-is-project-identification (accessed in February 2026)

(3) https://www.techno-pm.com/blogs/project-management-concepts/project-identification (accessed in February 2026)

(4) https://www.cobrief.app/resources/legal-glossary/financial-capacity-overview-definition-and-example/ (accessed in February 2026)

(5) https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/693871468340173654/pdf/807670WPOP14400Box0379820BOOPUBLICO.pdf (accessed in February 2026) 

(6) https://www.talentlms.com/blog/skills-training/ (accessed in February 2026)

(7) https://amazingalgorithms.com/definitions/technical-support-tech-support/ (accessed in February 2026)

(8) https://esg.sustainability-directory.com/learn/waht-is-a-transition-risk-and-how-is-modeled-in-a-climate-scenario/ (accessed in February 2026)

(9) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/transition-risks/ (accessed in February 2026)

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