Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!
09 October 2024
Post No. 373
The Week’s Contents
• 2024 “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Campaign and Themed Activities via “Mbisi” Project
• Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor Programme via Farming Charitable Loan – Stage 1: Loan Application Submission
• Making Donations Not Directly with Cash
… And much more!
Key Messages
• 2024 “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Campaign and Themed Activities via “Mbisi” Project
Our environmental campaign known as “A la une” has already started and is going to last for six weeks. The main theme of this campaign is still the same, which is Upkeep of the Nature; the sub-theme for this year’s campaign being Saving the Endangered Fish Species. This sub-theme will be delivered or conducted via “Mbisi” Project.
As said, this year’s campaign is about the upkeep of endangered fish species. It is an action to reduce and stop extinction risk and threat that fish species like
Bagrus meridionalis, Treur River barb, Sandfish, Estuarine Pipefish Syngnathus Watermeyeri, Haplochromis granti, Basking Shark, African Wedgefish (Rynchobatus Luebbert) and Barbel spp
are subject to.
These fish species are just a few examples of many more that are threatened and at risk of extinction.
Five of the above-mentioned examples of critically endangered fish species (that is, Bagrus meridionalis, Treur River barb enteronius treurensis, African Wedgefish Rynchobatus Luebbert, Haplochromis granti, and Estuarine Pipefish Syngnathus Watermeyeri) will make up selected composed notes or themed areas of our work; work that we will carry out together to shape the central topic or theme of “A la une” Campaign this Autumn.
We have provided, under the Main Development section of this post, the time frame and titles of these composed notes or themed areas of work.
The first themed area of work is Saving Bagrus Meridionalis; themed area which kicked off from the 7th of October 2024.
For further information about this first note, please read under the Main Development section of this post.
• Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor Programme via Farming Charitable Loan – Stage 1: Loan Application Submission
Last week, we explained what Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor Programme via Farming Charitable Loan is about. In particular, we provided the following briefs:
Matching Project Statement, the Aim of Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, Charitable Loan to Small to Medium-sized Farming Businesses/Farmers, What Is a Not-for-profit Investor in Farming Activities/Businesses? and What Is Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Loan?
This week, we are continuing with the presentation of 4-week Matching Activities, which starts today 09/10/2024. We shall then deal with the note relating to Stage 1 of this matching process, which is Loan Application Submission. But, before that let us briefly highlight the matching guidelines, the type of loan involved in this matching process, and what the loan will be used for.
• • Matching Guidelines
To carry out Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor Programme via Farming Charitable Loan, one needs to know the profile of the organisation that is looking for not-for-profit investment, the specification or description of the not-for-profit farming investor, and identification of possible ways of matching organisation’s profile and investor’s specification.
• • What Is the Type of Loan APRCs Will Provide?
It is a flexible farming finance in the form of cash injection to small and medium-sized farming activities or businesses for equipment growth and cash flow. APRC is planning to provide flexible loans at concessional/social rates (that is, short-term loans with less interest to pay) to be used for the following:
σ Expansion and growth of farming activities or businesses
σ Equipment (like soil cultivation equipment, seed drills, tractor-pulled transplanter, utility vehicles, etc.) and machinery purchase
σ Farming stock
σ Coverage of one-off business cost
etc.
• • What the Loan Will Be Used for
Loans, which could be between £100 and £2,000, will help to buy agricultural equipment or investment in a new farming initiative/venture. They can help smallholder farmers buy the following: a tractor, harrow, transplanter, trailer, rake, backhoe loader, machete, shovel, small farm truck, etc.
• • Plan for 4-week Matching Activities
As part of CENFACS‘ Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, we are running a 4-week matching activities to support both African Poverty Relief Charities (APRCs) and not-for-profit (n-f-p) farming investors. It is a 4-week work about Impact Advice Service for APRCs and Guidance Service on Impact Investing for not-for-profit farming investors.
To deliver Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, we shall refer to the lending or loan life cycle. By definition, a loan cycle is the period from which a borrower applies for a loan to time it is paid off with interest to the lender. In other words, the lending life cycle consists of all activities that begin the loan application stage and culminate with the final repayment.
There could be more than four steps or stages in any lending process. Within the lending literature and jargon, it is said that the average loan cycle consists of five stages.
Because we set up some boundaries by limiting ourselves to deliver this project in four weeks, we have chosen a four-stage model of working with both APRCs and not-for-profit farming investors (n-f-p FIs). As a result, we have decided to follow the four key stages model of the lending process provided by ‘datagardener.com’ (1); model which includes application submission, application processing, underwriting stage and disbursement. These stages are included in our Plan for 4-week Matching Activities.
The following is our action plan.
Notes to table no. 1:
(*) Match periods are portions of time intended to help discover whether or not investors’ interests match organisations’ needs
(**) Match stages are the four stages lending process at which CENFACS can provide advice to APRCs and guidance to n-f-p FIs in order to maximise their chances to reach an agreement.
If you want advice, help and support to find not-for-profit farming investors; CENFACS can work with you under this 4-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, starting from 09 October 2024.
If you need guidance to outsource charitable organisations and causes in Africa; CENFACS can work with you under the same 4-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, starting from 09 October 2024.
These matching activities are a great opportunity for charities to realise their Autumn dream of getting an investment they badly need and an investor who can stand alongside their mission. They are also a grand aspiration for not-for-profit farming investors to find Autumn fresh peace of mind through a suitable organisation in which to invest in Africa.
Need to engage with Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan, please contact CENFACS.
• • 09/10/2024 to 15/10/2024: Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan –
Stage 1: Matching Organisation-Investor via Loan Application Submission
This is the first stage of the loan processing whereby the potential borrower/debtor will fill out the application form to be furnished by APRCS. After filling out his/her application, he/she will submit it to the lender (here APRCs).
The application will include the following details:
∝ Personal information (that is, proof of identity, full name, contact information, address history, etc.)
∝ Financial statements (i.e., balance sheets showing potential borrower’s assets and liabilities, income statements providing insights into revenues and expenses, cash flow statements measuring the amount of cash the borrower’s will generate and spend over a period of time like 6 months to one year)
∝ Credit history (that is, a record of a borrower’s past payment behaviour, credit utilisation and credit inquiries)
∝ and other details for the purpose of the loan application submission.
At this stage, which kicks off the matching talks or negotiations, both APRCs and n-f-p FIs are required to well performed in terms of their pitches and facts.
• • • What APRCs need to Do at this stage
APRC needs to demonstrate that it has in place an organised system and structure of collecting information from the borrower via an application form; whether this information will be directly collected by APRC (e.g., online software form to be furnished with aid by APRC or paper form) or a third party (an agency). Even if the information is collected by a third party or software/paper form, APRC is required to show that it has control over the lending information collection system. It also has to provide evidence that it has infrastructure and capacity to carefully and professionally review the information provided to assess borrower’s/debtor’s eligibility and affordability.
Although some the borrowers could be members or project beneficiaries of APRC, the latter needs to prove that it will professionally act according to international lending or credit processing standards when collecting personal information from them. Failure to do so will provide some doubt from n-f-p FIs in terms of APRC’s competency to deal with lending application submission process.
• • • What N-f-p FIs want to know
N-f-p FI will check that the way in which APRC will collect facts from potential borrower/debtor and how APRC will assess borrower’s/debtor’s creditworthiness. In technical parlance, n-f-p FI would like to know whether or not the information to be collected will be relevant, accurate and complete in the context of loan application processing. N-f-p FI will want to be sure that APRC will check the information collected if they are true and accurate. It may also anticipate the process by trying to know if APRC will conduct a proper credit analysis in terms of creditworthiness of the borrower in order to mitigate the risk of repayment default. In this respect, n-f-p FI will want some guarantee on how APRC gather information relating to financial ratio analysis, risk assessment and creditworthiness.
N-f-p FI also would like to be sure that the way credit history information will be collected by APRC will enable a better checking of the key components of credit analysis such as financial statement analysis, credit history evaluation, farming industry and market analysis, other monetary information and records.
There is another reason why n-f-p FI will want to be sure. This reason is that the micro-loan to be offered by APRC is for the borrower/debtor to produce or run a farming activity/project, not to consume to meet their personal needs. The micro-loan is indeed a form of borrowing for commercial purposes. It will be used to start up or support the farming activity or business. Borrower/debtor will agree to pay it back including interest attached to it over the agreed period of time.
So, the contents of lending application submission form proposed by APRCs need to be approved by n-f-p FIs. If the latter disagree on any of the information to be collected or contained in this form and the way of collecting them, there could be mismatch between the two (i.e., between application submission form contents and what investor is looking at). If there is a mismatch, this can open more talks or negotiations or CENFACS‘ intervention.
If these talks result to nothing, then there could be a need to organise a match or fit test. This scenario could happen if APRC decide that in certain situations borrowers/debtors may not required to go through an established credit history process because of high level of poverty where they live or where the farming charitable loan project will be implemented. N-f-p FI may or may not agree with APRC as he/she may think that it is very risk to do so. N-f-p FI may want to see that there is a commercial rate of return on investment in relation to the risk to be taken by APRC. This is because APRC will be making a loan as an investment.
APRC can challenge n-f-p FI’s argument. However, APRC will need to prove that it will take reasonable steps to limit its exposure to risk. If n-f-p FI disagrees, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.
• • • The Match or Fit Test
As part of the match or fit test, n-f-p farming investor’s enquiries and queries must be matched with APRCs’ lending application submission form and process. In other words, the information to be contained in APRCs’ lending application submission form must successfully respond to the enquiries and queries that n-f-p farming investor may raise about the micro-loan initiative and model of working with local poor people and communities in Africa.
The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement. If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two (i.e., between the questions from the investor/n-f-p FI and the answers from the investee/APRCs), the probability or chance of having an agreement at this first round of negotiations could be null or uncertain.
However, CENFACS can impact advise APRCs to improve the contents of its lending application submission form and process. CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p farming investors with impact to work out their expectations (or enquiries and queries) to a format that can be acceptable by potential APRCs. CENFACS’ impact advice for APRCs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p farming investor, which are impartial, will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.
The rule of the game is the more n-f-p farming investors are attracted by APRCs’ lending application submission form and process the better for APRCs. Likewise, the more APRCs can successfully respond to n-f-p farming investors’ level of enquiries and queries the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., organisation and investor).
The above is the first stage of the Autumn Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan.
Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a farming charitable loan project to lift their members out of poverty via giving micro-loans to them and n-f-p farming investors looking for organisations that are interested in their investments, they can contact CENFACS to arrange the match or fit test for them. They can have their fit test carried out by CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses.
For any queries and/or enquiries about this first stage of Matching Organisation-Investor via Farming Charitable Loan and/or the programme itself, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• Making Donations Not Directly with Cash
How to support CENFACS without directly giving cash
Last month, we highlighted ways of supporting CENFACS and of boosting your support. This week, we are adding ways of backing us without you having to directly give cash to CENFACS as well as to its noble and beautiful causes. This is all part of improving the way in which you can make an impact on what CENFACS is doing to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.
Indeed, there are many ways that one can use to help CENFACS without directly given cash. One can unlock barriers to make donations not directly with cash for CENFACS and CENFACS’ noble and beautiful causes. Those who would like to assist CENFACS by using other means than directly giving cash, they can think of the following.
15-themed ways of donating to consider this Autumn and in the lead up to the end of the year:
1) Giving unwanted goods and items to CENFACS e-charity store at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/
2) Sign up for a Gift Aid Declaration from which CENFACS can earn an extra 25p for every £1 you give
3) Nominate CENFACS for a donation at charity fundraising and donation events
4) Select CENFACS as your preferred charity for donation from advertising revenue
5) Raise free funds for CENFACS with your online shopping or choose CENFACS as a donation recipient of some of the profits raised from online shopping
6) Donate your unwanted and unused points and cashback to CENFACS as your chosen charity from your loyalty shopping rewards or good causes’ gift cards
7) Name CENFACS as your favourite deserving cause if it happens that you have the opportunity to click the online option “donate cashback to charities”
8) Donate any unwanted excess points of your loyalty card from apps that may give support to good causes
9) Give away to CENFACS any vouchers received or earned that you do not need or want
10) Hand out to CENFACS any proceeds from unwanted or unneeded prize draw or award you prefer to get rid of
11) If you are a gaming fundraiser, help CENFACS raise money it needs through your gaming fundraising capability
12) Help in online fundraising events (e.g., online or digital tickets selling)
13) If you are gaming as a good causes and fundraising livestream donor, you can also support CENFACS
14) If you are running gaming and livestreaming campaigns, you can remember CENFACS in your campaigns
15) Give cryptocurrency donations or the proceeds of sales of non-fungibles tokens to streamline CENFACS‘ processes of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.
The above fifteen-themed ways of not directly donating cash are just the few examples of ways of helping that one can think over or come across with to support CENFACS without having to directly give cash. However, this does not mean one cannot donate cash. Of course, they can and if you choose to donate cash, CENFACS will happily accept your cash donations.
To support CENFACS without directly giving cash and or by directly donating cash, just contact CENFACS.
Extra Messages
• Shop at CENFACS Zero-Waste e-charity Store for Your Autumn 2024 Goods Donations and Buys
• The State of Play, Run and Vote 2024
• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses Housing Dilemma in Africa: Housing as a Basic Need for Some versus Housing as Wealth Accumulation for Others
• Shop at CENFACS Zero-Waste e-charity Store for Your Autumn 2024 Goods Donations and Buys
Every season is an opportunity to do something about the environment and poverty. This Autumn too is a great period to save the environment and relieve poverty.
You can recycle or donate your unwanted or unused goods and presents to do something about the environment and or poverty.
You can also buy goods to meet the same ends.
This Autumn you can shop at CENFACS Zero-waste e-charity store to help the environment and poverty relief.
To support the environment and the poor, you can either shop or supply us with products or goods you no longer want or use so that we can sell and raise the money for the noble and beautiful cause of poverty relief, at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/.
• The State of Play, Run and Vote 2024
• • What Is the State of Play, Run and Vote?
It is an annual report on the situation of CENFACS’ three All Year Round Projects or Triple Value Initiatives (that is; Play, Run and Vote Projects). This situation is normally provided by all those who are using these projects or initiatives through the information or data they give on how their individual project is doing. It is more than just telling us your 3 bests of the year in terms of Play, Run and Vote Projects.
• • How to Contribute to This Year’s State of Play, Run and Vote
If you are playing CENFACS’ Poverty Relief League as part of your Play project, you could let us know the teams that are in the league, the points each has scored so far, their performance, the top performer, etc. You could as well update us about any upcoming events relating to your play or reveal any new games/tournaments you have in mind.
If you are Running for Poverty Reduction, you could share with us you state of running which could contain things such as the number of race runners, the popularity of your Run project, out/indoor activities you undertook, your running statistics, the fastest runners for your Run project, etc. You can mention the benefits of running and running participation as well.
If you are in the process of Voting Your International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager of 2024, you could mention the number of voting intentions, the course of actions you are taking to choose among several possible alternative options and competing candidates. You could also inform us if your votes are rational or irrational, if you use social choice theory, your voting system, the rules of voting and how you will reach your decision on International Development and Poverty Reduction Manager of 2024.
If you use blue, brown, green and grey spaces as social prescribings in your Play or Run or Vote project; you could also share this information with us to make the State of Play, Run and Vote 2024.
The above exemplifies how one can contribute to this year’s State of Play, Run and Vote. To share your contribution, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.
• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses Housing Dilemma in Africa: Housing as a Basic Need for Some versus Housing as Wealth Accumulation for Others
The perception of housing is not the same for everybody in Africa. For those who badly need a home, they see housing as a basic need. For others, they perceive it as a way of accumulating wealth.
• • Housing as a Basic Need
To understand housing as a basic need, one needs to know what is basic need.
There are many definitions of basic need. One of them comes from ‘lawinsider.com’ (2), which explains that
“Basic needs means the essentials needed to run a household, including food, housing, transportation, child care, utilities, health and dental care, taxes, rental and life insurance, personal expenses, and savings.”
The ‘basic needs’ concept is also an approach to measuring absolute poverty in terms of absolute minimum resources required for long-term physical well-being through goods consumption.
So, housing or shelter is among the bare necessities of life for anyone’s survival. The other necessities are food, water, clothing, sleep, education, etc.
• • Housing as Wealth Accumulation
What is wealth accumulation? The website ‘smartasset.com’ (3) explains that
“It is the process of increasing your assets and investments over time, with the goal of attaining financial security”.
According to ‘fca.org.uk’ (4),
“Broadly speaking, wealth accumulation (or savings) is the sum of all the assets minus the liabilities of the individual”.
It could be about preparing for financial emergencies, ensuring better retirement, buying a dream home, leaving a legacy for your children, etc.
Examples of wealth accumulation include the contribution to retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs, investing in stocks and real estate, and managing debt.
What this e-discussion is concerned about is property wealth accumulation. It is about those who use property to accumulate wealth, that is to increase the value of their property assets and investments. In some situations and contexts, this property wealth accumulation can conflict with the needs of others to access housing ladder to meet their basic needs, particularly if this accumulation is done at the expense of others. It is a dilemma. This is the case in some parts of Africa.
• • What Is the Housing Dilemma in Africa?
Wealth accumulation can be a problem in many places in Africa where there is large scale poverty and where there is dissymmetrical distribution of the number and quality of housing or accommodation compared to the number of population. This poses a dilemma if the large majority is poor and is looking for housing as basic need while others are accumulating property wealth. In other words, you have the vast majority of population looking for housing/accommodation to meet their basic need of shelter while there is a minority who already got accommodation but using housing market to accumulate wealth. This situation can pose a problem or conflict, which needs to be addressed.
The above is the argument for this week’s discussion. There could be counterarguments. CENFACS would like to know what you think. If you have argument about Housing Dilemma in Africa, please do not hesitate to let CENFACS know.
Those who may be interested in this discussion can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.
To communicate with CENFACS regarding this discussion, please use our usual contact details on this website.
Message in French (Message en français)
• L’État des Jeux, Courses et Votes 2024
• • Qu’est-ce-que l’État des Jeux, Courses et Votes?
Il s’agit d’un rapport annuel sur la situation des trois projets tout au long de l’année ou des initiatives à triple valeur du CENFACS. Cette situation est normalement fournie par tous/toutes ceux/celles qui utilisent ces projets ou initiatives à travers les informations ou les données qu’ils/elles donnent sur la façon dont leur projet individuel se déroule. Il ne s’agit pas seulement de nous dire vos 3 meilleurs vainqueurs de l’année en termes de projets Jouer, Courir and Voter.
• • Comment contribuer à l’État des Jeux, Courses et Votes de cette année
Si vous jouez à la Ligue de lutte contre la pauvreté du CENFACS dans le cadre de votre projet Jouer, vous pouvez nous faire savoir les équipes qui sont dans la ligue, les points que chacune a marqués jusqu’à présent, leurs performances, etc. Vous pouvez également nous tenir au courant de tout événement à venir lié à votre jeu ou révéler les nouveaux jeux/tournois que vous avez en tête.
Si vous courez pour la réduction de la pauvreté, vous pouvez partager avec nous votre état de course qui pourrait contenir des éléments tels que le nombre de coureurs/ses, la popularité de votre projet de course, les activités de plein air que vous avez entreprises, vos statistiques de course, les coureurs/ses les plus rapides pour votre projet de course, etc. Vous pouvez mentionner les avantages de la course à pied et de la participation à cette course.
Si vous êtes en train de voter pour votre directeur/rice du développement international et de la réduction de la pauvreté de 2024, vous pourriez mentionner le nombre d’intentions de vote, le plan d’action que vous prenez pour choisir parmi plusieurs options alternatives possibles et des candidat(e)s concurrent(e)s. Vous pouvez également nous dire si vos votes sont rationnels ou irrationnels, si vous utilisez la théorie du choix social, votre système de vote, les règles de vote et comment vous parviendrez à un accord sur le directeur/la directrice du développement international et de la réduction de la pauvreté de 2024.
Si vous utilisez des espaces bleus, bruns, verts et gris comme prescriptions sociales dans votre État des Jeux, Courses et Votes; vous pouvez également partager ces informations avec nous pour faire l’État des Jeux, Courses et Votes 2024.
Ce qui précède illustre comment on peut contribuer à l’édition de l’État des Jeux, Courses et Votes de cette année. Pour partager votre contribution, n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.
Main Development
• 2024 “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Campaign and Themed Activities via “Mbisi” Project
The following covers the points making this Main Development:
∝ What is “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence)?
∝ “A la une” Campaign Sub-themes
∝ ‘Mbisi’ (that is, Maintaining Bagrus In Situ Inhabitation) as a Focus of Our ‘A la Une’ Campaign 2024
∝ “A la une” Campaign Calendar
∝ Executing our “A la une” Campaign from Week Beginning 07/10/2024 by Focusing on Saving Bagrus Meridionalis
∝ Add-on Activity of the Week’s Campaign: Workshop on Humans’ Material Dependency on Fishes
Before starting the first themed area of this year’s “A la une” Campaign, let us remind those who may not know or remember what is “A la une” Campaign.
• • What is “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence)?
“A la une” is CENFACS‘ well-known household campaign for justice towards for nature in the autumnal season.
It is about working together in organised and active way toward the goal of keeping up the nature in (good) existence.
It is about telling those who are in a position to help to fix the overexploitation and end extinction of natural species.
It is about gaining support for species for the benefits and gifts they provide to the nature and in the different areas of human life.
It is CENFACS’ branding or theme that holds to account those who are destroying the nature and its resources as well as it looks forward to positively transforming our relationships with nature while changing the way our society works.
Briefly, “A la une” Campaign, which has to be differentiated from one-time protest, has three attributes, which are:
a) It focuses on a concrete goal of keeping up the nature in (good) existence
b) It has specific outcomes for working with CENFACS‘ users to protect nature or the wilderness/wildlands
c) It helps to add up to similar efforts and work on protecting the nature.
“A la une” Campaign needs sub-themes to be completed.
• • “A la une” Campaign Sub-themes
Since we started this campaign, there have been many sub-themes or themed activities or projects. We can mention the four latest ones:
∝ Restoration of Ecological Infrastructures in 2020
∝ Safeguard of Crop Wild Relatives in 2021
∝ Mbulu (Mobilising for Birds’ Useful Life for Us) Project in 2022
∝ Niamankeke (Nurture Insects via Adaptive Management for Action on Nature that Keeps the Endangered as Key to our Environment) Project in 2023.
We are still working on these four ‘A la Une’ Campaign sub-themes or projects.
For example, we are looking at the Banana plant diseases (e.g., banana bunchy top disease and Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4) which are posing a serious threat to economic growth and sustainable development as well as poverty reduction in Africa.
Those who would like more information about ‘A la Une’ Campaign sub-themes or projects, they can contact CENFACS.
Those who would like support them (that is, these four ‘A la Une’ Campaign sub-themes or projects), they can also contact CENFACS with their support.
This year, the sub-theme we have selected to deliver “A la une” Campaign is “Mbisi“.
• • ‘Mbisi’ (that is, Maintaining Bagrus In Situ Inhabitation) as a Focus of Our ‘A la Une’ Campaign 2024
‘Mbisi’ is an advocacy for the endangered fish species. ‘Mbisi’ is a new advocacy project planned by CENFACS to help protect critically endangered fish species and keep them up in their natural habitat in Africa. The above-named fishes are endangered species because of environmental threats and unregulated fishing activities. To help protect these fish species, we have drawn up a calendar of work.
• • “A la une” Campaign Calendar
• • • Six Weeks of Campaign for the Upkeep of the Nature
As announced earlier, we have started our 6-week campaign work for the Upkeep of the Nature. The campaign will help in promoting healthy relationships between humans and nature by taking actions to reduce the decline and extinction threat that some types of Fish Species are facing. It will also help in the fight against the contributing factors to this decline or extinction threat.
As outlined earlier, the sub-theme of “A la une” for this year is Saving the Endangered Fish Species delivered via “Mbisi” Project while the “A la une” theme remains the same which is Upkeep of the Nature.
Within these theme and sub-theme, we have composed six notes including monitoring, evaluation and review of the “A la une” Campaign. These notes are in fact actions that can be taken to Save Endangered Fish Species.
• • • “A la une” Campaign Composed Notes or Themed Areas for Action
There are five fish themed names and five activities to back this campaign. During the following periods within this Autumn and “A la une” season, CENFACS’ advocacy on environment will focus on the following fish themed names and activities from the beginning of every Mondays (starting from 07 October 2024 to 10 November 2024).
Note to “A la une” Campaign calendar: (*) WBM means Week Beginning Monday
In total, there are five fish themed names which make areas of work and action starting from the 07th of October 2024 and thereafter every Mondays until the 10th of November 2024. From the 11th to the 17th of November 2024, we shall carry out Impact Monitoring, Evaluation and Review of the “A la une” Campaign and Themed Activities conducted.
The above-mentioned fish themed titles and activities will help us to re-communicate our environmental message for the upkeep of the nature in (good) existence as well as triggering better changes the way in which our community/society works.
As you can notice, besides each of these fish themed names, there are activities to be carried out. The activities are about how fishes diversely contribute to human life and society than just food. They are about exploring the intricate web of human-fish relationships.
There are three qualitative activities (i.e., workshop, focus group and e-discussion) and two quantitative ones (i.e., case study and survey) which will be on the gifts that fishes give to the nature and to humans.
The notes are supposed to guide our action since “A la une” Campaign is about actions, not words. During the run and at the end of these notes and actions, we shall pull impact monitoring and evaluation reports. We shall as well review the campaign results to see how it performed overall and if we achieved our goal, that is “Mbisi“.
To engage with “A la une” Campaign and themed areas as well as to act for a healthy and wealthy nature, please contact CENFACS.
• • Executing our “A la une” Campaign from Week Beginning 07/10/2024 by Focusing on Saving Bagrus Meridionalis
• • • What is Bagrus Meridionalis?
According to ‘speciesconservation.org’ (5),
“Bagrus Meridionali, a catfish in the family Bagridae, is one of the large fish species endemic to Lake Nyasa”.
• • • Is Bagrus Meridionalis Critically Endangered?
From the assessment made on 23 May 2018 in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (6), Bagrus Meridionalis was classified as critically endangered. Equally, on the websites ‘rufford.org’ (7) and ”speciesconservation.org’ (op. cit.), there is the same recognition of the critically endangered status of Bagrus Meridionalis. Recognising this fact is one thing, but doing something to change the status of Bagrus Meridionalis is another.
• • • What can be done to save Bagrus Meridionalis
There is a number of projects set up to save Bagrus Meridionalis, like those run by ‘rufford.org’ (op. cit.) and ‘speciesconservation.org’ (op. cit.). Amongst the initiatives stemming from these projects, we can list the following:
∝ Reduction of overfishing in the southern part of the lake (i.e., in Malawi and Mozambique)
∝ Restoration of fishery sustainability
∝ Monitoring of fishery and sustainable management of the fish species in this part of lake
∝ Reduction or ending of unsustainable agricultural practices in the lake
∝ Reduction of anthropogenic pollution that affects the population of Bagrus Meridionalis
∝ Improving the quality of its ecological habitat
∝ Promotion and prioritisation species conservation
∝ Spread of conservation education to empower communities on Bagrus Meridionalis
∝ Reduction and end of human activities that threaten biological integrity of the lake’s aquatic species
∝ Removal of poison and forbidden fishing nets in the lake
∝ Improvement of a better understanding between fishermen
∝ End of uncontrolled and illegal fishing in the lake Nyasa in southern Tanzania that enhance the extinction risks of Bagrus Meridionalis
∝ Conducting the inventory of the number of Bagrus Meridionalis harvested by fishermen
∝ Assessment of ecological habitat of Bagrus Meridionalis
∝ Setting up real conservation policies and mechanisms to check the application of these policies to reduce Bagrus Meridionalis extinction danger.
Besides the above-mentioned actions, there are other initiatives one can take to help save the Bagrus Meridionalis population. One of these other actions is to support the good causes working on Bagrus Meridionalis matter.
The above actions will help to reduce extinction risks and threats to Bagrus Meridionalis, which is endangered fish species in Africa.
• • Add-on Activity of the Week’s Campaign: Workshop on Humans’ Material Dependency on Fishes
This workshop is about exploring the complex web of human-fish relationships. It is a course of study or work for a group of our members on the material dependency of humans on fishes. It is also about the contribution of fishes to the spectrum of areas of human life.
Documented studies show that fishes contribute to various areas of human life, such as manufacturing and industry sectors, healthcare, technology, musical instruments, tools, weapons, inspiration of human imagination, recreation, etc.
Although the workshop is not directly linked to Bagrus Meridionalis, it will help participants to learn the different contributions that fishes make to human life than just food.
The workshop could also help to explore the extent to which fishes can help us to reduce food poverty and other types of poverty.
Those who may be interested in taking part in this workshop, they can contact CENFACS.
Briefly speaking, the above is our first note of the “A la une” Campaign for this year.
To find out more about this first note and/or the entire “A la une” Campaign, please contact CENFACS.
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• References
(1) https://www.datagardener.com/blog/four-stages-of-the-lending-process/# (accessed in September 2024)
(2) https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/basic-needs (accessed in October 2024),
(3) https://www.smartasset.com/investing/wealth-accumulation (accessed in October 2024)
(4) https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/research/research-note-accumulation-of-wealth-in-britain.pdf (accessed in October 2024)
(5) https://www.speciesconservation.org/case-studies-projects/Kampango/33815# (accessed in October 2024),
(6) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bagrus meridionalis-published in 2019.http:dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T60856A155041757.en (accessed in October 2024)
(7) https://www.rufford.org/projects/farida-mayowela/conservation-initiative-protect-critically-endangered-kampango-bagrus-meridionalis-lake-nyasa-through-community-education-and-empowerment-tanzania (accessed in October 2024)
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• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year
We do our work on a very small budget and on a voluntary basis. Making a donation will show us you value our work and support CENFACS’ work, which is currently offered as a free service.
One could also consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.
Additionally, we would like to inform you that planned gifting is always an option for giving at CENFACS. Likewise, CENFACS accepts matching gifts from companies running a gift-matching programme.
Donate to support CENFACS!
FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ NOBLE AND BEAUTIFUL CAUSES OF POVERTY REDUCTION.
JUST GO TO: Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)
Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.
Thank you as well to those who made or make comments about our weekly posts.
We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2024 and beyond.
With many thanks.
