Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 3

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on March 12, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

12 March 2025

Post No. 395

The Week’s Contents

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project – Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

• Climate Action 2 – In Focus from 10 to 16/03/2025: Biofuels; Efficient Cookstoves

• Double Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty as Lacks of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project –

Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

Both Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and Not-for-profit (n-f-p) Impact Investor scored enough points in the Second Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project. They would like to continue their talks and move to the third round of negotiations, which is Activity 3.

This third round of talks consists of agreeing on Project Management Plan to be presented by ASCO, and on the Finance File to be open by the n-f-p Impact Investor before the start of any restoration works that deem necessary for the Land Restoration Project (LRP). Both the Project Management Plan and Finance File will provide the information indicated below.

Regarding the Project Management Plan (PMP) to be presented by ASCO, it will be a document outlining how the LRP will be managed and monitored, detailing the key milestones, timelines, budget allocations, resource requirements, and performance metrics to ensure that the LRP achieves its planned outcomes and aligns with ASCO’s charity objects and mission.

PMP will include LRP objectives, scope, timeline and schedule, budget allocation, performance metrics, stakeholder management, risk management, and reporting and monitoring plans.

The PMP will serve as a communication tool, a reference for evaluation, and an instrument for alignment and transparency.

Concerning the Finance File to be open by the n-f-p Impact Investor, this file will be about conducting due diligence on the ASCO, analyse its financial health and charity activities, charity model, business model if any income generation activity is appended to its charity mission, and potential risks before the n-f-p Impact Investor decides to invest. The n-f-p Impact Investor will use financial statements (e.g., balance sheet, income statement, cash flow projections, income and expenditure account, etc.) to evaluate ASCO’s financial health and income potential. ASCO’s financial statements will help the n-f-p Impact Investor determine ASCO’s ability to set up a LRP, to grow and generate poverty-relieving and climate benefits.

Both ASCO and n-f-p Impact Investor would like to reach an agreement through PMP for ASCO and Finance File for the n-f-p Impact Investor. To reach an agreement, each side of this Activity 3 needs to clarify what they are offering in the negotiation to meet the matching terms and conditions.

If this Activity 3 is successful, they will move to the next activity – Activity 4. Where the two (i.e., investee and investor) need support, CENFACS will work with each party to fill the gap.

More about Activity 3 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Climate Action 2 – In Focus from 10 to 16/03/2025: Biofuels; Efficient Cookstoves

This second climate action is about accessing both efficient cookstoves and fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean cooking. This action will be taken around the following headings:

~ biofuels

~ efficient cookstoves

~ the links between inefficient cookstoves and fuels on the one hand and poverty on the other

~ working with the Community on efficient fuels and cookstoves.

Let us uncover each of these headings.

• • Understanding Biofuels

Our understanding of biofuels comes from ‘capgemini.com’ (1) which explains that

“Biofuels represent renewable energy sources derived from biological feedstocks such as corn, algae, and organic waste. These sources play a critical role in mitigating carbon emissions, resulting in a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional fossil fuels”.

They are a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They can be used in vehicles, infrastructure, and heating.

After the understanding of biofuels as a low-carbon technology, one can try to act on their role in transitioning to a low-carbon economy as well as in helping reduce poverty linked to the use of inefficient fuels. To achieve this transition, it could require to take into account generation biofuels.

There are different generation biofuels; just as there are criticisms about biofuels. However, what is important is to keep on improving biofuels so that they continue to achieve sustainable energy future and energy security. This achievement will depend on market dynamics and growth drivers.

• • Acting for Efficient Cookstoves

Efficient cookstoves are a climate technology that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by burning fuel more efficiently. They can improve health and reduce deforestation.

The action about efficient cookstoves as a climate technology is about access and use of clean cooking methods that help reduce emissions and negative health impacts, while increasing wellbeing outcomes. This is because those who use stoves in certain parts of the world (like in Africa) often rely on biomass fuels like wood and charcoal, which can have detrimental health impacts.

The use of fuels contributes to deforestation; let alone the toxic emissions from the stoves that can cause serious respiratory illnesses. This suggests that there could be some links between inefficient cookstoves and fuels on the one hand and poverty on the other.

• • Links between Inefficient Cookstoves, Fuels and Poverty

Poverty could be linked to inefficient cookstoves and fuels. This can happen if people are forced to walk long distances to find fuel or firewood. This could affect their time for other productive activities. The poorest amongst these people are those with the responsibility to collect fuels. Amongst these poorest are women and children in places like Africa. In this respect, poverty could be linked to inefficient cookstoves and fuels. Arguing that there is such link is one thing. Working with the Community to reduce poverty induced by inefficient cookstoves and fuels is a better thing to do.

• • Working with the Community on Efficient Fuels and Cookstoves

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

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

~ how to help those who are suffering from the lack of access to efficient cookstoves and fuels to access them

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies between Africa and the rest of the world, included technologies linked to efficient cookstoves and fuels

~ educating the members of the CENFACS Community who are unaware of the help that biofuels provide; help which includes decarbonisation of transport, increase in energy security and reduction of climate change

~ explaining the benefits of efficient cookstoves; benefits which are improvement in health, reduction of deforestation, money savings and improvement in the quality of life

~ reducing and/or ending fuel poverty and poverty linked to the lack of access to efficient cookstoves.

In short, clean cooking technologies can help mitigate the environmental and health problems linked to inefficient stoves and biomass fuels.

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

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 2 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• Double Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty as Lacks of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies

Our goal for March 2025 is double: reduction of poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption and reduction of poverty as a lack of climate technology. Let us first explain this double goal, then highlight the implications for selecting the goal of the month.

• • Reducing Poverty as a Lack of Low-carbon Technology Adoption

Poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption is the state in which poorer households have not the money or means to buy and install low-carbon technologies.

Reducing poverty as the lack of low-carbon technology adoption would be about promoting the adoption of low-carbon technology among the poor, informing them what support is available for them to access low-carbon technologies and helping them to transition to and adopt low-carbon energy.

• • Reducing Poverty as a Lack of Climate Technology

Poverty as a lack of climate technology is about linking poverty and climate technology. This type of poverty happens when poorer households do not have the financial means to acquire climate technologies.

Reducing poverty as the lack of climate technology would be about providing digital technologies to these households so that they can monitor greenhouse gas emissions, solar home systems as renewable energy, and other energy efficiency equipment. It is finally about balancing their energy needs with their economic situation.

• • Implications for Selecting the Goal for the Month

After selecting the goal for the month, we focus our efforts and mind set on the selected goal by making sure that in our real life we apply it. We also expect our supporters to go for the goal of the month by working on the same goal and by supporting those who may be suffering from the type of poverty linked to the goal for the month we are talking about during the given month (e.g., March 2025).

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

Extra Messages

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

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 12/03/2025: Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

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

Since at COP29 in Baku (2), developed nations pledged to channel $300 billion a year into developing countries by 2035 to support their efforts to deal with climate change, the Installation Sub-phase of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation (TCPSACI) has now moved from Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3) to Full Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.4)

To understand this new sub-phase of our Climate Protection and Children Advocacy, one may need to know what full implementation means.

• • What Is Full Implementation?

To comprehend full implementation, it may be better to explain implementation stages. According to ‘implementationpractice.org’ (3),

“Implementation stages are the phases that commonly occur during implementation process”.

For ‘implementationpractice.org’, full implementation occurs when the majority of practitioners can skilfully deliver the programme or practice, and the focus population experiences improved outcomes.

This view on implementation and the science behind it will help in the way we run our climate protection advocacy within CENFACS.

• • Full Implementation of CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4

The implementation process of CENFACS’ TCPSACI was organised in four stages: exploration, installation, initial implementation and full implementation. The full implementation will tell if the outcomes of our Climate Talks Follow-up Project; stage known as Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level starts to bring results.

Besides this Full Implementation, we are continuing to work on the outcomes of COP29 (op. cit.) and how they can fit into CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.4, and how they can help us prepare for COP30 (4) which will be convened in Belém, Brazil.

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

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

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 12/03/2025: Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review

The fourth financial control of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is Making Financial Forecasting and Projections, while the fourth financial monitor is Frequency of Monitoring Review. Let us briefly explain this control and this monitor.

• • Financial Forecasting and Projections

Let us start with financial forecasting. According to ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (5),

“Financial forecasting refers to the process of drafting projections relating to the future performance of the business. It helps with direction and finding problem areas of the business. It includes analysing the business’s particular performance and thoroughly studying current trends”.

Although households are not businesses, they can apply financial forecasting to find out their performance if the future. The components of their financial forecasting models may differ from those used by businesses. Despite that, their financial forecasting would still include the following financial documents or statements: projected income statement, cash budget, projected balance sheet, projected sources and uses of fund. All these statements will be customised to reflect household or family relationships and reality.

Regarding financial projections, ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (6) explains that

“A Financial projection shows forecasts and predictions on the financial estimates and numbers that range from revenues and expenses pertaining to financial statements and takes external market factors and internal data into account”.

Still for ‘wallstreetmojo.com’, financial projections are a decision-making tool for the management and creditors. Those who would like to respond to households’ funding applications can base their decision on household financial forecasts. Households will calculate their estimates and projections based on certain factors such as household performance, the prevailing economic conditions, the market volatility, the demand, and supply of the products and services.

Briefly, financial projections are about making informed financial decisions and projection statements. The data regarding financial projections helps in assessing the credit worthiness of households, especially if households are looking for a loan, a mortgage, a credit, a financial support, etc.

Households need as well to review and update their financial projections in the light of changes in their personal circumstances and economic factors.

• • Frequency of Monitoring Review

To understand this frequency, let us first explain monitoring and review.

According to ‘scvo.scot’ (7),

“Monitoring is the ongoing process of regularly collecting and analysing relevant information to make sure your are doing what you set out to do… Review is when you look at the results of an evaluation and decide whether it needs to change”.

From the definition of monitoring and review, it is possible to argue that monitoring review happens when you are looking at the results of the ongoing process of regularly collecting and analysing relevant information. Because our financial advocacy/campaign is on financial matter, let us focus on financial review.

Financial review of activity for households will help them to identify errors, anomalies, potential compliance issues and significant budget variances. However, the frequency of this review will depend on whether households are conducting a perpetual monitoring (that is, continuous, uninterrupted) or trigger monitoring (that is linked to changes and alerts) or periodic monitoring (i.e., refreshing the data at set intervals in the relationship), as explained by ‘thirdfort.com’ (8).

In short, the frequency of monitoring review will depend on households’ circumstances, timing, and analysis that the review may require. Some households may prefer to do it on a monthly basis, others may want to do it annually. Other busy households may find it easier to do it when they are on holiday, etc. As ‘financestrategists.com’ (9) puts it,

“The frequency of financial plan monitoring will depend on individual circumstances, goals, and preferences. At a minimum, it is advisable to review and update the financial plan annually but more frequent monitoring may be necessary to track progress and make adjustments as needed”.

The above are the fourth financial control and fourth financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members needs support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Financial Forecasting and Projections, and Frequency of Monitoring Review; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• • Last Thoughts

Financial controls and monitoring are needed for households no matter their size or level of wealth. We all need established policies and procedures to manage and monitor our financial resources, to prevent errors and ensure compliance (for instance about council/local tax). We also require an ongoing process of reviewing financial activities to identify potential issues, anomalies, and compliance risks. These needs and requirements are even greater for households striving for high impact with constrained financial resources.

We hope that the topics we covered in the last four weeks would have helped those who have been following us to find answers to some of the problems they may have in order to financially control and monitor their finances.

For those who have any queries and or enquiries about any of these topics, they should hesitate to contact CENFACS. They can as well give us their own feedback on the overall or specific areas of Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025.

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

Step/Workshop 4: Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

To carry out this step/workshop 4, we are going to briefly explain what this step/workshop is about and give an example about it.

• • Appraising Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

It is about assessing the feasibility, viability and potential impact of a proposed project. It means that an all-year-round project user will proceed with the following:

identify the project, screen it, scope it, analyse its market, technically study it as feasible, assess its financial viability and its economic impact, analyse risks, examine environmental and social impact and report its appraisal.

Because All-year Round Projects are such small and practical initiatives, there is a need to simplify the appraisal relating to it. To simplify the matter, we are going to limit to financial appraisal.

• • Example of Financial Appraisal: Your Project about Running for Poverty Reduction

Let say you want to run 4 km.

You have two options.

~ Option 1

You could simply dress and get out your home start running without thinking of any financial appraisal.

~ Option 2

You can conduct a basic financial appraisal by asking yourself if you need to buy a bottle of water, a pair of trainers, a clock or watch to time yourself, the frequency of your run activity (e.g., once a week or every particular day of the week), decide whether you want to run alone or as a group or even join a local group of runners where you live, etc.

You can even work out how much it costs to run in open space like a park compared to a close space such as a gym. As part of the costs of running, you could include the costs of a pair of running shoes, appropriate clothes, a watch, earphones, gels, water bottles, etc.

You can as well assess the benefit of running in terms of your health and general wellbeing. The benefits of physically running in terms of health could be improved cardiovascular health, weight management, increase bone density, enhanced mood, stress reduction, etc. The benefits of physically running relating to wellbeing would be an improvement in brain, confidence boost, stress management, mindfulness, etc

You can even include a fundraising element so that money to be raised through your running hobby goes to good causes such as CENFACS’ noble and beautiful ones. To include this element into your physically running activity, you need to define your goals and narrative, engage your network and friends, and use fundraising ideas (like running in fancy dress).

In this second option, you can carry out more appraisal and come out with a sort of financial plan in terms of basic costs and benefits of running. In project planning terms, it means you have financially appraised Your Project about Running for Poverty Reduction.

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

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses the Impact of Arms Trade on Poverty Reduction in Africa

In the aftermath of the cold war, everybody was hoping that the peace dividend from the end of cold war would result in more investment in civil economy, environment, development and poverty reduction. This was going to be a new norm or model of living. Many countries, including African countries, reviewed their metric relating to military expenditure as percentage of gross domestic product compared to metrics in other areas like health, education, housing, etc. The idea after this review was mostly to prioritise social, economic and environmental spending compared to military one.

Unfortunately, with the rising geo-economic and geo-political tensions the post cold-war peaceful state of the world cannot maintain by itself. Arms industry (that is the business whose participants manufacture, sell, and service weapons, military technology or the defence technological base and complementary equipment) has continued to flourish. This flourishing situation can only have some impacts on efforts to reduce poverty as resources have been diverted to meet other needs of security and intelligence forces than those of lifting people out of poverty.

Due to this situation, CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum is asking the following question:

Does arms trade increase or have no effect on poverty reduction in Africa?

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

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de l’Impact du Commerce des Armes sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Au lendemain de la guerre froide, tout le monde espérait que les dividendes de la paix de la fin de la guerre froide se traduiraient par une augmentation des investissements dans l’économie civile, l’environnement, le développement et la réduction de la pauvreté. Cela allait être un nouveau mode de vie. De nombreux pays, y compris ceux d’Afrique, ont revu leurs indicateurs relatifs aux dépenses militaires en pourcentage du produit intérieur brut par rapport aux indicateurs dans d’autres domaines tels que la santé, l’éducation, le logement, etc. L’examen visait principalement à donner la priorité aux dépenses sociales, économiques et environnementales par rapport aux dépenses militaires.

Malheureusement, avec la montée des tensions géoéconomiques et géopolitiques, l’état pacifique du monde de l’après–guerre froide ne peut pas se maintenir par lui–même. L’industrie de l’armement (c’est–à–dire l’entreprise dont les participants fabriquent, vendent et entretiennent des armes, de la technologie militaire ou de la base technologique de défense et des équipements complémentaires) a continué à prospérer. Cette situation florissante ne peut qu’avoir des impacts sur les efforts de réduction de la pauvreté, car les ressources ont été détournées pour répondre à d’autres besoins des forces de sécurité et d’espionage que ceux de sortir les gens de la pauvreté.

En raison de cette situation, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS pose la question suivante :

Le commerce des armes augmente-t-il ou n’a-t-il pas d’effet sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique ?

La question susmentionnée fait partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project –

Activity 3 (from 12 to 18/03/2025): Matching Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File

Both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Investor) have made some steady progress so far as they continue to score points; points which are enough to enable them to enter the third stage of the matching talks. These matching talks will be about finding ways to reach an agreement between Organisation’s Project Management Plan with Impact Investor’s Finance File.

To explain what is going to happen in this Activity 3, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Management Plan

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Finance File

σ The Match or Fit Test.

Let us look at each of these headings.

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Management Plan

As part of the negotiations/talks, ASCO will present its Project Management Plan (PMP). To understand this plan, let us briefly define it and provide some questions to answer to back up this plan.

• • • What is a project management plan?

Project management plan can be defined in many ways.

For example, the website ‘forbes.com’ (10) argues that

“A project management is a set of documents that outline the how, when and what-ifs of a project’s execution. It overviews the project’s value proposition, execution steps, resources, communication tools and protocols, risks, stakeholders (and their roles) and the deliverables involved in project’s completion. Its documents include an executive summary, charts, risk assessment and communication – and resource-management subplans”.

ASCO’s project management plan would include the above-stated documents. Additionally, ASCO needs to prepare itself to answer any questions or issues revolving around its PMP that n-f-p Impact Investor may raise.

• • • Questions to answer by ASCO to back its PMP

Among the questions that the n-f-p impact investor would like to have answers and that will help ASCO to better handle key aspects of its PMP, are the following:

~ Does ASCO have a blueprint or roadmap to the project’s success?

~ Does ASCO align all the project needs (i.e., resources, manpower, risk management, high-quality communication, etc.)?

~ Will ASCO have clearly established responsibilities and accountabilities?

~ Are tasks and deadlines are clearly established?

The N-f-p Impact Investor can base its investment decision on the PMP. To enable the N-f-p Impact Investor in this investment decision, ASCO will show that it has identified beneficiaries’ or end-users’ needs, wants and hopes to be met after the implementation of Land Restoration Project (LRP). To illustrate this information, ASCO’s PMP will contain management tools like charts, graphics and reports to record information.

Briefly, ASCO’s PMP will include an executive summary, timeline, risk assessment, team chart, communication subplan, and resource management subplan.

• • Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Finance File (FF)

The Not-for-profit Impact Investor will approach the matching talks from two perspectives: project financial management and project financials.

• • • Approaching the matching talks from the perspective of project financial management

The Not-for-profit Impact Investor will come to the negotiations to held during Activity 3 with a Project Financial Management. What is a project financial management?

According to ‘projectmanager.com’ (11),

“A project financial management is the process of controlling the financial aspect of a project, such as its cost, revenue and profit. To do this requires planning, estimating, budgeting, funding, managing project expenses and billing”.

The N-f-p impact investor will use the elements contained in the definition of project financial management to check if ASCO meets them. To find out that ASCO will be able to meet them, the n-f-p impact investor may want some answers or clarification regarding the following matters:

~ Will ASCO have a project manager office to oversee the process of Land Restoration Project?

~ Will ASCO well manage the budget over the life cycle of the Land Restoration Project?

~ Will ASCO prioritise restoration activities that have higher return on investment?

~ Will ASCO use project management software (e.g., ProjectManager) to track costs?

To respond to the four questions, ASCO needs to show that it has a good selection of restoration activities or subprojects that will make it to meet its goals.

• • • Approaching the matching talks from the perspective of project financials

Not-for-profit impact investors will scrutinise the Land Restoration Project financials.

ASCO can as well explain the project financials. The latter are the money related to the project, programme or portfolio it will be managing. These project financials will include

~ project costs (the total funds that the Land restoration Project will require)

~ project revenue (the total amount of money that the Land Restoration Project will earn before subtracting its costs)

~ project funding sources (e.g., fundraising pledges, members’ contributions to the project, other donors or funders so that n-f-p impact investor will know how much gap that needs to be filled)

~ cash flows (cash to be moved in and out).

These financials will help ASCO to gain retention in n-f-p impact investor confidence.

Besides the project financials, n-f-p impact investor can use financial metrics in measuring project performance.

• • • Project financials to consider

Amongst these financial metrics, we can mention the following:

~ Cost Performance Index (CPI)

(through the CPI, the n-f-p impact investor may want to know if the Land Restoration Project will be under budget and the cost will not overrun)

~ Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

(through the SPI, the n-f-p impact investor would like to know if they will be delays in project execution compared to its schedule what ASCO will do)

~ Return on Investment (ROI)

(through the ROI, the n-f-p impact investor wants proof that the Land Restoration Project benefits justify the investment)

~ Net Present Value (NPV)

(through the NPV, the n-f-p impact investor requires some assurance that the Land Restoration Project will generate value and contribute to ASCO wealth or the Land Restoration Project many not be financially viable, even though it is not a for-profit investment).

Not-for-profit Impact Investors will use the above-mentioned financial metrics and other project management metrics to check that the Land Restoration Project is a financially viable proposition for impact investing and for making an agreement.

To reach an agreement between Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s PMP and Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s FF, there should alignment between the two. If there is no alignment, the matching talks may not go to the next stage or to progress. In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s PMP and N-f-p Impact Investor’s FF. If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

• • The Match or Fit Test

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

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

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

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

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the PMP they are bringing forward. CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors to work out their expectations in terms of the PMP to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs. CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p impact investor, which are impartial, will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce or avoid the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.

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

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s PMP the better for ASCOs. Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the PMP the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., investee and investor).

The above is the third stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up a land restoration project in Africa and n-f-p impact investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to arrange the match or fit test for them. They can have their fit test carried out by CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses.

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses

The Hub can help to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy. The Hub can assist to

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

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

_________

• References

(1) https://www.capgemini.com/au-en/insights/expert-perspectives/biofuels-potential-applications-and-challenges/ (accessed in March 2025)

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

(3) https://www.implementationpractice.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/NIRN-CIP-Practice-Guide-Implementation-Stages_7.29.21.pdf (accessed in March 2025)

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

(5) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-forecasting/ (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-projection/ (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://scvo.scot/support/running-your-organisation/business-planning/monitoring-evaluation-review (accessed in March 2025)

(8) https://www.thirdfort.com/insights/the-three-types-of-ongoing-monitoring-which-is-right-for-your-firm/ (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-plan-monitoring (accessed in March 2025)

(10) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/project-management-plan/ (accessed in March 2025)

(11) https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-financial-management (accessed in March 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

Climate Actions 2025

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on March 5, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

05 March 2025

Post No. 394

The Week’s Contents

• Climate Actions 2025

• Activity 2 of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project: Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design

• Activity/Task 3 of the ‘R’ Project: Support Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Climate Actions 2025 –

Theme: Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction

Climate Actions 2025 within CENFACS will be about efforts made and to be made to develop, share and transfer technologies that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (that is, low-carbon technologies) and those that address climate change more broadly (i.e., climate technologies), particularly but not exclusively in Africa. We shall as well deal with the impacts of these technologies on poverty reduction, particularly on how actions taken on these technologies can affect the reduction of poverty.

This March 2025, we are essentially dealing with both technologies and their effects on poverty reduction. Our work on climate actions taken about these technologies will include low-carbon and climate technology transfer and sharing initiatives. Transferring and sharing these technologies can help the people who are experiencing problems in accessing them, particularly in places like Africa where more than 50% of the population do not have access to electricity and have problems to get other forms of renewable energy.

We are thus working on technologies that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as those that address climate change more broadly. Both technologies impact the people living in poverty or those who are looking for ways to get out of poverty. These are the climate actions that we would like to take this month. To act and explain that, we are going to develop four key notes for our theme (of Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction) every Monday of March 2025 starting from 03 March 2025. However, these notes will be released or published every Wednesday of March 2025 through our weekly posts. The stated notes will respectively be on four low-carbon and climate actions, which are:

a) Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

b) Biofuels; Efficient cookstoves

c) Plant-based protein; Climate-resilient crops

d) Lithium; Water harvesting techniques

Additionally, during this year’s Month of Climate Actions we will broadly look at the outcomes from the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1). In particular, we shall discuss how these outcomes will contribute to our climate ask, which is ‘giving poor children a climate stake‘.

For those who would like to get more informed about this first key message, they can read under the Main Development section of this post.

• Activity 2 of Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project: Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design

The second activity or episode of our 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project is about Matching Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background with Impact Investor’s Project Design.

Both Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and not-for-profit (n-f-p) impact investor have decided to move with the matching talks as they scored points each of them during Activity 1. They agreed to move to Activity 2 while finalising the little bits remaining from Activity 1 of the matching negotiations.

At this level of talks, ASCO is dealing with Project Site Assessment and Background while the n-f-p impact investor is preoccupied with Project Design. To reach a deal at this round of negotiations, they may need a match or fit test.

To summarise what is going to happen at this Activity 2, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background

σ Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Design

σ The Match or Fit Test.

Let us look at each of these headings.

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Site Assessment and Background (SAB)

ASCO will negotiate and argue about the site assessment and background for the Land Restoration Project. In other words, it will explain its knowledge of the history of the land and the site conditions before the restoration begins.

To prove that it has this knowledge, ASCO needs to think of the following matters: the light, water, soil, vegetation community, vegetation diversity, known history, topography and site access, position in the landscape, etc.

The n-f-p impact investor may want to know how ASCO will assess the site (for instance, by walking around the area making note of things or hiring a land surveyor).

ASCO needs to respond to n-f-p impact investor if the latter asks questions about site assessment method.

• • Not-for-profit Impact Investor’s Project Design (PD)

The n-f-p impact investor’s understanding of project design is about conceptualising, defining and organising all the internal and external processes that will be involved in the project during the implementation. The investor will use its interpretation of project design to verify that ASCO’s Land Restoration Project will meet these processes.

Indeed, project design involves planning a project’s structure, tasks, and deliverable. It also includes creating a plan to achieve goals and stay within budget and deadlines. From the perspective of design, the n-f-p impact investor will look at the design brief if it outlines the core details and expectations of a project design. The investor will scrutinise ASCO’s Land Restoration Project if its idea, goals and timelines align before starting. And ASCO needs to demonstrate that there is an alignment.

If there is no alignment, the matching talks may not go to the next stage or to progress. In other words, there should be an agreement between ASCO’s SAB and N-f-p Impact Investor’s Approach to ASCO’s PD. If there is a disagreement, then the talks/negotiations could be subject to match or fit test.

• • The Match or Fit Test

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

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

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

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

CENFACS can impact advise ASCOs to improve the presentation of the SAB process they are bringing forward. CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors to work out their expectations in terms of the SAB process to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs. CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p impact investor, which are impartial, will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce or avoid the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.

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

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCO’s SAB process the better for ASCOs. Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the SAB process the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., investee and investor).

The above is the second stage or activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via Land Restoration Project.

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses

The Hub can help to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy. The Hub can assist to

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

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

• Activity/Task 3 of the ‘R’ Project: Support Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts

The third activity/task of the “R” Project is about Supporting Restoration Initiatives That Reduce Adverse Climate Change Impacts. These restoration initiatives include reforestation, wetland restoration, mangrove planting and other ecosystem restoration projects, which effectively absorb carbon dioxide and mitigate the effects of climate change.

There are many ways of supporting. As part of carrying out Activity/Task 3, we can mention these three ways of supporting: donation, volunteering and advocacy.

Let us highlight them.

σ Donation

One can donate to environmental organisations or organisations working on sustainability issues (like CENFACS) to support carbon offset programmes and impact invest in sustainable projects.

σ Volunteering

Instead of financially contributing, one can consider spending their free time in carrying out non paid micro-tasks to support organisations and causes dealing with restoration initiatives that reduce adverse climate change impacts.

σ Advocacy

One can as well advocate for policies that support these initiatives at local, national and international levels. They can raise awareness, back campaigns and contact those who in a position to do something about restoration to reduce negative climate change effects.

The above is what Activity/Task 3 is about.

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

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

Extra Messages

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 05/03/2025: Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection

• Activity 4 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Survey on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation (From Wednesday 05/03/2025)

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 05/03/2025: Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection

The third financial control of our work with households making the CENFACS Community is scenario analysis, while the third financial monitor is tools and software selection. Let us briefly explain this control and this monitor.

• • Scenario Analysis

The website ‘businessvaluecalculator.com’ (2) argues that

“Scenario analysis involves examining and evaluating potential future events or scenarios to predict different outcomes… To perform a scenario analysis effectively, it is necessary to generate different scenarios based on various assumptions. These scenarios include the base case, worst-case, and best-case scenarios allowing for a comprehensive analysis of potential outcomes”.

Based on the argument of ‘businessvaluecalculator.com’, households can conduct a scenario analysis of their finances to keep control on their household matter. They can generate scenarios for analysis of their finances. The analysis will help them find out the future states or scenarios of their finances, based on assumptions made that reflect factors such as change of their earning capacity or capability, the cost of living, and other relevant financial and economic metrics. However to conduct this scenario analysis and other financial analyses, they need tools.

• • Tools and Software Selection

By following certain steps and criteria, households can choose the right tools and software to financially monitor their finances.

• • • Selecting financial tools

Financial tools include budgeting, saving, investment and financial management tools to perform given accounting and financial functions in a streamlined manner.

Financial tools can be used by households to monitor their financial health by planning, organising, controlling and monitoring their financial matters (e.g., earnings, purchases, bills, credits, savings, etc.). These tools will help in financial management by keeping an eye on the inflow and outflow of cash and budgeted future expenses.

For example, households can use accounting spending tools (like Quicken) for their finance management to track and manage their expenses and savings, and make informed investment decisions (e.g., investing in their children education). They can create monthly budgets and expense trackers to help them track their progress monthly.

• • • Selecting financial software

The website ‘avantiico,com’ (3) explains that

“Software selection is the process of assessing and choosing the most suitable software for a specific need or task within your organisation. This involves evaluating software options based on criteria like functionality, cost, ease of use, compatibility with existing systems, and vendor support”.

For instance, households can decide whether they need a goals-based or cash flow based software, or consider to have their financial plans in digital or paper form.

Briefly, as the website ‘financestrategists.com’ (4) puts it,

“There are many financial tools and software available to help monitor and manage personal finances. Selecting the right tools depends on individual preferences, budget, and the complexity of one’s financial situation”.

The above are the third financial control and third financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Scenario Analysis and Tools and Software Selection; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• Activity 4 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Survey on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation (From Wednesday 05/03/2025)

Activity 4 is about a list of questions aimed for extracting specific data from the members of the CENFACS Community on Support Systems Enabling Households Participation.

Indeed, not all systems (or group of people or processes having a common goal) do support households’ participation. There are some that do it, others do not. The survey aims at support systems that enable households’ participation.

To facilitate the understanding of this survey, let us explain support system and enabling participation.

• • What Is a Support System?

To explain a support system, let us refer to what ‘mywellbeing.com’ (5) argues about it. For ‘mywellbeing.com’, a support system is

“A group of people who provide you with support when you need it most. They are also there when things are going well to sustain you and keep you going”.

So, households need a support system to stay resilient and maintain resilience when things go bad and well. Without this sort support system, it could difficult when households badly need people to deal with short and intermittent shocks and crises.

• • What Is Enabling Participation?

To understand enabling participation, let us first explain active participation. According to ‘activesocialcare.com’ (6),

“Active participation is a way of working that supports an individual’s right to participate in the activities and relationships of every life as independently as possible”.

Knowing what is active participation, it is possible to explain enabling participation. Enabling participation would happen when there are conditions or actions that allow someone to actively take part in an activity, process, or decision-making. It also means giving to the same person the opportunity to be involved and contribute, rather than passively receiving something. Therefore, enabling participation implies active involvements, removing barriers and empowerment.

Households need enabling conditions that provide necessary support to facilitate their full involvement. When they do not have these conditions, it is better for them to participate in a survey like this so that they can convey their thoughts and feelings about their lack of participation. There are benefits for them in taking part in this survey.

• • Survey Benefits

The survey will offer the following opportunities:

√ to gather or gain knowledge in terms support system and enabling participation for households

√ to assess thoughts, opinions and feelings within the community

√ to measure happiness within the community via one of the predictors of happiness, which is having someone to count on in difficult times.

• • Questions Relating to the Survey

One of the questions making this survey is:

Do you have a group of people on whom to count for support when you need it most?

Those who may be interested in the survey can directly answer the question to CENFACS.

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

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

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

Step/Workshop 3: Conducting a Feasibility Study on Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

In this 3rd step or workshop, users will learn (for those users who are new to project planning) or revisit (for those who are familiar with project planning) the evaluation of the practicality of their chosen Play or Run or Vote project. In project planning terms, it means they need to conduct feasibility study. But, what is feasibility study?

• • Basic Understanding of Feasibility Study

Feasibility study is a ‘go/no-go’ decision time for any project planner. In other words, it is the time when an All-year-round project user will decide whether or not to continue with their proposed project.

As ‘simplilearn.com’ (7) puts it,

“A feasibility study is a comprehensive evaluation of a proposed project that evaluates all factors critical to its success in order to assess its likelihood of success”.

Referring to this definition or any suitable definition, All-year-round project users will look at the practicality of the Play, Run and Vote projects from the perspective of required cost and expected value. To proceed, they may outweigh different types of feasibility and select the ones that are affordable and suitable to their projects.

• • Types of Feasibility

Feasibility can cover many aspects of the project to be implemented; aspects like technical, economic, financial, operational, legal, etc. To simplify the matter, we are going to limit in this workshop to the technical and economic aspects of feasibility study; leaving to those who would like to dive deeper into feasibility study to let us know what other aspects of feasibility study they may be interested in.

The technical feasibility of your Play, Run and Vote projects will include the technical resources and capacities to convert your idea of playing, running and voting into a workable or working project. The economic feasibility will analyse the cost and benefit of the same projects.

• • Example of Feasibility Study: Your 2025 Vote for African Poverty Reduction and Development Manager

In order to conduct your feasibility study of your vote, you need to carry out the following tasks:

~ Evaluate if your Vote project is technically achievable by determining and steering the technical resources (like time, budget, technical skills, etc.) to be committed to drive you to the process of looking for your Poverty Reduction and Development Manager of the year and of voting him/her

~ Carry out a viability test in terms of the cost associated with your selection process and benefits linked with your Vote project

~ Financially work out the cost and benefit of your Vote project as you will do in the recruitment selection process of any personnel.

Feasibility study can be basic (simple) or complex depending on the type of your Vote project. In the above example, we have simplified the matter.

For those who would like to dive deeper into feasibility study, including the tools, metrics, examples, skills and steps in feasibility study of their Play or Run or Vote project; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses An Africa Without International Financial Aid: What Will This Africa Be?

This week, CENFACS’ Better Africa Forum discusses the effectiveness of the management of international development finance in Africa, in particular on An Africa without International Financial Assistance.

Indeed, there are voices that are being raised here and there in the face of the decisions of certain decision-makers in the world to reduce or eliminate development aid for Africa. On the other hand, there are often humanitarians, who believe that development aid should be maintained if not increased for Africa, that it would be a historic mistake to abolish it.

Faced with these divergent views, CENFACS’ Better Africa Forum asks the following questions:

~ Is development aid well managed by Africans?
~ Is the accounting of development assistance clear, transparent and monitored enough?
~ Is the development aid model out of breath and obsolete, and Africa needs to get out of that model?
~ Can Africa do without international financial aid and live without it?

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

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne d’Une Afrique Sans l’Aide Financiere Internationale: Quelle Sera Cette Afrique?

Cette semaine, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS aborde l’efficacité de la gestion du financement international du développement en Afrique, en particulier sur Une Afrique Sans Assistance Financière Internationale.

En effet, il y a des voix qui s’élèvent ici et là face aux décisions de certains décideurs dans le monde de réduire ou de supprimer l’aide au développement pour l’Afrique. D’autre part, il y a souvent des humanitaires, qui pensent que l’aide au développement doit être maintenue, sinon augmentée pour l’Afrique, que ce serait une erreur historique de l’abolir.

Face à ces points de vue divergents, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS pose les questions suivantes :

~ L’aide au développement est-elle bien gérée par les Africain(e)s ?
~ La comptabilité de l’aide au développement est-elle assez claire, transparente et suivie ?
~ Le modèle de l’aide au développement n’est-il pas essoufflé et obsolète, est-ce que l’Afrique doit-elle sortir de ce modèle ?
~ L’Afrique peut-elle se passer de l’aide financière internationale et vivre sans elle ?

Les questions mentionnées ci-dessus font partie du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• Climate Actions 2025 –

Theme: Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction

The following items are the ones shaping the contents of our Climate Action Month and its theme:

a) Meaning of Climate Action

b) Direct and Indirect Climate Actions

c) Key Terms

d) Work Plan for Climate Action March 2025

e) Action 1: Low-carbon Concrete, Steel and Aluminium Energy; Solar Power and Poverty Reduction.

Let us look at the contents of our Climate Action Month.

• • Contents of 2025 Climate Action Month

Before kicking off our action, let us precise the working definitions to be used for climate action.

• • • Meaning of Climate Action

According to ‘eur-lex.europa.eu’ (8),

“Climate action refers to efforts taken to combat climate change and its impacts”.

Climate action is an activity of engaging and putting ideas into practice to deal with any natural or induced change in the long term average weather conditions of a place, especially when this change adversely affects people’s and communities’ lives and livelihoods. In other words, it is any effort to mitigate the adverse effects of this change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening capacities and resilience to climate-induced impacts.

Climate action is also the 13th Goal of the United Nations’ (9) 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda.

In the context of CENFACS’ Climate Action Month for this year, climate action is about acting on Low-carbon and Climate Technologies while investing in poverty reduction with impact.

These climate actions or efforts could be direct or indirect.

• • • Direct and Indirect Climate Actions

Direct climate actions can directly lead to outcomes such as reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, poor quality air, pollution, etc. They could also include the increase in the number of poor people benefiting from carbon markets through projects generating greenhouse gas emissions reductions or removals.

As to indirect climate actions, they can help to keep the advocacy and campaign about measures and activities to be carried out to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change going. Examples of such indirect climate actions will include the prevention of the next pandemic to happen, a campaign to halt human-induced extinction of known threatened species, etc.

Without breaking climate actions into direct and indirect ones, the coming periods and sub-themes of climate action will guide our readers and audiences about the kind of climate actions CENFACS is conducting this month. This guidance will help those who may be interested to join in. But, before that let us try to briefly explain the key terms of our Climate Actions 2025.

• • • Key Terms

Under these key terms, we are going to explain the following:

technology, low-carbon emitting and climate technologies, the difference between low-carbon and climate technologies, what we mean by investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon and climate technologies.

• • • • Brief definition of technology

The definition of technology used here comes from the Dictionary of Economics written by Christopher Pass et al. (10). According to the latter,

“Technology is the application of scientific and technical knowledge in order to improve products and production processes” (p. 513)

The application that we are dealing with is the one linked to carbon and climate issues.

• • • • What are low-carbon emitting technologies (LCET)?

LCET are defined by ‘weforum.com’ (11) as

“Innovative technical solutions that are characterised by a low emission intensity, compared to state of the art alternatives”.

Most low carbon technologies are clean technologies as they minimise environmental harm and promote sustainability by directly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

• • • • What are climate technologies?

The website ‘unfccc.int’ (12) define them as

“The technologies we use to combat climate change”.

The same ‘unfccc.int’ explains that climate technologies help us reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. There are soft and hard climate technologies. These technologies can be transferred to support climate action. As part of Climate Action March 2025, we shall look at the transfer and sharing of climate technologies.

Some of these climate technologies are low-cost as they can be implemented at a relatively low cost. Low-cost climate technologies (like the ones found in Africa) primarily focus on renewable energy solutions like solar power, particularly through off-grid solar systems like ‘pay-as-you-go’ model’. They are designed to address climate challenges and limited financial resources. They can help reduce poverty as well. However, climate technologies have to be differentiated from low-carbon ones.

• • • • The difference between low-carbon and climate technologies

Low-carbon technologies are those that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while climate technologies are those that address climate change more broadly.

Low-carbon technologies help reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, mitigate climate change, and maintain the balance of the ecosystem. They include wind turbines, solar panels, biomass systems, and carbon capture equipment.

Climate technologies contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and resilience, support economic growth, and help adapt to the diverse effects of climate change. Among these technologies are renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower, geoengineering, etc.

Furthermore, the difference between low-carbon and climate technologies can be interpreted as the difference between clean technology and climate technology.

According to ‘techtarget.com’ (13),

“Climate tech primarily focuses on greenhouse gas emissions. Clean tech covers a broader area, including clean water”.

The website ‘techtarget.com’ adds that

“Clean tech also addresses energy efficiency in areas such as the following: clean water, air quality and pollution, recycling and waste, and clean energy.

In short, both low-carbon and climate technologies can be transferred and shared, especially if one wants to invest in poverty reduction where these technologies can be inaccessible and unaffordable like in Africa.

• • • • What is investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon and climate technologies?

It is about devoting your time, effort, energy, money, etc. in measures that are intended to economically, socially and environmentally lift people out of poverty on a lasting basis. These measures can be taken at various levels and by different persons (both moral and physical). Climate actions are also about investing in those measures to relieve those suffering from climate poverty or low-carbon poverty.

• • • • • Investing in reducing poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption

Poverty as a lack of low-carbon technology adoption is the state in which poorer households have not the money or means to buy and install low-carbon technologies.

Investing in reducing poverty as the lack of low-carbon technology adoption would be about promoting the adoption of low-carbon technology, informing them what support is available for them and helping them to transition to low-carbon energy.

• • • • • Investing in reducing poverty as a lack of climate technology

Investing in reducing poverty as the lack of climate technology would be about providing digital technologies to these households so that they can monitor greenhouse gas emissions, solar home systems as renewable energy, and other energy efficiency equipment. It is finally about balancing their energy needs with their economic situation.

The above-mentioned understanding will help to better execute our working plan for Climate Action March 2025.

• • • Work Plan for Climate Action March 2025

The following Climate Actions and periods of March 2025 make up our work plan:

∝ Action 1 (03 to 09/03/2025): Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

∝ Action 2 (10 to 16/03/2025): Biofuels; Efficient cookstoves

∝ Action 3 (17 to 23/03/2025): Plant-based protein; Climate-resilient crops

∝ Action 4 (24 to 30/03/2025): Lithium; Water harvesting techniques

Within the above broad actions, there will be specific actions to be taken. Because our 2025 Climate Actions are on Low-carbon and Climate Technologies and Poverty Reduction, each of these actions will be linked to low-carbon and climate poverty reduction.

Finally, there will be impact monitoring and evaluation on 31/03/2025 to end the Climate Action March 2025.

• • • Climate Action 1 (03 to 09/03/2025): Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy; Solar power

This first action will be approached through the following items:

σ Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy (LCCSAE) as low-carbon technologies

σ Solar power (SP) as climate technology

σ LCCSAE, SP and poverty reduction

σ Low-carbon and climate technology sharing and transfer

σ Working with the Community on LCCSAE and SP.

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

• • • • Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy (LCCSAE) as low-carbon technologies

Concrete, steel and aluminium are all important materials in construction and energy systems, but their production contributes to climate change. Yet, less carbon-intensive materials and lower carbon output of the construction processes can contribute to emissions reductions in concrete.

To support the above statement, ‘hydro.com’ (14) explains that

“Aluminium enables the use of concrete mixes where more than 50 percent of the cement can be substituted with sustainable blinders. The result is a concrete that requires far less energy and CO2 emissions to produce slimmer, lighter concrete structures with a long service life”.

Elaborating on green steelmaking, ‘steel-technology.com’ (15) argues that

“Green steelmaking is the utilization of new generation technologies and processes whose main objectives is to minimize or even completely eliminate the emission of CO2 in the process of steelmaking”.

According to ‘steel-technology.com’, the aim is to produce steel more sustainable, quite regularly with the means of some alternative energy sources, technologies or recycling.

For instance, hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of these technologies.

That is why it is better to use low-carbon concrete (e.g., limestone calcined clay), low-carbon steel (like hydrogen-base DRI, renewable electricity, etc.), low-carbon aluminium (such as low-carbon power, recycled aluminium).

• • • • Solar power (SP) as climate technology

Solar power or solar energy or photovoltaic energy, which is the conversion of energy from from sunlight into electricity, is a renewable energy source that uses solar panels. It can provide affordable and reliable electricity to those who do not have it.

Because solar power reduces energy use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions and fights climate change; it makes sense to take action on it.

• • • • LCCSAE, SP and poverty reduction

• • • • • LCCSAE and poverty reduction

Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy can help lift people out of poverty. There are studies about the impacts LCCSAE on poverty reduction. There is a consensus that the development of LCCSAE will improve access to sustainable resources which help reduce poverty.

• • • • • Solar power and poverty reduction

Solar power is a clean and renewable energy source that offers a sustainable solution to energy poverty. Energy poverty is, according to ‘green.org’ (16),

“The lack of access to modern energy services, including electricity and clean cooking facilities”.

The same ‘green.org’ provides three benefits of solar energy in reducing energy poverty, which are:

a) It provides increased access to electricity in remote or underserved areas

b) Solar energy enhances education, healthcare, and economic opportunities

c) Solar energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and minimise environmental impact.

Therefore, promoting solar energy for energy poverty reduction makes sense.

• • • • Low-carbon and climate technology sharing and transfer

Climate action is also about sharing and transferring technologies, knowledge and know-how with those who do not have them or have less so that they can effectively and actively take part in any efforts deployed or to be deployed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change more broadly. In this respect, we are going to consider two technology transfers: low-carbon technology transfer and climate technology transfer.

• • • • • Low-carbon technology transfer (LCTT)

LCTT will be about sharing of technologies that reduce emissions to help African countries (via CENFACS Africa-based Sister Organisations) transition to clean energy and mitigate climate change while achieving sustainable development.

LCTT implies the removal of barriers to transfer, even distribution of low-carbon technologies and access to resources to make LCTT happen.

• • • • • Climate technology transfer (CTT)

CTT will be the exchange of technologies to help African countries adapt to and mitigate climate change. In doing so, it will assist in reducing technological gap in terms of climate technologies. To make this reduction to materialise, it requires the following:

~ sharing of know-how, knowledge, experience, expertise and equipment

~ developing and communicating standards for climate technologies

~ giving financial support for technology transfer

~ helping Africa-based Sister Organisation to access climate technology financial support

~ reducing together greenhouse gas emissions

etc.

• • • • Working with the Community on LCCSAE and SP

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

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

~ how to help those who are suffering from the lack of access to low-carbon energies to access concrete, steel and aluminium energy and solar energy

~ advocating for sharing and transferring technologies included in concrete, steel and aluminium energy as well as solar energy between Africa and the rest of the world

~ reducing and/or ending energy poverty and poverty linked to the lack of access to low-carbon energies deriving from concrete, steel and aluminium.

Those members of our community in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations willing to work with CENFACS on Low-carbon concrete, steel and aluminium energy as well as on Solar power and Climate Poverty Reduction; they can take climate actions with us.

For any queries or enquiries about Climate Action 1 and Climate Actions Month, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/11/27/explainer-what-was-decided-at-the-cop29-climate-talks-in-baku-outcomes/ (accessed in March 2025)

(2) https://businessvaluecalculator.com/scenario-analysis/ (accessed in March 2025)

(3) https://www.avantiico,com/software-selection-process-criteria-and-eamples/ (accessed in March 2025)

(4) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-planning/financial-plan-monitoring/ (accessed in March 2025)

(5) https://mywellbeing.com/therapy-101/how-to-build-a-support-system (accessed in March 2025)

(6) https://activesocialcare.com/handbook/privacy-and-dignity/how-to-support-active-participation (accessed in March 2025)

(7) https://www.simplilearn.com/feasibility-study-article (Accessed in March 2023)

(8) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/ (accessed in March 2025)

(9) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in March 2025)

(10) Pass, C., Lowes, B. & Davies, L. (1988), Dictionary of Economics, HarperCollins Publishers, London & Glasgow

(11) https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/02/what-are-low-acrbon-emitting-technologies-an-expert-explains/ (accessed in March 2025)

(12) https://unfccc.int/topics/climate-technology/what-is-technology-development-and-transfer (accessed in March 2025)

(13) https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/Climate-tech-vs-clean-tech-whats-the-difference (accessed in March 2025)

(14) https://www.hydro.com/gb/global/about-hydro/stories-by-hydro/dare2c-how-aluminium-can-help-solve-concrete-sustainability-challenge/ (accessed in March 2025)

(15) https://www.steel-technology.com/articles/green-steelmaking-technologies-paving-the-way-for-a-low-carbon-future (accessed in March 2025)

(16) https://green.org/2024/01/30/solar-energy-role-in-reducing-energy-poverty-worldwide/ (accessed in March 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 26, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

26 February 2025

Post No. 393

The Week’s Contents

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project

• Week Beginning Monday 24/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

• Projects of Shared Prosperity

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project

Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP) takes at the levels of guidance and advice what we explained in the 2025 Edition of Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing (1). In this Edition, we focused on Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Working to Reduce the Risk of Desertification, to Restore Degraded Lands and Ecosystems.

The Guidance Service is for Not-for-profit Impact Investors who would like to invest in land restoration projects initiated by Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs). The Advice Service is for those ASCOs that have or are planning to set up a land restoration project and are looking for impact investors to back them.

As part of the Guidance and Advice Services, CENFACS is going to work with impact investors and ASCOs so that the former can find the organisation to invest in and the latter the impact investors willing to meet their funding needs relating to a Land Restoration Project. The Guidance and Advice Services are organised to support both Impact investors and ASCOs to reach an agreement.

• • Reaching an Agreement

In order to reach an agreement between the two sides (i.e., investor and investee) of the matching process, they will be talks or negotiations between the two. The talks or negotiations will revolve around the Land Restoration Project to be presented by ASCOs to Not-for-profit Impact Investors. Specifically, these talks or negotiations will be around the project planning cycle to used.

For convenience of this presentation, ASCOs will be using the planning model of any ecological restoration project as suggested by ‘nativeresourcepreservation.com’ (2). This model is made up with five steps as follows:

Step one: Project goals and stakeholders

Step two: Site assessment and background

Step three: Management plan

Step four: Initial implementation

Step five: Follow-up and further assessment.

As to Not-for-profit Impact Investors, they will be referring to 5 essential stages of restoration projects as highlighted by ‘wri.org’ (3), which are:

Stage 1: Scope

Stage 2: Design

Stage 3: Finance

Stage 4: Implement

Stage 5: Monitor.

The two sides will try to reach an agreement through the planning model of any ecological restoration project for ASCOs and 5 essential stages of restoration projects for Not-for-profit Impact Investors.

• • The Difference That This Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project Will Make

Through this 5-week Winter/Spring 2025 project, each side of the project will have the opportunity to match their strategy and goals with of the other. In technical parlance, it means that the matching exercise will be between ASCOs’ planning model of any ecological restoration project and Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ 5 essential stages of restoration projects.

One can hope through and after the matching process, the two sides will agree. At the end of this matching process, if successful, the project will result in making a difference in the lives of ASCO’s beneficiaries or a world of difference for land and the ecological poor in Africa who are simply beneficiaries of ASCO.

More on MOIvLRP can be find under the Main Development section of this post.

• Week Beginning Monday 24/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

The fourth note of 2025 Sustainable Development Month is composed of these items:

σ What Do We Mean by Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems?

σ Key Strategies for Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

σ What to Consider When Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

σ Final Word or Note about 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty.

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

• • What Do We Mean by Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (RDCME)?

It emerges from the literature about ecological restoration that RDCME is about taking steps to revive damaged habitats by addressing the root causes of degradation, such as pollution, overfishing and coastal development, through methods like replanting mangroves, coral reef restoration, seagrass re-establishment, and managing fisheries sustainably.

The aim of RDCME is to bring back biodiversity and ecosystem functions to their natural state. In order to achieve this aim, there are key strategies to follow.

• • Key Strategies for Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Among these strategies, which can be found within the literature about RDCME, it is worth mentioning the following: mangrove replanting, coral reef habitat restoration and pollution mitigation, fisheries management, coastal development management, etc. However, to implement these strategies, there are some considerations to have for any restoration efforts.

• • What to Consider When Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Among what to consider is community engagement. The latter is about involving local communities in restoration projects to ensure their support and participation. In this respect, it is normal to mention the essential aspects of community-based coastal and marine ecosystem restoration which are: community engagement and outreach, capacity building and skill development, collaborative decision-making, and participatory monitoring and assessment.

The above highlights provide the key message about the fourth note of 2025 Sustainable Development Month.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to Restoring Degraded Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• • Final Word or Note about 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

Combating desertification includes activities which are part of the integrated development of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas for sustainable development which are aimed at: prevention and/or reduction of land degradation; rehabilitation of partly degraded land; and reclamation of desertification, as explained by ‘unccd.int’ (4).

In this fight against desertification, degraded lands and soils should not be forgotten. Equally, the restoration of deteriorated terrestrial and that of deteriorated inland water ecosystems should also be part of ecological restoration work.

However, we cannot conduct ecological restoration by not thinking of those suffering the most from ecological poverty. Our work will be relevant by including them – those who bear the brunt of degradation of lands, forests, seas, ecosystems, etc.

Finally, the work of ecological restoration will bring more and better result by working together. So, working with the community, Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and other stakeholders on this matter will help achieve more and better results than one singly handling it.

For those members of our community and ASOs interesting in matter relating to Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any further queries or enquiries about 2025 Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems; please also communicate with CENFACS.

• Projects of Shared Prosperity (PSP)

To understand these projects, let us define them, highlight their points and indicate areas covered by them.

• • What Are PSP?

These are new projects aiming at reducing poverty by evenly and equitably distributing economic benefits and opportunities, tackling inequalities and improving the quality of life for all beneficiaries in Africa.

They are projects that we will be considered from those of our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) working on or investing in areas that improve poor people access to basic services (like healthcare, education, infrastructure, et.) or areas of shared prosperity in Africa.

• • Key Points about PSP

In order for a project to be labelled as PSP, it needs to carry these three features:

1) Have a focus on levelling up

2) Use a community-driven approach

3) Employ multiple funding sources.

The above-mentioned characteristics will tell if a project is a PSP or not.

• • Areas Covered by PSP

They include education, skills development and training, infrastructure, community development and revitalization, etc.

Projects falling within the above-named scope will be easily eligible amongst the projects to be supported by CENFACS.

• • Working with ASOs on Shared Prosperity

Those of our ASOs that have PSP and would like to work with us on shared prosperity matter, they are welcome to contact CENFACS with their project proposals or their request on particular areas of their projects they want us to get involved.

Extra Messages

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from Wednesday 26/02/2025: Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Focus Group on Creating Equitable Access to Financial Resources (From Wednesday 26/02/2025)

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025 – In Focus from 26/02/2025: Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators

To present the second financial control and second financial monitor, we are going to briefly explain updating and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• • Brief Explanation of Updating and KPIs

Let us start with updating. According to ‘statisticseasily.com’ (5),

“Updating refers to the process of refreshing or modifying datasets, models, or algorithms to ensure they remain relevant and accurate”.

As to KPIs, Online Harvard Business School (6) states that

“KPIs are metrics organisations use to track, measure, and analyse the financial health of the company. These financial KPIs fall under a variable of categories, including profitability, liquidity, solvency, efficiency, and valuation”.

Households are organisations. They can customise and use KPIs according their needs.

Knowing what updating and KPIs mean, we can now proceed with the second financial control and the second financial monitor.

• • Timely Updating

According to ‘statisticseasily.com’ (op. cit.), it is about refreshing or modifying all available data and all management practices and policies concerning the existing financial control methods.

In the definition of ‘statisticseasily.com’, let us single out the term policy management and explain it. Its explanation comes from ‘timespro.com’ (7) which argues that

“Policy management refers to the systematic approach organisations adopt to manage their policies effectively. It involves a comprehensive framework for creating, implementing, and maintaining policies that are clear, concise, and aligned with the organisation’s strategic objectives”.

Indeed, household data analysts or heads need to update their datasets to reflect the most current information if new data are available. It is equally important for households to update their policy management and to ensure that they comply with current laws and regulations, deal with new technological advancements, and enhance their operational efficiency by updating their household financial policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are the rules they set up to strategically guide them, according to ‘onpolicy.com’ (8).

There are methods for updating data; just as there are benefits in doing so.

• • • Methods for updating data

There are several methods for updating data and models which include the following:

~ incremental updating (that is, adding new data points to an existing dataset)

~ batch updating (i.e., collection of new data)

~ online updating (in other words, adjusting data in real-time as new data flows in).

• • • Benefits from data updating

Updating data help households to make their financial decisions on accurate data instead of outdated information, on the latest trends and patterns.

For instance, if a given household receives a communication from utilities company (e.g., electricity, gas and water providers) that they will increase their prices, then household needs to act by updating their data from the time this increase takes effect.

So, data updating helps ensure that households are working and making decisions on relevant accurate and effective data.

• • Identifying Key Performance Indicators

KPIs are measurable values that indicate progress towards financial goals. There are many KPIs that households can use. From the financial statement analysis (of their financial statements like balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement, etc.), they can pull out these metrics.

Examples of KPIs to pull out include net worth, savings rate, debt-to-income ratio, and investment portfolio performance.

• • • Helpfulness of KPIs

The metrics help or will help households as follows:

~ to know their performance

~ to adjust performance knowledge to their financial goals

~ to contribute to household strategy.

So, identifying and using a number of financial KPIs, households can review their key financial documents to gain a better understanding of how their household is financially performing. This understand can help them take appropriate measures if there is a need to do so.

The above are the second financial control and second financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Timely Updating and Identifying Key Performance Indicators; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• Activity 3 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Focus Group on Creating Equitable Access to Financial Resources (From Wednesday 26/02/2025)

Activity 3 consists of having an interactive discussion to research on ways of creating equitable access to financial resources. The activity will be a discussion that will focus on access to capital, funding, and financial support necessary to live as a household or investment in household members.

Perhaps, the smooth way of introducing this discussion is to explain access to resources and what the focus group will help achieve.

• • What Is Access to Resources?

Access to resources has be understood here, in the terms of ‘oxford-review.com’ (9), as

“The fair distribution and availability of essential tools, opportunities, and support necessary for individuals or groups to thrive”.

This access to resources is equitable when there is impartial and just allocation of resources, opportunities, or services, guaranteeing that individuals or groups with varying backgrounds have equal opportunities to reap the benefits.

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

So, discussing equitable access to resources can improve the way one perceives resources in terms of outcomes in the context of Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience.

• • Focus Group’s Outcomes

The discussion will enable the following:

σ to learn about opinions and experiences on access to resources

σ to understand households’ attitudes and feelings regarding access to resources

σ to gather information for community research on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience

σ to help guide actions on Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience

etc.

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

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

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

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

Step/Workshop 2: Preparing Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

Once you have identified your idea of your Play, Run and Vote Projects; you can start the preparation step. What is this preparation about?

• • Preparing Your Play or Run or Vote Project

It is about ensuring that they are feasible and appropriate, and can be successfully implemented. It is also the step you try to de-risk and conceptualise them.

• • Example of Preparation of Your All-year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives)

Let say, you choose to play the CENFACS League for Poverty Reduction. Because of the choice you made, you need to be aware of three basic principles as given below.

a) Your Play project is feasible, appropriate and can be successfully implemented; in other words it is SMART (that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound).

In practical terms, you need to strategize your actionable plan to attain Play project outcome, to use quantitative (numbers), qualitative (words) and infographics to measure the progress, to set a goal that pushes towards its realisation, keep the project’s core vision, and to allow realistic time frame to achieve the goal or complete the project.

b) You need as well to de-risk your Play project from the risk of not researching enough information or not having enough data about poverty reduction efforts or achievements of the selected African countries in your league model are making.

To apply this principle, you need to proactively identify potential risks early on, thoroughly assess their impact and implement strategies to mitigate or eliminate them by creating a detailed project plan, setting realistic goals, effectively allocating resources and consistently monitoring progress to address emerging issues.

c) You finally have to reduce any asymmetric information gaps when comparing and contrasting African countries in order to get reliable results in your sample.

In project parlance, it means the following: involve published data on the performance of African countries, finding the rules for information disclosure, identify and prioritise knowledge gaps, and foster a culture of continuous learning.

For those who are not familiar with project preparation and would like some support, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

They can contact CENFACS by

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

We can together discuss in detail the proposals about either their Run or Play or Vote project.

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses the Impact of Tariff Rate Increases on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Tariff rates can increase and decrease depending on economic circumstances. However, varying tariff rates can affect either the price or quantity of goods subject to this variation or both; just as they can affect poverty. For instance, tariff rate reduction on energy can reduce energy poverty in Africa.

This week, CENFACS be.africa Forum is e-discussing tariff rate changes, particularly increases, and how they affect any efforts deployed to reduce or end poverty in Africa. But, before going any further let us recall the meaning of tariff.

• • What Is Tariff?

By referring to the Dictionary of Economics written by Christopher Pass et al. (10), tariff or import levy is defined as

“A duty (a form of tax) that is levied on imports. There are two main types of tariff: ad valorem duty and specific duty” (p. 508)

As Christopher Pass et al. put it,

“Tariffs are used to protect domestic industries from foreign competition and to raise revenue for the government” (p. 508)

However, tariffs can become problematic if there are retaliatory measures and if they affect any efforts to reduce or end poverty in particular if imports come from developing countries like of Africa.

• • The Impact of Tariff Rate Increases on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Tariff rates increases can affect any efforts to reduce poverty in Africa. These effects depend upon the price-elasticity of demand for the imported good. If import demand is highly price-inelastic, there will be little reduction in the volume of imports. On the contrary, if import is highly price-elastic, there could be more reduction in the volume of imports. This can eventually impact any income that could have raised by exporting countries. If this income was expected to be used to reduce poverty, poverty reduction could be negatively impacted.

To explain this further, the report released by the World Trade Organisation (11) explains that

“Tariffs tend to place a heavier burden on economically disadvantaged individuals and families, countering the misconception that open markets are contributing to a more unequal world… Tariffs and countermeasures have the potential to escalate and harm not only low-income households but also domestic prices and consumption”.

It is the impact of tariff rate increases that we are e-discussing this week, especially when decisions to increase tariff rates come from developed nations. Our discussion will take into account what has been argued so far on this matter, including any tools or metrics.

For example, we will consider the World Bank’s work (12) about the Household Impacts of Tariffs Simulation Tool.

The above is what this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum will be about.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de l’Impact de l’Augmentation des Droits de Douane sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Les taux tarifaires peuvent augmenter ou diminuer en fonction des circonstances économiques. Toutefois, des taux de droits variables peuvent influer sur le prix ou la quantité des marchandises qui font l’objet de cette variation ou les deux; tout comme ils peuvent affecter la pauvreté. Par exemple, la réduction des tarifs sur l’énergie peut réduire la pauvreté énergétique en Afrique.

Cette semaine, le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne des modifications des taux tarifaires, en particulier des augmentations, et de la manière dont elles affectent les efforts déployés pour réduire ou mettre fin à la pauvreté en Afrique. Mais, avant d’aller plus loin, rappelons le sens du terme tarif.

• • Qu’est-ce que le tarif ?

Si l’on se réfère au dictionaire de l’économie écrit par Christopher Pass et al. (10), le tarif ou le prélèvement à l’importation est défini comme

« Un droit (une forme de taxe) qui est prélevé sur les importations. Il existe deux grands types de tarifs douaniers : le droit ad valorem et le droit spécifique » (p. 508)

Comme l’ont dit Christopher Pass et les autres,

« Les tarifs douaniers sont utilisés pour protéger les industries nationales de la concurrence étrangère et pour augmenter les revenus du gouvernement » (p. 508)

Cependant, les droits de douane peuvent devenir problématiques s’il y a des mesures de rétorsion et s’ils affectent les efforts visant à réduire ou à mettre fin à la pauvreté, en particulier si les importations peuvent provenir de pays en développement comme l’Afrique.

• • L’impact de l’augmentation des droits de douane sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique

L’augmentation des droits de douane peut affecter les efforts visant à réduire la pauvreté en Afrique. Ces effets dépendent de l’élasticité-prix de la demande pour le bien importé. Si la demande d’importations est fortement inélastique par rapport aux prix, il y aura peu de réduction du volume des importations. Au contraire, si les importations sont fortement élastiques par rapport aux prix, il pourrait y avoir une réduction plus importante du volume des importations. Cela peut éventuellement avoir un impact sur les revenus qui auraient pu être générés par les pays d’exportation. Et si l’on s’attendait à ce que ce revenu soit utilisé pour réduire la pauvreté, la réduction de la pauvreté pourrait être affectée négativement.

Pour expliquer davantage ce point, le rapport publié par l’Organisation Mondiale du Commerce (11) explique que

« Les tarifs douaniers ont tendance à imposer un fardeau plus lourd aux personnes et aux familles économiquement défavorisées, ce qui contredit l’idée fausse selon laquelle l’ouverture des marchés contribue à un monde plus inégalitaire… Les tarifs douaniers et les contre-mesures ont le potentiel d’augmenter et de nuire non seulement aux ménages à faible revenu, mais aussi aux prix intérieurs et à la consommation ».

C’est cet impact des hausses de tarifs que nous discutons en ligne cette semaine. Notre discussion tiendra compte de ce qui a été argumenté jusqu’à présent sur cette question, y compris les outils ou les mesures.

Par exemple, nous considérerons les travaux de la Banque Mondiale (12) sur l’outil de simulation des impacts des tarifs sur les ménages.

Ce qui précède fera l’objet du débat de cette semaine au sein du Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP)

The following items explain this project:

σ What Is a MOIvLRP?

σ The Aim of MOIvLRP

σ Land Restoration Project

σ Key Points about Matching Organisation-Investor Programme (MOIP) to Consider

σ How MOIP Works

σ Benefits of Matching Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investors

σ How Can Africa-based Sister Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors be Matched through LRP?

σ Matching Guidelines

σ Outcomes of MOIvLRP

σ Plan for 5-week Matching Activities

σ 26/02/2025 to 04/03/2025: Activity 1 of MOIvLRP

Let us highlight each of the above-mentioned items.

• • What Is a MOIvLRP?

MOIvLRP, which is part of CENFACS’ Matching Organisation-Investor Programme, refers to the process of connecting or aligning a charitable organisation (specifically Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations) seeking investment (investee) with a suitable potential impact investor via a land restoration project.

Essentially, it is about finding a charitable organisation that fits the impact investor’s investment criteria, goals and interests; as well as creating a good match/fit between the two parties involved in an investment transaction.

MOIvLRP is indeed an exercise to keep active and engaged Africa-based sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) and n-f-p impact investors for the rest of the Winter Season and the first week Spring Season 2025. The exercise is meant to keep their respective dreams alive and to awake their potentials to grab any existing opportunities within the n-f-p market.

For those ASCOs and n-f-p property investors willing to realise their Easter dream of winning an investment for the former and a share for the latter, this February and March project is a golden opportunity for each of them.

• • The Aim of MOIvLRP

The aim of MOIvLRP is to reduce ecological poverty amongst the people in need in Africa; ecological poverty that could be due to the lack of best match or fit between ASCOs’ needs and not-for-profit impact investors’ interests. Where the needs of the ASCOs best meet or match the vested interests of not-for-profit impact investors, there could be high probability to reduce ecological poverty amongst the beneficiaries of ASCOs, while restoring land. The match probability could be high or average or low depending on how much ASCOs’ needs meet impact investors’ interests.

• • Land Restoration Project (LRP)

To illustrate this project, let us explain it, give its aim and restoration techniques.

• • • What is a LRP?

It is an initiative aimed at actively repairing and improving degraded land by implementing various methods like reforestation, soil conservation, and habitat enhancement, with the goal of restoring ecosystem functions, biodiversity, and mitigating climate change impacts on a specific area of land that has been damaged or degraded through human activities.

So, the current project will focus on degraded land, that is land that experienced deforestation, overgrazing, erosion, pollution, etc.

• • • What is LRP’s Aim?

The aim is to bring back the land to its healthier state. It is to restore the natural ecosystem functions of the land (that is, improving water quality, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity). Through this process, the project will help reduce ecological poverty as well.

Briefly, ASCO’s project is an ecologically sustainable, socially inclusive and economically feasible to spur self-sustaining restoration economic benefits to the nature and to the local community. Consequently, ASCO is looking for an impact investor to help reverse land degradation and reduce ecological poverty.

To achieve that, ASCO is planning to use restoration techniques.

• • • Restoration techniques

These techniques will include planting trees, reintroducing natural species, managing water flow, implementing soil improvement techniques, and controlling invasive species.

• • Key Points about Matching Organisation-Investor Programme to Consider

There are three points that need explanation to understand the implementation of MOIvLRP , which are: investee, investor, and matching process or programme.

a) Investee is the ASCO that is seeking and receiving the investment.

b) Investor is the person or entity providing the capital for land restoration project. In our matching model, this investor is not-for-profit impact one. A not-for-profit (n-f-p) impact investor is a kind of an investor who is trying to invest in a project without looking to make money for themselves. Our n-f-p impact investor, who is driven by selfless motivations, would invest to reduce ecological poverty for impact in Africa’s not-for-profit organisations and charitable causes.

c) Matching process is the analyse of factors (like charity sector, industry, business stage, investment size, risk tolerance, and strategic fit) to find the best possible pairing between investee and not-for-profit impact investor.

• • How MOIP Works

MOIP works under CENFACS’ Matching Platform by comparing and contrasting investor’s profiles and investee’s profiles.

• • • Investor’s profiles

Impact investors outline their investment preferences, including target sectors, preferred investment stages, and desired return on investment.

• • • Investee’s profiles

ASCOs seeking funding create profiles detailing their charitable models, programmes, volunteering policies, financials, teams, achievements, and investment needs.

• • • CENFACS’ matching platform

This platform helps match investors with investees based on their stated criteria.

• • Benefits of Matching Organisation and Not-for-profit Impact Investors

There are benefits when organisations’ needs match not-for-profit investors’ interest. These benefits include:

√ Cost-effectiveness as MOIvLRP reduces the costs for both organisations (for instance, the costs of looking for investment) and impact investors (e.g., the costs of finding the right organisation in which to invest)

√ Reduction of opportunity costs between the two parties (i.e., investee and investor) engaged in the MOIvLRP

√ Increased efficiency which facilitates quicker connection, creates and sustains relationships between organisations seeking funds and investors

√ Better alignment as impact investors find organisations that align with their investment goals, as well as problems-solving mechanisms or solutions for organisations’ problems and needs, and solutions to investors’ requests

√ Opportunity for a fit test (i.e., testing organisation-investor fit on mutual interests and contribution to the right decision)

√ Qualitative feedback about Organisation-Investor and background knowledge

√ Better decision-making processes for the two parties (e.g., organisations and investors)

√ Access to diverse opportunities as CENFACS’ Matching Platform provides access to pool of potential investees for impact investors looking for organisations to invest in

Etc.

• • How Can Africa-based Sister Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors be Matched through LRP?

The matching happens through the two main components of this programme, which are Impact Advice to ASCOs and Guidance to Not-for-profit Investors for Impact.

• • • What is Impact Advice to ASCOs?

It is an approach to or methodology of working with ASCOs that uses a theory of change to measure impact following advice given on project planning.

Impact Advice uses impact measuring tools and frontline metrics to track results and outcomes.

• • • Guidance to Not-for-profit Investors for Impact

This is a service we offer to those n-f-p investors who would like to not-for-profit invest for impact in Africa’s not-for-profit organisations and charitable causes.

Briefly, Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors can be matched via Impact Advice on project planning for the former and Guidance on Impact Investing for the latter. They can as well be advised on project appraisal. To realise a successful match, some guidelines need to be followed.

• • Matching Guidelines

To carry out matching, one needs to know the profile of the organisation that is looking for not-for-profit investment, the specification or description of the investor, and identification of possible ways of matching organisation’s profile and investor’s specification.

• • Outcomes of MOIvLRP

It is better to differentiate outcomes for not-for-profit investors from those relating to Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes.

• • • Outcomes for Not-for-profit Investors

The activity will provide peace of mind for n-f-p investors and a good return in terms of the land to be restored and the rate or size of ecological poverty reduction they will expect from the organisations or causes in which they will invest or support.

• • • Outcomes for Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes

The activity will enable them to access the type of investment they need and build the capacity they are lacking. In doing so, this helps them to achieve their project aims, objectives and key deliverables with peace of mind.

• • • Plan for 5-week Matching Activities

As part of CENFACS‘ Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project (MOIvLRP), we are running a 5-week matching activities to support both land restoration charitable organisations and not-for-profit impact investors. It is a 5-week work about Impact Advice Service for land restoration charitable organisations and Guidance Service on Impact Investing for not-for-profit investors.

The project is based on a 5-step planning model of any ecological restoration project lifecycle as suggested by ‘nativeresourcepreservation.com’ (op. cit.) and 5 essential stages of restoration projects as highlighted by ‘wri.org’ (op. cit.).

ASCOs will be using the 5-step model of any ecological restoration project lifecycle made up with five steps as follows:

Step one: Project goals and stakeholders

Step two: Site assessment and background

Step three: Management plan

Step four: Initial implementation

Step five: Follow-up and further assessment.

As to Not-for-profit Impact Investors, they will be referring to 5 essential stages of restoration projects, which are:

Stage 1: Scope

Stage 2: Design

Stage 3: Finance

Stage 4: Implement

Stage 5: Monitor.

We have adapted these steps and phases to LRP.

However, let us recognise that there could be more than five steps or stages in any land restoration designing process and any land restoration investment lifecycle. Because we set up some boundaries by limiting ourselves to deliver this activity in five weeks, we choose a five-model for land restoration investment lifecycle.

The project is designed to work with both those seeking not-for-profit impact investors and those who would like to invest in the not-for-profit land restoration charitable organisations and causes. The following is our action plan.

Notes to table no. 1:

(*) Match periods are portions of time intended to help discover whether or not investors’ interests match organisations’ needs

(**) Impact Advice uses a 5-step model of ecological restoration

(***) Guidance for Impact Investing follows a 5 essential stages of restoration projects lifecycle.

If you want advice, help and support to find not-for-profit impact investors; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, starting from 26 February 2025.

If you need guidance to outsource land restoration charitable organisations and causes in Africa; CENFACS can work with you under this 5-week Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, starting from 26 February 2025.

These matching activities are a great opportunity for a land restoration charitable organisation to realise their Easter dream of getting an investment they badly need. They are also a grand aspiration for a not-for-profit land restoration investor to find Easter peace of mind through a suitable organisation in which to impact invest in Africa.

Need to engage with Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project, please contact CENFACS.

• • 26/02/2025 to 04/03/2025: Activity 1 of MOIvLRP –

Matching Organisation’s Project Goals and Stakeholders with Impact Investor’s Project Scope

There are many scenarios in which an investor can invest in an organisation. In our scenario or model of matching organisation-investor programme, we are trying to bring a potential impact investor in an Africa-based Sister Land Restoration Charitable Organisation and/or Cause through Project Goals and Stakeholders of this ASCO. We are trying to match ASCOs’ Project Goals and Stakeholders with a land restoration investor’s Project Scope.

In order to carry out the matching process, it is better to clarify the meaning of Project Goals and Stakeholders on the one hand, and Project Scope on the other hand.

• • • The meaning of project goals, stakeholders and scope

According to ‘smartsheet.com’ (13),

“A project goal is a statement that explains the expected outcome of a project. Project goals consist of objectives – measurable action items that support the goal’s success”.

When setting its project goals, ASCO needs to ensure they are SMART (that is, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely).

As to project stakeholders, ‘invensislearning.com’ (14) states that

“A project stakeholder refers to an individual, group or organisation that can impact or be impacted by a project’s decisions, activities, or outcomes”.

Project stakeholders could include beneficiaries, sponsors, end-users, regulatory bodies, etc. When planning its project, ASCO needs to list all its project stakeholders, especially if the not-for-profit impact investors want to know if ASCO did carry out any stakeholder analysis.

Regarding scope, World Resources Institute (op. cit.) explains that

“It is the process of assessing the ecological, social, economic, financial and regulatory context of any potential project site to determine where restoration is most feasible”.

Not-for-profit investors will use this definition to check if LRP has a good scope.

• • • Matching Organisation’s Project Goals and Stakeholders with Not-for-profit Impact Investors’ Scope

In order to make matching possible, ASCO needs explain or clarify the following matters:

its restoration goals, mapping of restoration opportunities, prioritization of landscapes and interventions, enabling conditions and barriers, the analysis of trade-offs and the development of a strategy to mitigate risks, the selection of project site, the determination of value proposition, etc.

In addition, the not-for-profit impact investor may want to know whether ASCO is the project developer or it will be working with a local community or is going to employ a restoration contractor, etc. This way the not-for-profit impact investor will be able to check that ASCO’s project goals are directed towards restoration activities.

To enable this Activity 1 or first level of matching talks to move further, ASCO needs to respond to the queries, enquiries and questions from the not-for-profit impact investors.

Briefly, the not-for-profit impact investors would like to be ensured that ASCO’s project goals are SMART enough and will be directed towards restoration activities and ecological poverty reduction. If this is the case, there will be a possibility to reach an agreement.

• • • Reaching an Agreement on the the Key Areas of the Project Goals, Stakeholders and Scope

The two sides (ASCO and the n-f-p impact investor) need to reach an agreement on the contents of project goals and stakeholders for the former and project scope for the latter. If there is a disagreement between ASCO and n-f-p impact investor, this could open up the possibility for a match/fit test. The match/fit test can be carried out to try to help the two sides of the matching process. The match/fit test can also be undertaken if there is a disagreement on any of aspects of the land restoration project.

• • • The Match or Fit Test

As part of the match or fit test, n-f-p impact investor’s project scope and ASCO’s project goals and stakeholders must be matched.

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

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

CENFACS can impact advise ASCO to improve the contents of its project goals and stakeholders. CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p impact investors with impact to work out their expectations in terms of project scope to a format that can be agreeable by potential ASCOs. CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCOs and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p impact investor, which are impartial, will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce or avoid the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.

• • • The Rule of the Matching Game

The rule of the game is the more impact investors are attracted by ASCOs’ project goals and stakeholders the better for ASCOs. It means that ASCO’s process must pass the attractiveness test. Likewise, the more ASCOs can successfully respond to impact investors’ level of enquiries and queries about the land restoration project documentation the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., investee and investor).

The above is the first Activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor via a Land Restoration Project.

Those potential organisations seeking investment to set up land restoration project and n-f-p land restoration investors looking for organisations that are interested in their giving, they can contact CENFACS to arrange the match or fit test for them. They can have their fit test carried out by CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses.

• • • CENFACS’ Hub for Testing Hypotheses

The Hub can help to use analysis tools to test assumptions and determine how likely something is within a given standard of accuracy. The Hub can assist to

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

√ conduct data management and administration

√ carry out regression analysis, estimate and test hypotheses

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

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

_________

• References

(1) cenfacs.org.uk/blog/02/12/2025 (accessed in February 2025)

(2) https://www.nativeresourcepreservation.com/blog/process-of-ecological-restoration (accessed in February 2025)

(3) https: //www.wri.org/update/restoration-launchpad-guide-investors-landowners-and-practioners# (accessed in February 2025)

(4) https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/least-100-million-hectares-healthy-land-now-lost-each-year (accessed in February 2025)

(5) https://statisticseasily.com/glossario/what-is-updating-in-data-science-and-analysis (accessed in February 2025)

(6) https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/financial-performance-measures (accessed in February 2025)

(7) https://timespro.com/blog/what-is-policy-management-and-its-elements (accessed in February 2025)

(8) https://onpolicy.com/importance-updating-policies/# (accessed in February 2025).

(9) https://oxford-review.com/the-oxford-review-dei-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dictionary/access-to-resources-definition-and-explanation/ (accessed in February 2025)

(10) Pass, C., Lowes, B. & Davies, L. (1988), Dictionary of Economics, HarperCollins Publishers, London & Glasgow

(11) https://globaltrainingcenter.com/the-impact-of-tariffs-on-low-income-households-insights-from-the-wto/ (accessed in February 2025)

(12) https://www.worldbank.org/en/research/brief/hit (accessed in February 2025)

(13) https://www.smartsheet.com/content/project-goals# (accessed in February 2025)

(14) https://www.invensislearning.com/blog/who-are-project-stakeholders/# (accessed in February 2025)

_________

• 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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 19, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

19 February 2025

Post No. 392

The Week’s Contents

• Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme

• Ecological and Biological (EcoBio) Days – In Focus: Ecological and Biological Restorations, Generative Artificial Intelligence and Poverty Reduction

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme

This is a new programme designed to accompany CENFACS‘ dedicated year of restoration and to echo the messages and outcomes from COP16 held in December 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1). The programme is specifically crafted to work with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) that are working or would like to embark on restoration projects in areas such as healthy soils, resilient crops, nutritious foods, sustainable land restoration, etc. Briefly, the programme aims at those ASCOs investing in bringing lands and ecosystems back to a more natural state through projects of equitable and just restoration.

Those ASCOs that have projects or would like to invest in these types of projects/areas and wish CENFACS to get involved in, are welcome to contact CENFACS. CENFACS can partner and work together with them through their projects. CENFACS‘ intervention will be at the levels of restoration project planning and development, fundraising and resource development, monitoring and evaluation, and project reporting.

More on Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Ecological and Biological (EcoBio) Days – In Focus: Ecological and Biological Restorations, Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Poverty Reduction

This year, CENFACS’ EcoBio Days, which will be held between 24 and 28 February 2025, will be about how ecological and biological restorations are contributing or can contribute to poverty reduction with the help of generative AI tools and chatbots. Perhaps, the best way of introducing these coming EcoBio Days is to briefly explain ecological and biological restorations as well as poverty reduction.

• • Brief Explanation of Ecological and Biological Restorations

Let us with ecological restoration. The definition of ecological restoration to be used here comes from Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation written by Chris Park (2). In this dictionary, ecological restoration refers to

“The recovery of a damaged ecosystem, either naturally or as a result of management that is designed re-establish its structure and function”.

As to biological restoration, we are looking at it here from the perspective of ecology or ecological practice rather than from other points of view (like medical ones). Within the literature and from the perspective of ecological practice, biological restoration will be about restoring ecosystems that have been damaged by humans. Biological restoration will involve retaining biological legacies that remain after natural disturbances or harvesting.

Both restorations (that is, ecological and biological ones) can be improved with the integration of generative AI tools and chatbots.

• • Integrating AI into Ecological and Biological Restorations

Although some studies have shown that there could be constraints in the usefulness of AI tools in restoration, AI tools are and can be integrated into ecological and biological projects.

For instance, Big Cloud Global (3) argues that

“AI can help to identify the region’s most in need of help through improving farming lands and agriculture, increasing education and helping inhabitants learning new skills to support communities. AI can also help with aid distribution in poorer and war-torn areas, or where natural disasters have caused devastation”.

• • Contributions of Ecological and Biological Restorations to Poverty Reduction with the Help of Generative AI

Restoring degraded ecological and biological systems can help reduce poverty. This is because degraded ecosystems can be caused by poverty and degraded ecosystems can cause poverty, according to ‘unep.org’ (4). The same ‘unep.org’ explains that the poor overwhelmingly rely on ecosystem services for their survival, and reduced natural capital leads to higher costs for basic goods.

The contributions of ecological and biological restorations to poverty reduction can be better with the help of generative AI. This is without forgetting the share of the fruits of AI-generated restorations.

So, 2025 EcoBio Days are not only about ecological and biological restorations via the integration of AI tools and chatbots in them. The days also feature what generative AI-led ecological and biological restorations can do or are doing to reduce or end poverty, enhance sustainable development and boost shared prosperity. In other words, the days are about valuing ecological and biological restorations led by AI tools and chatbots for poverty reduction, shared prosperity and sustainable development.

For further details or to engage with these EcoBio Days, please contact CENFACS.

• Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025

This year, we have added to Financial Controls Financial Monitoring. As a result, our Financial Controls Project is now Financial Controls and Monitoring Project; project which still includes income boost and other financial tools (like Financial Stability Campaign, Year-in-review Accounts) making our Campaign to reduce and end poverty, particularly income poverty

Before we start Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025, we would like to inform our beneficiaries that we are still working on 2024 Year-end Financial Controls as stocking and charge taking tools for poverty reduction. We are doing it until the 31st of March 2025 or until the end of the financial year, the 6th of April 2025. For those who need support for the Year-end 2024 Accounts, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• • Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025

To conduct Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025, we have planned four weekly amalgamated sessions starting from this week. The four amalgamated sessions match the four processes to be completed before implementing financial controls as suggested by ‘corporatefinanceinstitute.com’ (5), and the four elements of monitoring framework of ‘financialstrategists.com’ (6).

The four processes to be completed before implementing financial controls as suggested by ‘corporateinstitute.com’ are as follows:

a) Detecting overlaps and anomalies

b) Timely updating

c) Analysing all possible operational scenarios

d) Forecasting and making projections.

The four elements of monitoring framework argued by ‘financialstrategists.com’ are given below:

i) Setting SMART goals

ii) Identifying key performance indicators

iii) Selecting appropriate tools and software

iv) Determining the frequency of monitoring and review.

Those who would like to reduce poverty and enhance the sustainability for their households using the above financial monitoring and control tools and metrics can work with CENFACS this Winter 2025. The figure below provides the themes and dates for Financial Controls and Monitoring 2025.

Let us start with the first control and monitor, which respectively are Detecting Overlaps and Anomalies, and Setting SMART goals.

• • In Focus from 19/02/2025: Detecting Overlaps and Anomalies, and Setting SMART goals

Before releasing the notes for this first amalgamated session, let explain the difference between financial control and financial monitoring.

• • • The difference between financial control and financial monitoring

From the review of the online literature from ‘corporatefinanceinstitute.com’ (op. cit.) and ‘financialstrategists.com’ (op. cit.), it emerges that

“Financial control refers to the established policies and procedures used to manage and monitor an organisation’s financial resources, aiming at preventing errors and ensure compliance; while financial monitoring is the ongoing process of reviewing financial activity to identify potential issues, anomalies, and compliance risks, essentially acting as a more active surveillance of financial transactions within those established controls”.

So, households need to establish financial policies and procedures to manage and monitor their financial resources, while monitoring the ongoing process of reviewing their financial activities.

• • • Detecting Overlaps and Anomalies, and Setting SMART goals

Like any organisation, households may want to know if there are overlaps and anomalies in the way the run their finances. They may use the financial statements such as household financial budgets, balance sheets, and income and loss account. This policy or procedure will help them to detect any loopholes in their management framework and get rid off them.

Additionally, households need to set SMART (that is, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) financial goals as basis for monitoring progress and part of their monitoring framework. These goals will help in monitoring their financial plan to know if it is working.

The above is the first financial control and first financial monitor we wanted to share with our users or beneficiaries.

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and monitoring, in particular Detecting Overlaps and Anomalies, and Setting SMART goals within their household; they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Activity 2 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Workshop on Addressing Economic Disparities (From 19 to 25/02/2025)

• Week Beginning Monday 17/02/2025: Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial and Inland Water Ecosystems

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 1: Project Identification

• Activity 2 of the Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience: Workshop on Addressing Economic Disparities (From 19 to 25/02/2025)

Activity 2, which will be run in the form of workshop, will provide some guidance and information about ways of addressing economic disparities. These disparities can pose threat to the security and survival of households. To enable the potential participants to know what we talking about, let us summarily explain economic disparities.

• • What Are Economic Disparities?

According to ‘studysmarter.co.uk’ (7),

“Economics disparities refer to the unequal distribution of wealth, income, and resources among individuals or groups within a society. These disparities can result from factors like education, employment opportunities, and social inequalities, leading to gaps in living standards and economic nobility”.

From the understanding of economic disparities as provided by the above definition, how can we address them and reduce household/family poverty?

• • Workshop on Addressing Economic Disparities

Often, when it comes to addressing economic inequalities, the ball tends to be thrown to those who run the economy. In our workshop, the ball will be in the court of households. It is for them also to play the ball from their part to reverse these disparities like they do to manage their daily problems. In this respect, the workshop is about how they can find ways of addressing the economic disparities without ignoring the support they can receive from those who run the economy.

To help address economic disparities, the workshop will look at the following matters:

σ dealing with income poverty that households face

σ tackling household poverty

σ working of social injustice they may face

σ exploring affordable way for them to live

σ exchanging ideas on sharing economic prosperity

σ sharing information and resources about charities and voluntary organisations helping households and families to address economic disparities

etc.

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’ Resilience, please communicate with CENFACS.

• Week Beginning Monday 17/02/2025: Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial and Inland Water Ecosystems

As the title indicates, this third note of 2025 Sustainable Development Month is composed of two items:

a) restoration of deteriorated terrestrial

b) restoration of deteriorated inland water ecosystems.

Let us first explain each of these restorations, then describe how we can work with the community and Africa-based Sister Organisations on restorations matter.

• • Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial Ecosystems (RDTE)

RDTE is about helping in the recovery of damaged land environments by implementing strategies like improving soil health, protecting water sources, replanting native vegetation, and addressing the underlying causes of degradation.

Examples of terrestrial ecosystem restoration projects include restorations relating to grassland, forest, wetland, and coastal dune.

• • Restoring Inland Water Ecosystems (RIWE)

Inland water ecosystems (IWE) include rivers, lakes, ponds, wetlands, and reservoirs. RIWE refers to the removal or redesign of dams, managing water extraction, and restoring water flows to wetlands. Other ways of restoring IWE include reforestation and afforestation, nature-based solutions, integrated water source management, traditional knowledge, etc.

To restore deteriorated terrestrial and inland water ecosystems, one can refer to what has been said above.

• • Working with the Community on RDTE and RIWE

• • • Working with the community on the restoration of deteriorated terrestrial ecosystems

It is about sharing knowledge, skills, know how and experiences with the community members on the following matters:

σ Tips to restore vegetation

σ Techniques to better manage habitat

σ Ways of improving soil health

σ Tricks to manage water

σ Hints to engage the community on RDTE

σ Field trips about RDTE

σ Following community programmes on RDTE

σ Undertaking fundraising activities to generate finance for RDTE

etc.

• • • Working with the community on the restoration of inland water ecosystems

It refers to sharing knowledge, skills, know how and experiences with the community members on the following areas:

σ Prioritisation of open communications

σ Inclusive engagement and outreach

σ Education about the ecosystems’ value

σ Finding participation opportunity

σ Addressing their local needs and concerns

σ Incorporating their perspectives into RIWE

σ Undertaking fundraising activities to generate finance for RIWE

etc.

For those members of our community who may be willing to engage with matter relating to Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial and Inland Water Ecosystems, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• • Working with Africa-based Sister Organisations on RDTE and RIWE

We are ready to work with Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) having RDTE and RIWE projects and programmes and that would like us to get involved. We can intervene at the levels of project planning and development, fundraising, monitoring and evaluation if they wish us to lend our hands to them.

For those ASOs that would like us to get involved in their projects and programmes of Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial and Inland Water Ecosystems, they should not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

For any further queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and Restoring Deteriorated Terrestrial and Inland Water Ecosystems; please also contact CENFACS.

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

Step/Workshop 1: Project Identification

The planning process for Triple Value Initiatives (or All-year Round Projects), which is under way, includes the different steps of project cycle, 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 Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) will be completed in 12 weeks under a 12-week workshop programme.

This week, we are starting with Project Identification as the first step or workshop for our project cycle. Let us see what the potential user of All-year Round Projects or Triple Value Initiatives can undertake in this first workshop.

• • Workshop 1: Identifying Your Run or Play or Vote Project

In this first step of the cycle, 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 bottle to refresh yourself, etc. You could also 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 be 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. For those who are not familiar with project identification and would like some support, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

They can contact CENFACS by

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

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

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses Conflict Minerals and Poverty Reduction in Africa

Conflict minerals are again a matter of controversy in terms of their effects on the population where these minerals are found and taken. To introduce this controversy, let us first express some views on conflict minerals.

• • What are conflict minerals?

According to the Conflict Minerals Regulation by the European Union (8) which promotes the responsible sourcing of minerals,

“In politically instable areas, the minerals trade can be used to finance armed groups, fuel forced labour and other human rights abuses, and support corruption and money laundering. These so-called conflict minerals, such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold, also referred to as 3TG can be used in everyday products such as mobile phones and cars or jewellery”.

These products have become controversial. Instead of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development in the places that own them, they have been illicitly taken to fund violence, human rights abuses or crimes, killings, and rape in the conflict zones, like in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Yet, Target 4 of Goal 16 from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (9) is

“To significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organised crime, by 2030”.

If one refers to the above statements from the European Union and the United Nations, it makes sense to argue that there is a problem when and where conflict minerals are illicitly taken, sold and bought. This issue leads to these two questions:

1) If the 3TG are illicitly traded, should we blame those who illicitly sell them or those who illicitly buy them or the land they come from?

2) Are conflict minerals reducing or increasing poverty where they are illicitly taken?

These questions are parts of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne des Minerais de Conflit et de la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

Les minerais de conflit font à nouveau l’objet de controverse en ce qui concerne leurs effets sur la population où ces minerais sont trouvés et prélevés. Pour introduire cette controverse, exprimons d’abord quelques points de vue sur les minerais de conflit.

• • Que sont les minerais de conflit ?

Conformément au règlement de l’Union Européenne (UE) sur les minerais de conflit (8), qui promeut l’approvisionnement responsable en minerais,

« Dans les zones politiquement instables, le commerce des minerais peut être utilisé pour financer des groupes armés, alimenter le travail forcé et d’autres violations des droits humains, et soutenir la corruption et le blanchiment d’argent. Ces minerais dits de conflit, tels que l’étain, le tungstène, le tantale et l’or, également appelés ‘3TG’ en anglais, peuvent être utilisés dans des produits de tous les jours tels que les téléphones portables, les voitures ou les bijoux.

Ces produits sont devenus controversés. Au lieu de réduire la pauvreté et de renforcer le développement durable dans les endroits qui les possèdent, ils ont été illégalement utilisés pour financer la violence, les violations des droits de l’homme ou les crimes, les meurtres et les viols dans les zones de conflit comme dans la partie orientale de la République Démocratique du Congo.

Pourtant, la cible 4 de l’objectif 16 des Objectifs de Développement Durable des Nations Unies (9) est

« Réduire considérablement les flux financiers et d’armes illicites, renforcer le recouvrement et la restitution des avoirs volés et lutter contre toutes les formes de criminalité organisée, d’ici à 2030 ».

Si l’on se réfère aux déclarations ci-dessus de l’Union Européenne et de l’Organisation des Nations Unies, il est logique d’affirmer qu’il y a un problème quand et où les minerais de conflit sont illégalement pris, vendus et achetés. Ce problème conduit à ces deux questions :

1) Si les minerais de conflit font l’objet d’un commerce illicite, devrions-nous blâmer ceux qui les vendent illicitement ou ceux qui les achètent illicitement ou la terre d’où ils proviennent ?

2) Les minerais de conflit réduisent-ils ou augmentent-ils la pauvreté là où ils sont pris illégalement ?

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

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• Land Restoration and Drought Resilience Programme (LRDRP)

The following items make the contents of LRDRP:

σ What Is LRDRP?

σ Key Aspects of LRDRP

σ Projects Making LRDRP

σ AreasCENFACS Can Work in Together with ASOs

σ Applying to LRDRP.

Let us look at each of the above-mentioned elements.

• • What Is LRDRP?

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

As explained earlier, LRDRP programme, which aims at ASOs, is designed to accompany CENFACS‘ dedicated year of restoration and to echo the messages and outcomes from COP16 held last December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this year of restoration within CENFACS, we have a monthly restoration project to deliver the year’s dedication – Restoration Project. We have now a new programme (that is, LRDRP) to work with ASOs in the same year of restoration.

• • Key Aspects of LRDRP

They include land restoration, water management, and community engagement. Let us highlight each of these key aspects.

∝ Land restoration

It is made of tree planting and reforestation initiatives, agroforestry practices, soil conservation techniques and rangeland management.

∝ Water management

It includes rain water harvesting and storage systems, efficient irrigation practices, watershed management, floodplain restoration, rainwater harvesting, etc.

∝ Community engagement

It involves participatory planning and decision-making processes, training and capacity building for local community, promoting women’s leadership in land management, education and awareness campaigns, etc.

The above-mentioned main aspects of LRDRP are essential in designing projects or responses to land degradation and drought issues.

• • Projects Making LRDRP

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

Healthy soils projects (HSPs)

HSPs are those allow plants to grow to their maximum productivity without disease or pests and without a need for off-farm supplements.

Resilient crops projects (RCPs)

RCPs are those of crops able to withstand multiple types of stress, including drought, heat, pests, and disease.

Nutritious foods projects (NFPs)

NFPs relate to foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients. Projects relating to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats. fish, legumes, nuts and seeds will be welcome.

Sustainable land restoration projects (SLRPs)

SLRPs are those of repairing degraded land and of using land resources responsibly.

• • Areas CENFACS Can Work in Together with ASOs

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

σ Project planning and development

We can work with ASOs through the different steps or phases of project planning and development from project initiation to outcome evaluation.

σ Fundraising and resource development

We can as well work with ASOs on either applying for funding or backing their applications depending on funders’/donors’ requirements or organising fundraising events or campaigns. We can as well assist those that would like to monetise their website platforms in order generate funding for their restoration activities, projects and programmes.

σ Monitoring and evaluation

We will be systematically collecting, tracking and recording information about ASOs projects where we will be given responsibility or power to do so. We will as well check that their projects will spend their money appropriately or whether they will be ‘value for money’ or ‘value for poverty reduction’.

Briefly, we will track progress on key indicators of land restoration and drought resilience, while adapting strategies based on data and feedbacks from ASOs and communities where the programme will be implemented.

σ Project reporting

Because we will be part of ASOs’ restoration projects, we will be able to report on the aspects of their projects linked to our roles within the stake holding process. We shall prepare to answer queries and or enquiries linked to our contributions to their projects leaving ASOs the freedom to act on other aspects of their projects as laid down in the development partnership agreement.

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

• • Applying to LRDRP

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

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

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

_________

• References

(1) https://unccd.int/cop16 (accessed in February 2025)

(2) Park, C. (2011), Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation, Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York

(3) https://bigcloud.global/how-ai-can-help-alleviate-poverty/ (accessed in February 2025)

(4) https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/restoring-natural-capital-can-help-reduce-extreme-poverty (accessed in February 2025)

(5) https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/risk-management/financial-controls/# (accessed in February 2025)

(6) https://www.financialstrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-plan-monitoring/ (accessed in February 2025).

(7) https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/business-studies/international-business/economic-disparities/ (accessed in February 2025)

(8) https:://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/development-and-sustainability/conflict-minerals-regulation/regulation-explained_en (accessed in February 2025)

(9) https://sdgs.org/goals (accessed in February 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 12, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

12 February 2025

Post No. 391

The Week’s Contents

• 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing – In Focus: Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Working to Reduce the Risk of Desertification, to Restore Degraded Lands and Ecosystems

• Economic Inclusion Programme for Households

• Lighting a Blaze of Hope for Peace, Security and Poverty Reduction for the Conflict Victims of Goma and Its Vicinity in the Democratic Republic of Congo

… And much more!

Key Messages

• 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing –

In Focus: Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Working to Reduce the Risk of Desertification, to Restore Degraded Lands and Ecosystems

Like in many parts of the world, Africa is still experiencing desertification, degradation of both land and ecosystem, and drought. There are data and facts that explain this experience of Africa. Among these facts are the following ones.

The review from ‘news.un.org’ (1) in 2021 indicates that

“Up to 65 percent of productive land is degraded, while desertification affects 45 percent of Africa’s land area“.

Likewise, ‘desertificationfacts.com’ (2), quoting the work of Reich at al. in 2001, states that

“Over 7.5 million km² of land in Africa is at high risk of desertification…About 400 million people live in drylands in Africa, and 22 million people live under high risk of desertification “.

Although the above-mentioned figures are from 2021 and 2001, these trends continue. It is not surprising if ‘unccd.int’ (3) mentions the following:

“In Sub-Saharan Africa, 163 million hectares have succumbed to land degradation since 2015″.

Furthermore, the website ‘africacenter.org’ (4) explains that

“Half of IPCC-assessed species are projected to lose over 30 percent of their population or area of suitable habitat.

More than 10 percent of plants, vertebrate, and invertebrate species across 90 percent of Africa face risk of local extinction.

There will be a greater than 12-percent decline in marine fisheries catch potential for multiple West African countries. Other estimates put the decrease in fish biomass in the intertropical belt around Africa at 30 percent by 2050″.

Similarly, the website ‘conversation.com’ (5) argues that

“Africa is one of the most degraded continents in the world. About 23% of the surface of Africa, or over 700 million hectares of land, is already degraded. Another three million hectares is being further degraded annually“.

Despite this bleak picture, there are examples of countries effectively tackling desertification, land and ecosystem degradation, and drought. Among these African countries, there is Botswana.

According to ‘unccd.int’ (op. cit.),

“In Sub-Saharan Africa, Botswana reduced land degradation from 36 percent to 17 percent of its territory”.

Within African countries tackling desertification, land and ecosystem degradation, and drought; there are also Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes (ASCOCs) Working on Combating Desertification, Restoring Land and Ecosystem. The 2025 edition of Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing (ANFPOII) is about these organisations.

These ASCOCs try to achieve land degradation neutrality by addressing the challenges posed by desertification, land and soil degradation, and drought in Africa. They work to help their beneficiaries and communities to reach land degradation neutrality goal and targets enshrined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

These ASCOCs advocate, as well as run projects and programmes, to stop further degradation and accelerate efforts to restore land and ecosystems by 2030. Through their restoration work, they help in creating conditions in which plants, animals and microorganisms can carry out the work of recovery by themselves.

These ASCOCs need support of all kinds, including foreign direct investment. In this respect, the 2025 edition of ANFPOII aims at those impact investors who would like or are looking to impact invest in Africa’s charitable organisations and causes that are tackling desertification and working on the restoration of land and ecosystems. 2025 edition of ANFPOII is also about ASCOCs that work or help to reduce or end poverty linked to desertification as well as to land and ecosystem degradation.

The 2025 edition of ANFPOII includes trends and analysis about ASCOCs’ work on desertification, land and ecosystem restoration. It also provides some areas to focus on while highlighting the challenges that ASCOCs face in their restoration work.

Like for the previous issues of Africa Not-for-Profit Investment, the 2025 edition of ANFPOII has to be understood as an extension of CENFACS’ Guidance Programme for those who would like to not-for-profit invest for impact in Africa. The 2025 edition of ANFPOII does not, however, replace the Guidance for Investing in Africa. It just adds value to it.

Because of its unique contribution to the not-for-profit investment sector, the 2025 edition of ANFPOII presents the information that not-for-profit investors may want in simple yet concise format. In particular, it highlights the types of services ASCOCs offer in the areas of desertification reduction, land and ecosystem restorations.

More on 2025 edition of Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Economic Inclusion Programme for Households

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

In order to support these households, we have come up with them this new programme, which has two components:

1) Economic Inclusion for Households’ Resilience

2) Economic Inclusion for Households’ Opportunity.

To kick off this programme, we are dealing with its first part, which is Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience.

• • Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience

In a world featured by shocks, stressors and crises, households need to elevate their resilience, that is their ability to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of these shocks, stressors and crises in a timely and efficient manner, as explained in the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (6). There are many ways they can do it. One way of strengthening their resilience could be through an economic inclusion programme.

• • • What Is an Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience (EIP4Hs)?

It is a set of projects or activities newly designed by CENFACS in order to work with households making its community so that they can meet their basic subsistence needs while being fully empowered to make informed choices and decisions about their lives.

The programme will enable them keep their resilience, that is their ability to manage change, by maintaining or transforming living standards in the face of shocks or stresses without compromising their long-term prospects, in accordance to the former UK Department For International Development’s working definition of disaster resilience (7).

EIP4Hs will be helpful to households.

• • Helpfulness of EIP4Hs

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

√ to better access economic support

√ to gain tips to facilitate asset accumulation

√ to diversify their income streams

√ to strengthen their socio-economic and environmental networks

√ to improve their access to financial services and income transfers

√ to enhance their access to credit facilities

√ to boost their savings plan

√ to expand and vary their chance to seize economic opportunities

√ to move forward toward greater economic health and wellbeing

etc.

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

• • • Four Activities Making EIP4Hs

They include the following:

1) Breaking down economic barriers

2) Addressing disparities that prevent households to achieve economic stability

3) Creating equitable access to financial resources

4) Supporting systems that enable households to fully participate in the economy.

As the above figure shows, these activities will run from every Wednesdays of February 2025. They will be approached from the perspective of households rather than from the point of view of those who manage the economy.

• • • Activity 1: Discussion on Breaking Down Economic Barriers (From 12 to 18/02/2025)

The discussion is about how ordinary households making our community can break down the economic barriers surrounding them so that they or their children could have access to or enjoy good quality education, entrepreneurship and job opportunities, financial resources, etc.

For instance, one of the commonly known economic barriers that low-income families or households faces is to be able to achieve real disposable income that can allow them to meet both their needs and wants. Similarly, the same families or households may be experiencing economic barriers with regard to economic capacity and capability.

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

For any queries and or enquiries about this discussion or EIP4Hs, please communicate with CENFACS.

• Lighting a Blaze of Hope for Peace, Security and Poverty Reduction for the Conflict Victims in Goma and Its Vicinity in the Democratic Republic of Congo

This is an appeal to light a blaze of hope for the innocent victims of the atrocities from the escalated crisis in Goma and its vicinity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The crisis has led to many civilian casualties, more internally displaced persons, crimes against humanity (which have been documented), huge trauma among the population, threats of the spread of diseases and illnesses, etc.

The data and news about this appeal speak for these victims.

For example, the website ‘rescue.org’ (8) states that

“Millions displaced as resurgence in fighting ignites a humanitarian catastrophe;

More than 7 million people were displaced;

Nearly 780,000 people were forced to flee their homes between November 2024 and January 2025 alone;

Displaced families are seeking refuge in overcrowded camps that lack adequate food, health services, and water and sanitation services;

From January 26 to 30, over 700 people were killed and 2,800 injured;

The conflict has also triggered a surge in sexual violence and rape“.

Additionally, the ‘reliefweb.int’ (9) points out that

“Before the battle of Goma, 800,000 internally displaced people were living in and around the city. In recent days, at least 500,000 people have been displaced again in North and South Kivu.

As of February 2025, 2,880 people have been recorded as injured, with hospitals facing critical shortages of fuel, beds, and medical personnel. With reports exceeding 3,000 deaths, morgues are at full capacity, necessitating immediate burial of identified bodies.

The closure of 1,235 schools since 27 January 2025 has disrupted the education of approximately 204,000 children in Goma alone“.

The above-mentioned data tells a bit the story about the innocent victims of the atrocities from the escalated crisis in Goma and its vicinity, and why they need your help.

As the humanitarian emergency is escalating, emergency response needs to be scaling up.

You can support the victims in the DRC, who are paying a heavy price of the escalated conflict.

You can Light up a Blaze of Hope for Peace, Security and Poverty Reduction for the Conflict-affected peoples in Goma and around it in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

You can now donate £5 or more since the needs are urgent and pressing. Through this appeal and your support, CENFACS aims to reach the victims of conflict in Goma and Its Vicinity in the DRC.

These victims need your life-saving humanitarian response right now.

To donate, please get in touch with CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Week Beginning Monday 10/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Lands and Soils

• Project Planning/Start Up Service for the Users of Triple Value Initiatives (or All Year-round Projects)

• Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Development, Adaptation and Action Plan about Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

• Week Beginning Monday 10/02/2025: Restoring Degraded Lands and Soils

Our work on restorative economics continues this week as we tackle the second note of our theme of the month, which is Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty.

In this 2nd note, we are dealing with degraded lands and soils, and how we can work with the community and Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) on the Restoration of these Degraded Lands and Soils (RDLS).

The note is composed with two items: understanding of RDLS and ways of working with the community and ASOs on RDLS.

Let us look at these items.

• • What Is RDLS?

In RDLS, we are dealing with two types of restoration: restoration of degraded lands and that of depleted soils. Let us look at them.

• • • What is land restoration?

According to the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (10),

“Land restoration refers to the process of halting degradation or rehabilitating degraded land, typically through activities like reforestation, soil conservation, and the protection of natural processes. It aims to enhance biodiversity, restore ecosystem services, and mitigate climate change impacts.”

Taking restoration action about land means conducting the activities contained the definition of land restoration.

• • • What is soil restoration?

The website ‘erosioncontrolusa.com’ (11) explains that

“The process of soil restoration is an ecological restoration procedure that creates new soil and regenerates degraded soils by improving the structure, increasing microbial life, retaining more carbon than is depleted to regulate carbon levels and maintain proper water and nutrient cycling. Human activity has depleted the quality of soil at an alarming rate due to increased agricultural activity to meet an ever increasing population and demand for food and fiber”

To restore soil, one can refer to the explanation of ecological restoration given above.

• • Working with the Community on RDLS

Working with the community on the restoration of degraded lands is about sharing knowledge, skills, know how and experiences with the community members on the following matters:

σ Tips to halt degradation

σ Techniques to rehabilitate degraded land

σ Ways of conducting reforestation, soil conservation

σ Hints about the protection of natural processes

etc.

Working with the community on the restoration of degraded soils is also about sharing knowledge, skills, know how and experiences with the community members on the following areas:

σ Learning techniques to create new soil

σ Conducting activities to regenerate degraded soils

σ Saving soil

σ Undertaking fundraising activities to generate finance for soil restoration

etc.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to Restoring Degraded Lands and Soils as well as Reducing Poverty Linked to Degraded Lands and Soils, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• • Working with Africa-based Sister Organisations on RDLS

We are ready to work with Africa-based Sister Organisations having RDLS projects and programmes and that would like us to get involved. We can get involved at the level of project planning and development, fundraising, monitoring and evaluation if they wish us to lend our hands to them.

For those ASOs that would like us to get involved in their projects and programmes of Restoring Degraded Lands and Soils and Reducing Poverty Linked to Degraded Lands and Soils, they should not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

For any further queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems; please also contact CENFACS.

• Project Planning/Start Up Service for the Users of Triple Value Initiatives (or All Year-round Projects)

In order to support those who have decided or may decide to engage with All-year Round Projects or Triple Value Initiatives, we are running start up sessions for each of them (i.e. Run, Play and Vote projects). What do we mean by running start up sessions for Run, Play and Vote projects?

• • Start up for Run, Play and Vote Projects

Start up for these projects is about working with whoever decides to execute the above mentioned projects to set the tone of their projects and expectations for themselves. It is also about setting realistic goals and working out the right methodology from the beginning to the end in their project journey. It includes better planning and management.

• • Phases of Project Planning and Management

We are going to deal with different phases of project planning or start up from the idea (of running or playing or voting) to the initiative implementation, impact monitoring and evaluation.

Whether you want to run or play or vote; you need to undertake a basic project planning in terms of the way you want to do it. This basic project planning/start-up will include things like the following:

σ Aims (changes you plan to achieve)

σ Impact (a longer-term effects of your project)

σ Inputs (resources you will put into your initiative)

σ Monitoring (regularly and systematically collecting and recording information)

σ Outcomes (changes and effects that may happen from your initiative)

σ Indicators (measures or metrics that show you have achieved your planned outcomes)

σ Budget (income and expenses for your initiative)

σ Reporting (sharing your actions and results)

Etc.

• • All-year Round Projects Cycle

Project planning will include the different steps of project cycle (as shown by the All-year Round Projects Cycle above), which are:

Identification, preparation, feasibility study, appraisal, negotiations and agreement, start, implementation, monitoring, reviews, termination, evaluation and impact evaluation.

These steps will be approached in a simple and practical way to make everybody (especially those members of our community who are not familiar with them) to understand what they mean and how to use them in the context of Triple Value Initiatives.

As we all know, not everybody can understand these different steps they need to navigate in order to make their initiative or project a success story. That is why we are offering this opportunity to those who would like to engage with the Triple Value Initiatives (Run, Play and Vote projects) to first talk to CENFACS so that we can together soften some of the hurdles they may encounter in their preparation and delivery.

For those who are interested in this service, 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 those who would like to discuss with CENFACS their Triple-value-initiative plans or proposals, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

• Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning Development, Adaptation and Action Plan about Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

From 08/01/2025 to 11/02/2025, we focused on Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme, in particular we carried out the following working plan:

In order to know the progress and achievements made as well as to examine our performance against objectives, we are carrying out two exercises:

a) Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

b) Learning Development, Adaption and Action Plan.

Let us explain what these two exercises are about.

• • Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

We are now carrying on with the systematic process of observation, recording, collection and analysis of information regarding the five Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects conducted under on Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme in order to get its impact or at least its output. This routine process will help to examine the activities developed and identify bottlenecks during the process to see if they are in line with objectives we defined.

Also, we are undertaking the sporadic activity to draw conclusion regarding the relevance and effectiveness of the activities or microprojects presented. This activity will contribute to the determination of the value judgement regarding the performance level and attainment of defined objectives for Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme within the community.

The findings from this Impact Monitoring and Evaluation will help to figure out what has been achieved through this work and give us some flavour about the future direction of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme.

As part of this Impact Monitoring and Evaluation exercise, we would like to ask to those who have been working with us throughout the last five weeks to share with us their feelings and thoughts about these three areas:

(a) The overall “Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects conducted under on Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme”

(b) Any of the activities or microprojects they have been interested in or used in the context of running their household

You can share your feelings, thoughts, takeaways and insights with us by:

∝ Phoning

∝ Texting

∝ E-mailing

∝ Completing the contact form with your feelings and thoughts.

• • Learning Development, Adaptation and Action Plan for Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects conducted under on Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

As part of keeping the culture of continuous learning and professional development within CENFACS, we are examining what the running of Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects conducted under on Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme have brought and indicated to us. We are particularly looking at the learning and development priorities and initiatives. In this exercise, we are considering ways of adapting this programme or scheme, as well as the action points and plan we may need to make in order to improve or better change the way in which we deliver our services and work with users.

For those who have been following the running of these activities or microprojects with us, this is the time or opportunity they can add their inputs to our learning and development experience so that we can know the financial skills gap that need to be filled up in the future. They can as well have their own way of adapting this programme or scheme and action plans on how they would like to take forward the contents of these activities or microprojects in the future. And if they have a plan and want us to look at it, we are willing to do so.

The plan could be on the above-mentioned activities or microprojects presented throughout this month. In particular, we can look at how any household making our community wants to make a plan for them or would like CENFACS to work with them on their chosen area of finances.

Those who have some difficulties in drawing such a plan, they can speak to CENFACS.

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses the Impact of Digital Public Infrastructure on Poverty Reduction in Africa

Digitally exchanging data between different services (like education, health, housing, social services, etc.) and making people to be part of these exchanges can help create better support for them, especially those living in poverty. It can help protect peoples’ rights, way of living and livelihoods.

As part of this week’s debate within CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum, we are dealing with digital public infrastructures in Africa and how they can help people to reduce and possibly end poverty. Perhaps, the best starting point would be to define digital public infrastructure.

• • What Is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)?

The definition of DPI to be used here comes from ‘gatesfoundation.org’ (12), which explains that

“DPI is a set of digital systems that enables countries to safely and efficiently provide economic opportunities and deliver social services. DFI spans the entire economy, connecting people, data, and money in much the same way that roads and railways connect people and goods”.

This definition will help whoever wants to engage with this week’s debate to figure out the effects of DPI on the reduction of poverty in Africa.

• • Discussing the Impact of DPI on Poverty Reduction in Africa

The discussion is indeed about how digitally-enabled households and peoples can access digital services offered to the them by their public body and take part in the digital economy through the use of digital ID data sharing and digital payment systems.

Through the experience of this digital means, the discussion will be around the following:

σ the benefits from DFI particularly in terms of poverty reduction in Africa

σ the metrics to be used to capture this impact

σ the level or percent of poverty reduction as a result of DPI

σ the comparison between different African countries in terms of DFI impacts on poverty reduction

σ the need for African countries to continue to invest in DFI.

The above is what the discussion for this week will be about.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de l’Impact des Infrastructures Publiques Numériques sur la Réduction de la Pauvreté en Afrique

L’échange numérique de données entre différents services (comme l’éducation, la santé, le logement, les services sociaux, etc.) et la participation des gens à ces échanges peuvent contribuer au mieux les soutenir, en particulier ceux ou celles qui vivent dans la pauvreté. Ils peuvent aider à protéger les droits, le mode de vie et les moyens de subsistance des personnes.

Dans le cadre du débat de cette semaine au sein de ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS, nous nous penchons sur les infrastructures publiques numériques en Afrique et sur la manière dont elles peuvent aider les gens à réduire et éventuellement à mettre fin à la pauvreté. Le meilleur point de départ serait peut-être de définir l’infrastructure publique numérique.

• • Qu’est-ce qu’une infrastructure publique numérique (IPN) ?

La définition de l’IPN à utiliser ici provient de « gatesfoundation.org » (12), qui explique que

« L’IPN est un ensemble de systèmes numériques qui permet aux pays d’offrir des opportunités économiques et de fournir des services sociaux de manière sûre et efficace. L’IPN couvre l’ensemble de l’économie, connectant les personnes, les données et l’argent de la même manière que les routes et les chemins de fer relient les personnes et les biens ».

Cette définition aidera quiconque voudra participer au débat de cette semaine à comprendre les effets de l’IPN sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique.

• • Discussion sur l’impact du Département de l’information sur la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique

La discussion porte en effet sur la manière dont les ménages et les personnes dotés d’un accès numérique peuvent accéder aux services numériques qui leur sont proposés par leur organisme public et participer à l’économie numérique grâce à l’utilisation de l’identification numérique, du partage de données et des systèmes de paiement numériques.

À travers l’expérience de ce moyen numérique, la discussion portera sur les points suivants :

σ les bénéfices des IPN notamment en termes de réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique
σ les indicateurs à utiliser pour capturer cet impact
σ le niveau ou le pourcentage de réduction de la pauvreté résultant de l’IPN
σ la comparaison entre différents pays africains en termes d’impacts des IPN sur la réduction de la pauvreté
σ la nécessité pour les pays africains de continuer à investir dans les IPN.

C’est ce qui précède est le sujet de la discussion de cette semaine.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing –

In Focus: Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Working to Reduce the Risk of Desertification, to Restore Degraded Lands and Ecosystems

The following items make up the contents of this outlook:

σ What is 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing?

σ Key Points about the Outlook

σ Types of Not-for-profit Organisations Working in the Fields of Combat against Desertification, Land and Ecosystem Restoration

σ Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes (ASCOCs).

Let us uncover these items.

• • What Is 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing?

2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing highlights essential information about ASCOCs in terms of their work on the reduction of desertification and drought, the restoration of lands and ecosystems. What they provide could be interesting for potential not-for-profit impact investors.

2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing is a mini-guide for those who would like to not-for-profit invest with impact in Africa and in ASCOCs. This mini-guide is therefore for those investors who are new to impact investing and those who want to know where and into what organisation to not-for-profit invest in Africa in the sector of ecological restoration.

• • Key Points about the 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing

The key points about the 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing (ANFPOII) include trends we have identified, areas of focus and potential challenges that ASCOCs face in their work on combating desertification, restoring land and ecosystems.

Let us highlight these key points.

• • • Trends and Analysis

There are two trends we have found and analysed: use of technology and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance).

Although ASCOCs are not enough equipped with the means to achieve their mission, they nevertheless use essential technology (e.g., communications technology like tablet, smart phones and other devices) to streamline operations and processes as well as to reach wider audiences. This essential technology enables them to reach their users and project beneficiaries living in remote areas or villages in Africa.

In addition, they make sure that the principles of ESG are including in their work, especially when it comes to donors and funders requiring the practices of ESG as funding criteria.

• • • Areas of Focus

The 2025 ANFPOII focuses on four areas: donor engagement, digital transformation, sustainability and impact measurement.

Concerning donor engagement, most of ASCOCs we studied strive to build and steward good relationships with donors and funders. In this relationships building, they tend to be realistic in terms of donor expectations.

Regarding digital transformation, it is quite astonishing that despite these organisations have limited means, they are making sure that they do not lag behind in terms of digital technologies and means used in their sector. Some of them use online platforms for fundraising, outreach and data analysis. Let alone, those ASCOCs that are advanced as they incorporated AI-powered tools to accomplish some their tasks.

As to the financial sustainability issues, many of these ASCOCs are not rich. To build sustainability for their mission, they develop strategies to generate income beyond traditional donations from their members. As part of their income strategies, many of them are looking forward to run income generation activities instead of solely relying on donations from their members. For those that have their own website, they are monetising their website for their good causes.

With respect to the impact measurement, most of ASCOCs are aware how to measure the impact of their work. Many of them are able to demonstrate the effectiveness of their activities, projects, and programmes to their potential funders. 60% of them were able to include in their impact report reliable impact measurement metrics and key indicators for performance.

• • • Potential Challenges

It stems from the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis of these ASCOCs that many of them confront various challenges. Among the challenges are the ones given below.

Rising operational costs

To combat desertification and restore land and ecosystems requires the coverage of operational costs or operating expenses (such as rent, utilities, payroll, inventory, equipment, insurance, etc). Yet, some funders do not fund operational costs.

Decreasing donations

Due to overlapping shocks and crises in most areas where ASCOCs operate, the ability of local people to donate to the causes like combating desertification, restoring land and ecosystem is weak; since many of those local donors are themselves affected by the legacies of these shocks and crises. This is let alone natural events and conflicts like in African Sahel.

Competition for funding

Some of the ASCOCs are small- and medium-sized. They have to compete with big non governmental organisations to attract funding in the areas of desert reduction and land and ecosystem restoration. Their chances of getting funding from foreign investors could be slim. Also, big organisations tend to easily write their concept note for funding purposes compared to small ones. One can hope that small organisations will be able to access generative AI tools and ChatGPT to better write their funding applications.

Regulatory changes

In places where there is political stability, there is a possibility for ASCOCs to easily navigate regulatory changes to the not-for-profit sector. Yet, in politically instable countries or areas, small ASCOCs find regulatory changes very challenging.

Adaptation to new technologies

Like in any areas of work, technologies (e.g., AI-powered tools) are still coming in the fields of desert reduction and land and ecosystem restoration. Not all ASCOCs can acquire and access them as well as adapt to them. In other words, the need of training and learning in the area of adapting to new technologies is huge.

To enable these organisations to continue to deliver their mission of combating desertification, restoring lands and ecosystems; impact investors may be required for them.

• • Types of Not-for-profit Organisations (NFPOs) Working in the Fields of Combat against Desertification, Land and Ecosystem Restoration

There are organisations of varying sizes that work in the fields of combat against desertification, land and ecosystem restorations. 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing differentiates CENFACS’ ASCOCs from other NFPOs working in the fields of combat against desertification, land and ecosystem restoration.

• • • NFPOs working in the fields of combat against desertification, land and ecosystem restoration

There are organisations that help in reducing the risk of desertification by using strategies (such as tree planting, water and soil management) and techniques to prevent or reverse desertification. Among them, we can mention AFR100, which is a local organisation specialising in the prevention of the Sahel region desertification, and Tree Aid that plant trees.

There are those that rehabilitate degraded land to its natural state to benefit poor people, while improving soil health and biodiversity.

There are those that assist in the recovery of degraded or destroyed ecosystems and conserving intact ecosystems. Organisations like The African Conservation Foundation is one of them.

Some organisations cater for the three areas (reduction of desertification, land restoration and ecosystem restoration). Others deal with two or one of these areas.

All depends on the mission, objects, speciality and matching services of these organisations.

Unfortunately, 2025 Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing is not a sort of classified entries that list organisations with their names, contact details and description of their work. For those who are interested in a particular NFPO and are struggling to find them, they can contact CENFACS’ Guidance Service for Not-for-profit Impact Investors.

• • • ASCOCs working in the fields of combat against desertification, land and ecosystem restoration

Among the organisations that may fall under the category of ASCOCs working in the areas of combat against desertification, land and ecosystem restoration, we can mention the following:

Association pour la Protection de la Nature et de l’Environnement de Kairouan (APNEK), Réseau du Développement d’Agriculture Durable (REDAD), Centre d’Etudes et de Recherches des Initiatives pour le Développement Agricole et Artisanal du Bénin, Association Tchadienne des Volontaires pour la Protection de l’Environnement, Réseau International pour le Développment et l’Environnement à la Base (RIDEB-Afrique), Centre de Production de Pépinières et de Formations du Togo, etc.

Depending on their mission, objects, speciality and matching services; they work on matters relating to the reduction of desertification and the restoration of lands, soils and ecosystems.

For those not-for-profit impact investors who are looking for a particular organisation working in either of the fields (reduction of desertification and drought or restoration of land or restoration of ecosystems), they can contact CENFACS for support if they cannot find them.

For those not-for-profit impact investors who are interested in NFPOs and ASCOCs, and who would like to dive deeper into their services and activities, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• • Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes

African Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes (ASCOCs) can be an alternative route for investing in Africa for those investors having other motives than only making profit. Investing in this sort of organisations and causes is a way of thinking differently and approaching poverty from a different and progressive perspective.

The knowledge of these organisations in terms of their mission/objects/speciality and matching services they offer is crucial to decide whether or not to impact invest in them. They are those working in the fields of desertification reduction, land and ecosystem restoration.

The above is the highlight of the prospect for not-for-profit investing in Africa’s ecological restoration sector. It is part of a series of contents for advice and tips planned for 2025 to work with potential not-for-profit impact investors, particularly but not limited to the two following matters:

a) Guidance for Not-for-profit Investors about Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa;

b) Matching Organisation-Investor Programme.

For those not-for-profit impact investors who are interested in the ecological restoration sector – in particular in ASCOCs making part of this sector – and who would like to dive deeper into this matter, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For those not-for-profit impact investors who are looking for the above-mentioned guidance and matching programme, they should not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1101632 (accessed in February 2025)

(2) https://desertificationfacts.com/locations/desertification-in-africa/# (accessed in February 2025)

(3) https://www.unccd.int/news-stories/press-releases/least-100-million-hectares-healthy-land-now-lost-each-year (accessed in February 2025)

(4) https://africacenter.org/spotlight/african-biodiversity-loss-risk-human-security/# (accessed in February 2025)

(5) https://theconversation.com/nearly-25-of-land-in-africa-has-been-damaged-whats-to-blame-and-what-can-be-done-231315# (accessed in February 2025)

(6) https://www.undrr.org/terminology/resilience (accessed in February 2025)

(7) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7b47a340f0b66a2fc065c1/defining-disaster-resilience-approach-paper.pdf (accessed in February 2025)

(8) https://www.rescue.org/article/conflict-drc-what-you-need-know-about-crisis (accessed in February 2025)

(9) https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo-/humanitarian-lifeline-drc-under-threat-ingos-call-urgent-action (accessed in February 2025)

(10) https://unu.edu/ehs/series/land-restoration-5-key-elements-reviving-our-earth# (accessed in February 2025)

(11) https://erosioncontrolusa.com/about-us/resource-blog/what-is-soil-restoration/# (accessed in February 2025)

(12) https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-growth-and-opportunity/digital-public-infrastructure# (accessed in February 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

2025 Sustainable Development Month

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 5, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

05 February 2025

Post No. 390

The Week’s Contents

• 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

• Go for the Triple Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty Linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems

• African Children’s Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (Generation Global Goals Project) – In Focus: Integrating Climate, Development and Nature Goals for Children

… And much more!

Key Messages

• 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, the Restoration of Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

February is the month of Sustainable Development, according to CENFACS development calendar or planner. It is the month during which we revisit our works relating to sustainable development. In particular, we try to look at again the United Nations (1) Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their related 169 targets. We normally select one of the topics within the set of SGDs and targets; and try to work on it. For this February 2025, we have selected Goal 15 and Target 3 of this goal. What are Goal 15 and Target 3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs)?

• • Goal 15 and Target 3 of UNSDGs as Working Theme for the Month of Sustainability

Goal 15 is to End Desertification and Restore Degraded Land.

Target 3 of Goal 15 is By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soils, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.

Our work on the above-named Goal 15 and Target 3 is to help end or reduce poverty linked to the Target 3 of this Goal 15. In particular, we would like to work with our project beneficiaries and our Africa-based Sister Organisations to Reduce Poverty Linked to Desertification and Degraded Land and Soils.

Additionally, we shall concentrate on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) (2), which has 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action over the decade to 2030. Particularly, we shall work on Target 2 of this framework.

• • Target 2 of KMGBF as Part of the Working Theme for the Month of Sustainability

The Target 2 of KMGBF is to Ensure that by 2030 at least 20 per cent of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity.

Our work on Target 2 is to work with our project beneficiaries and Africa-based Sister Organisations to Reduce Poverty Linked to Degraded Ecosystems.

To make our Month of Sustainability, we are going to engage our community members and Africa-based Sister Organisations through Target 3 of the UNSDG 15 and Target 2 of the KMGBF, while keeping the spirit of these targets as they were originally set up. Additionally, we are looking at how the contents of these targets can be related to poor people, particularly poor and vulnerable households that make up CENFACS‘ noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction.

• • Engaging our Members and Africa-based Sister Organisations via Combat against Desertification, Restoration of Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

We are engaging or reminding the members of our community and Africa-based Sister Organisations to be aware of and act on the messages contained in the Target 3 of UNSDG 15 and Target 2 of KMGBF, while supporting them on how they can be mindful in applying them in real life. In particular, we are and will be working with the community in restoration micro-projects or activities for those of our members who would like to restore their lives or things or ecosystems. We are and will be working with Africa-based Sister Organisations having sustainable restoration projects and that would like us to get involved.

To enable us to approach the theme of Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty; we have organised an action plan (please refer to the below given Schedule of Notes).

For further information about this theme, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

• Go for the Triple Goal of the Month: Reduction of Poverty Linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems

Our goal for February 2025 is triple. It is about reducing poverty linked to desertification, poverty relating to degraded land and poverty caused by downgraded ecosystems. These are the three forms of poverty we are trying to help reduce this February 2025. Let us explain them.

• • Three Forms of Poverty to Help Reduce This February 2025

• • • Reducing poverty linked to degraded land

It is about

σ avoiding overgrazing or excessive logging or deforestation which reduce poor communities’ ability to produce food and income

σ improving access to essential resources (such as food and water)

σ eliminating or decreasing the impacts of land degradation on poor people

σ enhancing land yields to bring food security

σ ameliorating access to clean and safe water to decrease exposure to water-born diseases and illnesses

σ reducing the causes of conflict over minerals (like in the case of the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo where conflict minerals are causing war and suffering for the ordinary people)

etc.

• • • Reducing poverty related to desertification

The reduction of desertification caused by degraded desertification can help reduce poverty for those poor living on farm land.

Reducing poverty for these poor, in relation to desertification, is about

σ improving land productivity to facilitate food growth and poverty reduction

σ increasing food security

σ ameliorating livelihoods and growth of produce from land that is not degraded

etc.

• • • • Reducing poverty caused by degraded ecosystems

Those living in poverty are very likely to be dependant on ecosystems for their food, health, water, housing, protection and spiritual needs. Because of that, if ecosystems degrade, the possibility for them to reduce poverty becomes highly difficult. Therefore, improving the health and wealth of ecosystems will lead to the reduction of poverty they are experiencing.

• • Implications for Selecting the Goal for the Month

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

• African Children’s Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (Generation Global Goals Project) – In Focus: Integrating Climate, Development and Nature Goals for Children

Normally, the project that carries this month of Sustainable Development is African Children’s Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (ACCNSDGs). It is also known as Generation Global Goals (3G) project.

3G project is the impact level in CENFACS’ process of advocating that global goals (like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework) work for children and not way around. It is indeed the testing of the gains that global goals claim to achieve and of their impact on the welfare and well-being of children. This is regardless whether these children are in spaces and times of peace or lack of peace (like conditions of wars, areas stricken by viruses or epidemics and time of natural disasters). Unsurprisingly, these gains should be materialised even in time of crisis like of the cost-of-living crisis.

• • Children Generation of Global Goals

The children generation of global goals are those two generations of children relating to two sets of global goals: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The generation of Millennium Development Goals will be those children or persons born and live between 2000 and 2015, whereas the generation of Sustainable Development Goals will be referred to those born and live from 2015 until now (ideally between 2015 and 2030). The two generations are relating to the lifespan of these two sets of goals.

These generations relating to global goals have to be differentiated from the conventional definition of generations which classified them as follows: Gen Alpha (2013 – 2025), iGen/Generation Z (1995 -2012), Millennials/Generation Y (1980 – 1994), Xennials (1975 – 1985), Generation X/Baby Bust (1965 – 1979) and Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964). This is without forgetting the generation who has been impacted by the scars or legacies of the coronavirus pandemic disaster. Most of these generations born when a particular or group of global goals was or has been set.

Although these goals were set up from different historical circumstances of their time, they are not supposed to work or to be applied independently. They can be integrated to better work. This week, we are advocating to integrate them so that they can better work for children and the generations to come.

• • Integrating Climate, Development and Nature Goals for Children

This year, the focus is on integrating climate, development and nature goals in the context of ACCNSDGs project for children. But, what are those goals we are trying to integrate?

They are:

~ Climate goal, which is, according to ‘unfccc.int'(3),

“Overarching goal to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”;

~ Nature goals, which are the four long-term goals of the KMGBF (op. cit.). The framework has 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action over the decade to 2030;

~ United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are the United Nations Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals and their related 169 targets (op. cit.).

It is good to work with children so that they can understand them and how these goals can work together in integrative and interactive way.

For example, the World Bank Group (4) provides the following argument regarding the integration between nature and climate change:

“Investing in nature is critical not only for maintaining biodiversity and a stable climate, but also for reducing poverty and inequality, and maintaining the critical ecosystems that support livelihoods… Tackling nature loss and climate change together offers the best hope for preventing the systemic threats they pose to development, economic growth, and the wellbeing of people and the planet” (p. 1)

Children and future generations can be protected from these threats. So, explaining and applying this integration on how they can benefit children and future generations will be useful in understanding how integrated and interconnected global goals can positively (or negatively) impact them.

For those who would like to find out more on how we can integrate these goals (i.e., Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals) for and with children; they can contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Activity/Task 2 of the ‘R’ Project: Restore Life and Things Sustainably

• 2025 Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 5 (05 to 11/02/2025)

• Triple Value Initiatives, All Year Round Projects: Extra Support about Start-up, Fundamentals, Maths and Goals

• Activity/Task 2 of the ‘R’ Project: Restore Life and Things Sustainably

The second activity/task of the “R” Project is about restoring life and things sustainably.

Restoring life and things sustainably can imply numerous ideas. It can be about ideas such as

σ reducing carbon foot print

σ making sustainable lifestyle changes

σ cutting what we do not need out of our lives

σ consuming mindfully

etc.

As an example, the website ‘biologicaldiversity.org’ (5) provides 12 ways to live more sustainably. There are more examples that one can find about restoring life and things sustainably; examples that one can share with others.

• • Restoring Life and Things Sustainably in Practice with Households Making CENFACS Community

One thing is to say or know things. Another thing is to put what we say or know in practice either for ourselves or to support others. It will be more useful for those who would like to support this activity/task 2 to apply it themselves or to work with those who are looking for help to restore their life or things.

As part of supporting households making our community, the CENFACS Community, we are organising some activities or micro-initiatives relating to restoring your life, things and ecosystem.

• • • Activities or micro-initiatives relating to restoring your life, things and ecosystem

These restorative activities or micro-initiatives include things such as

σ bringing nature inside

σ enjoying outdoors

σ repairing things, life and ecosystem

σ connecting with others

σ support circle or the community

σ promoting communication and conversation between our members and others

σ understanding and respect each other while keeping a culture of support

etc.

The overall goal of our restoration mini-project or this Winter 2025 Restoration Support is to work together with the community – in a proactive way – so that households making this community can recover their ecosystem after disturbance. Therefore, the above-mentioned restoration activities are designed to help them re-establish their natural regimes and functions from or after disturbance.

For those who will be interested in these restorative activities or micro-initiatives, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

The above is what activity/task 2 is about.

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

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

• 2025 Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 5 (05 to 11/02/2025)

We are continuing our programme and scheme to build Financial Capacity and Capability within the community. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via the Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that our community members can be stronger this year. Both FCCBP and FCCBS will help beneficiaries to reduce risks or poverty linked to financial incapacity and incapability while improving their intergenerational income and transfers.

The fifth activities of FCCBP and FCCBS, which will be run from 05 to 11 February 2025, have been highlighted below.

• • 05 to 11 February 2025: Developing a Strategy for Little Extra Income Generation (Activity 5 of FCCBP)

Activity 5 of FCCBP is an advice session to applicants on how to generate little extra income in order to reduce income poverty. This activity is performed via the learning on establishing an action plan or strategy for little extra income generation.

We shall work with applicants through their income generation strategy. Income generation strategy is defined here by ‘images.template.net’ (6) as

“A plan that sets out the funding need for an organisation, project or event over a period of time (typically 3 to 5 years). It also identifies actions, timescales and possible funding resources to enable the successful delivery of a project or event”.

Like any organisation, households making the CENFACS Community can develop their funding strategy or plan.

If any of the households making our community would like to develop their income generation strategy but they do not know how to go about it, they can contact CENFACS. For those who have already got their plan/strategy and they want us to look at it, they can also communicate with us.

To apply for an advice session regarding the Activity 5 of FCCBP, please contact CENFACS.

• • 05 to 11 February 2025: Establishing a Spending Plan (Activity 5 of FCCBS)

In this Activity 5 of FCCBS, participants will be supported in building and dressing their spending plan. Spending plan or budget is defined by ‘wisc.edu’ (7) as

“A plan you create to help you meet expenses and spend money the way you want to spend it”.

It includes money coming in, money going out and goals.

Those who will be interested in developing their spending plan, they are free to contact CENFACS.

Please do get in touch if you have any comments or queries.

Activity 5 of FCCBP and of FCCBS conclude our 2025 Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme. Our last words following the notes relating to these activities are as follows.

• • Last Words about the 5 Activities of FCCBP and of FCCBS

We all need a certain form or level of financial capacity and capability in order to run the financial aspects of our life with success. These capacity and capability needs are basic and life-saving skills or competences to deal with financial services that are on offer for our needs, especially in today’s fast moving financial innovative world.

It is possible to employ others to handle financial matters for us. But, we still need to financially understand what they have done for us to protect ourselves, our family, our interest and our future.

For those who would like to dive deep in financial capacity and capability building, they can contact CENFACS.

• Triple Value Initiatives, All Year Round Projects: Extra Support about Start-up, Fundamentals, Maths and Goals

Last week, we announced the kick off for our Triple Value Initiatives, initially known as All Year-round Projects. For those who are interested in engaging with these initiatives, we would like to highlight the following four points: start-up, fundamentals, maths and goals.

• • Triple-Value-Initiatives Start up

It is better to start up early, although people can always join at any time. The earlier you start the better. This is because everybody is busy with their own lives and has other things to do. Also, the sooner you start, the earlier CENFACS can help if one encounters any problems.

Briefly, the message is start up early.

• • Triple-Value-Initiatives Fundamentals

You need to get the fundamentals about All Year-round Projects right from the beginning. You need to clearly sort out the basic principles and bases of these projects so that you move to the right direction early without being forced to change course as you progress or repeat from scratch.

Briefly, the message is get the fundamentals right.

• • Triple-Value-Initiatives Maths

It is a good idea to guess estimate the costs of undertaking you play or run or vote for poverty reduction and sustainable development. It is also wise to find out how you will cover these costs even if they are small (e.g., getting a bottle of water to run).

Briefly, the message is do the maths or add up your numbers.

• • Triple-Value-Initiatives Goals

Whether you play or run or vote for poverty reduction and sustainable development, the all exercise is for you to reach your goal of delivering the objectives you set up from the onset. It means you need to be clear in your mind set about what you want to achieve. Again, if you have any problems in setting up clear goals (aim or purpose) and objectives, CENFACS can be of help.

Briefly, the message is be clear about what you want to achieve.

You can select a theme to run, create your play station game and watch people to vote. This is what Triple Value Initiatives or All Year Round Projects are all about. Good luck!

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

• CENFACS be.africa Forum e-discusses Charities and Their Use of Crypto-Assets

Charities and other organizations that are looking for finance to enable them to fulfil their mission can use emerging financial innovations. Among these innovations are crypto-assets.

• • What is a crypto-asset?

According to ‘finra.org’ (8),

“A crypto asset is any asset that is issued or transferred using distributed ledger technology or blockchain technology. There are many terms for crypto assets including ‘digital assets, ‘virtual assets’, ‘virtual currencies’, ‘coins’ and ‘crypto currencies’.

However, there are reservations or criticisms regarding the monetary properties of crypto-assets.

• • Reservations or Criticisms Regarding the Monetary Properties of Crypto-assets

Among these reservations or criticisms, there are in particular those formulated by Céline Antonin and Nadia Antonin (9) in their joint work entitled ‘Crypto-assets: a threat to the monetary and financial order‘. According to these authors,

“The crypto-asset ecosystem clearly appears to be one of the major technical innovations in the world of payments, crypto-assets are wrongly described as money. Because they only partially respond to the 3 main functions of a currency: the instrument of exchange, the unit of account, and the store of value”

In the face of this and many other criticisms, should charities distance themselves from these assets or remove them from their investment portfolios? In other words, does the fact that crypto assets only partially meet the 3 classic functions of money represent a danger of holding them and using them as a means to fulfil their charity objects?

These questions are the subject of this week’s debate in the Forum for a Better Africa. Our discussion will try to explore the advantages and disadvantages of crypto assets for charities that use them, while addressing the monetary limitations of these assets in the charity fundraising and saving systems.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne des Organisations Caritatives et de leur Utilisation des Crypto-actifs

Les organismes de bienfaisance et autres organisations qui recherchent des financements pour leur permettre de remplir leur mission peuvent utiliser les innovations financières émergentes. Parmi ces innovations, on retrouve les crypto-actifs.

• • Qu’est-ce qu’un crypto-actif ?

Selon finra.org (8),

« Un actif cryptographique est un actif émis ou transféré à l’aide de la technologie des registres distribués ou de la technologie blockchain. Il existe de nombreux termes pour les crypto-actifs, notamment « actifs numériques », « actifs virtuels », « monnaies virtuelles », « pièces de monnaie » et « crypto-monnaies ».

Cependant, il existe des réserves ou des critiques concernant les propriétés monétaires des crypto-actifs.

• • Réserves ou critiques concernant les propriétés monétaires des crypto-actifs

Parmi ces réserves ou critiques, il y a notamment celles formulées par Céline Antonin et Nadia Antonin (9) dans leur ouvrage commun intitulé « Les crypto-actifs : une menace pour l’ordre monétaire et financier ». Selon ces autrices,

“L’ecosystème des crypto-actifs apparaît clairement comme l’une des innovations techniques majeures du monde des paiements, les crypto-actifs sont qualifiés à tort de monnaie. Car ils ne répondent que très partiellement aux 3 fonctions principales à une monnaie : l’instrument d’échange, l’unité de compte, et la réserve de valeur”

Face à cette critique et à bien d’autres, les organismes de bienfaisance devraient-ils se distancier de ces actifs ou les retirer de leurs portefeuilles de placements ? En d’autres termes, le fait que les cryptoactifs ne remplissent que partiellement les 3 fonctions classiques de la monnaie représente-t-il un danger de les détenir et de les utiliser comme moyen d’atteindre les objectifs des organismes de bienfaisance ?

Ces questions font l’objet du débat de cette semaine au Forum ‘Pour une Afrique meilleure‘. Notre discussion tentera d’explorer les avantages et les inconvénients des cryptoactifs pour les organismes de bienfaisance qui les utilisent, tout en abordant les limites monétaires de ces actifs dans le système de collecte de fonds et d’épargne pour les organismes de bienfaisance.

Ceux ou celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette discussion peuvent se joindre à nos experts en réduction de la pauvreté et/ou contribuer en contactant le ‘me.Afrique’ du CENFACS (ou le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS), qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

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

Main Development

• 2025 Sustainable Development Month with Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty

The following contents make up the Main Development of this post:

σ Key Terms

σ Essential Restoration Links

σ Advocacy on Restoration to Reduce Poverty

σ Working with the Community Members on Restoration Matters

σ February 2025 Working Plan on Restoration

σ Week Beginning Monday 03/02/2024: Combating Desertification to Reduce Poverty

Let us gives some highlights about each of these contents.

• • Key Terms

There are five terms that we would like to highlight, which are degradation, desertification, restoration, ecosystem and poverty reduction.

Let us briefly explain each of them.

• • • Degradation

Degradation can be defined in many ways and fields. One of its definitions comes from ‘cambridge.org’ (10) which explains that

“Degradation is the process in which something is made worse, especially the quality of land”.

The website ‘who.int’ (11) goes further in explaining that

“Land degradation is caused by multiple forces, including extreme weather conditions, particularly drought. It is also caused by human activities that pollute or degrade the quality of soils and land utility. It negatively affects food production, livelihood, and the production and provision of other ecosystem goods and services”

Concerning the quality of land, when degradation happens to it, it could mean the quality of land is reduced or degraded. In the context of these restoration notes, we will be dealing with forests, lands, soils and ecosystems whose the quality is reduced.

• • • Desertification

The perspective retained here to explain desertification is the one given by ‘unccd.int’ (12). From this perspective, desertification means

“Land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities”.

According to ‘who.int’ (op. cit.),

“Desertification is a form of land degradation by which fertile land becomes desert”

Regarding the work on restoration we are undertaking, we are dealing with ways of fighting desertification, which will be the first note of our work.

• • • Restoration

The word ‘restoration’ can be related to many aspects of life. In the context of these notes, we are mostly concerned with land restoration.

What is land restoration?

The ‘unccd.int’ (13) defines it as

“The ecological process to restore a natural and safe landscape for humans, wildlife, and plant communities. This process paves the way to protect our ecosystems, create economic development, help prevent natural disasters such as floods, and increase soil productivity and food supplies”.

Our advocacy on land restoration will be on what can be done to restore degraded land or to reach aggradation of land while reducing poverty.

• • • Ecosystem

Our definition of ecosystem comes from ‘unep.org’ (14) which argues that

“An ecosystem is a place where plants, animals and other organisms, in conjunction with the landscape around them, come together to form the web of life”.

This definition is useful in understanding ecosystem restoration, which is part of our restoration work and notes.

According to ‘decadeonrestoration.org’ (15),

“Ecosystem restoration means assisting in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed, as well as conserving the ecosystems that are still intact. Healthier ecosystems, with richer biodiversity, yield greater benefits such as more fertile soils, bigger yields of timber and fish, and larger stores of greenhouse gases”.

We are going to refer to this definition of ecosystem in our restoration work and notes, while looking its connection with poverty reduction.

• • • Poverty reduction

Poverty reduction is any measures intended to permanently lift people out of poverty. To emphasise this, the online site ‘definitions.net’ (16) states that

“Poverty reduction measures are intended to raise, enabling the poor to create wealth for themselves as a means for ending poverty forever”.

The online site ‘definitions.net’ also argues that these measures do not apply to voluntary poverty.

So, the above-mentioned five key terms will help to shape and deal with the theme of our Sustainable Development Month; theme which is the Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems While Reducing Poverty.

• • Essential Restoration Links

There is a number of links we are dealing with during this month of sustainable development, in particular the links between the three terms (desertification, degraded land and ecosystems) and poverty reduction. These essential links are:

1st Link: between desertification and poverty reduction

2nd Link: between degraded lands and poverty reduction

3rd Link: between degraded ecosystems and poverty reduction.

As stated above in the Triple Goal of the Month, there are some relationships between poverty reduction and each of these three terms (desertification, degraded lands and ecosystems).

Those would like to dive deeper regarding these links can let CENFACS know.

Furthermore, one thing is to argue about the above-mentioned links. Another thing is about advocating to reduce or end the types of poverty expressed through these links.

• • Advocacy on Restoration to Reduce Poverty

The Month of Sustainable Development within CENFACS is also of advocacy for and on behalf of the poor (amongst them are poor and vulnerable households) and those in need of sustainable development so that they can find way of reducing poverty by Fighting Desertification, Restoring Degraded Lands and Ecosystems.

Our Advocacy for the Month of Sustainable Development will cover three areas as follows:

a) Combating Desertification

b) Restoring Degraded Lands

c) Restoring Degraded Ecosystems.

More details about these three types of advocacy work can be requested from CENFACS.

• • Working with the Community Members on Restoration Matters

Beyond the above-mentioned advocacy work, CENFACS is going to engage the community members or households interested in the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems, during this month of February 2025.

The following working plan provides a glimpse of the way in which we are going to both carry out the Month of Sustainable Development and support the community’s households on any matters raising from the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems.

• • February 2025 Working Plan on Restoration

From the beginning of each week of this month, we will be dealing with the following:

Each of the notes or sub-themes will be treated in relation to poverty reduction.

• • Week Beginning Monday (03/02/2025) – In Focus: Combating Desertification to Reduce Poverty

• • • What this focus is about

As it said in the headline, it is about fighting both desertification and poverty, particularly in Africa where they become a huge issue. As the ‘unccd.int’ (op. cit.) puts it,

“Combating desertification includes activities which are part of the integrated development of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas for sustainable development which are aimed at: prevention and/or reduction of land degradation; rehabilitation of partly degraded land; and reclamation of desertification”.

By conducting these activities, one can hope to deal with desertification and poverty linked to desertification. This implies working with communities affected by both desertification and poverty, as well as with those interested in these matters.

• • • How CENFACS can work with those in need of reducing poverty by combating desertification

Working with the community and our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) on this matter means the following:

σ Restoring land where it has affected by desertification or drought

σ Supporting our ASOs and their beneficiaries engaged in farming to improve their practices

σ Working with poor communities living where land has been degraded because of desertification

σ Helping them to take steps to improve land productivity

σ Enhancing food security to reduce food poverty

σ Taking with them measures to reduce poverty linked to desertification

Etc.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to Combating Desertification to Reduce Poverty or Reducing Poverty by Combating Desertification, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Poverty linked to Desertification, Degraded Lands and Ecosystems; please also contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in February 2025)

(2) https://www.cbd.int/article/cop15-final-text-kunming-montreal-gbf-221222 (accessed in February 2025)

(3) https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement# (accessed in February 2025)

(4) https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/0054ddlas7bfac0338f255a2ea5d9c32e-0320012022/original/2-Nature-Climate.pdf (accessed in February 2025)

(5) https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/lives_more_sustainably.html# (accessed in February 2025)

(6) https://images.template.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/27122541/Fundraising-Strategy-Template.pdf (accessed in February 2024)

(7) https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/moneymatters/budgeting/ (accessed in February 2024)

(8) https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-products/crypto-assets# (accessed in February 2025)

(9) https://www.jss.fr/<<_Crypto-actifs_une_menace_pour_l’ordre_monetaires_et_financier_>>_un_ouvrage_accessible_sous_forme_de_regards_croises-5492.awp#:~:text= (accessed in February 2025)

(10) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/degradation (accessed in February 2025)

(11) https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/climate-change-land-degradation-and-desertification:~:text= (accessed in February 2025)

(12) https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2022-02/UNCCD_Convention_ENG_O_O.pdf (accessed in February 2025)

(13) https://www.unccd.int/land-and-life/land-management-restoration/overview (accessed in February 2025)

(14) https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/beginners-guide-ecosystem-restoration (accessed in February 2025)

(15) https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/what-ecosystem-restoration# (accessed in February 2025)

(16) https://www.definitions.net/definition/Poverty%20reduction (Accessed in January 2023)

_________

• 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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

Halving Poverty for and with the Internally Displaced Orphans in Africa

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 29, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

29 January 2025

Post No. 389

The Week’s Contents

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with the Internally Displaced Orphans in Africa

• Keep and Engage Supporters’ Week (Week Beginning From Monday 27 January 2025)

• Joy of Giving 2025

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with the Internally Displaced Orphans in Africa

This is a standalone appeal, which is about humanitarianly responding to the request of orphaned children in Africa. The appeal is about meeting the goal of reducing the number of orphaned children living in poverty by at least half. Ideally, the appeal would like to lift all of them out of poverty.

Indeed, long periods of armed conflicts, political instability and natural/climate events have led to dramatic situations of children in Africa. If we consider armed conflicts alone without ignoring other events, they have internally displaced many children in Africa. Amongst these children, they are those who lost their parents in these long lasting conflicts (like in the Democratic Republic of Congo). These internally displaced and orphaned children – because of the dramatic impact and legacy of armed conflicts on them – would very much appreciate your assistance. Armed conflicts are taking a heavy toll on them.

• • Who Are These Internally Orphaned Children?

They are

√ aged from 5 to 18 years old and conflict-related internally displaced and orphaned children

√ living in countries affected by protracted conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies

√ out-of-school children because of the effects of armed conflicts on them

√ the vulnerable, remote and disadvantaged children

√ the victims of growing geopolitical and geo-economic rivalries as well as of the paralysis of multilateral institutions that should have normally helped them

√ surviving in African countries in debt distress

√ those without essential investments on them

etc.

All these children, who are under the age of 18, need support.

Would you mind helping them out?

You can help reduce or halve the number of internally displaced orphaned children in Africa.

Your support will help to enhance social protection of these children, strengthen their economic support and improve their educational outcomes and skills development.

More about this appeal can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Keep and Engage Supporters’ Week (Week Beginning From Monday 27 January 2025)

At the beginning of the year, it makes sense to re-communicate and re-engage those who care about our mission and the people we care for. This week, we are looking forward to speak to our supporters, re-engage and keep them for the interest they have in our noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction.

• • What Is Keep-and-Engage-Supporters Week?

It is about

~ building, developing and maintaining relationships with those who contribute to CENFACS‘ beautiful and noble cause of poverty reduction

~ listening to them and reconnecting with them now and during the year

~ sharing impact stories and our plan for this year

~ and checking donor attrition (that is, lapsed donors compared to the total number of donors/supporters).

• • How Are We Going to Keep and Engage Supporters?

This week, which is sill at the beginning of the year 2025, we are offering supporters the opportunity to have a say and glimpse about the direction of travel our mission will take this year together with them. It is an occasion for them to get involved in what we have as ideas, designs, plans, projects, and programmes. We thought it is better for them to get involved earlier in the year so that they can be part of what we would like to achieve together with them. In this process of early involvement, they can bring in their inputs.

If you are one of our supporters (including volunteers), CENFACS would like to engage and keep you by sharing with you some of the plans and projects we have for this year and the future. We would like to get in touch with you during the Keep-and-Engage-Supporters week, which climaxes with the Joy-of-Giving Days on 30 and 31 January 2025.

• Joy of Giving 2025

To proceed with the Joy of Giving 2025, let us first remind ourselves what it means.

• • Meaning of the Joy of Giving

The Joy of Giving is

~ an appreciation of the happiness of giving something we need to make or we have a need for to another

~ about giving without being wholeheartedly

~ when we do not want something back in return

~ a sacrifice to truly help another.

• • The Joy of Giving 2025

31 January 2025 is the last day of sharing your most impactful and rewarding experiences and feelings of giving. You can share with us your sense of gladness. You can connect and unite with us through your happiness of generosity of helping others.

You can share the good feeling factor you had after giving to causes like the noble and beautiful ones of CENFACS. You can speak to us how delighted you are after giving to charities, the impact of your giving on others, the barriers you overcame in giving, and the inspirations you brought to others in giving.

The Joy-of-Giving Days (30 & 31 January 2025) are also an opportunity to motivate others who may not be aware or do not believe that giving brings a good feeling to the givers or donors or even funders. By sharing your stories of feeling happy after giving, others can find the strengths, power and wisdom to become charity donors or funders. The more donors or funders we have, the better for the noble and beautiful causes of poverty reduction.

To spread your good feeling of giving or tell and share your joy of giving, please contact CENFACS by 31 January 2025.

Extra Messages

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 4 (29/01/2025 to 04/02/2025)

• Poverty Reduction Shows in 2025 – In Focus for This Winter: Examples of Poverty Reduction Linked to Consumption, Sustainability and Climate

• CENFACS be.Africa Forum E-discusses the Economic Role of Charities in Africa

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 4 (29/01/2025 to 04/02/2025)

We are continuing our programme and scheme to build Financial Capacity and Capability within the community. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via the Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that our community members can be stronger this year. Both FCCBP and FCCBS will help beneficiaries to reduce risks linked to financial incapacity and incapability while improving their intergenerational income and transfers.

The fourth activities of FCCBP and FCCBS, which will be run from 29 January to 04 February 2025, have been highlighted below.

• • 29 January to 04 February 2025: Taking Life-saving Financial Decisions (Activity 4 of FCCBP)

Activity 4 of FCCBP is an open discussion with participants on the way they decide their financial matters, whether they do it alone or consult the people around them or ask for financial advice from a financial adviser.

Indeed, life-saving financial decisions are also life-defining financial decisions. Life-defining financial decisions are, according to ‘wiserwomen.org’ (1),

“Decisions you make throughout your lifetime – choosing a career, getting married, having children, buying a home, starting to save and invest – have a big impact on your future financial security, including retirement”.

It means engaging in the financial decision-making process which comprises identification of your financial goals, gathering relevant financial information, analysis of financial data, development of alternative solutions, selection of the best financial strategy, implementation of the selected strategy, impact monitoring and evaluation of the decision.

If any of our users want to participate in this exercise of open and frank discussion on how they take their life-saving financial decisions or how they can improve it, they can contact CENFACS.

• • 29 January to 04 February 2025: Making Financial Decision via Budget (Activity 4 of FCCBS)

In order to make a sound and well-thought decision, one needs some tools to guide them. One of these tools is budget (i.e. a predetermined quantitative plan expressed in financial terms for a given period).

In this Activity 4 of FCCBS, participants will be supported in doing or reviewing their budget to support their financial decisions. They will learn or revisit their budget (e.g., household budget) and how this budget can help them to make better financial decisions.

This exercise will cover budget design, analysis, implementation and impact monitoring and evaluation.

Those who will be interested in developing their financial budget before making their financial decisions, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• Poverty Reduction Shows in 2025 – In Focus for This Winter: Examples of Poverty Reduction Linked to Consumption, Sustainability and Climate

Showing that poverty reduction is happening despite the events like the cost-of-living is another extra message we would like to share with our users, Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and other stakeholders. We do it through poverty reduction shows.

• • What Are Poverty Reduction Shows?

Poverty reduction shows are reports that discuss poverty and efforts made to reduce it.

As part of these shows, we would like our local people and Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations to show or showcase via a variety of evidences, testimonies, cases, films, videos, news and examples of poverty reduction that poverty reduction has happened and continues to happen despite the lingering ill-fated effects of the multiple crises of recent years. For them to show or showcase, they may need to focus on a particular aspect of poverty reduction.

• • In Focus for This Winter: Examples of Poverty Reduction Linked to Consumption, Sustainability and Climate

Our focus for this Winter will be on the examples of poverty reduction in the areas of consumption, sustainability and climate. In other words, participants to the show can provide their examples or experiences how they managed to reduce poverty linked to the lack or insufficient consumption or poverty due to unsustainable development or even climate poverty.

• • Value of Poverty Reduction Shows

Poverty reduction shows can add value to stories of poverty reduction we normally run.

Through this showing exercise, we hope to build a better picture of these poverty reduction cases with features, similarities, differences, patterns and trends for learning and development experience about our system of poverty reduction. It is about proofing and acknowledging that poverty reduction does happen in real life. Because it does happen, we can work with those who are dreaming for poverty reduction so that their dreams become a reality. This finally provides us with the opportunity to reset or change our system of poverty reduction if there is a need to do so.

To show or share your experience on how poverty reduction has happened to you or those you know despite the lingering ill-fated effects of the multiple crises of recent years, please contact and share with CENFACS.

• CENFACS be.Africa Forum E-discusses the Economic Role of Charities in Africa

Like any economic agents, charities in Africa have an economic role to play in African societies. Perhaps, the best way of understanding their role is to explain economic role, then to see how we can fit this definition into our discussion.

• • What Is an Economic Role?

One of the definitions of economic role comes from ‘library.fiveable.me’ (2), which explains that

“Economic roles refer to the various functions and responsibilities individuals or groups have within an economy, which can influence economic productivity, development, and social structure”.

Like any other entities, charities deliver services and some of them produce goods, that help satisfy the needs and wants of their beneficiaries and other people. As such, they contribute in the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services in a society, in the economy.

By giving the example in the UK, the NCVO estimates, quoted by ‘lordslibrary.parliament.uk (3), that

“The voluntary sector contributed £17.8 billion to the UK economy in 2020/2021”.

It said this equated to 0.8% of the total gross domestic product (GDP).

Sheila McKechnie Foundation (4), recognizes that

“Charities – along side other voluntary organisations – founded specifically to address urgent or specific need, gaps in public services, or in response to personal tragedy play a vital role in community balancing three key roles: service delivery, advocacy, and community building”.

Although what we have just argued is happening in the UK, charities in Africa can do the same by contributing the Africa’s GDP and by filling gaps in Africa’s public services.

The economic role of charities can also be approached from the perspective of the donations they can collect from individuals to deliver their services. This collection of donations can be expressed by Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index (5).

For instance, the World Giving Index 2024 provides three measures of generosity (which are helped a stranger, donated money and volunteered time).

According to this index, these countries – Kenya (82%), Nigeria (81%), Liberia (81%), Senegal (78%), Sierra Leone (78%), The Gambia (78%), Malawi (77%) and Niger (77%) – are among the Top 10 most generous countries in the world. High scores of this index can be linked to greater levels of satisfaction and civic participation.

• • What Does the Definition of Economic Role Add to Our E-discussion?

By analysing the above-mentioned definition of economic role and what it has been argued so far about the economic role of charities, it is possible to e-discuss how charities in Africa are meeting their economic role. The e-discussion will also be to explore ways of supporting charities in Africa so that they can increase and improve their economic role and participation since many States in Africa are overwhelmed with the amount of what they can do to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens, especially the poorest ones.

African charities can help in a number of ways, such as creation of social wealth, provision of services to people in need, addressing the root causes of poverty, filling gaps in public services, promoting social causes, etc.

Briefly, our discussion will look at the multiplier effect of African charities, that is when they spend money they create opportunities, support the locals and stimulate economic activity in Africa. In other words, we shall discuss the way in which charities in Africa deliver sustainable (i.e., social, economic and environmental) value solutions to poverty and hardships in Africa.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join our poverty reduction pundits and/or contribute by contacting CENFACS be.Africa Forum, which is a forum for discussion on poverty reduction and sustainable development issues in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members by making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

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

Message in French (Message en français)

• FACS, n° 86, Hiver 2024/2025 : Les Associations Caritatives Africaines et leur Action en faveur de la Paix Économique et de la Réduction de la Pauvreté

Les organisations caritatives africaines contribuent dans de nombreux domaines de la vie des personnes dans le besoin en Afrique. La paix est un domaine de contribution de leur travail, en particulier la paix économique, mais pas exclusivement. Leur travail sur la paix économique est le sujet du 86e numéro de FACS.

Le 86e numéro traite de l’économie de la paix, en particulier de la manière dont les organisations caritatives africaines utilisent les principes et les recettes de l’économie de la paix afin de réduire davantage la pauvreté et d’améliorer le développement durable pour les bénéficiaires de leurs projets.

Le 86e numéro, qui arrive au moment opportun lorsque nous traitons des cadeaux festifs de la paix, s’inspire des théories de la paix économique et de la façon dont elles peuvent être appliquées aux milieux et au contexte des secteurs caritatif et bénévole.

Le numéro 86 fait également référence à l’indice mondial de la paix développé par l’Institut pour l’Économie et la Paix (IEP). Selon l’IEP (6),

« L’Afrique subsaharienne a enregistré une baisse de la tranquillité dans l’indice mondial de la paix 2024, le score moyen dans la région s’étant détérioré de 0,89 % au cours de l’année écoulée. L’Afrique subsaharienne est l’avant-dernière région pacifique derrière le Moyen-Orient et l’Afrique du Nord, avec trois des dix pays les moins pacifiques du monde ».

En référence à l’argument de l’IEP, le numéro 86 se penche sur l’écosystème de l’économie de la paix et sur la manière dont les organisations caritatives africaines tentent de résoudre les problèmes auxquels leurs bénéficiaires sont confrontés pendant les périodes de reconstruction avant et après la crise. Cela inclut le travail de prévention et de résilience qu’elles entreprennent afin que leurs bénéficiaires puissent construire une paix plus forte, juste et durable.

La copie intégrale du 86e numéro de la FACS est disponible sur demande.

Pour toute question ou commentaire à ce sujet, n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with the Internally Displaced Orphans in Africa

This appeal includes two items:

a) Appeal summaries

b) How to donate.

• • Appeal Summaries

The following summarises the data, needs, request, expectations, use, beneficiaries and outcomes that briefly make the case for halving ~~poverty~~ for and with the internally displaced orphaned children in Africa.

• • • The data

There are some difficulties in obtaining the exact number of children who become orphans in Africa because of wars, armed conflicts and displacement. Despite these difficulties, many organisations and experts working on this issue in Africa and local sources argue that this number is huge. Our Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations working on the grounds confirmed this huge number of these children, knowing the conditions and circumstances of many families or communities they are dealing with. What is this number?

• • • • Estimated number of orphaned children because of wars and armed conflicts in Africa

Different organisations working on orphaned children matter provide their numbers in terms of internal displacement.

For instance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (7) argues that

“At the end of 2023…, large numbers of refugee children… originated from Sudan (790,000), the Democratic Republic of Congo (510,000), the Central African Republic (400,000) and Somalia (400,000)” (p. 7)

The same United Nations Children’s Fund adds that

“Displacements due to conflict and violence typically last far longer than those caused by disasters due to the often protracted nature of conflict” (p. 8)

Similarly, the website ‘borgenproject.org’ (8) states that

“In the entire continent of Africa, there are an estimated 52 million orphans. Statistics for orphans combine three groups including those that have lost both parents, those that have lost a father and those that have lost a mother”.

Although the number of 52 million orphans dates in 2020, it is still relevant today knowing the ongoing armed conflicts and polycrises in Africa, in places like the Eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This number still counts since no one knows exactly how many of these 52 million orphans have received life-saving help.

Taking the same line of argument, the report from the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, quoted by ‘voanews.com’ (9), explains that

“Almost 93 percent are displaced due to conflict and violence, and 26 million of them are displaced in just five countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan”.

In most of these displacement cases, children tend to get separated from their parents or families. This situation often leads to orphanage for them. As the website ‘africarelief.org’ (10) puts it,

“Armed conflicts, civil wars, and political instability have displaced millions of families across Africa, leaving children orphaned and destitute”.

A report released by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (11) notices the same by stating that

“New report shows an estimated 35 million children in Africa are without parental care”.

These children face numerous challenges including lack of access to education, healthcare and basic necessities. Their needs of education, healthcare and other ones can be met if they get relevant support.

• • • The Needs

The needs for emergency life-saving support are 24 times more than average in Africa where the livelihoods of displaced orphaned children are severely affected. These children need your life-saving and humanitarian help to meet their life-surviving need.

• • • The Ask

What it has been asked to you is your influence or power to have a positive effect on those who are holding the keys to solutions regarding the problems these internally displaced orphaned children are facing, especially for problems that are man-made like armed conflicts.

Alternatively, you can donate money to support these children.

Your gift of Positive Influence or Money or both will provide an emergency life-saving and enhancing relief to the Internally Displaced and Orphaned Children in Africa.

• • • The Use of Your Support

Your support will help provide useful in-kind donations like

√ food

√ furniture and bedding

√ clothing and hygiene

√ books and educational materials

√ educational games and activities

√ computer items

√ art therapy

√ digital items

etc.

Briefly, your support will improve the lives, well-being and prospects of these children.

• • • The Expectations from Your Gift

It is expected that your gift of Positive Influence or Money will help to address the plight of the internally displaced orphaned children in Africa as follows:

√ to address the problem of the internally displaced orphaned children, which sometimes get undervalued

√ to avoid sexual abuse of these children, forced labour, trafficking, substance and drug abuse, mental health issues

√ to incentivize parents to look for their children separated from them because of armed conflicts

√ to enhance social protection of these children

√ to halve the number of the internally displaced orphaned children living in poverty

√ In brief, to reduce or end deprivations linked to the lack of access to basic services, violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and other vulnerabilities.

• • • The Beneficiaries of your Gift of Positive Influence or Money Donation

They include children who are…

√ internally displaced and orphaned because disaster-related and conflict-driven causes

√ orphans because of economic hardships, natural disasters and other social factors

√ orphans and conflict-related internal displaced children

√ living in countries affected by protracted conflicts and complex humanitarian emergencies that are orphaning children

√ out-of-school because of the effects of armed conflicts on them

√ the vulnerable, remote and disadvantaged ones

√ the victims of growing geopolitical rivalries and the paralysis of multilateral institutions that should have normally helped them

√ living in African countries in debt distress

√ those without essential investments

√ orphans in displacement camps

etc.

In short, the beneficiaries will be children in orphaning situations.

• • • The Outcomes

With the influencing support or money donated, the following changes will be expected:

√ Reduction in the number of the internally displaced orphaned children

√ Cut in numbers of the internally displaced orphaned children

√ Better food supplements for children’s well-being, welfare and wellness

√ Reduction of malnutrition for these children

√ Increase in the number of the internally displaced orphaned children returning to education

√ Rise in the number of rescued children from orphanage

√ More and better access to adaptation to new life for the internally displaced orphaned children

√ More happy and healthy orphaned children in Africa

Etc.

• • How to donate

You can donate either influence or money or both.

• • • Donating influence

To donate, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or solve the detrimental effects of the crises that the African internally displaced and orphaned children are suffering from and make these persons reduce or end these negative effects on them.

You can as well influence the things or factors that determine child orphanage in order to create lasting favourable healthy and living conditions for these internally displaced and orphaned children.

To move forward your influence, you can provide faster and smarter influencing support for the internally displaced and orphaned children. You can use digital assistant or Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot or co-pilot to plan and execute your timely influencing support. This will help save the internally displaced and orphaned lives, reduce costs and speed up your life-saving response to them.

Please let CENFACS know about your influencing work or contribution you are or will be making and its outcome on behalf of the internally displaced and orphaned children in Africa.

To let us know, you can contact CENFACS as follows:

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site.

On receipt of your message or influencing donation, CENFACS will contact you for record and thank you for any influencing donation made. However, should you wish your influencing support to remain anonymous; we will respect your wish.

• • • Donating money

You can donate money, pledge and make a gift declaration to support.

• • • • Making a Money Donation

You can make a donation of £5 or more to support the Internally Displaced and Orphaned Children in Africa (IDOCA).

• • • • Making a Pledge

You can make a pledge of £5 or any amount more than £5 to support IDOCA.

• • • • Making a Gift Aid Declaration

You can make a gift aid declaration to support IDOCA.

All donations, pledges and gift aid declarations MUST be made payable to CENFACS (the Centre for Francophone African Development).

To avoid fundraising frauds and scams, CENFACS would like to ask to all potential money funders and donors to contact us prior to making any donations, pledges and gift aid declarations.

• • • • How to Donate Money

You can donate

*Over phone

*Via email

*Through text

*By filling the contact form on this site.

IDOCA will be very grateful if you could donate to their noble cause of poverty reduction. Your support will halve the number of IDOCA who do not have a healthy and happy life.

Please DONATE, PLEDGE AND MAKE A GIFT AID DECLARATION of £5 or any amount more than £5 as a way of supporting this project. CENFACS will enthusiastically accept, on behalf of the beneficiaries, your given support.

CENFACS welcomes any enquiries and or queries about this humanitarian relief appeal.

Please do not wait to donate as the needs are NOW pressing and urgent.

We look forward to your support to make helpful difference to those internally displaced and orphaned children in pressing needs of survival and of coping with life.

Thank you for your generosity.

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to give your Positive Influence or Money and help save the lives of the internally displaced and orphaned children in Africa.

_________

• References

(1) https://wiserwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/seven-decisions-english (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/ap-hug/economic-roles (accessed in January 2025)

(3) https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/voluntary-and-community-sector-contribution-to-society/ (accessed in January 2025)

(4) https://smk.org.uk/essays/charities-economic-value-is-huge-but-their-true-value-runs-far-deeper/# (accessed in January 2025)

(5) https://www.cafonline.org/docs/default-source/inside-giving/wgi/wgi_2024_report.pdf (accessed in January 2025)

(6) Institute for Economics and Peace. Global Peace Index 2024. Measuring Peace in a Complex World, Sydney, June 2024. Available from: http://visionhumanity.org/resources (accessed in January 2025)

(7) United Nations Children’s Fund (2024), International Data Alliance for Children on the Move, 9 Facts about Children on the Move: 2024 update, New York

(8) https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-orphans-in-africa/# (accessed in January 2025)

(9) https://www.voanews.com/a/africa-displacement-triples-fueled-by-conflict-violence-and-disasters-new-report-states/7877504.html (accessed in January 2025)

(10) https://africarelief.org/blogs/orphans-in-africa (accessed in January 2025)

(11) https://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/news/new-report-shows-an-estimated-35-million-children (accessed in January 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

Economic Peace Project

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 22, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

22 January 2025

Post No. 388

The Week’s Contents

• Economic Peace Project

• 2025 Donor Cultivation and Donor Stewardship Development Programmes

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 3

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Economic Peace Project

Our investigation about the work of African Charities and Their Contribution to Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction in Africa continues. In this continuation, we have the proposals for Economic Peace Project (EPP) which we would like to share with you.

EPP, which is part of our Season of Light Campaign, is an attempt to take at practical level some the key issues raised in CENFACS‘ newsletter FACS no. 86; issues about African Charities’ Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction.

EPP, if well funded and successfully implemented, will come along with the following features or benefits:

σ addressing issues leading to conflicts, inequalities and inequity

σ enhancing social mobility for project beneficiaries

σ leading to income stream generation

σ giving opportunity to trade and find peace via trade

σ eliminating barriers to peace

etc.

EPP will help to practise economics and peace in the process of poverty reduction and the enhancement of sustainable development. In combining economics and peace, EPP will offer hope for those who are looking for poverty reduction to happen to them and or to their future generations. Poverty reduction and enhanced sustainable development do not happen by luck or chance. They can be achieved where efforts have been made to create favourable economic conditions and secure peace dividends.

So, the real aim of this project is to reduce and possibly end poverty linked to the lack of economic peace. To get insights into it, please read the summary of EPP proposals under the Main Development section of this post.

• 2025 Donor Cultivation and Donor Stewardship Development Programmes

Our 2025 strategy for fostering the growth of prospective donors as well as for building and maintaining relationships with donors has been reactivated. As indicated in the title, this strategy or programme is made of two parts: donor solicitation and donor stewardship.

Regarding donor solicitation, we are re-embarking on the process of acquiring new donors or building relationships with prospective donors to solicit a donation from them. In this process, we are exploring qualifiable prospects.

Concerning donor stewardship, we are focussing on existing donors and retaining them. To facilitate our donor stewardship journey, we will be running “Keep and Engage Supporters Week” from week beginning 27 January 2025.

Next week’s event support and the 2025 collected processes and strategy for relationship-building with and retaining donors will consist of two areas: donor solicitations and donor products to match these solicitations.

• • Donor Solicitations

We are continuing our solicitation to some of you as donors and /or stewards of poverty relief as follows.

• • • Solicitation relating to CENFACS’ Donor Cultivation Programme

Under this programme, donors can build quality donor-relations with CENFACS.

In this Year of Restoration at CENFACS, donor developers can help us in a number of ways, such as:

σ Influence the right people engaged to and informed about our work

σ Make our donations to grow over time

σ Help with technology like donor management software/tools to cultivate our prospects into long-term valuable donors

σ Increase the levels of involvement from users

σ Help us to manage donors expectations

σ Assist us in donor-development goals and tasks such as event support.

• • • Solicitation relating to CENFACS’ Donor Stewardship Development Programme

Under this programme, you can help us in the following:

σ Steward donors towards long-term commitment

σ Build and maintain lasting relationships and communications with those who gave to our users or us a gift or any of our noble and beautiful causes of poverty reduction

σ Enable access to and use of donor stewardship tools.

• • Donor Development Products on Offer in 2025

We recognise our funders or donors and their acts of giving through different status levels often linked to their continuous contributions or commitments to our work and cause. As a result, we are giving away the products below to those who would like to engage, develop their interest, to build bond and loyalty to CENFACS and CENFACS’ work.

We are offering to the donor development market a donor status to enable those who want to commit themselves on regular basis to giving or boosting their status as donor to have the opportunity to do so.

We are inviting those who want to commit themselves as funder or donor to do so. They can do it by supporting CENFACS with a silver donation, a great relief, a product booster and a pearl donation.

• • • Free for Supporters: Silver Status

Silver status is the legacy of CENFACS’ “Quadranscentennial” Year (2019). It is about supporting our projects as you can or as you choose if you visit them or if you happen to be within the area of their implementation. This will boost your support and help you to win a silver status as CENFACS’ Mid-level Donor or Supporter in a CENFACS’ Year of Restoration.

Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Year of Restoration to win the same status and continue CENFACS’ legacy.

• • • Want to provide Great Relief as a High-level Donor or Supporter

You can provide great relief by becoming a regular giver or supporter, adding value to you support and boosting your support.

For example, at this challenging time of the high costs of living, we need those who can provide that sort of relief to keep our action going and out of the disruption caused by the costs of living.

Many individuals and organisations stepped in to support their good deserving causes during the storming time of the health crisis (the coronavirus crisis); you can do the same by supporting CENFACS during this time of the costs of living.

For those who are interested in, they can contact CENFACS for details about becoming a Great Reliever.

• • • Need to boost your support or stewardship as a Product Booster

You can choose a particular sustainable initiative or programme or even CENFACS as your boost product.

You can support 3 projects or 2 projects and CENFACS

You can support 3 programmes or 2 programmes and CENFACS.

This will elevate your position as a Project or Programme Funder or a Product Booster.

• • • Another Free for Supporters: Pearl Status

This title has been created as the legacy of CENFACS’ Tricennial Year (2024). It acknowledges and appreciates the level of support provided or to be provided by Mid-level Donors supporting our CENFACS as a tricennial creation as in the context of CENFACS’ Tricennium. The title can also be awarded to those who give to our creative/creation projects on regular basis.

For further details about boosting your support or stewardship, please contact CENFACS.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 3 (22 to 28/01/2025)

We are continuing our programme and scheme to build Financial Capacity and Capability within the community. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via the Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that our community members can be stronger this year. Both FCCBP and FCCBS will help beneficiaries to reduce risks linked to financial incapacity and incapability while improving their intergenerational income and transfers.

The third activities of FCCBP and FCCBS, which will be run from 22 to 28 January 2025, have been highlighted below.

• • 22 to 28 January 2025: Making Financial Knowledge and Skills Positively Impact on Your Financial Behaviour (Activity 3 of FCCBP)

In this activity, we will try to work with participants through a research pilot exercise with a simple questionnaire to understand financial management behaviour and how they can apply it in their real life. But, what is financial management behaviour?

Financial management behaviour can be understood in many ways. Its definition here comes from the work of Kholilah and Iramani in 2013, which has been mentioned by Anisah Firli and Nurul Hidayati (1). This mentioned definition is

“Financial management behaviour is a person’s financial management ability, ranging from planning, managing, and controlling to saving” (p. 43)

On the same page 43, Anisah Firli and Nurul Hidayati also quoted the work of Herlindawati in 2017, who argued that

“Financial management behaviour is identified as the impact of an increase in individual desires to meet the needs and wants by adjusting their income levels”.

These definitions will be used to determine the influence of financial knowledge, financial attitude, skills and personality on financial behaviour of the CENFACS Community.

If any of our users want to participate in this exercise, they can do it by contacting CENFACS. Those who have some concern about their financial behaviour, they can communicate with CENFACS as well.

• • 22 to 28 January 2025: Financial Capacity and Capability to Organise Money Management (Activity 3 of FCCBS)

To conduct money management, one may need to understand what it means. Our understanding of it is given by ‘nerdwallet.com’ (2) which states that

“Money management is a plan for your money so you can make the most of it. This plan typically involves budgeting and saving money, avoiding or reducing debt and investing your future”.

This definition can be put into practice. We can work with those who would like to arrange or prepare a plan about how they can or will deal with their money.

Indeed, being able to earn money is one thing. Being capable of organising the management of the money you earn is life-saving skill. In the this third activity of the above-mentioned scheme, we will be working with the kind of organisation that those in need would like to put in place in order to better manage their money. In this activity, we shall work with participants on how they can develop a simple money management plan.

If anyone of our members has a question on how to impact their financial knowledge and skills on their financial behaviour or how to organise their money management plan, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

In addition, if they generally have problems in building their financial capacity and capability, they can communicate with CENFACS so that we can work together on these matters and help them stay stronger this New Year 2025.

Extra Messages

• The Season of Giving, Gifting and Lifting Continues with SHOPPING and DONATIONS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

• 2025 All Year-round Projects (Triple Value Initiatives): Play, Run and Vote for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum Discuses Poverty Reduction in Africa in 2025 by African Charities

• The Season of Giving, Gifting and Lifting Continues with SHOPPING and DONATIONS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

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

You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods gifts you received over the festive days to CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store, the shop built to help relieve poverty and hardships.

You can as well buy second hand goods and bargain priced new items and much more.

CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store needs your support for SHOPPING and GOODS DONATIONS.

You can do something different this Season of Goods Donations by SHOPPING or DONATING GOODS at CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store.

You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:

√ DONATE unwanted Festive GOODS GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store this January and Winter

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

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships.

This is what the Season of Giving, Gifting and Lifting is all about.

• 2025 All Year-round Projects (Triple Value Initiatives): Play, Run and Vote for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development

CENFACS’ Triple Value Initiatives, the All Year-round Projects, are now back for this year. You can play, run and vote to reduce poverty this year again.

The 2025 Edition of All Year-round Projects starts this 22 January 2025.

You can Run or Organise a Run Activity to Reduce Poverty in 2025.

You can Play the CENFACS League for Poverty Relief.

You can Vote your 2025 African Poverty Relief Manager.

Before proceeding with one of the All Year Round Projects, it is recommendable to speak to CENFACS. We can discuss in details together your plan or the way you want to approach, participate or engage with these initiatives.

• • How CENFACS Can Help You to Engage with Triple Value Initiatives

The following examples show what we can discuss together before you start.

Example 1: Run Themes

Run themes can include seasonal themes (e.g., seasonal runs), obstacle courses (e.g., mud and obstacle runs) and fun activities (e.g., colour runs).

Let’s take Run to Reduce Poverty.

There are Run Themes. You can Run alone or Run as group or even Run for fun. You can do Seasonal Run or Run to raise money for one of our noble and beautiful causes or even Run to raise awareness. However, there are health and safety issues that everyone who will be involved in this Run activity must follow.

There are ways of making your Run event simpler. To do that, you can contact CENFACS before you plan your event. CENFACS can help you to select your theme. You need to confirm the date and time with CENFACS.

There are other things to consider as well, such as

location, engagement in activities, prizes (rewards for participants), health and safety issues, child protection policy if children are involved, insurance cover, budget, refreshments, communication (e.g., sharing the information about the event online, especially on social media), etc.

Example 2: Play Station Game

Let’s take another example, which is Playing CENFACS’ League for Poverty Relief.

You can create your own play station game with CENFACS’ League and run your own tournament and matches. You can even involve colleagues, friends and families sharing the same passion about how the selected African countries are working to reduce poverty. You can group or rate these countries according to poverty reduction performance (showing which one comes on top, middle and bottom).

You can as well use game theories if you know them. Alternatively, you use poverty simulator games or create your own fun and easy board game. Like for Run activity, you must include health and safety measures and guidance. However, any game created has to be themed around poverty relief.

Example 3: People to Watch

Let’s take the last example, which is Voting Your Poverty Relief Manager.

You can create your own list of Top 25 People to Watch throughout the year. One or two of them will be potentially the best managers of 2025. You can collect data and facts about them, follow their annual performance, assess their achievements and vote the best between the two at the end. You will need to consider their experience, communication and leadership skills.

While you are running or organising a run activity, playing the CENFACS’ League and voting your Manager of the Year 2025; we would like you to share with us and others your progress, news, events, experiences, stories and reports regarding these projects. We would like as well to hear from you some of the pitfalls or hurdles you may encounter in the process of dealing with your chosen initiative/project. As Triple Value Initiatives are results-oriented, the end product of your share will be a kind of Action-Results Report 2025.

• • What We Would Like to Hear at the End of This Process

We would like to hear from you the following three bests or stars of the year:

√ The Best African Country or Countries of 2025 which will best reduce poverty

√ The Best African Global Games Runners of 2025

√ The Best African Development Managers of 2025.

The deadline to tell us your bests or stars is 23 December 2025.

As we progress throughout the year, further information and support (in the form of workshops, discussions, questionnaires, questions-answers, focus groups, etc.) will be released for CENFACS’ Triple Value Initiatives.

Please remember, the early you start the better for you.

For more information about these projects and how they work, please contact CENFACS.

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum Discuses Poverty Reduction in Africa in 2025 by African Charities

How Africa’s Charitable Organisations Can Use the 5 Os (Opportunities, Openings, Operations, Optimisms and Options) They Have to Further Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2025

In our last week’s post, we argued that 2025 can be a Year of Opportunities, Openings, Full Operations, Optimisms and Options for Africa. We specifically stated in our Twitter post of 15 January 2025 that the 5 Os for African charities to further reduce poverty in 2025 were:

1) Opportunity: Africa’s population to reach 1.5 billion in 2025 (3)

2) Opening: economic growth reaching nearly 3.2% (4)

3) Optimism: the Lobito Corridor

4) Operation: the post-pandemic activity expansion

5) Option: choices of investors.

In this first discussion of our forum, we are debating how Africa’s charitable organisations can fully operate, mindfully take option and optimistically engage with the 2025 array of tremendous opportunities and openings to reduce and end poverty in Africa. In simple words, how they can turn the challenges faced by Africa into opportunities to achieve BIG numbers in poverty reduction. The debate is also revolving around what these organisations can do to use the array of opportunities of 2025 so that 2025 could be remembered in living memory as a post-pandemic year of truly great results in terms of poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The above are the terms of reference for our first discussion of 2025. CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum would like to hear your views or opinions on the above-mentioned discussion.

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 and themes 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. They can contact us at our usual address on this site.

Message in French (Message en français)

• 2025 Projets ‘Tout au Long de l’Année’ (ou Initiatives à Triple Valeur) : Jouer, Courir et Voter pour la Lutte contre la Pauvreté et le Développement Durable

Les Initiatives à Triple Valeur du CENFACS, les Projets ‘Tout au Long de l’Année’, sont maintenant de retour pour cette année. Cette année encore, vous pouvez jouer, courir et voter pour réduire la pauvreté.

L’édition 2025 de Projets ‘Tout au Long de l’Année’ commence ce 22 janvier 2025.

Vous pouvez courir ou organiser une activité de coursepour réduire la pauvreté en 2025.

Vous pouvez jouer à la Ligue CENFACSpour la Lutte contre la Pauvreté.

Vous pouvez voter pour votre Responsable de la Lutte contre la Pauvreté en Afrique 2025.

Avant de procéder à l’un des Projets ‘Tout au Long de l’Année’, il est recommandé de s’adresser au CENFACS. Nous pouvons discuter ensemble en détail de votre plan ou de la manière dont vous souhaitez participer ou vous engager dans ces initiatives.

• • Comment le CENFACS peut vous aider à vous engager dans des Initiatives à Triple Valeur

Les exemples suivants montrent ce dont nous pouvons discuter ensemble avant de commencer.

Exemple 1 : Exécuter des thèmes de course

Les thèmes de course peuvent inclure des thèmes saisonniers (p. ex., courses saisonnières), des courses d’obstacles (p. ex., courses dans la boue et des courses d’obstacles) et des activités amusantes (p. ex., courses en couleur).

Prenons la course pour réduire la pauvreté.

Il existe des thèmes de course. Vous pouvez courir seul ou courir en groupe ou même courir pour le plaisir. Vous pouvez faire une course saisonnière ou une course pour collecter des fonds pour l’une de nos nobles et belles causes ou même courir pour sensibiliser le public. Cependant, il y a des questions de santé et de sécurité que tous/toutes ceux/celles qui participeront à cette activité de course doivent respecter.

Il existe des moyens de simplifier votre course. Pour ce faire, vous pouvez contacter le CENFACS avant de planifier votre événement. Le CENFACS peut vous aider à choisir votre thème. Vous devez confirmer la date et l’heure auprès du CENFACS.

Il y a aussi d’autres éléments à prendre en compte, tels que :

le lieu, la participation aux activités, les prix (récompenses pour les participant/e/s), les questions de santé et de sécurité, la politique de protection de l’enfance si des enfants sont impliqués, la couverture d’assurance, le budget, les rafraîchissements, la communication (par exemple, le partage d’informations sur l’événement en ligne, en particulier sur les médias sociaux), etc.

Exemple 2 : Jeu de Station de Jeu

Prenons un autre exemple, celui de la Ligue pour la Lutte contre la Pauvreté du CENFACS.

Vous pouvez créer votre propre jeu de station de jeu avec la ligue CENFACS et organiser votre propre tournoi et matchs. Vous pouvez même impliquer des collègues, des amis et des membres de la famille partageant la même passion pour la façon dont les pays africains sélectionnés s’efforcent de réduire la pauvreté. Vous pouvez regrouper ou évaluer ces pays en fonction de leurs performances en matière de réduction de la pauvreté (en montrant lequel se situe en haut, au milieu et en bas).

Vous pouvez également utiliser les théories des jeux si vous les connaissez. Alternativement, vous pouvex utiliser des jeux de simulation de pauvreté ou créer votre propre jeu de société amusant et facile. Comme pour l’activité Course, vous devez inclure des mesures et des conseils en matière de santé et de sécurité. Cependant, tout jeu créé doit avoir pour thème la lutte contre la pauvreté.

Exemple 3 : Personnes à suivre

Prenons le dernier exemple, qui est celui du vote de votre responsable ou directeur/rice de lutte contre la pauvreté.

Vous pouvez créer votre propre liste des 25 personnes les plus regardables tout au long de l’année. Une ou deux d’entre eux seront potentiellement les meilleurs responsables ou directeurs/rices de 2025. Vous pouvez collecter des données et des faits à leur sujet, suivre leurs performances annuelles, évaluer leurs réalisations et voter pour le meilleur des deux à la fin. Vous devrez tenir compte de leur expérience, de leurs compétences en communication et en leadership.

Pendant que vous courez ou organisez une activité de course, que vous jouez à la Ligue CENFACS et que vous votez pour votre de l’année 2025; nous aimerions que vous partagiez avec nous et avec d’autres vos progrès, vos nouvelles, vos événements, vos expériences, vos histoires et vos rapports concernant ces projets. Nous aimerions également connaître de votre point de vue certains des pièges ou des obstacles que vous pourriez rencontrer dans le processus de traitement de l’initiative ou du projet que vous avez choisi.

Comme les Initiatives à Triple Valeur sont axées sur les résultats, le produit final de votre action sera une sorte de Rapport Action-Résultats 2025.

• • Ce que nous aimerions entendre à la fin de ce processus

Nous aimerions avoir de votre part les trois meilleurs ou stars de l’année suivants:

√ Le ou les meilleurs pays africains de 2025 qui réduiront le mieux la pauvreté

√ Les meilleur(e)s coureurs/ses africain(e)s des jeux mondiaux de 2025

√ Les meilleurs responsables de développement africain de 2025.

La date limite pour nous communiquer vos meilleurs résultats ou étoiles est le 23 décembre 2025.

Au fur et à mesure que nous progressons tout au long de l’année, d’autres informations et soutiens (sous forme d’ateliers, de discussions, de questionnaires, de questions-réponses, de groupes de discussion, etc.) seront publiés pour les Initiatives à Triple Valeur duCENFACS.

N’oubliez pas que plus vous commencez tôt, mieux c’est pour vous.

Pour plus d’informations sur ces projets et sur la manière dont ils fonctionnent, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• Economic Peace Project

The following items provide the key information about Economic Peace Project (EPP):

σ Definition of EPP

σ The Aim of EPP

σ EPP Beneficiaries

σ Outcomes

σ EPP Indicators

σ Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation

σ Project Funding Status.

Let us summarise each of these items.

• • Definition of EPP

EPP is a SMART (that is, specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) positive peace project that will help reduce poverty by dealing with attitudes and structures that can lead to peace for communities that African charities (such as CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations) work with.

Through this project, CENFACS will work with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs), particularly those engaged in different areas of economic peace or peace economics – such as the design of economic infrastructures and structures that the economically poor and those without peaceful life use, the prevention and mitigation of any latent or potential violent conflicts within the communities and between the communities that ASCOs work with.

The project, which will likely be implemented in areas of Africa that have previously been affected by natural disasters or civil insecurity or wars (like in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the African Sahel, etc.), will use a rights-based approach in order to respond to the needs of poverty reduction – in terms of equal rights to economically peaceful life – from poor and vulnerable people in Africa. Their needs make the aim of this project.

• • The Aim of EPP

The aim of EPP is to reduce poverty linked to the lack of economic peace in order to create the necessary and even sufficient conditions of sustainable peace for project beneficiaries where the project will be implemented in Africa. After the implementation of EPP, it is hoped that EPP will address needs, enhance people’s economic mobility, and foster local resilience by supporting project users to grab and use economic opportunities available and accessible by them.

• • EPP Beneficiaries

Amongst the types of people in need who could benefit from EPP, as defined above, are

√ Those who are looking for an economically peaceful life

√ Those who do not have their rights recognised to economic peace

√ Those with insecure economic peace rights

√ The disproportionally affected by conflicts and climate change, and excluded vulnerable groups such as women and youth

√ Those who need help with counselling services to find economic peace within themselves, and between them and others

√ Conflict-affected and natural-disaster stricken communities

√ Those who want to run income-generating activities as way of getting out of poverty and finding economic peace

√ Those in need of economic peace skills

√ Poor and vulnerable populations without economic peace

√ The impacted of the geo-economic peace threats and destruction

etc.

Most of the above-mentioned types of beneficiaries will need some form of support in terms of guidance on how they can find and sustain economic peace.

• • Outcomes

After the implementation of EPP, it is expected that the following will be achieved:

√ Reduction in the number of those without economic peace

√ Improvement in the number of people with economic peace skills

√ Enhancement of the relationships between ASCOs, gifts of economic peace, recipient of these gifts and donors of these gifts

√ Improvement of the relationships between ASCOs, economic peace and the design of societies/communities in which ASCOs operate

√ Progress in women’s status and voice on economic peace matters

√ Decrease in the number of those without sustainable peace

√ Betterment of the perception of economic peace within the community

etc.

However, it is better to differentiate outcomes in project beneficiaries from those relating to Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations.

• • • Outcomes in project beneficiaries or individual level

With the implementation of EPP, there will be

~ jobs creation

~ stimulation of the local economy with economic opportunities for local people

~ fostering of entrepreneurship for those who would like to engage in business

~ resilience to economic shocks and crises

~ increase people’s productivity and their contribution to the local economic growth

~ improvement in people’s well-being and happiness as they find economic peace

etc.

Briefly, project beneficiaries will improve their economic peace status and well-being.

• • • Outcomes in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs)

Work undertaken by ASCOs to help reduce poverty linked to the lack of economic peace will lead to:

~ Social cohesion

~ Better cooperation between and within communities

~ Increase trust within communities and between communities

~ promotion of sustainable peace

~ reduced risk of violence

~ scaling down economic toll of conflicts

etc.

In short, working with ASCOs will cover the above-stated areas. These areas will depend on the activities or services that ASCOs are specialised in or are prepared to embark on.

• • EPP Indicators

The set of measures below will help find out whether or not the project will reach its desired objectives and progress towards meeting its defined aim of the reduction of the lack of economic peace. These measures include input, output, outcome and impact indicators.

• • • Input Indicators

Among the input indicators, there are the following:

~ Making sure that any funding to be received for the delivery of EPP is provided as scheduled

~ Checking if basic resources to deliver EPP will be accessible and utilised

~ Tracking support to be given to volunteers and all the people involved in the project, that it meets their needs and standards set in these project proposals.

etc.

• • • Output Indicators

They are:

~ Counting the number of activities to be conducted

~ Measuring the number of individuals with or acquiring economic peace skills or whose life will be improved because the implementation of EPP

~ Tracking economic peace produce and achievements

etc.

• • • Outcome Indicators

They include:

~ Finding out if there will be shifts or changes in the behaviour and practices of EPP beneficiaries or communities

~ Identification of new mechanisms or platforms or patterns of economic peace

~ Verifying if there will be changes in communities and measure these changes

etc.

• • • Impact Indicators

We can mention the following:

~ Reduction in violence and poverty linked to the lack of economic peace

~ Increase sense of economic security as a result of this project

~ Better intra community and inter-community relations

etc.

To sum up, EPP is project that will help to reduce poverty linked to the lack of economic peace in Africa, Where it will be implemented, the project will contribute to the process of building and sustaining economic peace and good relationships within and between communities. It will help the locals to access economic opportunities while fighting the lack of peace.

• • Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation

The Impact Monitoring and Evaluation will ensure that EPP is conflict-sensitive (that is; taking into account the local context and does not exacerbate any existing tensions).

As highlighted above, we have indicators and metrics to measure economic outcomes and peace outcomes resulting from EPP.

We will track progress and identify any issues through the following techniques or tools: surveys, interviews, focus groups and other reliable data collection techniques or methods.

We will conduct periodic evaluation of EPP to assess the overall impact of EPP. This is to say that evaluation will be conducted regarding the efforts spent on this project to find out whether or not these efforts are value for economic peace, as far as the reduction of poverty linked to the lack of economic peace is concerned.

We will engage all stakeholders in the Impact Monitoring and Evaluation process.

We will use the findings from the monitoring and evaluation to learn and adapt EPP accordingly, as well as to check the scalability of this project or model of working with ASCOs and their beneficiaries to help reduce poverty due to the lack of economic peace.

• • Project Funding Status

So far, this project is unfunded. This means we are open to any credible funding proposals or proposition from potential funders or donors. Those who would like to support this project will be more than welcome.

To fully or partly fund this project, please contact CENFACS.

The full project proposals including budget are available on request.

To support or contribute to this project, please communicate with CENFACS.

For further details including full project proposals and budget about Economic Peace Project; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) Firli, A. & Hidayati, N. (2021), The Influence of Financial Knowledge, Financial Attitude, and Personality Towards Financial Management Behaviour on Productive Age Population in Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, Vol. 10, Supplementary Issue 3, https://sibresearch.org/uploads/3/4/0/9/3407180/riber_10-s3_04_k21-018_43-55.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/money-management# (accessed in January 2024)

(3) https://www.sierraeyemagazine.com/africa-in-2025-a-year-of-challenges-opportunities-and-transformation (accessed in January 2025)

(4) https://ofamerica.org/newresearch/africa-bridge-year-2025# (accessed in January 2025)

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

African Charities and Their Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 15, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

15 January 2025

Post No. 387

The Week’s Contents

• FACS, Issue No. 86, Winter 2024/2025: African Charities and Their Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction

• The Internally Displaced Persons of Masisi Want Your Support

• Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations in 2025 – a Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations, Optimisms and Options to Reduce Poverty

… And much more!

Key Messages

• FACS, Issue No. 86, Winter 2024/2025: African Charities and Their Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction

African Charities contribute in many areas of life of those in need in Africa. One area of contribution or their work is peace, particularly but not exclusively economic peace. Their work on economic peace is what the 86th Issue of FACS is about.

The 86th Issue deals with peace economics, specifically how African Charities use the principles and recipes of peace economics in order to further reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development for their project beneficiaries.

The 86th Issue, which comes at the appropriate time when we are dealing with the Festive Gifts of Peace, draws from economic peace theories and how they can be applied on the charity and voluntary sector settings and context.

The 86th Issue as well refers to the Global Peace Index developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). According to the IEP (1),

“Sub-Saharan Africa recorded a fall in peacefulness on the 2024 Global Peace Index, with the average score in the region deteriorating by 0.89 per cent over the past year. Sub-Saharan Africa is the second last peaceful region behind the Middle East and North Africa, with three of the ten least peaceful countries in the world found in the region”.

With reference to what the IEP’s argument, the 86th Issue looks at the ecosystem of peace economics and how African Charities are trying to work with the problems their beneficiaries face during pre-crisis and post-crisis reconstruction periods. This includes the work of prevention and resilience they are undertaking so that their beneficiaries can build a stronger and sustainable peace.

More details about the 86th Issue of FACS can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• The Internally Displaced Persons of Masisi Want Your Support

This is an appeal from the people of the territory of Masisi, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding the insecurity and humanitarian conditions they are experiencing. The following sources of information and data explain what they are undergoing.

• • Sources of Information and Data Summarising What Is Happening in Masisi

According to the ‘un.org.’ (2),

“Between January 1st and 5th, over 100,000 people were forced to flee the fighting between the M23 and the Congolese army and their allies in Masisi territory”.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (3) also states that

“More than 10,000 people seek refuge in Masisi hospital and MSF base”.

Yet, Masisi hospital does not have the capacity to welcome such as huge number of people seeking refuge.

Additionally, ‘aa.com.tr’ (4) points out that

“More than 2.8 million people are already displaced in North Kivu, more than one-third of the population of the province”.

This displacement is due to the ongoing fighting between the Congolese army and rebel armed groups. Whatever the reason each side involved in this fighting has, it is not simply possible or acceptable that innocent people of Masisi bear the brunt of their fight.

The Internally Displaced Persons of Masisi Want Your Support!

• • Donate to Support Them

You could donate to support them. You can give either your influence or money or both to support them.

If you decide to provide influence, you could put your positive influence on those who have the key to this humanitarian crisis or the factors feeding this crisis so that the Congolese victims of this crisis can move out of it.

If you choose instead to donate money, you can give £7 or any amount above. Your money will be allocated as follows:

£3 from your £7 can be used to meet the sanitation needs of the internally displaced people of Masisi

£4 can assist them in accessing safe drinking water and medical care, while releasing pressure at the Masisi General Hospital.

Please, let us give hope to and strengthen resilience of these displaced people of Masisi.

To support and or enquire about this appeal, please contact CENFACS.

• Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation in 2025 –

A Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations, Optimisms and Options to Reduce Poverty

Every year brings along with it challenges and opportunities. 2025 does not make any exception as it brings both challenges and opportunities. 2025 could be a year of challenges and opportunities for Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs).

ASCOs can do their own SWOT analysis to identify and determine the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of their organisations as well as the external Opportunities and Threats they may come across throughout 2025. They can as well conduct PEST analysis or assess the four external factors of this PEST analysis and find how these factors can affect their 2025 performance and activities. These well known PEST analysis factors are political, economic, social and technical.

By focusing on opportunities and openings from the SWOT analysis rather than on the other three elements of SWOT analysis, they can appraise their external environment and their presence in African markets of poverty reduction as well as formulate a strategy and develop their services to work with those in need in a new or improved direction.

They need to consider the five mentioned attributes of what could be 2025 for Africa, which are 2025 as a Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations, Optimisms and Options to Reduce Poverty. To explain these attributes, we have referred to a number of futurist and prospective studies and analyses. We have summarised or interpreted and included them in our own analysis as indicated by the following points.

• • 2025 as a Year of Opportunities and Openings

2025 as a year of opportunities and openings to reduce poverty means that there will be favourable or advantageous conditions for Africa to reduce poverty, and ASCOs can take advantage of those conditions. It is also a year of chance for them. What are those conditions and chances?

We have summarised and numbered below these opportunities and openings (OO) and the possible actions (PA) to be taken to grab them.

OO1: The website ‘sierraeyemagazine.com’ (5) indicates that

“With Africa’s population to reach 1.5 billion in 2025, the continent’s youth represent a powerful force for innovation, entrepreneurship and societal transformation”.

PA1: ASCOs can engage more young people in their projects and programmes, especially at the level of volunteering.

OO2: Food insecurity will continue to be an issue in Africa in 2025.

PA2: High food insecurity will provide an opportunity for ASCOs to advocate or campaign so that food reaches the poor and vulnerable of their communities.

OO3: According to ‘ofamerica.org’ (6),

“With headline economic growth reaching approximately 3.2%, Africa ranked among the fastest-growing regions globally”.

PA3: ASCOs can campaign and advocate so the share of this economic growth can be distributed fairly to reach the poor or the community they serve.

OO4: 2025 could be a year of prolonged conflicts, poor rule of law, human rights abuses, discrimination, exclusion and unemployment.

PA4: ASCOs can start to plan to deal with all these problems should they happen.

OO5: 2025 could be a year of resurgence of resource nationalism in Africa. As ‘ofamerica.com’ (op. cit.) explains that “Africa’s vast renewable energy potential, including solar and wind resources, mineral wealth such as lithium and cobalt, and untapped markets in agriculture and technology, make it indispensable to global efforts towards climate resilience and economic growth”.

PA5: Africa’s minerals are at the heart of the global energy transitions and if some African countries decide to renegotiate their contracts on natural resources or the terms of joint-venture agreements with foreign direct investors, ASCOs need to be prepared to advocate for the equal share of the dividends from these contract renegotiations and terms for the poor in terms of direct dividend transfers.

etc.

• • 2025 as a Year of Optimisms

2025 could be a year that Africa needs to take hopeful view of things that may happen and expect the best possible outcomes from these things. Among these things, we can mention below some Optimisms (O) together with Possible Actions(PA) to be taken.

O1: The Lobito Corridor, which consists of a 1,300 km railway line traversing Angola, is a project connecting the Angolan port of Lobito on the Atlantic Coast to the city of Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The corridor aims to transport materials from the mineral-rich, DRC and Zambia to the markets in the USA and Europe.

PA1: ASCOs working in the area of transportation can assess the impact of this Corridor in terms of poverty reduction on their users, who may use it or be living along side of it; and generate projects.

O2: 2025 is a year of democratic transitions and consolidations

PA2: Democratic transitions and consolidations are unfinished business and still continue in Africa as national and/or legislative polls will take place in Africa in 2025, and ASCOs need to be optimist in some cases that these polls will lead to substantive democracy, which will result in tangible poverty reduction results.

O3: 2025 is as well a year of deepening of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

PA3: As the operationalisation of the AfCFTA continues, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is facilitating cross-border transactions in local currencies. And multinational ASCOs can help or use it to undertake cross-border payments while reducing transaction costs.

O4: African Union is now full member of G20 (Group of 20).

PA4: African Union was granted a permanent seat at G20 implying from the poverty reduction perspective that ASCOs need to realistically and optimistically assess how G20 can be relevant for their work with those in need and how this full membership can help align and coordinate policies and views on the topics of poverty reduction across Africa and within the G20.

• • 2025 as a Year of Full Operations

2025 is also a year of recovery operations to reduce poverty in the post-pandemic and enduring cost-of-living eras. Although the economic recovery is slow and economic growth is low for a good recovery, many operations have continued to take ground or expand. Now that many of the activities and services have been curated across Africa following the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster and the cost-of-living crisis, ASCOs can seize the momentum of the New Year to increase the volume of their operations to a full functioning capacity.

• • 2025 as a Year of Options

2025 is finally a year of options to reduce poverty via international cooperation and foreign direct investment. Today, China, USA, Russia, UK and the countries members of European Union are all together competing to get their share of market in Africa. This competition provides options for Africa. This also gives options for ASCOs in terms of the choice they have to make regarding their work on poverty reduction.

The above possibilities show that Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations can cautiously grab the opportunities and openings of the 2025 year in order to operate and further up their poverty reduction work and regain the lost hard-won poverty reduction results; lost results because of economic crises, climate change and armed conflicts in Africa. Besides that, they need to be optimist, not pessimist about Africa and the people they serve; while choosing from at the new options brought various investors.

For those optimist Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations wanting to fully operate, grab the above-mentioned opportunities and openings, and take the right options but finding some difficulties to operate; they can discuss the matter with CENFACS so that together we can plan a 2025 market development strategy.

Need a market development strategy or plan in order to fully operate, mindfully take option and optimistically engage with the 2025 array of tremendous opportunities and openings to reduce and end poverty in Africa; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2025, Still Running

• Guidance Service on Mindful Consumption and Spending

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 2

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2024-2025, Still Running

Our Season of Giving through the Gifts of Peace for Edition 2024-2025 has not yet finished. The Gifts-of-Peace Campaign will end on 31 January 2025. We still have almost 2 weeks to go until the end of this month. We are making a plea to those who have not yet managed to support to keep these gifts and our agenda for peace in their mind.

If you have not yet supported, you can still do something great for poverty relief and for healing the lingering economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the scars of the cost-of-living crisis.

Although the deadline for the Season of Donation for these gifts is 31 January 2025, we will still accept any donations made after this deadline to enable those who will not be in a position to donate by this deadline to have a chance to donate after.

Please do not wait for the expiration of the deadline as the needs are pressing and urgent.

We know that many supporters of good causes have been affected by the cost-of-living crisis. We are as well aware of the current economic situation is not an easy one (with inflation of 2.5% last December and low economic growth in the UK), which complicates the way people donate to good causes.

However, for those who can please do not hesitate to support these noble and beautiful causes of peace since the potential beneficiaries of them are trebly impacted by:

a) The lingering economic effects of previous crises (like the coronavirus)

b) The already extremely poor conditions in which they are living

c) The scars of the enduring cost-of-living crisis.

Every support counts to help reduce and end extreme poverty.

Please keep the Gifts of Peace in your mind as the giving season continues.

For further details about these Gifts of Peace and or to support, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

We look forward to your support. Thank you!

• Guidance Service on Mindful Consumption and Spending

For those of our users who are looking for help and support in terms of consuming and spending mindfully, we can work with them so that they can navigate their way out mindless consumption-based poverty. We can together explore the following options or tips to deal with mindful consumption and spending:

√ Improving their spending intent

√ Creating a budget to deal with emotional triggers

√ Using a pause before purchasing

√ Setting up cost cutting targets on budget items such as takeaways, eating out, clothing, etc.

√ Switching to cheap mindful retailers to save money

√ Trimming budget

√ Prioritising expenses

√ Setting up a policy not to borrow money for mindless expenses

√ Adopting cost-saving behaviour

√ Tracking their spending

√ Briefly, developing a strategy or policy for mindful spending.

We can even work with them on a project to write their budget journal for mindful spending.

The above-mentioned options or tools will help them to build confidence throughout 2025 and beyond.

For those users who would like to dive into the reduction of mindless consumption-based poverty, we can provide them with online and print resources relating to this matter. These resources highlight the mindful spending tips and hints.

There is a lot of online resources and websites they can sign up and receive advice on this matter.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 2

We are continuing Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and Scheme, as planned. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via the Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that you can be stronger in this year. Both FCCBP and FCCBS will help beneficiaries to reduce risks linked to financial incapacity and incapability while improving their intergenerational income and transfers.

The second activities of FCCBP and FCCBS, which will be run from 15 to 21 January 2025, have been highlighted below.

• • 15 to 21 January 2025: Financially Managing Events (Activity 2 of FCCBP)

This second Structured Finance Activity, which is part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and which is run as guidance sessions, consists of working with users to get the clues on how to financially manage events. It is about guiding users on a tactical, short-term and reactive process of making sure that their financial resources are used in most effective way possible with regard to events handling.

If any of our users need guidance about how to financially manage their events, they can ask CENFACS for answers.

• • 15 to 21 January 2025: Financially Planning Ahead (Activity 2 of FCCBS)

This second Structured Finance Activity, which is part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Scheme, is about strategically and proactively creating detailed budgets for a week or month or year (2025) while setting up goals and timelines to achieve them on a long-term basis.

If any of our users need to draw a plan or strategy that explains how they can financially plan ahead, they can contact CENFACS.

Have a question about how to financially manage your events or need to draw a financial plan or strategy about your household matters, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

In additions, if you have financial planning problems, you can communicate with CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you stay stronger this New Year.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Service d’Orientation sur la Consommation et les Dépenses Conscientes

Pour les utilisateurs/rices de nos services qui recherchent de l’aide et du soutien, nous pouvons travailler avec eux/elles afin qu’ils/elles puissent se frayer un chemin endehors de la pauvreté aveugle basée sur la consommation. Nous pouvons explorer ensemble les options ou les conseils suivants pour faire face aux dépenses conscientes ou irréfléchies:

√ Améliorer leurs intentions de dépenses

√ Créer un budget pour faire face aux déclencheurs émotionnels

√ Faire une pause avant d’acheter

√ Mettre en place des objectifs de réduction des coûts sur les postes budgétaires tels que les plats à emporter, les restaurants, les vêtements, etc.

√ Faire des achats auprès des détaillants bon marché et conscients pour économiser de l’argent

√ Réduire le budget de dépenses

√ Prioriser les dépenses

√ Mettre en place une politique de ne pas emprunter d’argent pour des dépenses inconsidérées

√ Adopter un comportement d’économie de coûts

√ Suivi et contrôle de leurs dépenses

√ En bref, l’élaboration d’une stratégie ou d’une politique de dépenses conscientes.

Nous pouvons même travailler avec eux/elles sur un projet pour rédiger leur journal budgétaire pour des dépenses conscientes.

Les options ou les outils mentionnés ci-dessus les aideront à renforcer leur confiance tout au long de l’année 2025 et au-delà.

Pour les utilisateurs/rices qui souhaitent se plonger dans la réduction de la pauvreté aveugle basée sur la consommation, nous pouvons leur fournir des ressources en ligne et imprimées relatives à ce sujet. Ces ressources mettent en évidence les conseils et astuces pour dépenser consciencieusement.

Il existe de nombreuses ressources en ligne et de sites Web sur lesquels ils/elles peuvent s’inscrire et recevoir des conseils à ce sujet.

Si vous avez besoin de conseils sur la consommation consciente, n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• FACS, Issue No. 86, Winter 2024/2025: African Charities and Their Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction

The contents and key summaries of the 86th Issue of FACS are given below.

• • Contents and Pages

I. Key Terms Relating to the 86th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

II. Key Theories Used in the 86th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

III. African Charities and Their Contribution to Economic Peace (Page 3)

IV. African Charities and Their Attempt to Stop the Likelihood of Violent Conflicts (Page 3)

V. The Relationships between African Charities, Economic Peace and the Institutional Design of Societies (Page 4)

VI. The Relationships between African Charities, Gifts of Economic Peace, Recipients and Donors of These Gifts (Page 4)

VII. Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et leur Application de l’Écosystème de l’Économie de la Paix sur les Questions de Genre (Page 5)

VIII. Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail sur la Participation Égale des Femmes aux Processus de Paix Économique (Page 5)

IX. Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail contre la Discrimination et la Violence Sexuelles et Sexistes pour Assurer la Paix Économique (Page 6)

X. Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail avec les Femmes dans les Processus de Paix Économiques Informels(Page 6)

XII. Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion about African Charities’ Work on Economic Peace (Page 7)

XIII. Support, Tool and Metrics, Information and Guidance on Economic Peace (Page 8)

XIV. Workshop, Focus Group and Booster Activity about African Charites’ Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction (Page 9)

XV. Giving and Project (Page 10)

• • Key Summaries

Please find below the key summaries of the 86th Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10.

• • • Key Terms Relating to the 86thIssue of FACS (Page 2)

There are three terms used in the context of this Issue of FACS. These terms are African charities, economic peace and poverty reduction. Let us briefly explain these key terms.

• • • • African charities

To explain African charities, let us first clarify the word ‘charity’. Our explanation of this word comes from ‘howcharitieswork.com’ (7) which provides three statements, which are:

“a) A charity’s aims have to fall into categories that the law says are charitable b) It has to be established exclusively for what is known as public benefit c) Charities can’t make profits (that is; all the money they raise has to go towards achieving their aims; a charity can’t have owners or shareholders who benefit from it)”.

The term African charities relate to charities from Africa. We presume that our African counterpart charities would share the above-mentioned rules for charity. We also assume that the law in African countries would classify the African charities we are talking about as charitable as it is in the UK.

• • • • Economic peace

There are many definitions of economic peace whether used the expression economic peace or peace economics. To understand economic peace, let us recall what ‘un.org’ (8) argues about peace, which is

“Peace is more than the absence of conflict; it is a catalyst for economic well-being, laying the foundation for societies to thrive for generation to come”.

The ‘un.org’ sees the intricate connection between economics and peace. This intricate connection allows to speak about peace economics. Peace economics can be defined in many ways. In its behavioural approach to peace economics, D. Roy (9) argues that

“Peace economics is a field of study that focusses on analysing the economic factors that contribute to peace and conflict resolution. It explores the connections between economics, politics, and psychosocial dynamics to understand how economic policies and conditions can influence the likelihood of violent conflicts and the prospects for peace”.

Taking the same line of reasoning, ‘usip.org’ (10) states that

“Peace economics is the branch of economics that studies the design of societies’ political, economic, and cultural institutions and their interacting policies and actions to prevent, mitigate, or resolve any type of latent or actual violent conflict within and between societies”.

The 86th Issue will refer to these these definitions of peace economics to explain how African Charities contribute to economic peace and poverty reduction in Africa.

• • • • Poverty reduction

There are various perspectives on poverty reduction. Looking at poverty reduction from the monetary perspective, Y. A. Bununu (11) thinks that

“Poverty reduction can be considered as the improvement of an individual’s or group’s monetary expenditure to an amount above the poverty line while improving access to education, healthcare, information, economic opportunities, security of land-tenure, all the other deprivations associated with it”.

From this perspective, reducing poverty is about improving of people’s monetary expenditure to an amount above the poverty line while improving all the other conditions of better quality of their life.

Taking a historical and intertemporal view of poverty reduction, the website ‘borgenproject.org’ (12) argues that poverty reduction is evolving concept. It evolves from a simple to complex concept throughout the time to mean the following:

σ financial contributions to governments of poverty-stricken nations

σ achieving the goal of lifting as many people above the poverty line as possible

σ the extended relief programmes and education programmes focusing on sustainability in target communities.

The goalposts of poverty reduction keep moving depending on the types of hardship people face at a particular time of the history.

The above-named definitions shape the contents of the 86th Issue of FACS.

• • • Key Theories Used in the 86th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

Amongst the economic peace theories found within the literature on economic peace, there is the capitalist peace theory (CPT) which posits that market openness contributes to more peaceful behaviour amongst states, and that developed market-oriented economics are less likely to engage in conflict with one another. Since Montesquieu, the proponents of this theory believe that trade would decrease the attractiveness of war.

However, there are strong criticisms about the capitalist peace theory. Its opponents see in capitalism a source of conflict rather than of peace. As part these criticisms, ‘oxfordre.com’ (13) argues that

“CPT could establish itself as central theory of peace and war in two respects: First, it could serve as an antidote to critical approaches on the far left or far right that see in capitalism a source of conflict rather than of peace. Second, it could become an important complement to commercial liberalism that stresses the external openness rather than the internal freedoms as an economic cause of peace and that particularly sees trade and foreign direct investment as pacifying forces”.

The 86th Issue cautiously interprets this theory in looking at its positive elements.

There is also the modern economic peace theory (14) which states

“Rich democracies have more open economies, and therefore the fewest wars with each other. By contrast, poor democracies tend to have lower sensitivity and integration, while non-democracies will be less attentive to any internal costs of coercion, so that both have larger conflicts of interest with other states, including rich democracies. Thus, the modern economic peace theory predicts a dyadic peace that is strongest among rich democracies”.

The 86th Issue takes into account the premises of the modern economic peace theory and how it can be related to the new democracies of Africa which are integrated within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in particular whether or not the AfCFTA helps them avoid wars between them.

There are other valuable theories that need to be listed, such as peace as social construct, developmental peace which promote sustainable peace through multi-dimensional development, etc.

Additionally, the 86th Issue refers to the theories of institutional design. On this matter, ‘cambridge.org’ (15) notes in a book titled ‘Theories of Institutional Design’ published with the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University that

“Social and political institutions shape the patterns of individual interactions that produce social phenomena and with the ways in which those institutions emerge from such interactions”.

These theories of institutional design are also relevant in the way African Charities approach economic peace. As the ‘gov.uk’ (16) puts it,

“Charities and social enterprises – the social sector – are the core of civil society”.

In Africa, African Charities are the centre of their civil societies. They can combat the threats to democracy, deliver social good. Their voice matters for poverty reduction and the enhancement of sustainable development. They can raise a large amount of income to support civil society and poverty reduction in Africa. Therefore, they need to have a say on the way societies are institutionally designed in Africa.

• • • African Charities and Their Contribution to Economic Peace (Page 3)

African Charities (AC) contribute in a number of ways or projects or programmes to economic peace in Africa. Their ways of contributing include the following:

~ advocacy for peaceful means of conflict resolution

~ campaign for gender balance and equality for all

~ provision of clean and safe water to the people in need

~ fight for the uphold of human rights

~ building lasting capacity for the youth

~ holding peace negotiation talks and conducting negotiations

~ advocating for the use of diplomatic means of conflict resolution

etc.

The above is just a few of the many types of work that African Charities do to contribute to economic peace and poverty reduction in Africa. The African Charities are many of varying sizes and kinds. Examples of them that are involved in economic peace include Peace African Hope Organisation and the Coalition for Peace in Africa.

• • • African Charities and Their Attempt to Stop the Likelihood of Violent Conflicts (Page 3)

Stopping the likelihood of violent conflicts is one of the economic peace initiatives that can be taken by AC. To take this initiative, AC use local potentials for peace with both war and non-war communities to engage them in peacebuilding.

They do it by

~ working with local actors in different of peace

~ developing conflict prevention measures

~ helping reduce polarization between communities

~ using nonviolent approaches to protection

~ engaging with armed groups and actors

~ building community resilience

~ minimising violence

~ promoting peace

~ redrawing social contract

~ re-establishing social capital

etc.

Although we have mentioned the above initiatives, there are more ones that can be taken. It all depends on AC’s area of work or expertise.

• • • The Relationships between African Charities, Economic Peace and the Institutional Design of Societies (Page 4)

Like in any society or region of the world, there is an influence or interaction between African Charities, Economic Peace and the Institutional Design of Societies.

Indeed, like any charity in any place of the world, AC can promote economic peace by addressing inequalities, supporting local communities, and providing education and training that can lead to jobs creation. In order for AC to better operate, they need to consider the structures, institutions and policies that shape how communities function as well as how AC operate.

In this respect, societal needs that African governments and market mechanisms may overlook, AC can address them. They can address them to have a stable and prosperous economic environment where resources are equitable distributed, opportunities for economic participation are accessible for all and conflicts are minimised. For instance, they can contribute to the policy of silencing the guns in Africa.

• • • The Relationships between African Charities, Gifts of Economic Peace, Recipients and Donors of These Gifts (Page 4)

Gifts of Peace are one of the CENFACS favourites gifts to give to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development during the Festive Season. They have links with AC, those who give the gifts and those who receive them. There relationships can be broken down as follows:

a) AC act as intermediaries to facilitate the process of giving and receiving

b) Donors or funders provide the gifts of economic peace by giving either money or good or service.

c) Recipients are the beneficiaries from the economic peace donations

d) Gifts of economic peace are the acts of giving in order to help recipients reduce poverty, and possibly change the quality of their life.

The relationships between AC, donors and recipients are based on need, trust, altruism and the shared goals of poverty reduction and economic peace.

• • • Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Application de l’Écosystème de l’Économie de la Paix sur les Questions de Genre (Page 5)

D’après usip.org (op. cit.),

«L’économie de la paix peut être comprise comme un écosystème, et le fait de fixer son regard sur les principes de conception, plutôt que sur les spécificités du contexte, contribue non seulement à la reconstruction d’après-guerre, mais aussi à la prévention et à l’atténuation de la violence, ainsi qu’à la construction d’une communauté et d’une résilience à la violence».

Avec la compréhension de l’économie de la paix en tant qu’écosystème, la plupart des organisations caritatives africaines essaient de s’assurer que les principes de conception répondent également aux questions de genre. Elles s’efforcent de prévenir la violence fondée sur le genre tout en bâtissant une communauté égalitaire qui résiste à la violence fondée sur le sexe. Ce travail concerne également la reconstruction d’après-guerre.

• • • Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail sur la Participation Égale des Femmes aux Processus de Paix Économique (Page 5)

Le travail des organisations caritatives africaines qui travaillent sur les questions de participation des femmes comprend des efforts visant à augmenter le nombre de femmes dans les efforts de prévention, de médiation et de résolution des conflits. Il inclut également la probabilité d’un accord de paix durable.

Par exemple, ces organisations s’efforcent d’avoir un pourcentage accru de femmes négociatrices et médiatrices dans les processus de paix actifs pour la plupart des conflits en Afrique.

Cependant, il faut reconnaître que, bien qu’il y ait eu un travail digne d’intérêt pour accroître la participation des femmes dans les processus de paix économique, il reste encore un long chemin à parcourir pour obtenir une participation pleine, égale et significative dans les missions de rétablissement et de consolidation de la paix économique.

• • • Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail contre la Discrimination et la Violence Sexuelles et Sexistes pour Assurer la Paix Économique (Page 6)

Les organisations caritatives africaines qui luttent contre la violence basée sur le genre (comme la Coalition Contre la Violence à l’Égard des Femmes, Sonke Gender Justice et d’autres) tentent de s’assurer que les dispositions relatives au genre sont visibles dans les accords de paix. Comme toute organisation sensée, elles appliquent la Convention de l’Union Africaine sur l’élimination de la violence à l’égard des femmes et des filles (17).

Elles se battent également pour que les femmes et les filles reçoivent un soutien médical et non médical pour faire face à la violence basée sur le genre. Comme en République Démocratique du Congo où 733 cas de violences sexuelles liées aux conflits ont été enregistrés en 2023 (18).

• • • Les Organisations Caritatives Africaines et Leur Travail avec les Femmes dans les Processus de Paix Économiques Informels (Page 6)

Il existe des processus de paix économiques formels et informels. Dans les deux processus, les organisations caritatives africaines laissent leur marque. En considérant les processus de paix économiques informels, leur travail de consolidation de la paix au niveau local a tendance à impliquer les femmes dans les efforts de paix informels.

Par exemple, elles le font dans le cadre d’efforts de paix locaux.

Cependant, si elles veulent que leur travail soit largement remarqué, elles peuvent s’ouvrir à des structures formelles de processus de paix économique. Cette ouverture peut les aider à obtenir et à accroître le soutien à l’égard de leur travail et de leur mission.

• • • Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Economic Peace (Page 7)

• • • • Survey on the economic peace role of African Charities

The survey is about the role of African Charities in promoting economic peace by addressing the root causes of conflict and fostering sustainable development.

The purpose of this survey is to collect information from a sample of our Africa-based Sister Organisations and community members regarding their perception on African Charities’ economic peace role.

Participation to this survey is voluntary.

As part of the survey, we are running a questionnaire which contains some questions. One of these questions is:

Q: Do charities (here African Charities) contribute to creating a more peaceful and economically stable society?

You can respond and directly send your answer to CENFACS.

• • • • Testing hypotheses about causal relationships between economic peace and poverty reduction

There is this general assumption that economic interdependence and free trade can promote peace between countries. So, reducing barriers to trade and improving economic conditions can help achieve economic peace.

For those of our members who would like to dive deep into the relations between economic peace and poverty reduction, they can use the above-mentioned general assumption to test the inference of the following hypotheses:

a) Null hypothesis (Ho): Economic peace has an effect on poverty reduction in Africa

b) Alternative hypothesis (H1): Economic peace has no effect on poverty reduction in Africa

The above tests are for those of our members who would like to dive deep into economic peace and poverty reduction. In order to conduct these tests, one needs data.

• • • • E-question on your view about economic peace

Self-awareness and awareness of others can help build economic peace. This can raise the following question:

Q: Does awareness of poor people can help build economic peace with them or reduce poverty?

Any of our readers and users can answer the above-mentioned question. You can provide your answer directly to CENFACS.

For those answering any of this question and needing first to discuss economic peace matter, they can contact CENFACS.

• • • • E-discussion on economic self-sufficiency and peace

The e-discussion is how fostering economic sufficiency at the individual level can contribute to community resilience and economic peace.

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.

• • • Support, Tool and Metrics, Information and Guidance on Economic Peace (Page 8)

• • • • Ask CENFACS for Guidance regarding the reduction of poverty linked to the lack of economic peace

Promoting economic peace values, justice, rights and development can help reduce poverty and possibly end it. This can be done through capacity building, advocacy, advice, networking, signposting, etc.

For those African Charities, especially CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations, that are looking for guidance or direction for dealing with poverty linked to the lack of economic peace, CENFACS is prepared to work with them on this matter.

CENFACS can work with them to explore ways of aligning their mission with the goal of reducing poverty linked to the lack of economic peace.

We can work with them under our International Advice-, Guidance- and Information-giving Service. We can as well signpost them to organisations working on economic peace and poverty linked to it.

Need advice, guidance and information; please contact CENFACS for support.

• • • • Tools and metrics of the 86th Issue of FACS

The 86th Issue of FACS uses four tools or metrics which are: the Global Peace Index, the Positive Peace Index, the Multidimensional Poverty Index and Poverty Gap Ratio.

Let us briefly explain these tools or metrics.

• • • • • Economic peace tools and metrics

The Issue 86 uses two economic peace metrics, which are the Global Peace Index and Positive Peace Index

a) The Global Peace Index (GPI)

The website ‘panhuman.us’ (19) provides its explanation by stating this:

“Developed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the GPI ranks 163 independent states and territories based on their level of peacefulness. This comprehensive index assesses peace through three broad domains: the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict, and the degree of militarization”.

According to the IEP (op.cit.),

b) Positive Peace Index (PPI)

The website ‘resourcewatch.org’ (20) explains that

“PPI is a quantitative approach to measure Positive Peace. Positive Peace is defined as the attitudes, institutions, and structures that lead to a more peaceful society. A country with a higher PPI is more capable of building and maintaining peace”.

It is a measure of the relationship between peace and poverty.

For instance, ‘statista.com’ (21) notes that

“In 2022, Mauritius achieved the highest overall score (2.57) in the PPI in Africa”.

• • • • • Poverty tool and metrics: The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and Poverty Gap Ratio

a) The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

According to ‘hdr.undp.org’ (22),

“MPI is the proportion of the population that is multidimensionally poor adjusted by the intensity of the deprivations” (p. 26).

It is also a measure of the relationship between poverty and peace.

The same ‘hdr.undp.org’ states that

“83.2 percent of the world’s 1.1 billion multidimensionally poor people live in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Sub-Saharan Africa has 553 million people living in poverty and South Asia 402 million” (p. 1)

In this respect, the MPI is important to measure economic peace that the multidimensional poor are not enjoying.

b) Poverty Gap Ratio

This is an interesting metrics of poverty as it measures the intensity of poverty.

The online ‘marketbusinessnews.com’ (23) explains that

“The poverty gap ratio or poverty gap index is the average of the ratio of the poverty gap to the poverty line. Economists and statisticians express it as a percentage of the poverty line for a region or whole country…The poverty gap ratio considers how far, on the average, poor people are from poverty line”.

African Charities can use it to compare how far the poor are from the poverty line.

The above tools and metrics can be used in dealing with the work of African Charities on economic peace and poverty reduction in Africa.

For example, one can use the poverty gap ratio to measure the average shortfall of the income poor women in Africa from the poverty line.

• • • • Information and guidance on economic peace and poverty reduction

Information and Guidance include two types areas of support via CENFACS, which are:

a) Information and guidance on economic peace and poverty reduction

b) Signposts to improve Users’ Experience about impact investing in economic peace and poverty reduction.

• • • • • Information and guidance on economic peace and poverty reduction

Those Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) that are looking for information and guidance on economic peace and that do not know what to do, CENFACS can work with them (via needs assessment conducted under CENFACS’ International Advice Service) or provide them with leads about other organisations, institutions and services that can help them.

• • • • • Signposts to improve Users’ Experience about impact investing in economic peace and poverty reduction

For those who are looking for whereabout to find help about impact investing in economic peace, we can direct them to the relevant services and organisations.

More tips and hints relating to the matter can be obtained from CENFACS‘ Advice-giving Service and Sessions.

Additionally, you can request from CENFACS a list of organisations and services providing help and support in the area of economic peace, although the Issue 86 does not list them. Before making any request, one needs to specify the kind of organisations they are looking for.

To make your request, just contact CENFACS with your name and contact details.

• • • Workshop, Focus Group and Booster Activity about African Charities and Their Work on Economic Peace and Poverty Reduction (Page 9)

• • • • Mini themed workshop on economic peace skills to reduce poverty

It is possible to learn some skills to help the way African Charities and their human resources approach economic peace. These economic peace skills could include the following:

~ civil skills to build peace

~ skills for peace education

~ multi-skills like entrepreneurial ones

~ negotiations skills

~ peace resolution skills

etc.

They can boost their knowledge and skills about economic peace and poverty reduction with CENFACS.

The workshop aims at supporting those without or with less information and knowledge about economic peace skills and knowledge. Those who need an in-depth economic peace skills training assessment are also welcome. The workshop will provide recommendations for actions with options and opportunities for the participants.

To enquire about the boost, please contact CENFACS.

• • • • Focus group on impact investing in economic peace

The focus group will deal with how to invest not only to realise a good return on your investment, but also to create a lasting impact in economic peace. Impact investing in economic peace will be approached from the perspective of win-win.

To take part in the focus group, group that will use deliberative practice strategies, please contact CENFACS.

• • • • Winter 2025 activity: Talking to Peace Experts

This user involvement activity revolves around the answers to the following questions:

Q1: Do you talk to a peace expert to resolve any conflict within you or between you and others?

Q2: Do you believe in peace negotiations, making, building and keeping?

Those who would like to answer these two questions and participate to our ‘Talking to Peace Experts’ Activity, they are welcome.

To take part in this activity, please contact CENFACS.

• • • Giving and Project (Page 10)

• • • • Readers’ giving

You can support FACS, CENFACS bilingual newsletter, which explains what is happening within and around CENFACS.

FACS also provides a wealth of information, tips, tricks and hacks on how to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

You can help to continue its publication and to reward efforts made in producing it.

To support, just contact CENFACS on this site.

• • • • Economic Peace Project (EPP)

EPP is an initiative that addresses issues leading to conflicts and inequality, enhances social mobility, and provides purchasing power to the economically poor people to buy basic farming and gardening tools to produce crops and create basic economic wealth to reduce poverty. It also provide them an opportunity to trade among them, while eliminating the barriers to peace.

The real aim of this project is to reduce and possibly end poverty linked to the lack of economic peace.

To support or contribute to EPP, please contact CENFACS.

For further details including the implementation plan of the EPP, please contact CENFACS.

The full copy of the 86th Issue of FACS is available on request.

For any queries and comments about this Issue, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) Institute for Economics and Peace. Global Peace Index 2024. Measuring Peace in a Complex World, Sydney, June 2024. Available from: http://visionhumanity.org/resources (accessed in January 2025)

(2) https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/highlight/2025-01-08.html (accessed in January 2025)

(3) https://msf.org.uk/article/drc-more-10000-seek-refuge-masisi-hospital-and-msf-base (accessed in January 2025)

(4) https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/clushes-in-congo-have-displaced-tens-of-thousands-since-start-of-2025-un/3447339 (accessed in January 2025)

(5) https://www.sierraeyemagazine.com/africa-in-2025-a-year-of-challenges-opportunities-and-transformation (accessed in January 2025)

(6) https://ofamerica.org/newresearch/africa-bridge-year-2025# (accessed in January 2025)

(7) https://howcharitieswork.com/about-charities/what-is-a-charity/ (accessed in October 2024)

(8) https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/economics-of-peace-interplay-between-stability-conflict-resolution-global-prosperity# (accessed in January 2025)

(9) Roy, D. D. (2025), “Peace Economics: Behavioural Approach”, Chatterji, M., Chatterji, M. and Sharma, K. (Ed.) Conflict Prevention and Peace Management (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 34), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 83-92 https://doi.org/10.1108/S1572-832320240000034020 (accessed in January 2025)

(10) https://www.usip.org/publications/peace-economics-questions-and-answers# (accessed in January 2025)

(11) Bununu, Y. A. (2020). Poverty Reduction: Concept, Approaches, and Case Studies. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Decent Work and Economic Growth. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer. Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_31-1 (accessed in April 2024)

(12) https://borgenproject.org/what-is-poverty-reduction/ (accessed in April 2024)

(13) https: //oxfordre.com/politics/politics/abstract/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-314 (accessed in January 2025)

(14) https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/pegroup/files/coe2017.pdf (accessed in January 2025)

(15) https://www.cambridge.org/core/series/theories-of-institutional-design/c27D7B23B6E6CD42167BB51BB7F7909E (accessed in January 2025)

(16) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-society-strategy-building-a-future-that-works-for-everyone/3-the-social-sector-supporting-charities-and-social-enterprises (accessed in January 2025)

(17) htpps://au.int/en/aucevawg (accessed in January 2025)

(18) https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/peace-and-security/facts-and-figures (accessed in January 2025)

(19) https://panhuman.us/our-mission/global-peace-index-2024/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsdzApr7IigMVppJQBh39jCs_EAAYASAAEgLb6PD_BwE (accessed in January 2025)

(20) https://resourcewatch.org/data/explore/soc092-Positive-Peace-Index?section=Discover&SelectedCollection… (accessed in January 2025)

(21) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1311547/countries-with-high-levels-of-positive-peace-in-africa/ (accessed in January 2025)

(22) https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/hdp-document/mpireport2024.pdf (accessed in January 2025)

(23) https://marketbusinessnews.com/information-on-credit/gap-ratio–definition-meaning (accessed in August 2023)

_________

• 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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 8, 2025 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

08 January 2025

Post No. 386

The Week’s Contents

• 2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

• 2025 as a Year of Restoration

• Giving Hope to the Humanitarian Needy of Mali in 2025

… And much more!

Key Messages

• 2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

Last week, we listed projects and programmes to be carried out in January 2025. This week, we are unveiling more projects and programmes including resources. The last week’s listed projects and the ones to be unveiled below will all make our Light Season 2025.

In both last week’s and this week’s listings, there are three types of projects and programmes, which are:

a) Specifically Designed projects and programmes (such as humanitarian appeals) to feature CENFACS’ Light Campaign/Advocacy, to bring and carry the message of hope through a Blaze of Hope

b) Initiatives Mindfully Planned to express Energy or Light Season, to shift to renewable energy sources

c) Seasonal projects and programmes that Just Fall Within the Season of Light, which is from 21 December in the preceding year (e.g., 2024) to 21 March in the following year (e.g., 2025).

All Specifically Designed, Mindfully Planned and Seasonal projects and programmes will be implemented side by side as we move throughout the Season of Light.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further details about the 2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes.

• 2025 as a Year of Restoration

This year, we will be interested in the restoration in the CENFACS process of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development. Restoration can help to work with those in need in their efforts of finding way to come out poverty and contribute to sustainability, since we are still in the United Nations’ Decade (2021-2030) on Ecosystem Restoration (1).

Indeed, 2025 will be a Year of Restoration within CENFACS, a year of using the notion of restoration as tool to understand paradigmatic change in the lives of those in need, particularly the CENFACS Community members. It will be a year of working with them as they are restoring things in their lives so that they can reduce poverty.

In this work with them, one should understand that restoration does not necessarily lead to change. Yet, what we would like to achieve together with them is restoration that lead to better change, not status quo. But, what do we mean by restoration?

• • Understanding Restoration

The concept of restoration can be perceived in many ways. Let us start with the dictionary definition of it, which is given by ‘dictionary.cambridge.org’ (2). According to the latter,

“Restoration is the act or process of returning something to its earlier good condition or position, or to its owner”.

Another explanation of restoration comes from ‘safetyculture.com’ (3) which argues that

“Restoration refers to any action or process used to repair, re-establish, or renew tangible assets such as buildings and equipment or intangible assets like stocks. The process usually occurs after an event that damages an organisation’s property. This could be a flood or fire that destroys parts of the facility, equipment malfunctions that lead to equipment damage or restoring the environment after mining activities in a certain area”.

Restoration can also be looked at from the green economy perspective. According to the website ‘ekonomimembumi.co’ (4),

“Restorative economics is essentially a green economy concept centred on nature and people’s well-being, bringing harmony to the nature-human relationship so as to protect and restore natural functions”.

Restoration can as well be approached from historical point of view. From this view, restoration refers to ‘the period in 17th-Century English history when Charles II was king after a long period of no king or queen on the throne’ (5).

So, there are more perspectives on restoration like economic, social-ecological, green, historic, etc. We shall come back on any of these perspectives as we move throughout the year. For instance, historic restoration will be dealt with in the history month of October. Likewise, ecological restoration will be part of our climate month next March, while restoration as a building process will frame our Season of Rebuilding or Renewal Lives next Spring.

Furthermore, we will be interested in aspects of restoration linked to poverty reduction and sustainable development during the Year of Restoration within CENFACS. In particular, we shall focus on the restoration economy, that is on activities designed to repair past damage to natural and human communities to benefit those in need. We shall do it without loosing side with the sustainability aspects of restoration (like ecological or ecosystem restoration) or any work to achieve a good Anthropocene for the planet and its peoples, while taking into account the changing social relationships with the environment.

However, in order to realise the Year of Restoration, we need a project. This project is Restoration or ‘R‘ project.

• • Restoration (R) Project

The dedication of 2025 as a Year of Restoration comes with a project to carry out this dedication or this mission. The project to execute this dedication is the Restoration or ‘R‘ Project, which is one of the new initiatives for 2025. The following two elements help to understand this project: its meaning and its activities.

• • • What is ‘R’ Project?

It is a series or set of interconnected tasks or activities planned for the execution of CENFACS‘ dedication of year 2025 as of Restoration. These tasks or activities, which aim at reducing poverty, will be undertaken throughout 2025 within the requirements and limitations of CENFACS‘ existing and acquirable resources and assets.

Through this project, we hope to continue to help reduce poverty by working with project beneficiaries as they move through and out of poverty. It may be difficult or even impossible to repair the planet. But, it is possible to conduct restorative activities to help reduce poverty linked to ecosystem degradation.

This year, we shall have restorative activities which are mainly based on the allocation of resources to meet the outcomes of those in need – through repair of the damaged nature and/or past- while reflecting biodiversity outcomes or the provision of ecosystem goods and services and respecting the subsistence of livelihoods.

• • • Activities and tasks relating to the ‘R’ Project

There will be twelve activities, one activity or task every month. Each ‘R’ activity will be announced at the beginning of each month. Through this project and each task, we will engage with project beneficiaries on the types of restoration need to undertake in order for them to move out of poverty or any hardships they are facing and enhance sustainable development.

The first ‘R’ activity is about working with those in need to restore their basic consumption.

• • • Activity/Task 1 of the ‘R’ Project: Work with those in need to restore their basic consumption

Many crises, shocks as well as poverty have made or damaged the ability of poor people to meet their basic consumption to live and sustain. Restoring the consumption of the basic necessities of life for these people is the first task/activity of our ‘R‘ project. To tackle this task/activity, it is better to highlight what it consists of and the ways of restoring basic consumption.

• • • • What does this Activity 1 consist of?

It consists of taking action or undertaking a process to repair, re-establish, or renew the basic necessities of those in need.

Restoring the basic consumption for those in need can include the forms of restoration such as restoring a customer’s consumption rate if you are a business, restoring project beneficiaries’ consumption rate of your products if you are a charity, repairing and reusing goods, applying restoration economy, etc.

Since CENFACS is a charity, we shall focus on working with those in need so that they can restore their basic life-sustaining consumption needs if they have lost or damaged them. We shall as well ensure that their consumption rate of the services we provide to them to transition away from poverty is restored.

• • • • Ways of Restoring Basic Consumption

They include

√ promoting domestic basic spending

√ facilitating people’s access to more affordable food, public transport and long-lasting products

√ incentivizing them to opt for reuse, repair and recycle economy

√ connecting them to repair, reuse and recycle initiatives

√ supporting them to make informed decisions on purchase

√ briefly, promoting sustainable consumption by decoupling consumption growth from environmental degradation and reducing mindless consumption while encouraging mindful consumption.

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

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

• Giving Hope to the Humanitarian Needy of Mali in 2025

Our Season of Giving and Sustaining Hope for a better future continues as we appeal for the people of who need support to cope humanitarian crisis they are facing. As we explained in the last week’s post, our priorities or areas of work or need in 2025 include the Central Sahel Countries (i.e., Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger). This appeal is about Mali.

• • What Is This Appeal?

This is an emergency appeal to respond to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Mali. The crisis has been brought by a number of complex factors which include armed groups attacking civilians, the blockage of food supply routes as result of these attacks, flooding which destroyed crops. The impact of worsening conflict means disruption of livelihoods, markets and high food prices. Whatever the reason surrounding this worsening conflict and flooding, the innocent victims of this situation needs help and they are demanding for life-saving support.

They need help as the following figures and facts speak for them. According to ‘rescue.org’ (6),

“Over 2,500 people are already experiencing the highest level of food insecurity (IPC5) and are at risk of starvation.

Mali faced catastrophic floods in 2024 that displaced 350,000 people.

The United Nations monitoring groups have reported a 288% increase in human rights violations and a 66% rise in violence against women and girls in Mali from 2023 to 2024″.

Similarly, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (7) argues that

“According to the latest cadre harmonisé (CH) analysis about 1.37 million people were estimated to face severe acute food insecurity during the June to August 2024 lean season, including nearly 121000 people in CH Phase 4 (Emergency) and about 2600 people in CH Phase 5 (catastrophe).

The conflict has resulted in the internal displacement of about 331000 people as of mi-October 2024″.

The Humanitarian Needy of Mali Want Your Assistance.

• • Donate to Support Them

You could donate to support them. You can give either your influence or money or both to support them.

If you decide to provide influence, you could put positive influence on those who have the key to their humanitarian crisis or the factors feeding this crisis so that the Malian victims of this crisis can move out of the humanitarian crisis.

If you choose instead to donate money, you can give £7 or any amount above. Your money will be allocated as follows:

£3 from your £7 can be used to support security for the internally displaced Malians and £4 can assist in buying food or medicine.

Please, let us give hope to these Malian victims of humanitarian crisis.

To support and or enquire about this appeal, please contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Digital and Social Media Campaign: Level 9 – Geospatial Technology

• New Year’s and January’s Goal: Reduction of Poverty Caused by Mindless Consumption

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

• Digital and Social Media Campaign: Level 9 – Geospatial Technology

Under the Digital and Social Media Campaign, our learning on technologies to reduce poverty has moved on. The next level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign is about Geospatial Technology. This Winter, we are considering geospatial technology and its ability to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

Indeed, we are continuing to work with our users or Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) on technology matter so that they find the right technology and technology-based solutions to poverty. In working together, we hope that they will be able to access the technology services and goods they require to reduce or end poverty.

In this model of working together, they are different levels. In this level, we shall work with users and ASOs so that they can develop the mapping skills linked to geography and space.

Perhaps, a better starting point of this Level 9 of our Digital and Social Media Campaign is to explain Geospatial Technology.

• • What Is Geospatial Technology?

The website ‘technoserve.org’ (8) explains this about this geospatial technology:

“Geospatial technology, including satellite imagery, GPS (Global Positioning System), and geographic information systems(GIS), has emerged as a game-changer in agricultural development and poverty reduction efforts. Geospatial technology enables more informed decision-making and targeted interventions by providing accurate, up-to-date information about land use, crop health, and environmental conditions”.

As part of geospatial technology, there is quantum navigation. Quantum navigation, which is a technology that uses quantum physics to improve the accuracy and security of navigation, could also be used as satellite-based navigation systems.

Geospatial technology needs to be learnt and skills relating to them need to be mastered by those who need them, particularly those who would like to acquire or improve geospatial technology-based skills.

• • Skills Relating to Geospatial Technology to Reduce Poverty

This level of working together will be about using mapping skills. Many of these skills can help users in the process of reducing poverty linked to the lack of understand on geography and space analysis. For instance, many of us use GPS facility (like Google maps) on our mobile phone to let us know where we are and where we are going.

Learning and using mapping skills can save time and even reduce poverty linked the lack of understanding of directions. People living in poverty can use GPS to find their poverty-reduction road. Likewise, smallholder crop mapping can enormously relieve farmers. And ASOs working on agricultural projects need this type technology and its related skills.

To enquire and or to support the level 9 of our Digital and Social Media Campaign, please contact CENFACS.

• New Year’s and January’s Goal: Reduction of Poverty Caused by Mindless Consumption

Our monthly poverty reduction project or goal of the month, which is part of CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (8), resumes this January 2025 with the goal of Reduction of Poverty Caused by Mindless Consumption. The project relates to the second goal of this programme; second goal which is Consume sustainably to reduce poverty and climate change.

To explain or understand the Reduction of Poverty Caused by Mindless Consumption, one needs to know mindless consumption.

• • What Is Mindless Consumption?

Mindless consumption is, according to ‘lastobject.com’ (9),

“The excessive purchasing of products without considering their life cycle”.

This can happen when people do not use awareness of sustainability issues and lack information about purchasing decisions from everyday items to long term investments.

To avoid mindless consumption, they need to become mindful about their spending and consumption. In other words, they need to aim at mostly satisfying needs rather than wants.

• • Reduction of Poverty Caused by Mindless Consumption

It is about spending mindfully or on real needs. It is also about using awareness, intentionality, and discipline when it comes to spending by carefully considering each purchase and aligning spending decisions with your values and long-term goals.

In this respect, creating a mindful spending budget or journal can help to reduce mindless consumption or spending.

To sum up, to reduce poverty caused by mindless consumption, one can use the following options or tips:

√ Improving their spending intent

√ Creating a budget to deal with emotional triggers

√ Pausing before purchasing

√ Setting up cost cutting targets on budget items such as takeaways, eating out, clothing, etc.

√ Switching to cheap mindful retailers to save money

√ Trimming budget

√ Prioritising expenses

√ Setting up a policy not to borrow money for mindless expenses

√ Adopting cost-saving behaviour

√ Tracking their spending

√ Briefly, developing a strategy or policy for avoiding mindless spending.

The above is our New Year’s and January’s Goal.

For those who are interested in working with the people in need to meet it, they are welcome do so.

For those who want any clarification of any aspects of the activity or task, they can contact CENFACS.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

We are resuming Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and Scheme, which we started in December 2024. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via the Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that they can start or be stronger in this New Year. Both FCCBP and FCCBS will help beneficiaries to reduce risks linked to financial incapacity and incapability while improving their intergenerational income and transfers.

To kick off FCCBP and FCCBS, we are running from 08 to 14 January 2025 the first activity of FCCBP and the first activity of FCCBS, as shown in the working plan below.

• • 08 to 14 January 2025: Investing in Realistic Financial Goals about Financial Capacity and Capability (Activity 1 of FCCBP)

This first Structured Finance Activity, which is part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and which is run in the form direct questions/answers, consists of working with users to develop and invest in realistic financial goals that summarise the way in which they would like to build their financial capacity and capability.

If any of our users have questions about how they can develop or invest in realistic financial capacity and capability goals, they can ask CENFACS for answers.

• • 08 to 14 January 2025: Financial Capacity and Capability to Make Ends Meet (Activity 1 of FCCBS)

This first Structured Finance Activity, which is part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Scheme, is about elaborating a systematic plan of future action on financial capacity and capability for a week or month or year (2025).

Together with those in need of financial capacity and capability building, we can help them draw a basic financial plan or strategy for coping with and surviving their financial problems.

If any of our users need to draw a plan or strategy that explains how they will financially cope and/or survive, they can contact CENFACS.

Have a question about your financial goals or need to draw a plan or strategy about the way you are going to make ends meet, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

In additions, if you have financial planning problems, you can communicate with CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you stay stronger this New Year.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Objectif du Nouvel An et de Janvier: Réduire la Pauvreté Causée par la Consommation Irréfléchie

Notre projet mensuel de réduction de la pauvreté ou objectif du mois, qui fait partie de l’Agenda de Développement et du Programme de Réduction de la Pauvretéde CENFACS pour les Années 2020 (8), reprend en janvier 2025 avec l’objectif de réduire la pauvreté causée par la consommation irréfléchie. Le projet se rapporte au deuxième objectif de ce programme; deuxième objectif qui est Consommer durablement pour réduire la pauvreté et le changement climatique.

Pour expliquer la réduction de la pauvreté causée par la consommation irréfléchie, il faut connaître la consommation irréfléchie ou inconsciente.

• • Qu’est-ce que c’est que la consommation irréfléchie?

La consommation irréfléchie est, selon le lastobject.com (9),

«L’achat excessif de produits sans tenir compte de leur cycle de vie».

Cela peut se produire lorsque les gens ne sont pas sensibilisés aux questions de durabilité et manquent d’informations sur les décisions d’achat, qu’il s’agisse d’articles de tous les jours ou d’investissements à long terme.

Pour éviter une consommation irréfléchie, ils doivent devenir conscients de leur consommation. En d’autres termes, ils doivent viser principalement à satisfaire les besoins plutôt que les désirs.

• • Réduction de la pauvreté causée par la consommation irréfléchie

Il s’agit de dépenser en pleine conscience ou pour des besoins réels. Il s’agit d’utiliser la conscience, l’intentionnalité et la discipline lorsqu’il s’agit de dépenser en examinant attentivement chaque achat et en alignant les décisions de dépenses sur vos valeurs et vos objectifs à long terme.

À cet égard, la création d’un budget de dépenses conscient peut aider à réduire la consommation ou les dépenses inconscientes.

En résumé, pour réduire la pauvreté causée par une consommation irréfléchie, on peut utiliser les options ou conseils suivants :

√ Améliorer ses intentions de dépenses

√ Créer un budget pour faire face aux déclencheurs émotionnels

√ Faites une pause avant d’acheter

√ Mettre en place des objectifs de réduction des coûts sur les postes budgétaires tels que les plats à emporter, les restaurants, les vêtements, etc.

√ Passer à des détaillants bon marché et conscients pour économiser de l’argent

√ Réduire le budget

√ Prioriser les dépenses

√ Mettre en place une politique de ne pas emprunter d’argent pour des dépenses inconsidérées

√ Adopter un comportement d’économie de coûts

√ Suivi de leurs dépenses

√ En bref, élaborer une stratégie ou une politique pour éviter les dépenses insensées.

Ce qui précède est notre objectif du Nouvel An et de janvier.

Pour ceux ou celles qui sont intéressé(e)s à travailler avec les personnes dans le besoin pour y répondre, ils/elles sont les bienvenu(e)s.

Pour ceux ou celles qui souhaitent des éclaircissements sur certains aspects de l’activité ou de la tâche, ils peuvent contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• 2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

The following highlights the 2025 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes:

∝ What are Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes?

∝ Types of Light Season’s Initiatives

∝ Basic Implementation Plan for the Light Season’s Initiatives.

We can now consider each of the three items.

• • What Are Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes?

They are a stock of assets (resources) together with a set of interdependent tasks (sustainable projects) and related activities (sustainable programmes) designed to help meet the aim of poverty reduction either within the Lights Season and/or beyond it depending on the types of a given resource, project and programme. In other words, whether it is about resources or projects or even programmes, the unified aim is to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development by working with local people and Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations.

• • Types of Light Season’s Initiatives

There are three types, which are:

(a) Specifically designed initiatives to bring message of hope or a Blaze of Hope

(b) Initiatives Mindfully planned to express Energy or Light Season

(c) Seasonal initiatives falling within the Season of Light.

• • • Specifically designed initiatives to bring message of hope or a Blaze of Hope

They include two waves of intervention or Blazes of Hope, which are:

(a) Appeals to deal with the unfinished business of previous destruction and disruption brought by crises/shocks (e.g., the coronavirus), wars, natural disasters and the current high costs of living

(b) Appeals linked to seasonally erupted events or effects from health disasters (like the coronavirus), armed conflicts, geo-economic crises, climate change and natural disasters.

As table no.1 indicates where there may be need of a Blaze of Hope, we will be launching Humanitarian Relief Appeals for Six Identified Areas of Priority that May Need Lighting a Blaze of Hope (as announced last week) to help address unfinished businesses or potential crises or tension hotspot places

• • • Initiatives mindfully planned to express Energy or Light Season

They consist of the following:

a) Initiatives featuring the season of light like light (or energy), including finance for energy transition projects, particularly these initiatives will be about finding finance to fund energy transition and a new development model to continue to reduce poverty

b) Projects relating to land restoration and boosting drought resilience in Africa to echo the messages and outcomes from COP16 held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (10); projects such as healthy soils, resilient crops, nutritious food, sustainable land management and land degradation neutrality will be developed

c) Projects of shared prosperity with the poor which will consider two measures: the Global Prosperity Gap and the number of African economies with high inequality.

• • • Initiatives falling within the Season of Light

They include

√ Consume to Reduce Poverty (Edition No. 13) with a Focus on Mindful Consumption to Restore Land and Reduce Poverty

√ Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign 2025

√ Africa Not-for-profit Outlook for Impact Investing in 2025.

The above-mentioned initiatives are amongst the ones we have selected to kick-start 2025. Apart from them, we shall take a moment to reflect on the poverty reduction landscape of 2024 by taking stock and charge of what happened in 2024, and how we can move forward in 2025. In particular, we will be working together with beneficiaries on the following:

√ 2024 Year-end Financial Controls as Stocktaking and Charge Taking Tools for Poverty Reduction

√ Economic Inclusion Programme for Households’ Resilience (New)

√ Financial Monitoring and Controls 2025 as Tools for Poverty Reduction

√ Climate Actions 2025 to keep pace with net zero path and poverty reduction.

The above initiatives are not the only ones for the Season of Light. During the season, we may cancel or reduce the scope of some initiatives if we realise that the problem they were supposed to resolve are no longer there. Likewise, we may add new or recurring initiatives depending on the events within the community we serve. The worksheet below provides some indication in terms of initiatives implementation plan.

• • Basic Implementation Plan for 2025 Light Season’s Initiatives

As we go along the Light Season, the following implementation plan consisting of twelve initiatives will be effective.

The above-mentioned initiatives on the work sheet are 12 ones to implement the Light Season 2025. They are also 12 Essential Ways to Bring and Sustain Hope for Those in Need This Winter 2025.

There are three observations to make from the above implementation plan, which are:

a) Since at COP29 in Baku (11), developed nations pledged to channel $300 billion a year into developing countries by 2035 to support their efforts to deal with climate change, the Installation Sub-phase of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation has now moved from Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3) to Full Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.4)

b) We have integrated climate goals, nature goals and development goals as part of African Children, Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (Generation Global Goals) project

c) The next level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign (Level 9) is on Geospatial Technology.

This initial implementation plan for the Light Season’s initiatives can change depending on the circumstances, events and conditions of the season. If one notices that some of the initiatives inserted in the plan/worksheet are not listed under Types of Light Season’s Initiatives, this is not a big issue. What is important is the deliverables of those scheduled within the plan.

For those who would like to discuss any of these planned initiatives or any aspects of the plan; they can contact CENFACS.

To support and or enquire the Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes for 2025, please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) United Nations Environment Agency Resolution 73/284: United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) https://undocs.org/A/RES/73/284 (accessed in January 2025)

(2) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/restoration/ (accessed in January 2025)

(3) https://safetyculture.com/topics/restoration/ (accessed in January 2025)

(4) https://ekonomimembumi.co/en/pustaka/a-new-paradigm-of-economics-fiscal-support-for-restoration-economy (accessed in January 2025)

(5) https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/restoration (accessed in January 2025)

(6) https://www.rescue.org/uk/article/10-crises-world-cant-ignore-2025 (accessed in January 2025)

(7) FAO. 2024. Crop Prospects and Food Situation – Triannual Global Report. No. 3, November 2024. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd3168en (accessed in January 2025)

(8) https://technoserve.org/blog/technology-fighting-global-poverty-key-innovations/ (accessed in January 2025)

(9) https://lastobject.com/blogs/sustainability-101/mindless-consumption-what-is-it-how-can-we-reduce-it (accessed in December 2024)

(10) https://unccd.int/cop16 (accessed in December 2024)

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

_________

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Permalink

← Older posts

Newer posts →

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

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

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

Message in French (Message en français)

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

Message in French (Message en français)

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

Message in French (Message en français)

Main Development

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

The Week’s Contents

Key Messages

Extra Messages

Message in French (Message en français)

Main Development

The above-mentioned initiatives on the work sheet are 12 ones to implement the Light Season 2025. They are also 12 Essential Ways to Bring and Sustain Hope for Those in Need This Winter 2025.

Post navigation