Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Specialised in Home and Land Ownerships

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 14, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

14 February 2024

Post No. 339

The Week’s Contents

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 – In Focus: Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Specialised in Home and Land Ownerships

• Reduction of Unequal or Lack of Access to Basic Services to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable Households

• Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Rain-Hit and Food Insecure in Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 – In Focus: Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Specialised in Home and Land Ownerships

Africa is currently the world’s fastest growing region in terms of population. Yet, Africa is also a place with low level of homeownership and high level of insecure land tenure. The low level of homeownership can be partly justified by the affordability of homes.

For example, ‘statista.com’ (1) notes that

“At least 95 percent of urban households in over 17 of the countries in Africa were unable to buy the cheapest newly built house in 2021”.

Another example is from ‘housingfinance.org’ (2), which provides housing data for many cities in Africa. The ‘housingfinance.org’ explains that

“In Kinshasa, a modern house built in a serviced residential area costs up to FC 588.5 million (US $250 000). These prices are beyond the reach of most of the population: up to 80% cannot afford the costs, with unemployment at 23%. The housing backlog stands at 4 million units a year while approximately 265 000 housing units are built each year”.

This situation provides a window of opportunities to invest in Africa, particularly to those who would like to impact investing in home and land ownerships to reduce poverty.

Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 (AN4PI2024) deals with these home and land matters. Particularly, it focusses on Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes (ASCOCs) that work with their locals, mostly those who would like to become home and/or land owners, to find suitable, affordable and accessible home or land, while reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development amongst them.

These ASCOCs need support of all kinds, including foreign direct investment. In this respect, AN4PI2024 aims at those impact investors who would like or are looking to impact invest in Africa’s charitable organisations and causes that deal with homes, lands, homeownership and land ownership matters.

AN4PI2024 is also about ASCOCs that work or help to reduce or end poverty through the allocation of power on home and land to those in need in their communities or sister communities so that these needy people can improve their health, hygiene, education opportunities, etc. They can as well have access to clean water, safe toilet, electricity and respite via sustainable homeownership and secure land tenure. Given that AN4PI2024 is about ASCOCs working to reduce poverty, it focusses on the lower end of housing market in Africa.

Like for the previous issues of Africa Not-for-Profit Investment, AN4PI2024 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 AN4PI2024 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, AN4PI2024 presents the information that not-for-profit investors may want in simple yet concise format. In particular, it provides the mission/objects/speciality and types of services ASCOCs offer in the areas of home and land ownerships.

More on Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Reduction of Unequal or Lack of Access to Basic Services to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable Households (Note 2 of Sustainable Development Month on 14/02/2024)

To deliver this note, let us try to understand basic services and their access.

• • Understanding Basic Services

Our understanding of basic services comes from Manisha Shrestha (3) who argues that

“Basic services are the provision of fundamental needs such as water, food, electricity, and energy, shelter, sanitation and health, and education to improve people’s live”.

The poor and vulnerable households need to access these services to empower and free themselves.

• • Explaining Access to Basic Services

The website ‘onsecrethunt.com’ (4) explains that

“Access to basic services includes basic access to drinking water, basic sanitation facilities, essential health services (including mental health care, reproductive health and vaccination) and education (as a minimum primary school education)”.

Manisha Shrestha (op. cit.) adds that access to basic services becomes limited when there is high unemployment, poverty, and less awareness among people. Things become even worse when there is a lack of access or inequality in access. In which case, there is a need to reduce or end unequal or lack of access to basic services.

• • Reducing or Ending Unequal or Lack of Access to Basic Services

Reducing or ending unequal or the lack of access to basic services is about improving access for all, and reducing or ending inequalities in access. It involves many players including governments, businesses, charities, etc. It also requires partnerships between different players and a multi-stakeholder approach.

However, what we are interested in is not only what others can do or are doing to reduce or end unequal or the lack of access to basic services. What we are interested in is what CENFACS can do in order to empower user households members of its community experiencing inequalities in access to basic services.

• • Empowering or Working with CENFACS’ Households Members Facing Inequalities in Access to Basic Services

CENFACS can work with its members in a number of ways to help reduce or end unequal or the lack of access to basic services. These ways of working together with them include the following:

√ Promoting equality to improve access

√ Mobilising resources to reduce the lack of resources

√ Identifying access problem with beneficiaries

√ Working with agencies responsible for access to basic services

√ Help beneficiaries to access basic services

√ Providing useful tips and resources on access to basic services

√ Discussing with beneficiaries’ journey in accessing basic services

√ Inviting users to share their experience (e.g., discrimination, social exclusion, lack of diversity, etc.) in accessing basic services

√ Working with beneficiaries to find equality support services when accessing basic services

√ Helping them to find information about access to basic services

√ Working on factors (like communication and language barriers or enablers) that influence beneficiaries’ ability to access basic services

√ Providing inclusion and integration skills (like literacy, numeracy and digital skills) to access basic services

√ Translating and interpreting documents and other materials from beneficiaries to facilitate access to basic services

√ Signposting beneficiaries to access hubs, clubs and event organisers

√ Working with beneficiaries’ networks (family, community and social) to sustain access to basic services, etc.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to Access to Basic Services, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any other queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Service and of Landlessness; please also contact CENFACS.

• Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Rain-Hit and Food Insecure in Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo

This is an appeal to light a blaze of hope for those who have been hit by torrential rains and cyclones that led food insecurity in Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The appeal is also for the victims of these natural disasters who continue to suffer from their legacies.

The data and news about this appeal speak for these torrential rain-hit and food insecure people in Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo. For example, the website ‘crisisresponse.iom.int’ (5) states that

“In 2023, flooding in the rainy season hit 19 out of 23 provinces [of Chad], affecting 1.3 million people, damaging over 350,000 hectares of agricultural land, killing 20,000 head of livestock, and destroying 80,000 homes, as well as a large number of schools, health centres, and public infrastructure, according to OCHA”.

Likewise, the ‘reliefweb.int’ (6) highlights heavy rainfall affected the eastern and southern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These floods caused fatalities in Kasai-Central province, Bukavu City and Burhinyi village and damaged 1,400 houses. There is also rising of the Congo River water level which affected both Congo and the DRC.

Additionally, the ‘globalhungerindex.org’ (7) points out that

“In the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Chad ranks 119th out of the 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2023 GHI scores. With a score of 34.6 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, Chad has a level of hunger that is serious…The Republic of Congo ranks 107th out of the 125 countries with sufficient data to calculate 2023 GHI series. With a score of 28.0 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, the Republic of Congo has a level of hunger that is serious… The DRC ranks 122nd out of 125 with sufficient data to calculate 2023 GHI scores. With a score of 35.7 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index, the DRC has a level of hunger that is alarming“.

The above-mentioned data tells a bit of story about the flood-hit and food insecure in these three countries and why they need your help.

You can support the victims of floods and food insecure in Chad, Congo and the DRC.

You can Light up a Blaze of Hope for the Rain-Hit and Food Insecure in Chad, Congo and 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 floods and food insecure in Chad, Congo and the DRC.

These victims need your life-saving humanitarian response right now.

To donate, please get in touch with CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Project Planning/Start Up Service for the Users of Triple Value Initiatives (or All Year-round Projects)

• Financial Controls 2024 for Households

• Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Development and Action Plan about Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

• 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.

• Financial Controls 2024 for Households

As explained in our previous posts, Financial Controls are conducted with Financial Stability Campaign. During our previous work on Financial Controls with households, we focussed on Year-in-review Accounts as they are part of Financial Controls project or exercise, which also includes income boost and other financial tools making our Campaign to reduce and end poverty, particularly income poverty.

Before we start Financial Controls 2024, we would like to inform our beneficiaries that we are still working on 2023 Year-end Financial Controls as stocking and charge taking tools for poverty reduction. We are doing it until the 31st of March 2024 or until the end of the financial year, the 6th of April 2024. For those who need support for the Year-end 2023 Accounts, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• • Financial Controls 2024

To conduct Financial Controls 2024, we have planned five weekly sessions starting from this week. The five sessions match the five essential financial controls given by ‘eftsure.com’ (8), which are:

a) Segregation of duties

b) Internal auditing

c) Budgeting and forecasting

d) Reconciliation

e) Cash management.

Let us start with the first control, which is segregation of duties.

• • In Focus from 14/02/2024: Segregation of Duties

Before releasing the note for Segregation of Duties, let us remind our audiences the meaning of financial controls. The definition used here of financial controls comes from ‘corporatefinanceinstitute.com’ (9) which explains that

“Financial controls are the procedures, policies, and means by which an organisation monitors and controls the direction, allocation, and usage of its financial resources. Financial controls are at the very core of resource management and operational efficiency in any organisation”.

Financial controls has components which include monitoring cash flow projections, analysis of balance sheets and income statements, reconciliation of accounts payable and receivable records, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

• • • Segregation of Duties as Financial Control by Households

Like any organisation, households can segregate their duties. Separating their household responsibilities from each other means assigning different tasks to those making their household and sharing control while catching errors in the running of their households.

To implement their segregated duties, they need to proceed with the following:

σ Identifying key financial processes and associated tasks forming their households

σ Assigning duties to different members of their households

(Even children when they learn since they are little what duties they can have in their family; there assigned duties can contribute to the effectiveness of financial controls in their family. For instance, children whose duty is to save resources not to waste them can contribute to the financial well-being and wealth of their family)

σ Ensuring that financial control is shared within the household, not only a matter of one person only

σ Regularly reviewing and updating your segregation of duties.

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

If anyone of our members need support regarding their financial controls and in particular Segregation of Duties within their household, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Development and Action Plan about Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme

From 10/01/2024 to 13/02/2024, we have 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 the to examine our performance against objectives, we are carrying out two exercises:

a) Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

b) Learning Development 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 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 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 action plans on how they would like to take forward the contents of these activities or microprojects month. 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 French (Message en français)

• Suivi, évaluation, apprentissage, développement et plan d’action sur les activités et les microprojets de financement structuré dans le cadre du programme/processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières

Afin de connaître les progrès et les réalisations faites ainsi que d’examiner nos performances par rapport aux objectifs, nous effectuons deux exercices :

a) Suivi et évaluation de l’impact

b) Développement de l’apprentissage et plan d’action.

Laissez-nous vous expliquer en quoi consistent ces deux exercices. Avant de les expliquer, il est mieux de rappeler les activités dont on parle.

Les cinq activités liées au programme sont les suivantes: investir dans des objectifs financiers, la gestion financière des investissements, impacter vos connaissances et compétences sur votre comportement, prendre des décisions financières qui sauvent, et élaborer un plan pour générer de revenus supplémentaires.

Les cinq activités relatives au processus sont ci-après: joindre les deux bouts du mois, planifier financièrement à l’avance, gérer de l’argent, agir à travers le budget, et établir le budget de dépenses.

• • Suivi et évaluation de l’impact des activités de financement structuré ou des microprojets dans le cadre d’un programme ou d’un processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières

Nous poursuivons actuellement le processus systématique d’observation, d’enregistrement, de collecte et d’analyse des informations concernant les cinq activités de financement structuré ou microprojets menés dans le cadre du programme ou du processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières afin d’en obtenir l’impact ou au moins les résultats. Cette procedure d’usage permettra d’examiner les activités développées et d’identifier les goulots d’étranglement au cours du processus pour voir s’ils sont conformes aux objectifs que nous avons définis.

De plus, nous entreprenons des activités sporadiques pour tirer des conclusions quant à la pertinence et à l’efficacité des activités ou des microprojets présentés. Cette activité contribuera à la détermination du jugement de valeur concernant le niveau de performance et la réalisation des objectifs définis pour le programme ou le processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières au sein de la communauté.

Les résultats de ce suivi et de cette évaluation de l’impact aideront à déterminer ce qui a été accompli grâce à ce travail et nous donneront une idée de l’orientation future du programme ou du processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières.

Dans le cadre de cet exercice de suivi et d’évaluation de l’impact, nous aimerions demander à ceux ou celles qui ont travaillé avec nous au cours des cinq dernières semaines de nous faire part de leurs sentiments et de leurs réflexions sur ces trois domaines:

a) L’ensemble des « activités de financement structuré ou microprojets menés dans le cadre du programme ou du processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières »

b) Toutes les activités ou microprojets qui l’intéressent ou qui l’utilisent dans le cadre de la gestion de leur ménage

c) La pertinence ou l’adéquation de ces activités ou microprojets en ce qui concerne le traitement de leurs questions financières.

Vous pouvez nous faire part de vos sentiments, de vos pensées, de vos points à retenir et de vos idées en :

∝ téléphonant

∝ envoyant des textos

∝ utilisant une messagerie électronique

∝ remplissant le formulaire de contact avec vos impressions et vos pensées.

• • Plan d’action et de développement de l’apprentissage pour les activités de financement structuré ou les microprojets menés dans le cadre du programme ou du process de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières

Dans le cadre du maintien de la culture de l’apprentissage continu et du développement professionnel au sein du CENFACS, nous examinons ce que la gestion d’activités de financement structuré ou de micro-projets menés dans le cadre du programme ou du processus de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières nous a apporté et nous a indiqué. Nous nous penchons particulièrement sur les priorités et les initiatives en matière d’apprentissage et de perfectionnement. Dans le cadre de cet exercice, nous examinons les points d’action et le plan que nous pourrions avoir besoin de mettre en place afin d’améliorer ou de mieux changer la façon dont nous fournissons nos services et travaillons avec les bénéficiaires.

Pour ceux ou celles qui ont suivi la mise en œuvre de ces activités ou microprojets avec nous, c’est le moment ou l’occasion d’ajouter vos contributions à notre expérience d’apprentissage et de développement afin que nous puissions connaître le déficit de compétences financières qui doit être comblé à l’avenir. Vous peuvez également avoir vos propres plans d’action sur la façon dont vous souhaitez faire avancer le contenu de ces activités ou de ces semaines de microprojets. Et si vous avez un plan et veulez que nous l’examinions, nous sommes prêts à le faire.

Le plan pourrait porter sur les activités ou les microprojets mentionnés ci-dessus présentés tout au long de cinq dernières semaines. En particulier, nous pouvons examiner comment les ménages de notre communauté veulent faire un plan pour eux ou aimeraient que le CENFACS travaille avec eux sur le domaine financier qu’ils ont choisi.

Ceux ou celles qui ont des difficultés à élaborer un tel plan, ils/elles peuvent s’adresser au CENFACS.

Main Development

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 –

In Focus: Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Specialised in Home and Land Ownerships

Our coverage of Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 includes four items:

σ What Your Need to Know about Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024

σ Impact Investing in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes

σ Mission/Objects/Speciality and Services of Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations to Not-for-profit Invest with Impact

σ Guidance for Not-for-profit Investors about Organisations to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa.

Let us highlight each of these items.

• • What Your Need to Know about Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024

As its focus says, Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 deals with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes Specialised in Home and Land Ownerships, and Impact Investors who would like to put their money or other assets into these organisations.

Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 highlights essential information about the mission/objects/speciality and services of these organisations. What they provide could be interesting for potential not-for-profit investors.

Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 is a mini-guide for those who would like to not-for-profit invest with impact in Africa and in these organisations. 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.

• • 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 new perspective.

Indeed, there is a difference between investing in organisations that consider poverty reduction as a residual or appended or negligible aspect of their main trading activity compared to those organisations or causes that take poverty reduction as their main or core mission or activity. So, if one wants to see real improvements in reduction of poverty in quality and quantity; then putting their money and assets into ASCOCs that take poverty reduction as their core mission could be a viable option. However, one needs also to know these organisations in which they want to invest.

In the context of Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024, the knowledge of these organisations is on their mission/objects/speciality and matching services they offer. They are those working in the fields of home and land ownerships.

• • Mission/Objects/Speciality and Services of Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest with Impact

Although Africa Not-for-profit Investment 2024 is not a sort of classified entries that list organisations with their names and contact details, it nevertheless provides the brief mission or objects or speciality and matching services of the Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Causes working in the areas of home and land ownerships, and needing investment to continue to their work of poverty reduction in Africa.

The following are the possible mission/objects/speciality and matching services of these organisations, which potential not-for-profit investors can look into and decide whether or not there is an opportunity to invest in them. Organisation’s mission/objects are abbreviated as OMO and Related Organisation’s Service are shortened as ROS.

——————

OMO1: help potential homeowners to access affordable housing financing solutions

ROS1: homeownership counselling on suitable financial products to find their homeownership project

——————

OMO2: homeownership and land tenure

ROS2: development of housing supply for poor households and assistance to access low-cost housing opportunities

——————

OMO3: women and land matters

ROS3: dealing with change customs and traditional practices that prevent women from inheriting or acquiring ownership of land and other properties, micro-finance for women

——————

OMO4: gender equity and land equality

ROS4: work on the removal of cultural restrictions linked to land inheritance and improving women’s ability in other areas (e.g., documenting land rights for women), indigenous and rural communities

——————

OMO5: secure tenure rights to land

ROS5: protection of land against risks and crises such as armed conflicts and natural disasters that lead people to becoming landless and homeless

——————

OMO6: land and home/property rights against land grabbing (e.g., mining/forestry exploitation projects)

ROS6: advocacy and campaign for restoration of land rights to the dispossessed land/homeowners, for direct financial compensation and adequate wage for labour

——————

OMO7: general access and affordability of homes

ROS7: intergenerational wealth transfers through home access for the poor

——————

OMO8: residential and social mobility

ROS8: advice, information and guidance to support people to match job opportunities and residential mobility

——————

OMO9: sustainable homeownership for all and sustainable solutions to shelter poverty

ROS9: home finding service for all and access to housing ladder

——————

OMO10: skills development, learning and wellbeing in homeownership

ROS10: information and knowledge about housing poverty, development of homeownership, improvement of the quality of life through better housing and perception of land tenure

——————

OMO11: traditional purchase or sale of a residential building/dwelling

ROS11: residential property buying and selling service

——————

OMO12: newly constructed building with the builders’ intent to occupy the dwelling

ROS12: property development and finance

——————

OMO13: inherited residential dwelling to stem homeownership from one generation to the next

ROS13: inheritance and micro-finance

——————

The above is the essential mission/objects/speciality and main services of Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations working in home and land ownerships. It is the highlight of the prospect for not-for-profit investing in Africa’s housing sector. It is part of a series of contents for advice and tips planned for 2024 to work with potential not-for-profit investors.

For those not-for-profit investors who are interested in a particular mission/object/speciality and matching service, and who would like to dive deeper into this matter, they are free to contact CENFACS.

• • Guidance for Not-for-profit Investors about Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

Those potential not-for-profit investors who need customised guidance about how to not-for-profit invest in Africa, they can contact us so that we can conduct needs assessment with them and search their ideal Africa-based organisation to invest in. We run a Matching Organisation-Investor Programme to that effect.

• • • What Is a Matching Organisation-Investor Programme?

Matching programme is a term used in various settings. In the context of CENFACS, Matching Organisation-Investor Programme is the process by which organisations (here Africa-based Sister Organisations) are matched against not-for-profit (n-f-p) investors. The programme uses n-f-p investors’ description of their requirements to fit organisations’ needs via a fit test.

• • • The Aim of Matching Organisation-Investor Programme

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

• • • How Can Africa-based Sister Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors Be Matched?

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

• • • • What Is Impact Advice to ASOs?

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

Impact Advice to ASOs is about

√ Working with ASOs to overcome their project planning problems

√ Helping them to improve their project planning processes, knowledge, skills and capabilities

√ Making sure that project planning benefits the users and communities they serve, particularly those living in poverty

√ Ensuring that project planning tackles the root causes of poverty and hardships

Etc.

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. To understand this service, one needs to know “What is a Not-for-profit Investment?” (10)

A Not-for-profit Investment is a sum of money puts into a not-for-profit organisation in order to help this organisation achieve its not-for-profit mission. Not-for-profit means that the organisation is not engaged in the activity of realising a greater difference between its sales revenue and total costs. Instead, the organisation aims at providing services without making profit, services that benefit its members or the community as specified in its governing document.

This not-for-profit investment can be in the physical or financial form. Therefore, there are two types of investment that not-for-profit investors can choose in order to engage in, which are: physical or real investment and financial investment.

This guidance is based on not-for-profit investment and impact investing. What is impact investing?

According to ‘evpa.ngo’ (11),

“Investing for impact is an impact strategy followed by investors that adopt the venture philanthropy approach to support social purpose organisations maximising their social impact. Investors for impact support innovative solutions to pressing societal issues, providing in-depth non-financial support and taking on risks that most of other actors in the market cannot – or are not willing to take”.

Briefly, Africa-based Sister 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. To realise a successful match, some guidelines need to be followed.

Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about this guidance, they can communicate with CENFACS.

If a potential investor cannot find the above-mentioned types of mission/objects/speciality and matching services they want, they can contact CENFACS. They can join CENFACS’ Guidance Programme for those who would like to not-for-profit invest in Africa.

_________

• References

(1) https://www.statista.com/statistics/613846/urban-households-who-can-afford-the-cheapest-new-houses-africa-by-country/ (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://housingfinance.org/app/uploads/2023/10/2023-CAHF-Yb_Compressed-14.11.2023.pdf (accessed in February 2024)

(3) Shrestha, M. (2021), Access to Basic Services and Its Linkage with Ending Poverty. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A. M., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Ozuyar, P. G., Wall, T. (eds) No Poverty. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Springer, Chana. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69625-6_1-1 (accessed in February 2024)

(4) https://www.onsecrethunt.com/what-is-the-definition-of-lack-basic-services/ (accessed in February 2024)

(5) https://crisisresponse.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1481/files/appeal/pdf/2024_Chad_Crisis_Response_Plan_2024.pdf (accessed in February 2024)

(6) https://reliefweb.int/disaster/fl-2024-000009-cod (accessed in February 2024)

(7) https://www.globalhungerindex.org (accessed in February 2024)

(8) https://eftsure.com/blog/processes/five-essential-financial-financial-controls-every-financial-leader-must-implement/# (accessed in February 2024)

(9) https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/career-map/sell-side/risk-management/financial-controls/ (accessed in February 2024)

(10) cenfacs.org.uk/2023/02/08/africa-not-for-profit-investment-outlook-2023/ (accessed in November 2023)

(11) https://www.evpa.ngo/impact-glossary (Accessed in March 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.

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

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Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on February 7, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

07 February 2024

Post No. 338

The Week’s Contents

• Sustainable Development Month with the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

• Triple Goal for the Month: Reduction of Poverty Linked to Inequality, Inaccessibility and Landlessness

• African Children’s Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (Generation Global Goals Project), In Focus: Coming out Crises with Children

… And much more!

Key Messages

• 2024 Sustainable Development Month with the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

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 2024, we have selected Goal 1 and Target 4 of this goal. What are Goal 1 and Target 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?

• • Goal 1 and Target 4 as Working Theme for the Month of Sustainability

Goal 1 is to End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Target 4 of Goal 1 is By 2030, ensure that all men and women in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance.

Our work on the above-named Goal 1 and Target 4 is to help end or reduce poverty linked to the Target 4 of this Goal 1. In particular, we would like to work with our project beneficiaries to Reduce Unequal Rights to Economic Resources, Lack of Access to Basic Services and Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable Households.

To make our Month of Sustainability, we are going to engage our community members through the chosen aspects of the Target 4 while keeping the spirit of Goal 1 as it was set up by the United Nations. Additionally, we are looking at how the same selected aspects 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 via the Reduction of Unequal Rights to Economic Resources, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

We are engaging the members of our community to be aware of and act on the messages contained in the Goal 1 and Target 4, while being mindful about the elements of this target that apply to them. In particular, we are and will be working with the community to ensure that their rights to economic resources are preserved and equal, they are able to access the basic services they need to reduce poverty, they have a chance to own and control land and/or the property they live in. They have opportunities to friendly and sustainably use natural resources, new technology and financial services to meet their needs of poverty reduction.

To enable us to approach the theme of the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable; we have organised an action plan (please refer to the above given Schedule of Notes).

For further information about this theme, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

• Triple Goal for the Month: Reduction of Poverty Linked to Inequality, Inaccessibility and Landlessness

Our goal for February 2024 is triple. It is about reducing poverty linked to inequality, poverty induced by inaccessibility to poverty-reducing services that suppose to help the poor, and poverty as a result of lack of land for those in need. These are the three forms of poverty we are trying to help reduce this February 2024.

• • Understanding Inequality, Inaccessibility and Landlessness

Let us to understand these three concepts.

a) Inequality

Inequality can be understood in many ways. From the perspective of ‘legaldictionary.net’ (2),

“Inequality refers to a condition of being unequal, or of being given an unequal share of treatment, status, or opportunity. People are often aware of inequalities in social status, human rights, education, job availability and income opportunities”.

Inequality can be in social, gender, income, wealth, employment, race, etc. matters.

The website ‘openglobalrights.org’ (3) suggests to distinguish horizontal from vertical inequality. According ‘openglobalrights.org’,

“Horizontal inequality occurs between culturally defined or socially construct groups, such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion, caste and sexuality. Vertical inequality occurs between individuals or between households, such as the overall income or wealth distribution of an economy”.

b) Inaccessibility

The website ‘accesseoservices.info’ (4) explains that

“Accessibility is the ability of people to reach places and services and the ability of places to be reached by people and goods”.

Accessibility enables to address inequality in access to services that suppose to help the poor to reduce poverty.

c) Landlessness

The Union of International Associations (5) defines it as

“The quality or state of being without land, without access to land, or without having private ownership of land”.

Landlessness can be an indication of poverty.

This month, we are trying to deal with these three concepts as part of our goal. We are endeavouring to work with the members of our community on how they can reduce poverty relating to Inequality, Inaccessibility and Landlessness. In other words, how they can be treated as equal, access services they need and become landowners or homeowners.

• • 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 work on the same goal 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., February 2024).

For further details on the goal of the month and its selection procedure including its support, please contact CENFACS.

• African Children’s Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals (Generation Global Goals Project), In Focus: Coming out Crises with Children

Normally, the project that carries this month of Sustainable Development is African Children’s Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (ACSDGs). 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) 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 health crisis like the coronavirus pandemic or any other crisis such as the cost-of-living crisis. Since December 2022, we inserted in the 3G project the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (6).

• • 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 during or live in the period of crises. Crises are part of the world in which they/we live. This is not an issue. The issue is how to come out of crises with children or without leaving them behind.

• • Coming out Crises with Children

One thing is to come out of a crisis, another thing is to come out of it without leaving children behind. How can we come out crises with children?

There are many ways of coming out of crises. The website ‘mentalhelp.net’ (7) gives three recipes, which are:

a) Don’t catastrophize

b) Get to the truth and deal with it

c) Have a vision and get strong.

If we take the third recipe of having a vision and getting strong, coming out of crises (e.g., the cost-of-living crisis, climate crisis, biodiversity crisis, nature crisis, etc.) with children is about the following:

~ having a vision for the future with children for what they can do tomorrow so that they are not trapped or caught in the same problems they had in the past or we had

~ ensuring that in whatever they do, they get strong as we navigate our way out crises with them and as they grow

~ navigating our way out crises with them while pursuing Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals with them.

For those who would like to find out more how we can come out of crises with children while pursuing Climate, Nature and Sustainable Development Goals with them; they can contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Activity/Task 2 of the ‘t’ Project: Work with People to Transition to Sustainable Production

• 2024 Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 5 (07/02/2024 to 13/02/2024)

• Triple Value Initiatives, All Year Round Projects: Extra Support about Start-up, Fundamentals, Maths and Goals

• Activity/Task 2 of the ‘t’ Project: Work with People to Transition to Sustainable Production

The second activity/task of the “t” Project is about transitioning to sustainable production.

Indeed, we do not only tell our members to consume sustainably, like we did it in January – the Month of Sustainable Consumption. We also talk to them to produce sustainably. This is what we will be doing this February Month of Sustainable Development.

In order to perform this activity/task, one may need to understand the meaning of sustainable production.

• • What is Sustainable Production?

The definition selected of sustainable production comes from ‘uml.edu’ (8), which argues that

“Sustainable production is the creation of goods and services using processes and systems that are:

• non-polluting

• conserving of energy and natural resources

• economically viable

• safe and healthful for workers, communities, and consumers

• socially and creatively rewarding for all working people”.

The same ‘uml.edu’ adds that if production is sustainable, then the environment, employees, communities, and organisations – all benefit.

This definition of sustainable production can be extended to take into account individuals and households.

• • Application of Sustainable Production by Households Making CENFACS Community

If we apply the above defined notion of sustainable development to households making our community, the task here could be how these households can reduce losses or waste along the production of anything to maintain their households’ life.

For example, households that cook from raw food ingredients to produce a meal. They can produce or cook their meal by using processes and systems benefiting the environment. If it is something that households have been already doing for years, then they can still find ways of improving it to keep the momentum or pace with the net zero goals.

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 ‘t‘ project and this year’s dedication, please contact CENFACS as well.

• 2024 Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 5 (07/02/2024 to 13/02/2024)

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 07 February to 13 February 2024, have been highlighted below.

• • 07 February to 13 February 2024: 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’ (9) 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.

• • 07 February to 13 February 2024: 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’ (10) 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. Do get in touch if you have any comments or queries.

Activity 5 of FCCBP and of FCCBS conclude our 2024 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.

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 are basic and life-saving skills or competences to deal with financial services that are on offer for our needs. 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 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 three 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 French (Message en français)

• Activité/Tâche 2 du projet « T »: Travailler avec les gens pour assurer la transition vers une production durable

La deuxième activité/tâche du projet « t » concerne la transition vers une production durable. Pour effectuer cette activité/tâche, il peut être nécessaire de comprendre la signification de la production durable.

• • Qu’est-ce que la production durable?

La définition retenue de la production durable provient de l’arrêt « uml.edu » (8) qui soutient que

« La production durable est la création de biens et de services à l’aide de processus et de systèmes qui sont :

• non polluant

• la conservation de l’énergie et des ressources naturelles

• économiquement viable

• sûr et sain pour les travailleurs, les communautés et les consommateurs

• socialement et créativement gratifiant pour tous les travailleurs ».

Le même « uml.edu » ajoute que si la production est durable, l’environnement, les employés, les communautés et les organisations en bénéficient tous.

Cette définition de la production durable peut être élargie pour prendre en compte les individus et les ménages.

• • Application de la production durable par les ménages faisant partie de la communauté CENFACS

Si nous appliquons la notion de développement durable définie ci-dessus aux ménages qui font notre communauté, la tâche ici pourrait être de savoir comment on peut réduire les pertes ou le gaspillage tout au long de la production de tout ce qui permet de maintenir la vie du ménage.

Par exemple, les ménages qui cuisinent à partir d’ingrédients alimentaires crus pour produire un repas. Ils peuvent produire ou cuisiner leur repas en utilisant des procédés et des systèmes bénéfiques pour l’environnement. S’il s’agit d’une activité que les ménages font déjà depuis des années, ils peuvent toujours trouver des moyens de l’améliorer pour maintenir l’élan ou le rythme des objectifs de carboneutralité.

Ce qui précède résume l’activité/tâche 2. Pour ceux ou celles qui ont besoin d’aide avant de se lancer dans cette activité/tâche, ils/elles peuvent s’adresser au CENFACS.

Pour toute autre question ou demande de renseignements sur le projet ‘t‘ et la dédicace de cette année, veuillez également contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• Sustainable Development Month with the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

The following contents make up the Main Development of this post:

σ Key Terms

σ The Links between the Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty Reduction, between the Lack of Access to Basic Services and Poverty Reduction, between Landlessness and Poverty Reduction

σ Advocacy for Equal Rights, Access to Services and Lands to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

σ Working with the Community Members on the Reduction of Unequal Rights, the Lack of Access to Services and Landlessness to Empower Them

σ February 2024 Working Plan on the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

σ First Wednesday (07/02/2024), In Focus: Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty Reduction.

Let us gives some highlights about each of these contents.

• • Key Terms

There are five terms that we would like to highlight, which are unequal rights, economic resources, accessibility, landlessness, and poverty reduction.

Let us briefly explain each of them.

• • • Unequal rights

Let us first explain rights, then unequal rights.

To explain rights, we are going to refer to the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (11). On the page 463 of this dictionary, it is said that

“Rights are legal or moral recognition of choices or interests to which particular weight is attached”.

On the pages 463 and 464, it is also stated that

“There are two principal theories seeking to explain what it is to have rights and the purpose of ascribing them to individuals. On the first view, a person who possesses a right has a privileged choice…On the alternative view, rights give expression to important interests, and it is the purpose of rights to protect a person’s significant interests by imposing duties on others”.

Furthermore, the rights we are talking about are human ones. According to the ‘un.org’ (12),

“Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status”.

However, rights can be unequal or not equal in quantity, value, or rank. When rights are unequal, this can be a matter of discussion in terms of how different people or communities are impacted by these unequal rights. This concerns as well the impacts of crises.

For example, the coronavirus had asymmetrical distributional impacts between different groups or sections of the population. These impacts could have been reinforced by unequal rights.

• • • Economic resources

To explain economic resources, one may need to know what is resource. In the Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation written by Chris Park (13), resource is defined as

“Any available supply of something that is valued because it can be used for a particular purpose, usually to satisfy particular human wants or desires”. (pp. 380 & 381)

Resources can be economic, environmental, financial, social, etc. When they are economic, they are also called factors of production. Factors of production are defined by Christopher Pass et al. (14) as

“The resources that are used by firms as factor inputs in producing a good or service. There are three main groups of factor inputs: natural resources, labour and capital” (p. 186)

Although this definition speaks about firms, it can be extended to other organisations like households.

There are other classifications which range economic resources in four categories: land, labour, capital and technology.

What is at stake here is to have equal rights to economic resources. In order for poor and vulnerable households to reduce or end poverty, they need to have equal rights to these economic resources. Yet, in reality it seems no always the case.

• • • Accessibility

The website ‘accesstoservices.info’ (op. cit.) explains that

“A combined approach is needed to ensure that all of the barriers to access are overcome. Good planning of accessibility checks that everyone has the ability to reach the services and closes all identified gaps”.

From this perspective, accessibility can be measured by travel time to the nearest location of a service. Auditing accessibility can enable to know if poverty is caused by inaccessibility to basic services or not. If it is caused by inaccessibility, efforts can be deployed to reduce or end this inaccessibility.

• • • Landlessness

We can add from the definition we have already provided above the following one given in the ‘dictionary.cambridge.org’ (15)

“Landless is an adjective that refers to people who do not own any land for farming or who are prevented from owning the land they farm by the economic system or by rich people who own a lot of land”.

This term and definition will be used during this month to approach poverty linked to landlessness and how to reduce this type of poverty if one wants the Goal 1 of No Poverty to come true reality for the landless people. Additionally, we will be working on both land ownership and control in relation to poverty reduction.

• • • Poverty reduction

To understand poverty reduction, one needs to know what is poverty. Referring to the Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation written by Chris Park (op. cit.), poverty is defined there as

“The state of having little or no money and few or no material possessions” (p. 353)

Knowing what poverty is about, it is possible to explain poverty reduction. Poverty reduction is therefore 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 states that these measures do not apply to voluntary poverty.

To cut the matter short on poverty reduction, let us recall the view of Owen Barder (17), who concluded his paper on this issue in those terms:

“There is a compelling ethical case for a global system of social justice and protection of minimum standards of human welfare that provides long-term redistributional transfers of resources to the world’s poor, even if there is no expectation that these transfers will accelerate economic development, to enable the citizens of a country to live better lives while the process of development takes its course” (p. 18)

So, the above five key terms will help to shape and deal with the theme of our Sustainable Development Month; theme which is the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable Households.

• • The Links between the Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty Reduction, between the Reduction of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and Poverty Reduction, between the Reduction of Landlessness and Poverty Reduction

There is a number of links we are dealing with during this month of sustainable development, in particular the three links below.

• • • Link between the Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty Reduction

There could be connections between the reduction of unequal rights and poverty reduction. In other words, people can use human rights (both fundamental values and specific rights) to combat poverty.

For example, people can hold accountable for poverty their authorities or leaders, organise into groups or alliances to fight poverty, and challenge the myth or stereotypes of the poor using human rights approach.

If they manage to overturn unequal rights, this could help reduce the type of poverty they are experiencing. If unequal rights are changed into equal ones and their reinforcement is effective, then poverty reduction can take place.

More on this link can be found in the report written by Alice Donald and Elizabeth Mottershaw (18); report in which the two authors argue that people can use human rights to reframe poverty, to mobilise communities and build alliances, hold governments to account, participate in decision-making processes and systems, etc.

• • • Link between the Reduction of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and Poverty Reduction

To explain this link, one may need to understand basic services. Shrestha, M. (19) provides this understanding by arguing that

“Basic services are the provision of fundamental needs such as water, food, electricity and energy, shelter, sanitation and health, and education to improve people’s live”.

Shrestha also points out that

“Poverty and well-being are reflected by the lack of fulfilment of basic facilities like education, health, water, and energy supply”.

For example, Omar and Inaba (20) found in their study that financial inclusion as a basic service has significantly reduced poverty rates and income inequality in developing countries. These findings were in favour of further promoting access to and usage of formal financial services by marginalised segments of the population in order to maximise society’s overall welfare.

• • • Link between the Reduction of Landlessness and Poverty Reduction

There could be association between the reduction of landlessness and poverty reduction.

For example, Barbier and Hochard (21) studied the interaction between land degradation and poverty. They found that

“Over 2000-2010, the rural poor on degrading agricultural land increased in low-income countries and in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This degradation threatens the livelihoods of the poor”.

One thing is to argue about the above-mentioned links. Another is about advocating to reduce or end the types of poverty expressed through these links.

• • Advocacy for Equal Rights, Access to Services and Lands to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

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 the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness can materialise to Empower Them.

Our Advocacy for the Month of Sustainable Development will cover three areas as follows:

a) Equal Rights

b) Better Access to Basic Services

c) Lands and/or Properties to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable Households.

More details about these three types of advocacy work can be requested from CENFACS.

• • Working with the Community Members on the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower Them

Beyond the above-mentioned advocacy work, CENFACS is going to engage the community members or households interested in the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable, during this month of February 2024.

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 Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable.

• • February 2024 Working Plan on the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable

From every Wednesday of this month, we will be dealing with the following:

Each of the notes or sub-themes will be treated in relation of poverty reduction.

• • First Wednesday (07/02/2024), In Focus: Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty Reduction

• • • What this focus is about

It is about speaking on behalf and with the community about our understanding of the connections between the realisation of human rights and inequality. Growing inequality can threaten and even destroy basic rights for the poor and the vulnerable who need empowerment.

• • • How CENFACS can work with those in need of the Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty

Working with the community on this matter means the following:

√ Supporting the community to fully realise their rights, consistent with the principles of non-discrimination and equality

√ Operating within the human rights framework by assisting them to have equal opportunity to claim their rights

√ Applying human rights principles to all persons and members of our community

√ Finding substantive equality to reduce poverty amongst them

√ Pointing out structural sources of inequality and indirect forms of discrimination

√ Ensuring that outcomes and results in equality translate into the reduction or end of poverty

etc.

For those members of our community who may be interested in matter relating to the Reduction of Unequal Rights and Poverty, they are free to contact CENFACS.

For any queries or enquiries about Sustainable Development Month and the Reduction of Unequal Rights, of the Lack of Access to Basic Services and of Landlessness to Empower the Poor and Vulnerable, please also contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in February 2024)

(2) https://legaldictionary.net/inequality/ (accessed in February 2024)

(3) https://www.openglobalrights.org/how-inequality-threatens-all-humans-rights/ (accessed in February 2024)

(4) https://accesseoservices.info (accessed in February 2024)

(5) encyclopedia.uia.org/en/problem/136971 (accessed in February 2024)

(6) https://www.cbd.int/article/cop15-cbd-press-release-final-19dec2022

(7) https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/how-to-get-out-of-crisis (accessed in February 2024)

(8) https://www.uml.edu/Research/Lowell-Centre/About/Sustainable-Production-Defined.aspx# (accessed in February 2024)

(9) https://images.template.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/27122541/Fundraising-Strategy-Template.pdf (accessed in February 2024)

(10) https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/moneymatters/budgeting/ (accessed in February 2024)

(11) The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Politics (2009), McLean, I. & McMillan, A. (eds.), 3rd Edition, Oxford University Press, New York

(12) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/landless (accessed in February 2024)

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

(14) Pass, C., Lowes, B. & Davies, L. (1988), Collins Dictionary of Economics, HarperCollins Publishers

(15) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/landless (accessed in February 2024)

(16) https://www.definitions.net/definition/Poverty%20reduction (Accessed in January 2023)

(17) Barder, O. (2009), What is Poverty Reduction?, Working Paper Number 170, Centre for Global Development, https://www.cgdev.org/sites/default/files/1421599_file_Barder_Poverty_Reduction.pdf (accessed in February 2024)

(18) Donald, A. & Mottershaw, E. (2009), Poverty, Inequality and Human Rights, https://www.jrf.org.uk/poverty-inequality-and-human-rights (accessed in February 2024)

(19) Shrestha, M. (2021), Access to Basic Services and Its Linkage with Ending Poverty. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Özuyar, P. G., Wall, T. (eds) No Poverty. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69625-6_1-1 (accessed in February 2024)

(20) Omar, M.A. & Inaba, K., Does financial inclusion reduce poverty and income inequality in developing countries? A panel data analysis, Economic Structures 9,37 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s 40008-020-00214-4 (accessed in February 2024)

(21) Barbier, E.B., and Hochard, J.P. (2018), Land degradation and poverty. Nat Sustain 1, 623-631, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0155-4 (accessed in February 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

Halving Poverty for and with Street and Homeless Children in Africa

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 31, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

31 January 2024

Post No. 337

The Week’s Contents

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with Street and Homeless Children in Africa

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 4 (31/01/2024 to 06/02/2024)

• Joy of Giving 2024

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with Street and Homeless Children in Africa

This is a standalone appeal, which is about humanitarianly responding to the request of unsheltered children in Africa. The appeal continues our help to reduce poverty by allocating power on home and land to those who would like to become private home and land owners in Africa. In the context of this appeal, we are particularly working on the conditions of children in Africa who do not have access to healthy shelter, and how they can be assisted to achieve this access to halve their number.

These children, who come from various backgrounds, try to find opportunities that are available on the streets. They could be children victims of a dysfunctional family, the result of culture, affected by domestic violence, the product of poverty, urban migrant, the displaced by wars or natural disasters in Africa.

They live and work on the streets as they try to pick up any opportunities available on the streets. These opportunities are generally menial jobs like sale of small goods, car washing, shoe cleaning and polishing, including crimes to survive.

Some of them are homeless as well. There are children who are or become homeless for various reasons including wars, civil insecurity and natural disasters. Many of them end up being internally displaced.

All these children, who are under the age of 18, need support.

You can help reduce or halve the number of street and homeless 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.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme or Scheme: Activity 4 (31/01/2024 to 06/02/2024)

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 31 January to 06 February 2024, have been highlighted below.

• • 31 January to 06 February 2024: 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.

• • 31 January to 06 February 2024: 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.

• Joy of Giving 2024

Today 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 unites 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, the inspirations you brought to others in giving.

The Joy-of-Giving Days 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. Through your sharing stories of 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 today.

Extra Messages

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024, Closes 31 January 2024

• Poverty Reduction Show in 2024

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses Nurturing a High Sense of Poverty Reduction in Africa

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024, Closes 31 January 2024

Our Season of Giving through the Gifts of Peace for Edition 2023-2024 has not yet finished. However, the Gifts-of-Peace Campaign is ending today 31 January 2024. We are making a plea to those who have not yet managed to support them to do it now.

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 today 31 January 2024, we will still accept any donations made after this deadline to enable those who will not be in a position to donate by today’s 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 of hard landing in boost after the high inflation period and economic growth is very low, which both complicate 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!

• Poverty Reduction Show in 2024

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.

This 2024, 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.

Poverty reduction show 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.

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 Nurturing a High Sense of Poverty Reduction in Africa

Generally speaking, most sensible Africans would like to see a reduction or better an end of poverty in Africa. However, being sensible to see better change does not always mean things will happen in the way one feels or perceives them. Things can only move in that the people’s direction if people develop a sense of achieving them. Because of that it makes sense to discuss ways of keeping a High Sense so that poverty reduction keeps occurring in Africa until poverty ends.

To keep poverty reduction continuous, one may need to have a high sense of perception. But, what is a high sense of perception?

The website ‘spiritofchange.org’ (2) explains that

“High Sense of Perception is perception that extends beyond the range of what is considered to be normal perception”.

The same website adds that

“High Sense of Perception requires that you run energy consciousness through your brain differently than you are accustomed… High Sense of Perception is a dance between the active and receptive states of mind”.

So, to realise more results on poverty reduction, one may need to nurture a high sense of perception.

From the above-mentioned definition and its additions, we are discussing the extent to which Africans can nurture a high sense of poverty reduction in whatever they do and positions of responsibilities and capacities they hold. In this discussion, we are recalling the following:

σ the theories of sense and their applicability in the field of poverty reduction and economic development

σ the methodology to follow in order to develop a suitable sense of poverty reduction

σ the relationships between a high sense in the conduct of private/community affairs and poverty reduction (or sustainable development).

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)

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne ‘Nourrir un sens élevé de la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique’

D’une manière générale, la plupart des Africains sensés aimeraient voir une réduction ou mieux une fin de la pauvreté en Afrique. Cependant, le fait d’être sensible à un meilleur changement ne signifie pas toujours que les choses se passent de la manière dont on les ressent ou les perçoit. Les choses ne peuvent aller dans cette direction que si les gens développent le sentiment de les réaliser. Pour cette raison, il est logique de discuter des moyens de garder un sens élevé afin que la réduction de la pauvreté continue de se produire en Afrique.

Pour que la réduction de la pauvreté se poursuive, il peut être nécessaire d’avoir un sens élevé de la perception. Mais qu’est-ce qu’un sens élevé de la perception?

Le site web « spiritofchange.org » (2) explique que

«Le sens élevé de la perception est une perception qui s’étend au-delà de ce qui est considéré comme une perception normale».

Le même site Web ajoute que

«Un sens élevé de la perception exige que vous fassiez passer la conscience de l’énergie à travers votre cerveau différemment de ce à quoi vous êtes habitué… Un sens élevé de la perception est une danse entre les états d’esprit actif et réceptif».

Ainsi, pour parvenir à réduire la pauvreté, il peut être nécessaire de cultiver un sens élevé de la perception.

À partir de la définition mentionnée ci-dessus et de ses ajouts, nous discutons de la mesure dans laquelle les Africains peuvent nourrir un sentiment élevé de réduction de la pauvreté dans tout ce qu’ils font et des postes de responsabilités et de capacités qu’ils occupent. Dans cette discussion, nous rappelons ce qui suit:

σ les théories du sens et leur applicabilité dans le domaine de la réduction de la pauvreté et du développement économique

σ la méthodologie à suivre pour développer un sens adéquat de la réduction de la pauvreté

σ les relations entre un sens élevé dans la conduite des affaires privées/communautaires et la réduction de la pauvreté (ou développement durable).

Les personnes susceptibles d’être intéressées par cette discussion peuvent y participer et/ou y contribuer en contactant le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS, qui est un lieu de discussion sur les questions et les thèmes de la réduction de la pauvreté et du 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. Ils peuvent nous contacter à notre adresse habituelle sur ce site.

Main Development

• Halving ~~Poverty~~ for and with Street and Homeless Children in Africa

This appeal includes two items:

a) Appeal summaries

b) How to donate.

• • Appeal Summaries

The following summarises the data, needs, request, use, beneficiaries and outcomes that briefly make the case for halving ~~poverty~~ for and with street and homeless children in Africa.

• • • The data

Although there are estimates in terms of the number of street and homeless children in Africa, 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 they are dealing with.

• • • • Estimated number of street children in Africa

Different organisations working on street children matter provide their numbers according to the places of their interest.

The website ‘futureofafrica.org’ (3) states that

“There are 30 million children living in street situations in Africa, according to a 2011 ILO-UNICEF joint estimate”.

Likewise, the website ‘africanews.com’ (4) indicates that

“There is an estimate of 20,000 homeless children in Kinshasa’s streets“.

In October 2023, ‘agenziafides.org’ (5) aired that 15,000 children were living on the streets in Malawi.

The above figures are just a few of examples of data about children being in street situations in Africa. However, if one considers the all Africa this number could be huge as the joint estimate by ILO-UNICEF pointed out.

• • • • Estimated number of homeless children in Africa

The United Nations Children’s Fund (6) provides children statistics which show that in 2021 there were 14,000,000 internally displaced persons under the age of 18 in Sub-Saharan Africa, because of conflict and violence.

Obviously, these persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or leave their homes or places of habitual residence were homeless and needed healthy shelter. Many of them are still homeless as we make this appeal.

Furthermore, the website ‘worldpopulationreview.com’ (7) indicates that the 10 top African countries with the highest homelessness rates in 2023 were the following countries with their respective numbers of homeless persons: Nigeria (24,400,000), Egypt (12,000,000), DR Congo (5,332,000), Somalia (2,968,000), Sudan (2,730,000), Ethiopia (2,693,000), South Sudan (1,542,000), Cameroon (1,033,000), Mozambique (769,000) and Burkina Faso (700,000).

Amongst these homeless persons, there are those under the age of 18. For example, according to ‘goalglobal.org’ (8),

“In Ethiopia, it is currently estimated that up to 600,000 children and youth are homeless because of severe poverty, unemployment, and family related challenges in July 2023″.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned street and homeless are desperately looking for their humanitarian needs of survival and shelter to be met.

Without confusing child streetism and child homelessness, there are cases where the same children are both homeless and in street situations.

• • • The Needs

The needs for emergency life-saving support are 24 times more than average in Africa where the livelihoods of unsheltered children are severely affected. These children need your life-saving and humanitarian help to meet their life-surviving need of shelter.

• • • 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 unsheltered children are facing, especially for problems that are man-made.

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 Street and Homeless Children in Africa.

• • • The Use

Your gift of Positive Influence or Money will help to address the plight of street and homeless children as follows:

√ to address the problem of street and homeless children, which sometimes get ignored

√ to stop parents who are sending their children to the streets to beg, steal or engage in petty trade

√ to turn and keep schools as a place of learning and education, not centres of violence and crime

√ to support street and homeless children to go back to school instead of working or looking for food to support their families

√ to incentivize parents to send their children to school

√ to enhance social protection of these children

√ to cut the number of street and homeless children

√ 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…

σ the victims of a dysfunctional family

σ affected by domestic violence or escaping violence to live on the streets

σ who are on the streets or homeless because disaster-related and conflict-driven causes

σ in street situations because of poverty

σ urban migrant in street situations

σ destitute on the streets

σ unsurprised living alone in urban streets

σ street children as a result of breaking up of family structures

σ generational street children

σ homeless because of economic hardships, natural disasters and other social factors

σ living in makeshift shelters or overcrowded/displacement sites

σ sheltering in displacement camps

etc.

In short, the beneficiaries will be children in street situations, that is children who spend the majority of their time on the streets, either living there or for their livelihoods with or without family. They include the four categories of street children (child of the street, child on the street, part of a street family and in institutionalised care) as defined by USAID (9).

• • • The Outcomes

With the influencing support or money donated, the following changes will be expected:

√ Reduction in the number of street children

√ Cut in numbers of homeless children

√ Better food supplements for children’s well-being and welfare

√ Reduction of malnutrition for these children

√ Increase in the number of street and homeless children returning to education

√ Rise in the number of rescued children from the streets

√ More and better access to healthy shelter for street and homeless children

√ More happy and healthy sheltered 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 unsheltered 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 streetism and homelessness in order to create lasting favourable healthy shelter conditions for these unsheltered children.

Please also let CENFACS know about your influencing work or contribution you are or will be making and its outcome on behalf of the street and homeless children of 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 Street and Homeless Children in Africa (SHCA).

• • • • Making a Pledge

You can make a pledge of £5 or any amount more than £5 to support SHCA.

• • • • Making a Gift Aid Declaration

You can make a gift aid declaration to support SHCA.

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 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.

SHCA will be very grateful if you could donate to their noble cause of accessing healthy shelter. Your support will halve the number of SHCA who do not have a healthy sheltered 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 children in pressing needs of survival and of coping with both child streetism and homelessness.

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 street and homeless children in Africa.

_________

• References

(1) https://wiserwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/seven-decisions-english (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://www.spiritofchange.org/practical-high-sense-perception/ (accessed in January 2024)

(3) https://www.futureofafrica.org/site/future-of-african-mission (accessed in January 2024)

(4) https://www.africanews.com/2023/06/08/music-offers-hope-for-kinshasa-street-children/ (accessed in January 2024)

(5) https://www.agenziafides.org/en/news/74286-AFRICA_MALAWI_The_plight_of_Malawi’s_15,000_children (accessed in January 2024)

(6) United Nations Children’s Fund (2023), The State of the World’s Children 2023. For every child vaccination, UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, Florence, April 023

(7) https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rakings/homeless-by-country (accessed in January 2024)

(8) https://www.goalglobal.org/stories/18,000-street-children-in-ethiopia (accessed in January 2024)

(9) yapi.org/childrens-rights/street-children/ (accessed in January 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 24, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

24 January 2024

Post No. 336

The Week’s Contents

• Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project

• Halving Children ~~Poverty~~ in the G5 Sahel

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 3 (24 to 30/01/2024)

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project or Project of Becoming Homeowners with Land Security in Africa

Our work with people in need, who would like to become private homeowners with secure land tenure, continues as we unveil the proposals for Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project (PHSLTP) or the Project of Becoming Homeowners with Land Security in Africa (PBHLSA).

PHSLTP or PBHLSA is an initiative that helps to reduce poverty by allocating power on home and land to those who would like to become private home and land owners in Africa. Through this project, CENFACS will work with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, particularly those engaged in matters such as homeownership counselling, women and lands, financial mechanisms or tools relating to homeownership and land tenure, etc.

PHSLTP or PBHLSA will help beneficiaries to transition out poverty linked to the lack of homeownership and land insecurity. The project hopes to improve health, hygiene, and educational opportunities while ensuring access to clean water, safe toilet, sustainable electricity, and respite from heat and disease-spreading insects. It is also expected that the project will enhance the relationships these poor people have with land and land-based resources.

To extract more insights into PHSLTP or PBHLSA and its related proposals, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

• Halving Children ~~Poverty~~ in the G5 Sahel

Support the Severely Food Insecure Children in The G5 Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger)

This appeal, which is part of CENFACS Light Campaign, is a humanitarian response to the ask for support on the life-saving and -sustaining needs of the G5 Sahel’s children, who are severely experiencing food insecurity.

As the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (1) explains “food insecurity is a situation that exists when people lack secure access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life” (p. 119)

Yet, the lack of food security continues to be an alarming issue for the children of G5 Sahel. The World Food Programme (2) found that

“In the year up to the end of October 2023, 1.9 million children under five years were admitted for treatment of severe wasting across nine Sahel countries representing a 20 percent increase as compared to the same period in 2022″.

Countries of the G5 Sahel are included in this figure.

The same World Food Programme (3) explained in 2023 that

“In the Sahel, in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, the estimated number of children affected by acute malnutrition reached 6.3 million children this year [2023], compared to 3.8 million in 2019″ (p. 10)

The children of this group of five countries are suffering from fragile food systems. Amongst these children, there are those age between 6 and 23 months, who are not consuming the minimum number of food groups they need for optimal growth and development.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (4),

“The percentages of children of age between 6 and 23 months consuming at least 5 food groups (minimum dietary diversity) were 36% for Burkina Faso, 23% for Chad, 26% for Mali, 20% for Mauritania and 17% for Niger”.

These children cannot continue to experience this sort of life-threatening and destroying situation. All children no matter who they are, they should not experience severe food insecurity.

It is possible to end food insecurity for the children of G5 Sahel.

To help end food insecurity experienced by the G5 Sahel’s children, we are asking you to back them through this appeal.

You can help…

~ prevent child malnutrition happening in the G5 Sahel

~ children survive and live healthy and productive lives with dignity

~ avoid these children to reach or be in the most severe phase of food insecurity and a complete lack of access to food and other basic needs, phase 5 of food insecurity whereby a famine is declared.

You can help halve poverty for the children of G5 Sahel. You can support to halve the number of poor children in the G5 Sahel.

You can donate now £5 or more since the needs are urgent and pressing. Through this appeal and your support, CENFACS aims to reach these children with food security.

These children need your life-saving humanitarian response right now.

To donate, please get in touch with CENFACS.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme: Activity 3 (24 to 30/01/2024)

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 24 to 30 January 2024, have been highlighted below.

• • 24 to 30 January 2024: 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 (5). 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.

• • 24 to 30 January 2024: 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’ (6) 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 chose. 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 additions, 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 2024.

Extra Messages

• 2024 Donor and Stewardship Development Programme

• 2024 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 2024

• 2024 Donor and Stewardship Development Programme

The 2024 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 Development Plan

Under this plan, donors can build quality donor-relations with CENFACS.

In this Year of Transitions out Poverty 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

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 Programme

Under this programme, you can help us in the following:

σ Steward donors

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

σ Enable access to and use of donor stewardship tools.

• • Donor Development Products on Offer in 2024

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 and a product booster.

• • • 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’ Supporter in a CENFACS’ Year of Transitions.

Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Year of Transitions to win the same status and continue CENFACS’ legacy.

• • • Want to provide Great Relief as a 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 cost-of-living crisis, we need those who can provide that sort of relief to keep our action going and out of the disruption caused by the cost-of-living crisis.

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 cost-of-living crisis.

For those 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

For further details about boosting your support or stewardship, please contact CENFACS.

• 2024 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 2024 Edition of All Year-round Projects starts this 24 January 2024.

You can Run or Organise a Run Activity to Reduce Poverty in 2024.

You can Play the CENFACS League for Poverty Relief.

You can Vote your 2024 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 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

For example, 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, 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. Like for Run activity, you must include health and safety measures and guidance.

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 24 People to Watch throughout the year. One or two of them will be potentially the best managers of 2024. 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.

While you are running or organising a run activity, playing the CENFACS’ League and voting your Manager of the Year 2024; 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. The end product of your share will be a kind of Action-Results Report 2024.

• • 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 2024 which will best reduce poverty

√ The Best African Global Games Runners of 2024

√ The Best African Development Managers of 2024.

The deadline to tell us your bests or stars is 23 December 2024.

As we progress throughout the year, further information and support (in the form of workshop, discussion, questionnaire, questions-answers, focus group, 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, please contact CENFACS.

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum Discuses Poverty Reduction in Africa in 2024

How Africa’s Charitable Organisations Can Use the Tremendous Opportunities They Have to Further Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2024

In our last week’s post, we highlighted a number of opportunities that Africa may have in 2024. Amongst these opportunities, one can include the following:

Africa will be the second fastest-growing regional economy in the world at 4 per cent in 2024; 2024 as the first full year of operation of upgraded Lobito Corridor in Angola; 2024 is another democratic transitions year; the launch of Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, 2024 will be a year of permanent seat at G20 (Group of 20); demographic transitions in Africa, etc.

On the side of challenges, we mentioned that Africa could face many challenges in 2024 like the ones listed below:

increase food insecurity; debt distress; a year of prolonged conflicts, poor rule of law, human rights abuses, discrimination, exclusion and unemployment, and resurgence of resource nationalism.

There is an additional challenge, which is extreme poverty. Regarding poverty in Africa, ‘worldpopulationreview.com’ (7) argues, in its ranking of the poorest countries in Africa in 2024, that

“Africa is the poorest continent with 22 of the 26 low-income economies as per the World Bank”.

The ‘worldpopulationreview.com’ also adds that

“The 10 poorest countries in Africa (by 2020 Gross Domestic Product per capita, purchasing power parity, current int. $) are Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Mozambique, Niger, Liberia, Chad, Malawi and Madagascar”.

Likewise, the website ‘statista.com’ (8) states that

“In 2022, around 431 million people in Africa were living in extreme poverty with the poverty threshold at 1.90 US dollars a day”.

In this first discussion of our forum, we are debating how Africa’s charitable organisations 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 2024 so that 2024 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 2024. CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum would like to hear your views or opinions on the above-mentioned discussion. CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum would like to know what you think given that the World Bank (9) made a mixed statement about Sub-Saharan Africa in its Global Economic Prospects 2024; statement which is:

“Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to rebound to 3.8 percent in 2024 and 4.1 percent in 2025 as country-specific factors that have temporarily weighed on growth, including reduced fiscal support and metal-exporting economies’ adjusting to lower prices, gradually ease… Despite the projected pickup in growth, increases in per capita incomes will remain inadequate to enable the region’s economies make significant progress in reducing extreme poverty” (p. 87)

Message in French (Message en français)

• Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS discute en ligne de la réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique en 2024

Comment les organisations caritatives africaines peuvent-elles tirer parti des formidables opportunités et débouchés qui s’offrent à elles pour réduire davantage la pauvreté en Afrique en 2024?

Dans notre article de la semaine dernière, nous avons mis en évidence un certain nombre d’opportunités et débouchés que l’Afrique pourrait avoir en 2024. Parmi ces opportunités, on peut citer les suivantes:

~ L’Afrique sera la deuxième économie régionale à la croissance la plus rapide au monde avec environ 4 % en 2024

~ 2024 sera la première année complète d’exploitation du corridor Lobito amélioré en Angola

~ 2024 est une autre année de transitions démocratiques

~ le lancement du système panafricain de paiement et de règlement

~ 2024 sera pour l’Afrique une année de siège permanent au G20 (Groupe des 20)

~ les transitions démographiques en Afrique, etc.

Du côté des défis, nous avons mentionné que l’Afrique pourrait faire face à de nombreux défis en 2024 comme ceux énumérés ci-dessous:

l’accroîssement de l’insécurité alimentaire; le surendettement; une année de conflits prolongés, d’état de droit médiocre, de violations des droits de l’homme, de discrimination, d’exclusion et de chômage, et de résurgence du nationalisme des ressources.

Il y a un défi supplémentaire, qui est l’extrême pauvreté. S’agissant de la pauvreté en Afrique, « worldpopulationreview.com » (7) affirme, dans son classement des pays les plus pauvres d’Afrique en 2024, que

« L’Afrique est le continent le plus pauvre avec 22 des 26 économies à faible revenu selon la Banque mondiale ».

Le ‘worldpopulationreview.com’ ajoute également que

« Les 10 pays les plus pauvres d’Afrique (par rapport au 2020 Produit intérieur brut par habitant, parité de pouvoir d’achat, $ int. courant) sont le Burundi, la République Centrafricaine, la République Démocratique du Congo, la Somalie, le Mozambique, le Niger, le Libéria, le Tchad, le Malawi et Madagascar ».

De même, le site web « statista.com » (8) indique que

« En 2022, environ 431 millions de personnes en Afrique vivaient dans l’extrême pauvreté avec un seuil de pauvreté de 1,90 dollar par jour ».

Dans cette première discussion de notre forum, nous debatons la manière dont les organisations caritatives africaines peuvent transformer les défis auxquels l’Afrique est confrontée en opportunités pour atteindre un grand nombre de cibles dans la réduction de la pauvreté. Le débat tourne également autour de ce que ces organisations peuvent faire pour tirer parti de cet éventail d’opportunités de 2024 afin que 2024 puisse rester dans les mémoires comme une année post-pandémique de résultats vraiment excellents en termes de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable.

Ce qui précède constitue le cadre de référence de notre première discussion de 2024. Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS aimerait connaître votre point de vue ou vos opinions sur la discussion mentionnée ci-dessus. Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS aimerait savoir ce que vous en pensez étant donné que la Banque mondiale (7) a fait un bilan mitigé sur l’Afrique subsaharienne dans ses Perspectives Economiques Mondiales 2024; qui est:

« La croissance en Afrique subsaharienne devrait rebondir à 3,8 % en 2024 et à 4,1 % en 2025, à mesure que les facteurs propres à certains pays qui ont temporairement pesé sur la croissance, notamment la réduction des mesures de soutien budgétaire et l’ajustement des économies exportatrices de métaux à la baisse des prix, s’atténueront progressivement… Malgré l’accélération prévue de la croissance, l’augmentation des revenus par habitant restera insuffisante pour permettre aux économies de la région de faire des progrès significatifs dans la réduction de l’extrême pauvreté » (p. 87)

Les personnes susceptibles d’être intéressées par cette discussion peuvent y participer et/ou y contribuer en contactant le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS, qui est un lieu de discussion sur les questions et les thèmes de la réduction de la pauvreté et du 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. Ils peuvent nous contacter à notre adresse habituelle sur ce site.

Main Development

• Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project or Project of Becoming Homeowners with Land Security in Africa

The following items provide the key information about Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project (PHSLTP) or Project of Becoming Homeowners with Land Security in Africa (PBHLSA):

σ Definition of PHSLTP/PBHLSA

σ The Aim of PHSLTP/PBHLSA

σ PHSLTP/PBHLSA Beneficiaries

σ Outcomes

σ PHSLTP/PBHLSA Indicators

σ Project Funding Status

σ Impact Monitoring and Evaluation.

Let us summarise each of these items.

• • Definition of PHSLTP/PBHLSA

PHSLTP or PBHLSA is an initiative that helps to reduce poverty by allocating power on home and land to those who would like to become private home and land owners in Africa. Through this project, CENFACS will work with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, particularly those engaged in maters such as homeownership counselling, women and lands, financial mechanisms or tools relating to homeownership and land tenure, etc.

The project will use a rights-based approach in order to respond to the needs of poverty reduction from poor and vulnerable people in Africa in terms of equal rights to economic resources, access to basic services, ownership and control over properties and land.

• • The Aim of PHSLTP/PBHLSA

The main aim of this project is to help reduce poverty linked to the lack of access to sustainable homes and lands for those poor people who would like to become homeowners and/or land owners in Africa. This aim will be achieved by working with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations specialised in homeownership, land ownership, rights to land, women and gender matters.

Through this project, there will be the delivery of services such as homeownership counselling, financial advice and guidance relating to access to sustainable homes and properties, signposting to organisations and institutions dealing with homeownership and land ownership finance for the needy, etc. These services are designed to respond to the needs of poverty reduction in matters surrounding homeownership and land ownership for project beneficiaries.

• • PHSLTP/PBHLSA Beneficiaries

Amongst the types of people in need who could benefit from PHSLTP/PBHLSA, as defined above, are

√ Those who would like to become sustainable homeowners

√ Those who do not have their land rights recognised

√ Those with insecure land rights

√ The excluded vulnerable groups such as women, indigenous people and the poor

√ Those who need help with homeownership counselling services

√ Those who are looking for microfinance to access homeownership

√ Informal sector workers like traders, workers and craftsmen

√ Those in need of access to credit and skills to become homeowner and/or land owner

√ Poor and vulnerable home owners

etc.

Most of the above-mentioned types of beneficiaries will need some form of support in terms of guidance on how they can access homeownership and /or land ownership. For those who are already homeowners and/or land owners but they are poor, they may also require guidance on how they can improve their conditions.

• • Outcomes

After the implementation of PHSLTP/PBHLSA, it is expected that the following will be achieved:

√ Reduction in the number of those without access to homeownership or land ownership

√ Improvement in the capital appreciation of land for customary system users

√ Enhancement of the relations between humans and land, between humans and land-based resources

√ Improvement in secure tenure rights to land and property

√ Progress in women’s status and voice on homeownership and land issues

√ Decrease in the number of those without sustainable homes

√ Potential homeowners and land owners will become better informed and guided on sustainable homes

√ Betterment of land perceptions 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

By using PHSLTP/PBHLSA, project beneficiaries will

√ be aware about their land tenure rights and obligations

√ avoid or reduce poverty linked to the lack of access to homeownership and land ownership

√ improve their well-being through homeownership and/or landownership

√ increase their voice on land tenure security. especially for women and other vulnerable groups

√ make responsible decisions in terms of homeownership schemes or plans or even choices

√ improve their aspiration and motivation about homeownership and/or landownership

√ ameliorate their confidence, trust and self-esteem regarding homeownership and/or landownership services and products offered to them

√ build or develop their homeownership capacity and capability skills

√ enhance their land owner skills and knowledge

√ reform relationships between project beneficiaries and lands, between project beneficiaries and land-based resources

√ boost people’s perception, competence, knowledge and capability about land ownership matters

etc.

Briefly, project beneficiaries will improve their access to homeownership and land ownership.

• • • Outcomes in Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs)

Work undertaken by ASCOs to help reduce poverty linked to the lack of access to homeownership and landownership will lead to:

√ adaptation of local needs and the needs of beneficiaries in their delivery of homeownership and land ownership service

√ generating better local insights and capacities to create solutions to poverty linked to poor or the lack of homeownership and land ownership

√ reduction in the risk in financing homeownership and land ownership projects and programmes for the locals and local needs

√ assisting in the innovation of solutions to poverty for the needy of access to homeownership and land ownership

√ knowledge of financial risk transfer mechanisms between generations (for instance, the transfer of poverty between generations via homeownership and landownership)

√ capturing metrics relating to poverty and way of improving these metrics

√ increasing financial development in the area of homeownership and land ownership support for the needy within beneficiaries’ community

√ reducing economic deprivation linked to poor or the lack of homeownership and land ownership

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.

• • PHSLTP/PBHLSA Indicators

The measures below will help find out whether or not the project will reach its desired objectives and progress towards meeting its defined aim:

√ the number of poor people who will be supported by this project

√ the number of poor people who will have a good perception of the security of property rights

√ the reduction in the number of poor homeowners and land owners

√ the number of the locals who will become homeowners and/or land owners

√ the number/percentage of women with secure land tenure

√ the proportion of project beneficiaries with secure tenure rights to land

√ the number of homeowners and land owners living above the poverty line

√ the number of people whose well-being will improve as they become homeowners and/or land owners

√ the number of surveyed poor people who are happy (optimistic) or unhappy (pessimistic) to PHSLTP/PBHLSA support provided or offered to them

√ the number of poor people who will be far, on the average, from poverty line as a result of the implementation of PHSLTP/PBHLSA

etc.

To sum up, PHSLTP/PBHLSA is project that will help to reduce poverty linked to the lack of access to private homeownership and secure land tenure by poor Africans. The project will contribute to the building of good relationships between beneficiaries and lands, between beneficiaries and land-based resources. It will help locals to access low-cost housing and land opportunities while fighting poverty through homeownership and land ownership accesses.

• • 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.

• • Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

As part of impact monitoring, there will be routine and systematic gathering of information on all aspects of the project. In other words, we will systematically collect and analyse information to keep regular checks and balances on the project.

Likewise, we shall assess what the project will achieve in relation to its main aim. 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 relief as far as poverty reduction is concerned.

In proceeding in this manner, we will be able to measure the impact or at least the outcomes from this project.

The full project proposals including budget are available on request.

To support or contribute to this project, please contact CENFACS.

For further details including full project proposals and budget about Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure or Project of Becoming Homeowners with Land Security in Africa; please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) FAO.2023. The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security 2023 – Avoiding and reducing losses through investment in resilience. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc7900en. https://www.fao.org/3/cc7900en/cc7900en.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://www.wfp.org/news/food-insecurity-and-malnutritution-reach-new-highs-west-and-central-africa-funding-address-acute (accessed in January 2024)

(3) https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000153758/download/?_ga=2.214620887.17353229.1705869999-1485218009.1704580174 (accessed in January 2024)

(4) United Nations Children’s Fund (2023), The State of the World’s Children 2023: For every child, vaccination, UNICEF Innocenti – Global Office of Research and Foresight, Florence, April 2023, https://www.unicef.org/media/108161/file/SOWC-full-report-English.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(5) 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)

(6) https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/money-management# (accessed in January 2024)

(7) https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/poorest-countries-in-africa (accessed in January 2024)

(8) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1228533/number-of-people-living-below-the-extreme-poverty-line-in-africa/ (accessed in January 2024)

(9) World Bank.2024.Global Economic Prospects, January 2024. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi: 10.1596/978-1-4648-2017-5. License: Creative Commons Attribution CCBY 3.0 IGO (accessed in January 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

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Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 17, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

17 January 2024

Post No. 335

The Week’s Contents

• FACS, Issue No. 82, Winter 2023/2024: Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2024

• Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations in 2024 – a Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations and Optimisms to Reduce Poverty

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

… And much more!

Key Messages

• FACS, Issue No. 82, Winter 2023/2024, Issue Title: Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2024

The key message of this New Year’s Issue of FACS, our bilingual newsletter, is that a good allocation of power on home and land to everybody, especially to the poor, can help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. Indeed, access to homeownership and control over land can achieve a lot of things for those living in poverty. They can help them to have a fixed place to plan and build their lives. Having a home and/or a secure land can be the first step to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

Yet, Africa is lagging behind in terms of homeownership and secure land tenure for its ordinary population. There are facts and data that explain this. For example, ‘statista.com’ (1) notes that

“At least 95 percent of urban households in over 17 of the countries in Africa were unable to buy the cheapest newly built house in 2021”.

Although the above-mentioned figure is for 2021, it is an indication of the state of homeownership in Africa. The figure includes the areas of operations of CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs); areas where there is a need to deal with the twin problems of low levels of homeownership and land tenure insecurity.

The 82nd Issue of FACS shades light on the right to securely own land or to occupy and exclusively use a particular piece of land. It focuses on the problems faced by CENFACS‘ ASCOs and their beneficiaries; beneficiaries who may be homeless, landless, poor home-owners and poor renters. CENFACS and ASCOs would like to work with them in order to reduce poverty and unsustainability linked to the lack of access to private homeownership and secure land tenure.

In this respect, the 82nd Issue examines the relationship between poverty reduction and homeownership, between poverty reduction and land tenure in today’s Africa, in particular in the areas where CENFACS‘ ASCOs operate. The Issue makes the case for the need to develop private homeownership and secure land tenure that benefit the poor.

Developing private homeownership and secure land tenure can empower people and give them more rights. It is not surprising if ‘unhabitat.org’ (2) argues that

“Secure land tenure and property rights enable people in urban and rural areas to invest in improved homes and livelihoods”.

Similarly, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (3) explains the following:

“Land is fundamental to the lives of poor rural people. It is a source of food, shelter, income and social identity… Tenure security is important not only for agriculture production. It also allows people to diversify their livelihoods by using their land as collateral, renting it out or selling it”.

The 82nd Issue considers the appropriate private property rights theories and land rights theories, particularly the evolutionary theory of land rights as suggested by Jean-Philippe Plateau (4). It approaches private homeownership as private property. Private property can be understood from the definition of ‘study.com’ (5) as

“Ownership of tangible or intangible property by an individual entity, rather than by the state or a common owner”.

The 82nd Issue is a story of ASCOs working with poor homeless and landless to find inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable settlements. From this perspective, the Issue provides some examples on how ASCOs are trying to work with their locals in order to reduce poverty due to the lack of homeownership and secure land tenure, and how the former are helping the latter to adequately, safely and affordably access and climb the property ladder and/or secure land tenure.

The 82nd Issue further clarifies how the lack of genuine property rights or their enforcement can conduce and constrain the economic development of certain ethnic groups and rural women. Beyond this explanation, the Issue provides some leads to the problems faced by these groups and women, particularly for groups located in the spheres of operation of ASCOs.

The 82nd Issue covers areas such as accessibility and affordability of homes to poor people, poor people as homeowners, women’s rights to own land especially in rural areas, residential mobility among low-income earners, sustainable housing for the poor, achieving sustainable homeownership for all, how ASCOs are working with their locals to reduce or end poverty linked to the lack of homeownership and land tenure, etc.

To find out more about 82nd Issue, please read under the Main Development section of this post the key summaries and highlights making it.

• Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation in 2024 –

A Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations and Optimisms to Reduce Poverty

Every year brings along with it challenges and opportunities. 2024 does not make any exception as it brings both challenges and opportunities. 2024 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 2024. 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 2024 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 four mentioned attributes of what could be 2024 for Africa, which are 2024 as a Year of Opportunities, Openings, Operations and Optimisms to Reduce Poverty. To explain these attributes, we have referred to a number of futurist and prospective studies and analyses, notably those from ‘chathamhouse.org’ (6) and ‘controlrisks.com’ (7), regarding their views on Africa. We have summarised or interpreted and included them in our own analysis as indicated by the following points.

• • 2024 as a Year of Opportunities and Openings

2024 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 International Monetary Fund (8) argues that Africa will be the second fastest-growing regional economy in the world at 4 per cent in 2024; and Sub-Saharan Africa will account for six of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies this year, with growth at 3.8% this year and 4.1% in 2025 as inflation eases.

PA1: 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.

OO2: There will be an increase food insecurity in Africa in 2024.

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 the International Monetary Fund (op. cit.), nine African states are in debt distress and 19 countries at high risk of debt distress.

PA3: Debt distress means that ASCOs need to take this occasion to work with highly indebted poor households making their communities and who need guidance and advice to transition out of indebtedness.

OO4: 2024 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: 2024 could be a year of resurgence of resource nationalism in Africa.

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.

• • 2024 as a Year of Optimisms

2024 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: 2024 is the first full year of operation of upgraded Lobito Corridor in Angola.

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: 2024 is another democratic transitions year.

PA2: Democratic transitions are unfinished business and still continue in Africa as at least 17 national and/or legislative polls will take place in Africa in 2024, 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: 2024 is as well a year of deepening of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

PA3: Africa’s continental trade integration will achieve a milestone with the launch of Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS); and multinational ASCOs can help or use it to undertake cross-border payments while reducing transaction costs.

O4: 2024 will be a year of permanent seat at G20 (Group of 20).

PA4: African Union was granted a permanent seat at G20 implying from the poverty reduction that ASCOs need to realistically and optimistically assess how G20 can be relevant for their work with those in need and how this seat can help align and coordinate policies and views on the topics of poverty reduction across Africa and within the G20.

• • 2024 as a Year of Full Operations

2024 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 resume or increase the volume of their operations to a full functioning capacity.

The above possibilities show that Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations can cautiously grab the opportunities and openings of the 2024 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.

For those optimist Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations wanting to fully operate and grab the above-mentioned opportunities and openings but finding some difficulties to operate; they can discuss the matter with CENFACS so that together we can plan a 2024 market development strategy.

Need a market development strategy or plan in order to fully operate and optimistically engage with the 2024 array of tremendous opportunities and openings to reduce and end poverty in Africa; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

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 17 to 23 January 2024, have been highlighted below.

• • 17 to 23 January 2024: 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.

• • 17 to 23 January 2024: 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 (2024) 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.

Extra Messages

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024, Still Running

• Guidance Service on Non-essentials or Discretionary Expenses

• The Season of Giving Continues with SHOPPING and DONATIONS

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024, Still Running

Our Season of Giving through the Gifts of Peace for Edition 2023-2024 has not yet finished. The Gifts-of-Peace Campaign will end on 31 January 2024. 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.

Although the deadline for the Season of Donation for these gifts is 31 January 2024, 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.

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 Non-essentials or Discretionary Expenses

For those users who are looking for help and support about discretionary expenses, we can work with them so that they can navigate their way out non-essential consumption-based poverty. We can together explore the following options to deal with discretional or non-essential spending:

√ Improving their spending intent

√ Setting up cost cutting targets on budget items such as takeaways, eating out, clothing, etc.

√ Switching to cheap non-essential retailers to save money

√ Trimming budget

√ Prioritising expenses

√ Setting up a policy not to borrow money for non-essentials

√ Adopting cost-saving behaviour

√ Briefly, developing a strategy or policy to control non-essential spending.

The above-mentioned options or tools will help them to build confidence throughout 2024 and beyond.

To access this Guidance Service on Non-essentials or Discretionary Expenses, please contact CENFACS.

• The Season of Giving 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 is too 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 Charity 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 is all about.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Activités ou Microprojets de financement structuré du Nouvel An dans le cadre du programme ou projet de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières

Nous poursuivons le programme et le projet de renforcement des capacités et des aptitudes financières, comme prévu. Nous sommes disponibles pour travailler en mode hybride avec des bénéficiaires potentiels via le programme de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières (PPRCAF) ou le projet de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières (PpRCAF) afin que vous puissiez être plus capables en cette nouvelle année. Le PPRCAF et le PpRCAF aideront les bénéficiaires à réduire les risques liés à l’incapacité financière et à l’inaptitude financière tout en améliorant leurs revenus intergénérationnels et leurs transferts.

Les deuxièmes activités du PPRCAF et du PpRCAF, qui se dérouleront du 17 au 23 janvier 2024, ont été mises en évidence ci-dessous.

• • 17 au 23 janvier 2024 : Gestion financière des événements (Activité 2 du PPRCAF)

Cette deuxième activité de financement structuré, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre du programme de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières et qui se déroule sous forme de séances d’orientation, consiste à travailler avec les bénéficiaires pour obtenir des pistes sur la façon de gérer financièrement les événements. Il s’agit de guider les bénéficiaires dans un processus tactique, à court terme et réactif pour s’assurer que leurs ressources financières sont utilisées de la manière la plus efficace possible en ce qui concerne la gestion des événements.

Si l’un de nos bénéficiaires a besoin de conseils sur la façon de gérer financièrement ses événements, il peut demander des réponses au CENFACS.

• • Du 17 au 23 janvier 2024 : Planifier financièrement (activité 2 du PpRCAF)

Cette deuxième activité de financement structuré, qui fait partie du programme de renforcement des capacités et aptitudes financières, consiste à créer de manière stratégique et proactive des budgets détaillés pour une semaine, un mois ou une année (2024) tout en fixant des objectifs et des délais pour les atteindre à long terme.

Si l’un de nos bénéficiaires a besoin d’élaborer un plan ou une stratégie de financement qui explique comment il peut planifier financièrement à l’avance, il peut contacter le CENFACS.

Si vous avez une question sur la façon de gérer financièrement vos événements ou si vous avez besoin d’élaborer un plan financier ou une stratégie financière concernant les affaires de votre ménage, n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.

De plus, si vous avez des problèmes de planification financière, vous pouvez communiquer avec le CENFACS afin que nous puissions travailler ensemble sur vos besoins en matière de planification financière et vous aider à rester plus capable cette nouvelle année.

Main Development

• FACS, Issue N0. 82, Winter 2023/2024, Issue Title: Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2024

The contents and key summaries of the 82nd Issue of FACS are given below.

• • Contents and Pages

I. Key Terms Relating to the 82ndIssue of FACS (Page 2)

II. Approach to Homeownership and Land Tenure (Page 2)

III. Key Theory Used in the 82nd Issue of FACS (Page 2)

IV. Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and their Financial Guidance to Potential Homeowners (Page 3)

V. Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations Specialised in General Homeownership Matter (Page 3)

VI. Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, Rural Land Distribution and Women in Africa (Page 4)

VII. Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, Restrictions Removal on Rental Land and Gender Equity Promotion in Africa (Page 4)

VIII. L’insécurité des droits fonciers comme source de conflits, d’instabilité et d’exclusion (Page 5)

IX. Des projets d’extraction qui désavouent les terres des peuples autochtones en Afrique (Page 5)

X. L’accessibilité et l’abordabilité des logements pour les personnes pauvres (Page 6)

XI. Mobilité résidentielle des personnes à faible revenu (Page 6)

XII. Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure (Page 7)

XIII. Support, Tools and Metrics, Information and Guidance on Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure (Page 8)

XIV. Workshop, Focus Group and Booster Activity about Private Homeownership, Secure Land Tenure and Poverty Reduction (Page 9)

XV. Giving and Project (Page 10)

• • Key Summaries

Please find below the key summaries of the 82nd Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10.

• • • Key Terms Relating to the 82ndIssue of FACS (Page 2)

There are three terms used in the context of this Issue of FACS. These terms are private homeownership, secure land tenure, land tenure and property rights. Let us briefly explain these key terms.

• • • • Private homeownership

There are simple and complex definitions of homeownership. Let us use a simple definition of it which has been provided by ‘yourdictionary.com’ (9), which explains that

“Homeownership is the state of being homeowner”.

Homeowner is a person who owns their own home. A private homeowner is a person who owns a home not open to or available for the use of the general public.

Homeownership can be sole or joint. It is known that homeownership is an important dimension of well-being as it ensures stability and security for households. In the 82nd Issue of FACS, we are interested in sustainable homeownership; that is homeownership which is continued over the long term without adverse effects.

• • • • Secure land tenure

Our understanding of secure land tenure comes from ‘land-links.org’ (10), which explains that

“Land tenure is the relationship that individuals and groups hold with respect to land and land-base resources, pastures, and water”.

The Food Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (11) describes tenure security or security of tenure as

“The certainty that a person’s rights to land will be recognised by others and protected in cases of specific challenges”.

The website ‘land-links.org’ (op. cit.) adds that

“When land tenure is secure, land can be a cornerstone for economic growth and an incentive for investment; but when land rights are insecure, this can lead to conflicts, instability, and the exclusion of vulnerable groups, such as women, indigenous people and the poor”.

• • • • Land tenure and property rights to land

Land tenure and property rights to land are part of the Goal Target 1.4 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (12), which states that

“By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have
equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including micro finance”.

According to ‘unescwa.org’ (13),

“Secure tenure rights to land and property are critical for poverty reduction and for improving economic development, gender equality, social stability and sustainable development”.

‘Land-links.org’ (op. cit.) argues that land tenure rules define the ways in which property rights to land are allocated, transferred, used, or managed in a particular society”.

Taking the same line of reasoning, the World Resource Institute (14) observes that

“Rural people and communities need strong, secure rights over their property. Strong rights help protect rural people from expropriation, losing their land, and facing eviction… Secure rights create incentives for people to improve land management and agricultural production, such as by planting trees or building bench terraces to reduce soil erosion”.

Likewise, Ruth Meinzen-Dick (15) contemplates that

“Property rights are particularly important in determining who has entitlement to food, and may serve as a means to perpetuate or break the intergenerational transmission of poverty”.

The above-named definitions shape the contents of the 82nd Issue of FACS. However, definitions alone may not be enough to convey the message of this Issue. One may need to determine the approach they want to take in their journey to empowering poor people to become homeowners and secure their lands.

• • • Approach to Homeownership and Land Tenure (Page 2)

The 82nd Issue of FACS approaches homeownership and land tenure from the perspective of the housing demand-side, from low-income and poor people looking to access and/or keep their homeownership status and land tenure. These people could be homeless, landless, poor income-earners, poor renters, poor-homeowners, other vulnerable groups like women, indigenous people, etc.

• • • Key Theory Used in the 82nd Issue of FACS (Page 2)

The key theory used here is of land rights, which is the theory of land rights. Jean-Philippe Plateau (op. cit.) explains this theory in these words:

“The central tenet of this theory is that under the joint impact of increasing population pressure and market integration, land rights spontaneously evolve towards rising individualisation and that this evolution eventually leads rightsholders to press for the creation of duly formalised private property rights – a demand to which the state will have an incentive to respond”.

The 82nd Issue also considers informal mechanisms at community level. Notably, the Issue takes into account customary tenure systems and their neo-liberation, which do not recognise some groups (like women and migrants) the rights to possess and control land in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The 82nd Issue includes as well neo-liberalisation processes of customary tenure (like privatisation of rights, commoditisation, de-regulation, etc.).

All these instruments (that is, key theory, mechanisms and processes) enable to understand private homeownership and secure land tenure in the context and process of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development in Africa.

• • • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and their Financial Guidance to Potential Homeowners (Page 3)

There is a number of Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) whose mission is to work with those who would like to become homeowners to access affordable housing financing solutions. These ASCOs are involved in counselling their beneficiaries on suitable financial products to fund their homeownership project. Their work tends to help their locals to find suitable financial mechanisms to become homeowners. These ASCOs use a combination of financial mechanisms or tools which include:

membership, shares, individual and collective savings, subsidies in the form of seed capital, microcredits, mortgages, donations, loans, contributions from families and friends, international non governmental organisations, etc.

These mechanisms or tools help the applicants to reach their goals of homeownership.

• • • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations Specialised in General Homeownership Matter (Page 3)

There are other types of ASCOs that take homeownership and land tenure as their area of operation as well. Some of them are the branches of an international umbrella non governmental organisation working on these matters. They tend to be not-for-profit. Among them are organisations such as Alternative Programme for Social Housing in Cameroon, Twize in Mauritania, and Revolving Fund for Urban Renewal.

Taking the case of Twize Housing Improvement Programme in Mauritania, it is a programme to develop housing supply for the poor households. The programme assists local people to access low-cost housing and fight poverty through housing access in the suburbs of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou. The beneficiaries of this programme include people in informal sector (like traders, workers, craftsmen) and other poor.

• • • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, Rural Land Distribution and Women in Africa (Page 4)

ASCOs specialised in women and land matters are working on issues such as change customs and traditional practices that prevent women from inheriting or acquiring ownership of land and other properties. They also work on improving data on women’s land rights.

Their work aligns with the view of the ‘un.org’ (16) which argues that

“Land ownership gives women greater bargaining power and stronger fallback opinions, a stronger voice in household decision-making which may contribute to stronger investments in food, education and schooling of children, with long-run consequences for poverty reduction”.

Among these ASCOs are campaigning ones which advocating for women to be able to have direct land rights independently from their husbands or male relatives where women have been discriminated. They are also demanding to improve the status of women with regard to family structures so that women can hold secure land rights in places where access to land comes from male line. These campaigning ASCOs often go far beyond by making sure that women have access to other opportunities such access to credit, markets and skills development.

• • • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations, Restrictions Removal on Rental Land and Gender Equity Promotion in Africa (Page 4)

To promote gender equity, there are ASCOs that are working on the removal of cultural restrictions linked to land inheritance via name of the property in the name of male only that prevent women to become the sole owner of a property. They try to promote inclusive access to land. They address gender inequities in access to land, housing and basic infrastructures. They also work on aspects of human rights that are attached to equitable access to stop land rights discrimination. This access can be direct to land or through purchase or inheritance.

They are as well engaged in activities to improve women’s ability in other areas of life. One of the areas is documenting land rights for women. Documenting land is about having something in writing to acknowledge women’s land rights and gender justice in land governance to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and provide them with documents to participate in land governance. Documenting land can help reduce poverty due to the lack of access to land. One example is ASCOs are working with rural women to have identity documents, in places they do not have them, to promote and protect women’s human rights in rural areas.

• • • L’insécurité des droits fonciers comme source de conflits, d’instabilité et d’exclusion (Page 5)

La sécurité foncière peut constituer la base de la paix et de la stabilité sur laquelle les gens peuvent construire l’accession à la propriété. En d’autres termes, l’absence de cette sécurité peut entraîner de l’incertitude et un manque de confiance pour ceux ou celles qui souhaitent investir dans leur future maison.

Cependant, il ne suffit pas d’avoir une sécurité foncière. Cette sécurité doit être maintenue et protégée contre les aléas ou éventuels risques et crises qui peuvent surgir. Par exemple, des conflits armés peuvent forcer les gens à quitter leur terre et maison. S’ils ont la sécurité foncière, quand ils retournent après les conflits ils peuvent toujours exercer leurs droits fonciers.

• • • Des projets d’extraction qui désavouent les terres des peuples autochtones en Afrique (Page 5)

L’histoire de l’accession à la propriété privée et de la sécurité foncière en Afrique est aussi celle de l’exploitation des terres qui pousse les peuples autochtones à quitter leurs terres sans le consentement libre, préalable et éclairé de ces personnes. Cette expulsion forcée de ces personnes est due à des causes multiples dont la création et l’expansion d’aires protégées, l’octroi des titres de propriété à des entreprises pour exploiter des terres, aux menaces des groupes armés et aux effets pervers climatiques.

En travaillant avec ces personnes exclues et expulsées, il est possible d’obtenir la restitition de leurs terres. C’est le cas des organisations soeurs caritatives basées en Afrique qui apportent leur soutien aux populations du Nord-Kivu en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) où les victimes des terres prises par la force ont récupéré leurs terres. Ils l’ont emporté alors qu’un projet de loi avait été voté par le Parlement Congolais en avril 2021 pour protéger et promouvoir les droits des peuples autochtones de la RDC.

• • • L’accessibilité et l’abordabilité des logements pour les personnes pauvres (Page 6)

Ces dernières années, il y a eu un effondrement significatif de l’accession à la propriété pour les pauvres, en particulier dans les familles où il n’y a pas de transferts intergénérationnels de richesse. Et les crises comme celles du coronavirus et du coût cher de la vie n’ont fait qu’amplifier ce phénomène.

Pour ces familles, le fait d’assurer l’accessibilité et l’abordabilité des logements leur permettra de rendre compte de leurs besoins au sein de la communauté à laquelle elles appartiennent et vivent. Cela les aidera également à jouer leur rôle au sein de leurs familles respectives et au sein de leur communauté ou de la société.

• • • Mobilité résidentielle des personnes à faible revenu (Page 6)

Le niveau des possibilités de gagner de l’argent peut avoir une incidence sur la mobilité résidentielle. Les conditions économiques et financières des pauvres peuvent les obliger à rechercher dans des régions ou des endroits où les opportunités économiques sont moindres, en particulier en ce qui concerne l’emploi.

Pour inverser cette tendance, il y a lieu à les encourager à rechercher des opportunités ou des solutions liées à leur mobilité résidentielle ou simplement à trouver des occupations bien rémunérées. C’est en prenant des telles initiatives qu’ils sortiront de la pauvreté, pauvreté qui est liée à une mauvaise mobilité résidentielle ou à l’espace.

• • • Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure (Page 7)

• • • • Survey on private homeownership

Homeownership is an important dimension of people’s well-being as it can help ensure stability and security for households.

The purpose of this survey is to collect information from a sample of our users and community members regarding their perception of private homeownership.

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: In your opinion, how much private homeownership has contributed to your well-being?

You can respond and directly send your answer to CENFACS.

• • • • Testing hypotheses about transitions out of poverty

For those of our members who would like to dive deep into private homeownership and secure land tenure, we have two educational activities for them.

a) Activity/test 1: Doing regression analysis between job opportunities and homeownership

Those who will be interested in they can conduct a regression analysis to find if getting a job increases the likelihood of moving into homeownership.

b) Activity/test 2: Relationships between access to secure land and poverty reduction

Those who want can test the hypothesis if there is any association between poverty and landlessness, between poverty reduction and secure access to land.

In order to conduct these tests, one needs data on private homeownership and secure land tenure.

• • • • E-question on your view about sustainable homeownership for all

Any of our readers and users can answer the following question:

Q: Is sustainable homeownership for all is realistic goal in the current lifespan of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?

You can provide your answer directly to CENFACS.

For those answering any of this question and needing first to discuss sustainable homeownership, they can contact CENFACS.

• • • • E-discussion on one’s access to the property ladder

Many of our members have their own views on what determine one’s access to the housing ladder. Some think gender (being a male or female). Others argue it is education and employment status. Others more say, it is wealth (being rich or poor). Others more and more believe, it is networking or connections (that is, who you know or social mobility).

For those 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 Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure (Page 8)

• • • • Ask CENFACS for Counselling Support regarding the reduction of poverty linked to the lack of sustainable homes

The lack of sustainable homes can be treated as a form of poverty or deprivations.

For those members of our community who are suffering from this type of poverty or deprivations, they can ask CENFACS to work with them so that they find sustainable home or solutions.

CENFACS can work with them to explore ways of coming out of it.

We can work with them under our Advice-, Guidance- and Information-giving Service. We can as well signpost them to organisations working on sustainable homes for those in need.

If you are a member of our community, you can ask us for basic support regarding your inability to access affordable sustainable homes.

• • • • Tools and Metrics of the 82nd Issue of FACS

• • • • • Property Rights Tools and Metrics

The 82nd Issue utilises as tool the Global Property Rights Index (Prindex) and as metric the United Nations’ Indicator of the Proportion of Adult Population with Secure Tenure Rights to Land. What are these tools or metrics are about?

a) The Global Property Rights Index (Prindex)

One of the tools used to measure global property rights is Prindex.

According to the ‘globallandalliance.org’ (17),

“Prindex is an indicator of citizens’ perception of the security of property rights. The Prindex database is open. The dataset is intended to monitor and encourage good governance of property rights”.

In other words, it is a measurement of people’s perceptions of their property rights and land tenure security.

Those who would like to discuss the relevancy of this tool and its application, they can feel free to contact CENFACS.

b) Proportion of Adult Population with Secure Tenure Rights to Land

This is the United Nations’ Indicator 1.4.2 of its Sustainable Development Goals (op. cit.) which is about working out the proportion of total adult population with secure tenure rights to land, with legally recognized documentation and who perceive their rights to land as secure, by sex and by type of tenure.

This indicator is also used in the 82nd Issue to measure the incidence or level of poverty due to the lack secure tenure rights in Africa.

• • • • • Share of households who can afford to buy a house

The Issue 82 also considers as metric the number of households who can buy a house. On this matter, ‘statista.com’ (op. cit.) notes that

“At least 95 percent of urban households in over 17 of the countries in Africa were unable to buy the cheapest newly built house in 2021”.

This figure speaks for itself about the need of working the urban households to help them realise their dream of becoming homeowners.

• • • • • Poverty gap ratio

This is an interesting metrics of poverty as it measures the intensity of poverty.

The online ‘marketbusinessnews.com’ (18) 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”.

The above tools and metrics can be used in dealing with poverty, private homeownership and secure land tenure in Africa. For example, one can use the poverty gap ratio to measure the average shortfall of the income of the poor home-owners from the poverty line.

• • • • Information and Guidance on Sustainable Homes and Poverty Reduction

Information and Guidance include two types areas of support via CENFACS, which are:

a) Information and Guidance on Sustainable Homes and Poverty Reduction

b) Signposts to Improve Users’ Experience about Sustainable Homes and Poverty Reduction.

• • • • • Information and Guidance on Sustainable Homes and Poverty Reduction

Those members of community who are looking for information and guidance on sustainable homes and who do not know what to do, CENFACS can work with them (via needs assessment) or provide them with leads about organisations and services that can help them.

• • • • • Signposts to Improve Users’ Experience about Sustainable Homes and Poverty Reduction

For those who are looking for whereabout to find help about homeownership counselling queries, 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.

Additionally, you can request from CENFACS a list of organisations and services providing help and support in the area of sustainable homes and the reduction of housing poverty, although the Issue 82 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 Private Homeownership, Secure Land Tenure and Poverty Reduction (Page 9)

• • • • Mini Themed Workshop on Homeownership Skills to Reduce Poverty Linked to the Lack of Sustainable Homeownership

Boost your knowledge and skills about the reduction of poverty linked to sustainable homeownership via CENFACS.

The workshop aims at supporting those without or with less information and knowledge about housing poverty gain homeownership skills and knowledge while improving the quality of their lives. 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 Secure Land Tenure

The focus group will deal with Customary Tenure Systems and the Ability to Claim Property Ownership by the Poor in Africa. It will treat this topic since it is argued that in Africa within a customary system people are unable to participate in capital appreciation of the land on which they live.

You can take part in our focus group on ways of learning security about land tenure and sharing this information with relatives and friends who need security about their land tenure in Africa. This focus group is also part of a structured activity to improve your perception of land tenure within the community.

Participants will have one-on-one conversations with each other outside their comfort zone.

To take part in the focus group using deliberative practice strategies, please contact CENFACS.

• • • • Autumn Light Activity: Becoming Private Homeowners

This user involvement activity revolves around the answers to the following question:

Q: What steps do you need to take to become private homeowner?

Those who would like to answer these questions and participate to our Becoming Private Homeowners 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.

• • • • Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure Project (PHSLTP)

PHSLTP is an initiative that helps to reduce poverty by allocating power on home and land to those who would like to become private home and land owners in Africa. The project hopes to improve health, hygiene, and educational opportunities while ensuring access to clean water, safe toilet, electricity, and respite from heat and disease-spreading insects.

To support or contribute to PHSLTP, please contact CENFACS.

For further details including the implementation plan of the PHSLTP, please contact CENFACS.

The full copy of the 82nd Issue of FACS is available on request.

For any queries and comments about this Issue, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://www.statista.com/statistics/613846/urban-households-who-can-afford-the-cheapest-new-houses-africa-by-country/ (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/07/indicator_1.4.2_training_module_secure_tenure_rights_to_land.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(3) https://www.ifad.org/documents/38714170/39148759/Land+tenure+security+and+poverty+reduction.pdf/ (accessed in January 2024)

(4) Plateau, J.-P. (1996), The Evolutionary Theory of Land Rights as Applied to Sub-Saharan Africa: A Critical Assessment, Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 27 (1), pp. 29-86, January

(5) https://study.com/academy/lesson/private-property-economics-overview-rights-examples.html (accessed in January 2024)

(6) https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/01/whats-stake-africa-2024(accessed in January 2024)

(7) https://www.controlrisks.com/our-thinking/insights/africa-ten-key-issues-to-watch-in-2024 (accessed in January 2024)

(8) https://theexchange.africa/countries/fastest-growing-economies-in-2024/#

(9) https://www.yourdictionary.com/homeownership (accessed in January 2024)

(10) https://www.land-links.org/What-is-land-tenure/ (accessed in January 2024)

(11) https://landportal.org/sites/landportal.info/files/170622%20C%20Tenure%20Security-3.pdf# (accessed in January 2024)

(12) https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/07/indicator_1.4.2_training_module_secure_tenure_rights_to_land.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(13) https://archieve.unescwa.org/sites/www.unescwa.org/files/u593/module_8_secure_tenure_rights_to_land_edited_23-03-2018.pdf# (accessed in January 2024)

(14) https://www.wri.org/insights/shedding-light-land-tenure-africa (accessed in January 2024)

(15) Meinzen-Dick, R. (2009), Property Rights for Poverty Reduction? DESA Working Paper No.1, ST/ESN/ST/ESA/2009/DWP/91, https://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2009/wp91_2009.pdf# (accessed in January 2024)

(16) https://www.un.org/esa/desa/papers/2009/wp91_2009.pdf# (accessed in January 2024)

(17) https://www.globallandalliance.org/prindex (accessed in January 2024)

(18) 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

2024 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 10, 2024 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

10 January 2024

Post No. 334

The Week’s Contents

• 2024 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

• 2024 as a Year of Transitions

• Giving Hope to the Humanitarian Needy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024

… And much more!

Key Messages

• 2024 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

Last week, we listed projects and programmes to be carried out in January 2024. 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 2024.

In both last week’s and this week’s listings, there are two 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) Seasonal projects and programmes that just fall within the Season of Light, which is from 21 December in the preceding year (e.g., 2023) to 21 March in the following year (e.g., 2024).

Both Specifically Designed and Seasonal projects and programmes will be implemented side by side as we move on throughout the Season of Light.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further details about the 2024 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes.

• 2024 as a Year of Transitions

To reduce or end poverty, it may requires transition or people in need transitioning from one situation to another one. Transitions can be of varying kinds. Transition can be psychological, economic, financial, democratic, social, environmental, political, demographic, etc.

For example, at the moment energy transition is one of the terms in fashion for those who would like something to be done against adverse climate change. Transition viewed from the point of view of energy can help understand transitions or transformations in those who use polluting energy in becoming low-carbon or zero net emitters, in moving from fossil fuels consumption into a fossil-free one. Transitions as theme has been voted or chosen within CENFACS as an area of work for this year.

2024 will be a Year of Transitions within CENFACS, a year of using the notion of transitions 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 sustainably transition the poverty reduction process. In this work with them, one should understand that transition does not necessarily lead to change. Yet, what we would like to achieve together with them is transitions that lead to better change. But, what do we mean by transitions?

• • Understanding Transitions

Transitions can be perceived in many ways. For example, in his Transition Theories Peter J. Marcotullio (1) defines transitions as

“Long-term, continuous processes wherein the structure character change marks a fundamental shift in a system. This fundamental change is presumably easily identified, although it may not always be so; and it could mark change for the better or worse, depending upon the human values attributed to the dynamics”.

Another interpretation of transition comes from Nancy K. Schlossberg (2) who sees it as a process of moving in, moving through and moving out a new situation or circumstances. According to her, the 3 stages in supporting people who are undergoing transition include approaching transitions (identifying the kind of transition and transition process), taking stock of the coping resources they need, and taking charge by strengthening resources.

The above definitions will help in approaching or applying transitions.

• • Approaching and Applying Transitions

To approach transitions, we are going to use a gradual or gradualist and inclusive model of the transition process. This approach is out the context of models of transition like neo-classical, post-Keynesian and market socialist approaches. It is an approach that engages the common good and focuses on poor or disadvantaged people in terms of how they can transition out of poverty.

This approach will drive our application of the notion of transitions as we will try to find out the determining factors that militate for those in need to move out of poverty and how we can work with them as they move through the transitions process. In this respect, the transitions in which we will be interested are the ones that help those in need to get out of poverty and hardships.

In brief, the above understanding, approach and application of transitions will make up 2024 as a Year of Transitions.

In order to realise the Year of Transitions, we need a project. This project is Transitions or ‘T‘ project.

• • Transitions (t) Project

The dedication of 2024 as a Year of Transitions comes with a project to carry out this dedication. The project to execute this dedication is the Transitions or ‘t‘ Project, which is one of the new initiatives for 2024. The following two elements help to understand this project: its meaning and its activities.

• • • What is ‘t’ Project?

It is a series or set of interconnected tasks or activities planned for the execution of CENFACS‘ dedication of year 2024 as of Transitions. These tasks or activities, which aim at reducing poverty, will be undertaken throughout 2024 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. The project will support them to smooth transitions processes they are undergoing in order to meet their poverty reduction goals. The support can be about tackling factors that can cause problems to their transitions.

• • • Activities and tasks relating to the ‘t’ Project

There will be twelve activities, one activity or task every month. Each ‘t’ 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 transitions need to undertake in order for them to move out of poverty or any hardships they are facing.

The first ‘t’ activity is about working with those in need to transition out of consumption-based poverty.

• • • Activity/Task 1 of the ‘t’ Project: Support People in Need to Transition out of Consumption-based Poverty

People can enter, exit and re-enter poverty. There could be reasons which make that to happen. For example, Ann Huff Stevens (3) explains that

“Two key factors drive poverty transitions: changes in household structure and change in labour market attachment at the individual or household level”.

These factors can also explain transitions in terms of poverty linked to consumption.

As part of activity or task 1, one can refer to Stevens’ factors or other factors to work with those experiencing some difficulties in their transitions process, whether these people are moving through or out of consumption-based poverty. This task or activity also features our January’s Goal or Goal of the Month, which is Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty.

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

For any other queries and enquiries about the ‘t‘ project and this year’s dedication, please contact CENFACS as well.

• Giving Hope to the Humanitarian Needy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024

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 2024 include the Eastern side of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Although the DR Congo is pursuing transformation via democratic transition processes, it is still suffering from a series of events or crises such as violent clashes between armed groups in the East of the country, natural disasters, the influx of refugees, extensive internal displacement, etc. These events have caused tragedies, health and well-being issues.

One of these crises is a compound humanitarian crisis. According to ‘rescue.org’ (4),

“The DR Congo enters 2024 with 24.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance – more than any other country on earth. The magnitude of the crisis has strained services, creating high levels of food insecurity and fuelling the spread of disease. The DR Congo’s 2023 humanitarian response plan received just 38% of its necessary funding”.

The December 2023 election process in the DR Congo did not escape from the negative effects of this humanitarian crisis. Many of the Congolese who are suffering from the humanitarian crisis did struggle to cast their votes as they had to choose between reaching the poll stations to cast their votes and looking for food to eat.

The Humanitarian Needy of DR Congo Want Your Assistance.

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 Congolese 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 Congolese and £4 can assist in buying food or medicine.

Please, let us give hope to these Congolese victims of humanitarian crisis.

To support and or enquire about this appeal, please contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Digital and Social Media Campaign

• New Year’s and January’s Goal: Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

• Digital and Social Media Campaign

Level 8: Cloud Technology to Reduce Poverty

Under the Digital and Social Media Campaign, we are continuing to work with our users 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 services they require to reduce or end poverty. In this model of working together, they are different levels.

The next level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign is about Cloud Technology. In this level, we shall work with users so that they can develop the skills necessary to access what is stored on internet servers in order for them to meet their needs.

• • What Is Cloud Technology?

There are many definitions within the information and communications technology literature. The definition we have selected comes from ‘dynamixsolutions.com’ (5), which explains that

“Cloud computing technology allows people to use digital resources stored in the virtual space by way of networks – often satellite networks. It allows people to share information and applications without being restricted by their physical location.

From this definition, cloud computing is a technology that enables people to access resources on the internet. There are advantages and disadvantages about this technology. What we are interested in is their advantages, in particular how they can help the CENFACS Community to reduce or end poverty.

• • Cloud Technology Skills to Reduce Poverty

This level of working together will be about using some skills to store data on the internet, use servers, access databases, network, briefly access resources. These skills can help users in the process of reducing poverty linked to the lack of understanding on storing and retrieving information from a virtual storage system.

To enquire and or to support the level 8 of our Digital and Social Media Campaign, please contact CENFACS.

• New Year’s and January’s Goal: Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

Our monthly poverty reduction project or goal of the month, which is part of CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (6), resumes this January 2024 with the goal of Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty. The project relates to the second goal of this programme; second goal which is Consume sustainably to reduce poverty and climate change.

To explain the reduction of consumption-based poverty, one needs to know consumption-based poverty.

• • What is Consumption-based Poverty?

Tara O’ Neil describes it on the website of ‘americanactionforum.org’ (7) in terms of measure by arguing that

“A consumption-based poverty measure assesses what people consume or purchase, regardless of how it was paid for (whether through income, tax credits, or non-cash benefits) to determine whether their needs are being met or not. In other words, this metric accounts for all types of benefits and aid that might be provided, as well as expenses”.

It is not a surprise if the Office for National Statistics (8) states that

“Consumption expenditure is thought to be a better measure of achieved living standards as it is through the consumption of goods and services that people satisfy their needs and wants over time”.

This measure can be to determine if for example the members of the CENFACS Community are experiencing poverty linked to consumption (including non-essential consumption). From this information, one can support them to find their way to reduce consumption-based poverty.

• • Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

It is about bringing the consumption of a particular family or household to more than the poverty threshold. Reducing consumption-based poverty by CENFACS supporters or promotors of this goal can include initiatives such as working with the consumption poor to improve their real disposable income, financial capacity and capability, income-generating activities, expectations and sentiment, wealth creation skills, etc.

For example, one can work with those in need and help them build household food safety net to reduce consumption-based poverty.

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 2023. 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 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 10 to 16 January 2024 the first activity of FCCBP and the first activity of FCCBS, as shown in the working plan below.

• • 10 to 16 January 2024: 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.

• • 10 to 16 January 2024: 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 (2024).

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)

• À paraître cet hiver : le numéro de FACS et du Nouvel An (le numéro 82) qui s’intitulera ‘L’accession à la propriété privée et la sécurisation foncière pour réduire la pauvreté en Afrique’

L’accession à la propriété privée et le régime foncier sont importants dans le processus de réduction de la pauvreté en Afrique. Leur importance a été reconnue par de nombreuses organisations et institutions, dont la Banque mondiale (9), qui recommande d’accroître l’accès à la terre et le régime foncier pour les pauvres et les personnes vulnérables en redistribuant les terres rurales, en accordant des droits de propriété aux squatters sur les terres publiques urbaines, en supprimant les restrictions sur les terres locatives et en promouvant l’équité entre les sexes en documentant les droits fonciers des femmes.

Malgré cette reconnaissance, il y a des endroits ou des régions du monde où les pauvres et les personnes vulnérables n’ont toujours pas accès à la terre et au bail. L’Afrique en fait partie. Bien que l’Afrique soit le deuxième plus grand et le deuxième continent le plus peuplé du monde après l’Asie dans les deux cas, c’est aussi un continent où les gens ont du mal à posséder une maison et/ou une terre. C’est à ce point que l’Afrique est en tête en termes de pourcentage de la population urbaine vivant dans des quartiers informels.

Pourtant, la promotion d’un foncier durable et d’une gouvernance inclusive en Afrique fait partie de la politique foncière en Afrique et contribuera à la réalisation des aspirations et des objectifs de l’Agenda 2063. De même, l’Objectif de Développement Durable 11 (10) des Nations Unies qui vise à rendre les villes et les établissements humains inclusifs, sûrs, résilients et durables. La première cible du même objectif (c’est-à-dire la cible 11.1) est la suivante : « D’ici à 2030, garantir l’accès de tous à un logement adéquat, sûr et abordable et à des services de base et rénover les bidonvilles ».

Compte tenu du fait que l’Afrique est à la traîne en termes d’accession à la propriété et de régime foncier pour sa population ordinaire, le thème sous-jacent du 82e numéro de FACS traitera du double problème de l’accession à la propriété et de la terre en Afrique dans les zones d’opération des organisations caritatives sœurs basées en Afrique (OCSBA) du CENFACS. Il mettra en lumière le droit de posséder des terres en toute sécurité ou d’occuper et d’utiliser exclusivement une parcelle de terre particulière.

Cependant, le 82ème numéro de FACS aura une portée limitée car il n’aura pas l’ambition de traiter toutes les questions relatives à l’accession à la propriété et au foncier en Afrique. Au lieu de cela, le numéro se concentrera sur les problèmes rencontrés par les OCSBA du CENFACS et leurs bénéficiaires qui peuvent être des sans-abri, des sans-terre, des propriétaires pauvres et des locataires pauvres ; et qui voudraient travailler avec eux afin de réduire la pauvreté et l’insoutenabilité liées au manque d’accès à la propriété privée et à la sécurité foncière.

À cet égard, le numéro 82 examinera la relation entre la réduction de la pauvreté et l’accession à la propriété, entre la réduction de la pauvreté et le régime foncier dans l’Afrique d’aujourd’hui, en particulier dans les zones où opèrent les OCSBA du CENFACS. Le numéro fera valoir la nécessité de développer l’accession à la propriété privée et de sécuriser le régime foncier qui profite aux pauvres.

Le numéro 82 traitera de la répartition de l’énergie à la maison et sur la terre, et de la manière dont cette répartition de l’énergie peut contribuer à réduire la pauvreté et à améliorer le développement durable. En effet, l’accès à la propriété et le contrôle de la terre peuvent apporter beaucoup de choses à ceux ou celles qui vivent dans la pauvreté. Ils peuvent les aider à avoir un endroit fixe pour construire et planifier leur vie. Avoir un logement ou un terrain sûr peut être la première étape pour réduire la pauvreté et améliorer le développement durable.

Ce n’est pas une surprise si le « unhabitat.org » (11) affirme que

« La sécurité foncière et les droits de propriété permettent aux habitants des zones urbaines et rurales d’investir dans l’amélioration des logements et des moyens de subsistance ».

De même, le Fonds International de Développement Agricole (12) explique ce qui suit:

« La terre est essentielle à la vie des populations rurales pauvres. C’est une source de nourriture, d’abri, de revenus et d’identité sociale… La sécurité foncière n’est pas seulement importante pour la production agricole. Elle permet également aux gens de diversifier leurs moyens de subsistance en utilisant leurs terres comme garantie, en les louant ou en les vendant.

Le numéro 82 examinera les théories appropriées des droits de propriété privée et des théories des droits fonciers utilisées, car il combinera les arguments de la rareté, de l’État autoritaire et de la culture traditionnelle pour expliquer les questions d’accession à la propriété et de terre en Afrique. Il abordera l’accession à la propriété privée comme une propriété privée. La propriété privée peut s’expliquer par la définition de la notion de « study.com » (13) comme suit:

« Propriété d’un bien corporel ou incorporel par une entité individuelle, plutôt que par l’État ou un propriétaire commun ».

Loin d’être un compte rendu des théories de l’accession à la propriété et de la terre, le numéro sera l’histoire d’OCSBA travaillant avec des sans-abri et des sans-terre pauvres pour trouver des établissements inclusifs, sûrs, résilients et durables. De ce point de vue, le numéro fournira quelques exemples de la façon dont les OCSBA tentent de travailler avec leurs sections locales afin de réduire la pauvreté due au manque d’accession à la propriété et de terres sûres, et comment les premières aident les secondes à accéder de manière adéquate, sûre et abordable à la propriété et à gravir les échelons de la propriété.

Le numéro 82 expliquera en outre comment l’absence de droits de propriété réels ou leur mauvaise application peut entraver et limiter le développement économique de certains groupes ethniques et des femmes rurales. Au-delà de cette explication, le numéro fournira quelques pistes de solutions sur les problèmes rencontrés par ces groupes et les femmes, en particulier pour les groupes situés dans les sphères d’activité des OCSBA.

Le 82e numéro couvrira des domaines tels que l’accessibilité et l’abordabilité des logements pour les pauvres, les pauvres en tant que propriétaires, les droits des femmes à posséder des terres, en particulier dans les zones rurales, la mobilité résidentielle parmi les personnes à faible revenu, le logement durable pour les pauvres, la réalisation d’un accès à la propriété durable pour tous, la manière dont les OCSBA travaillent avec leurs sections locales pour réduire ou mettre fin à la pauvreté liée au manque d’accession à la propriété et au régime foncier, etc.

De plus amples détails sur le 82e numéro de FACS seront donnés cet hiver. Cependant, pour ceux ou celles qui souhaiteraient se renseigner à ce sujet avant qu’il ne paraisse, ils/elles ne doivent pas hésiter à contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

• 2024 Light Season’s Resources, Projects and Programmes

The following highlights the 2024 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 two types, which are:

(a) Specifically designed initiatives to bring message of hope or a Blaze of Hope

(b) 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 the coronavirus, wars, natural disasters and the current the cost-of-living crisis

(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.

For example, the Appeal to Give Hope to the Humanitarian Needy of the Democratic Republic of Congo is at the same time for unfinished business of humanitarian work and any potential eruption of insecurity crisis in the New Year. As the World Food Programme (14) puts it:

“The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing one of the world’s largest hunger crises.  According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an estimated 25.4 million people are experiencing crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity, including 5.5 million people in the three eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu”.

• • • Initiatives falling within the Season of Light

They consist of the following:

√ Consume to Reduce Poverty (Edition No. 12) with a Focus on Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

√ Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign 2024

√ 2024 Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook

√ Nature-positive Projects (New)

√ Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.

The above mentioned initiatives are amongst the ones we have selected to kick-start 2024. Apart from them, we shall take a moment to reflect on the poverty reduction landscape of 2023 by taking stock and charge of what happened in 2023, and how we can move forward in 2024. In particular, we will be working together with beneficiaries on the following:

√ 2023 Year-end Financial Controls as Stocktaking and Charge Taking Tools for Poverty Reduction

√ Projects of Just, Orderly and Equitable Energy Transitions

√ Fossil-free Projects

√ Humanitarian Relief Appeals with 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

√ Climate Actions 2024 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 2024 Light Season’s Initiatives

As we go along the Light Season, the following implementation plan consisting of twelve initiatives will be effective.

The above are 12 Initiatives to implement the Light Season 2024. They are also 12 Essential Ways to Bring and Sustain Hope for Those in Need This Winter 2024.

There are three observations to make from the above implementation plan, which are:

a) Since the global climate community committed itself to transition away from fossil fuels at the end of COP28 (15), the Installation Sub-phase of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation has moved from Installation sub-phase (phase 3.2) to Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3)

b) Projects of Just, Orderly and Equitable Energy Transitions are our new initiative not only to feature the Season of Light, but also to volunteer for the poor and the planet

c) The next level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign (Level 8) is on Cloud Technology.

This initial implementation plan for the Light Season’s initiatives can change depending on the circumstances, events and conditions. 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 2024, please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) Marcotullio, P. J., Transition Theories (pp. 236-248), in Iossifova, D., Doll, C.N. H., & Gasparatos, A. (Eds.), (2017), Defining the Urban: Interdisciplinary and Professional Perspectives (1st ed.), Routledge, https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315576282 (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://marcr.net/marcr-for-career-professionals/career-theory/career-theories-and-theories/transition-theory-nancy-k-schlossberg/ (accessed in January 2024)

(3) Stevens, A. H., Poverty Transitions, in Philip N. Jefferson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Poverty, Oxford Handbooks (2012; online edn, Oxford Academic, 28 Dec. 2012, https://doi.org/10.1093/Oxfordhb/9780195393781.013.0016, accessed in January 2024

(4) https://www.rescue.org/en/article/top-10-crises-world-cant-ignore_ (accessed in January 2024)

(5) https://dynamixsolutions.com/what-is-cloud-technology-and-how-does-it-work/ (accessed in January 2024)

(6) cenfacs.org.uk/2020/03/11/the-2020s-agenda-and-programme/ (accessed in January 2024)

(7) Hayes, T. O. (2021), Measuring Poverty in United States: Comparing Measurement Methods, American Action Forum at https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/measuring-poverty-in-the-united-states-comparing-measurement-methods/ (accessed in January 2024)

(8) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/articles/anexpenditurebasedapproachtopovertyintheuk/financialyearending2017 (accessed in January 2024)

(9) https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/publication/securing-africas-land-for-shared-prosperity# (accessed in January 2024)

(10) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in January 2024)

(11) https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/07/indicator_1.4.2_training_module_secure_tenure_rights_to_land.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(12) https://www.ifad.org/documents/38714170/39148759/Land+tenure+security+and+poverty+reduction.pdf/ (accessed in January 2024)

(13) https://study.com/academy/lesson/private-property-economics-overview-rights-examples.html (accessed in January 2024)

(14) https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/drc-emergency (accessed in January 2024)

(15) https://www.cop28.com/en/ (accessed in January 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on January 3, 2024 in Uncategorized

Happy New Year 2024 and

Welcome Back to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

03 January 2024

Post No. 333

The New Year’s Contents

• What Is New at the Start of the New Year and What Is On This January 2024?

• The 12^th Issue of Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change – In Focus: Non-essential Consumption and Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

• Coming up This Winter: The New Year’s and Next Issue of FACS (The 82nd Issue) to Be Titled as Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa

… And much more!

The New Year’s Key Messages

• What Is New at the Start of the New Year and What Is on This January 2024?

~ New Tool, New Relief and New Hope

We have got the following initiatives to look forward to this January 2024 at CENFACS:

√ Consume to Reduce Poverty (Edition No. 12) with a Focus on Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

√ 2023 Year-end Financial Controls as Tools for Poverty Reduction

√ Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign 2024

√ 2024 Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook

√ Nature-positive Projects (New)

√ Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.

The above mentioned initiatives are amongst the ones we have selected to kick-start 2024. Apart from them, we shall take a moment to reflect on the poverty reduction landscape of 2023 and how we can move forward in 2024. In particular, we will be working together with beneficiaries on the following:

√ Projects of Just, Orderly and Equitable Energy Transitions

√ Fossil-free Projects

√ Climate Actions to keep pace with net zero path and poverty reduction.

To complete the picture about our working plan for the first quarter of 2024, we shall soon unveil the remaining selected initiatives making the Season of Light at CENFACS.

• The 12^th Issue of CRPCC (Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change) – In Focus: Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

January is the month of Responsible Consumption for CENFACS. The initiative featuring this month is our resource entitled as Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change (CRPCC). In this first post of 2024, we have highlighted the contents this year’s edition of CRPCC – Edition 2024 or the 12th Issue.

The 12^th Issue of this resource will be on ‘Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty’. However, before giving the message about the 12^th Issue of CRPCC, let us briefly re-explain what normally happen in January.

• • January as a Month of Responsible Consumption within CENFACS

Some of you are aware that January is our month of Responsible Consumption following CENFACS development calendar. It means that the theme for January is Responsible or Sustainable Consumption and the monthly project carrying this theme is Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change.

• • • What does happen in January?

January is the month we act against poverty due to the lack of consumption and we deal with measures of poverty reduction through consumption. It is also an opportunity to act to preserve a good relationship between the way in which we consume products on the one hand and the reduction of adverse climate change on the other.

Particularly, January is a climate reminder month as it is the month during which we raise awareness of the relationships between humans and the nature through sustainable consumption; that is consumption that does not destroy the nature or a change in consumption habits that are adjusted to human real needs and to chosen market options of promoting environmental conservation and social equality.

• • • What will happen this January?

This January, we will take an extra step by exploring the relationship between humans and non-essential products and services, between humans and ways of reducing poverty linked to consumption, particularly the consumption of non-essentials.

• • • What is Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change (CRPCC) ?

CRPCC is our users’ New Year supporting information and accompanying booster that focuses on Buying and Consumption elements conducive to the reduction of poverty and hardships and of negative effects of climate change. It is indeed a complimentary support to our Autumn Festive Income Boost (FIB) resource.

The FIB is an income-generating resource while CRPCC brings in a consumption-led look in our fight against poverty and negative climate change. The current Edition (Edition No. 12) of CRPCC deals with ‘Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty’ as mentioned above.

For further details about CRPCC project, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/services-activities/

• • The 12^th Issue of CRPCC (Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change) – In Focus: Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

Rich and poor can consume non-essential items. However, when we speak about the people in need, including those making the CENFACS Community, often we refer to their needs or the minimum which is necessary for their survival as human beings or even essential products and services to maintain their lives.

Yet, these people in need have also non-essential consumption or wants they would like to meet. Wants are unlimited or infinite, while needs are finite. In this 2024 Edition of CRPCC, it is about these wants or non-essential consumption that we are dealing with and how one can use them to reduce consumption-based poverty.

The 2024 Edition of CRPCC is indeed about working with users to try to solve the basic economic problem of how to allocate the unlimited resources they possess to infinite wants they have. It is a New Year treat of non-essential expenses, which are usually the expenses that one does not necessarily need. They are also called discretionary expenses as people can maintain their lives without them. They make 30% of the 50/30/20 budgeting rule for any household.

In this 12th Issue of CRPCC, we are interested in these 30% of the household budget that suppose to cover non-essential consumption. We are keen in finding out how many of people making the CENFACS Community, who are able to cover these 30%, can reduce poverty linked to this consumption. We are as well dealing with those who cannot cover them and how they can reduce poverty linked to non-essential consumption.

The 2024 Edition of CRPCC does not stop there. It provides tips and hints on both those who can cover non-essential consumption and those cannot, so that both of them can find their way to reduce consumption-based poverty.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have further explained the theme of ‘Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty’, and how to meet them.

• Coming up This Winter: The New Year’s and Next Issue of FACS (The 82nd Issue) to Be Titled as Private Homeownership and Secure Land Tenure to Reduce Poverty in Africa

Private homeownership and land tenure are important in the process of reducing poverty in Africa. Their importance has been recognised by many organisations and institutions including the World Bank (1), which recommends the increase in land access and tenure for the poor and vulnerable by redistributing rural land, providing ownership rights for squatters on urban public land, removing restrictions on rental land and promoting gender equity by documenting the land rights for women.

Despite this recognition, there are places or parts of the world where the poor and vulnerable are still lacking land access and tenure. Africa is amongst them. Although Africa is the world’s second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia in both cases, it is also a continent where people struggle to own a home and/or land. This is to such extent that Africa leads in terms of the percentage of urban population living in informal settlements.

Yet, promoting sustainable land and inclusive governance in Africa is part of land policy in Africa and will help achieve aspirations and goals of the Agenda 2063. Likewise, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 (2) is about making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The first target of the same goal (that is, Goal target 11.1) is “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”. Many wonder if this goal target will be completed by its deadline.

Given the fact that Africa is lagging behind in terms of homeownership and land tenure for its ordinary population, the underlying theme of the 82nd Issue of FACS will deal with the twin problems of homeownership and land in Africa in the areas of operation of CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs). It will shade light on the right to securely own land or to occupy and exclusively use a particular piece of land.

However, the 82nd Issue of FACS will have a limited scope as it will not have ambition to treat all questions relating to homeownerships and lands in Africa. Instead, the Issue will focus on the problems faced by CENFACS‘ ASCOs and their beneficiaries who may be homeless, landless, poor home-owners and poor renters; and who would like to work with them in order to reduce poverty and unsustainability linked to the lack of access to private homeownership and secure land tenure.

In this respect, the 82nd Issue will examine the relationship between poverty reduction and homeownership, between poverty reduction and land tenure in today’s Africa, in particular in the areas where CENFACS‘ ASCOs operate. The Issue will make the case for the need to develop private homeownership and secure land tenure that benefit the poor.

The 82nd Issue will deal with the allocation of power on home and land, and how this allocated power can help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. Indeed, access to homeownership and control over land can achieve a lot of things for those living in poverty. They can help them to have a fixed place to build and plan their lives. Having a home and/or a secure land can be the first step to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

It is not surprise if the ‘unhabitat.org’ (3) argues that

“Secure land tenure and property rights enable people in urban and rural areas to invest in improved homes and livelihoods”.

Similarly, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (4) explains the following:

The 82nd Issue will consider the appropriate private property rights theories and land rights theories used as it will combine scarcity, overbearing State and traditional culture arguments in explaining homeownership and land issues in Africa. It will approach private homeownership as private property. Private property can be explained by the definition of ‘study.com’ (5) as

“Ownership of tangible or intangible property by an individual entity, rather than by the state or a common owner”.

Far from being an account of homeownership and land theories, the Issue will be a story of ASCOs working with poor homeless and landless to find inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable settlements. From this perspective, the Issue will provide some examples on how ASCOs are trying to work with their locals in order to reduce poverty due to the lack of homeownership and secure land, and how the former are helping the latter to adequately, safely and affordably access and climb the property ladder and/or secure land tenure.

The 82nd Issue further will explain how the lack of genuine property rights or their enforcement can conduce and constrain the economic development of certain ethnic groups and rural women. Beyond this explanation, the Issue will provide some leads to the problems faced by these groups and women, particularly for groups located in the spheres of operation of ASCOs.

The 82nd Issue will cover areas such as accessibility and affordability of homes to poor people, poor people as homeowners, women’s rights to own land especially in rural areas, residential mobility among low-income earners, sustainable housing for the poor, achieving sustainable homeownership for all, how ASCOs are working with their locals to reduce or end poverty linked to the lack of homeownership and land tenure, etc.

More details about the 82nd Issue of FACS will be given this Winter. However, for those who would like to enquire about it before it appears, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

The New Year’s Extra Messages

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024

• 2023 Year-end Financial Controls as Tools for Poverty Reduction

• New Year’s Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2023-2024

Gifts of Peace for Edition 2023-2024 will end on 31 January 2024. If you have not yet supported, you can still do something for poverty relief and for healing the lingering economic effects of the 2019 pandemic and the scars of the cost-of-living crisis.

Please do not wait for the expiration of the deadline as the needs are pressing and urgent.

However, for those who can please do not hesitate to support these noble 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!

• 2023 Year-end Financial Controls as Tools for Poverty Reduction

Year-in-review accounts are one of the financial tools we would like to work and share with our users as we explained in our last post of 2023. They are part of year-end financial control project or exercise which includes income boost and other financial tools making our year-end campaign to reduce and end poverty, particularly income poverty.

To understand year-end financial controls, it is better to know what financial controls are about. According to ‘corporatefinanceinstittute.com’ (6),

“Financial controls are the procedures, policies and means by which an organisation monitors, and controls the direction, allocation, and usage of its financial resources. Financial controls are at the very core of resource management and operational efficiency in any organisation”.

This definition of financial controls can be applied to households. Like any organisation, households need to have and implement financial controls framework to manage, document, analyse, and report household transactions. These financial controls can be directional or selective or on particular household financial statements like balance sheet, cash flows, income statement, etc.

For those (individuals, families or households) who need help to manage or close their 2023 year-in-review accounts, they can contact CENFACS prior to the end of 2023-2024 tax year or by the 5^th of April 2024.

• 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 2023. We are available to work in hybrid mode with users via a Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that they can start 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.

These are exclusive New Year activities to maximise programme and scheme beneficiaries’ financial management and decision-making for a successful financial year. To practise FCCBP and FCCBS , we are carrying out structured New Year finance activities this January 2024.

• • New Year’s Structured Finance Activities as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme

FCCBP is a set of structured planned actions or events designed to help users to better manage financial aspects of New Year celebrations, to develop financial knowledge and skills, to make life-saving financial decisions and to invest in financial capacity and capability goals

As a result, we will be working on how people and families can be involved a series of the following structured New Year activities or small projects:

Activity 1: Investing in realistic goals about financial capacity and capability

Activity 2: Managing financial aspects of New Year events

Activity 3: Making financial knowledge and skills positively impact on your financial behaviour

Activity 4: Taking sensible life-saving financial decisions

Activity 5: How to generate little extra income in order to reduce poverty.

These activities are run in the forms of advice, advocacy, e-discussion, workshop, focus group, survey, direct questions/answers, etc. More details about them can be obtained from CENFACS.

• • New Year’s Structured Finance Activities as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Scheme

FCCBS is a plan or system for achieving the goals of financial capacity and capability. It helps to work with users so that they can elaborate a systematic plan of future action about their financial capacity and capability for a week or month or year (2024). Through this exercise, we shall use some financial capacity and capability tools to work with users to design basic financial plans, policies, systems, strategies, etc. to deal with their problems. Under this scheme, we can organise together the following New Year activities:

Activity 1: Financial Capacity and Capability to make ends meet (e.g., coping and survival strategies)

Activity 2: Financial Capacity and Capability to plan head (plan and save for the future)

Activity 3: Financial Capacity and Capability to organise money management (e.g., money management plan)

Activity 4: Financial Capacity and Capability to make financial decisions and act through budgeting

Activity 5: Financial Capacity and Capability to control spending through spending plan.

Briefly, we will be working on how people and families having the issues of financial capacity and capability can work out systematic plans for future action to improve their financial capacity and capability, and where possible generate income in order to reduce continuing poverty and hardships. In particular, we will make sure about what scheme is workable or unworkable for them.

In the end, we hope that the financially incapacitated or incapable people and families can develop their own individual working FCCBP and FCCBS plans or policies to establish financial capacity and capability as well as generate little extra incomes through income generation plan. In doing so, they can improve their intergenerational economy and transfer accounts.

Need New Year’s advice or support to deal with the problems of financial capacity and capability you are experiencing, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

If you have financial planning problems, you can contact CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you to start this New Year stronger and confident with a financial plan or a system or a policy.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Dons de Paix, édition 2023-2024

Les Dons de Paix pour l’édition 2023-2024 se termineront le 31 janvier 2024. Si vous ne l’avez pas encore fait, vous pouvez toujours faire quelque chose pour soulager la pauvreté et guérir les effets économiques persistants de la pandémie de 2019 et les cicatrices de la crise du coût de la vie.

Bien que la date limite pour la Saison des Dons pour ces cadeaux soit le 31 janvier 2024, nous accepterons toujours tous les dons effectués après cette date limite pour permettre à ceux et celles qui ne seront pas en mesure de faire un don avant cette date butoir d’avoir une chance de faire un don par la suite.

Veuillez ne pas attendre l’expiration du délai car les besoins sont pressants et urgents.

Nous savons que de nombreux/ses partisan(e)s de bonnes causes ont été touché(e)s par la crise du coût de la vie. Cependant, pour ceux ou celles qui le peuvent, n’hésitez pas à soutenir ces nobles causes de paix puisque les bénéficiaires potentiels de celles-ci sont triplement impactés par:

a) Les effets économiques persistants des crises précédentes (comme le coronavirus)

b) Les conditions déjà extrêmement mauvaises dans lesquelles ils vivent

c) Les cicatrices de la crise persistante du coût de la vie.

Chaque soutien compte pour aider à réduire et à mettre fin à l’extrême pauvreté.

S’il vous plaît, gardez les Dons de Paix à l’esprit pendant que la saison des dons se poursuit.

Pour plus de détails sur ces Dons de Paix et/ou pour les soutenir, rendez-vous sur http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

Nous comptons sur votre soutien. Merci!

The New Year’s Main Development

• The 12^th Issue of Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change (CRPCC)

In Focus: Non-essential Consumption and the Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty

• • Key highlights, Tips and Hints about the 12th Issue of CRPCC

The key highlights, Tips and Hints include the following:

∝ Key Terms

∝ Relationships between Non-essential Consumption and Poverty Reduction

∝ Non-essential Consumption Shopping Basket

∝ The Dilemma between Non-essential Consumption and Circular Economic Model

∝ Non-essential Consumption and the Growing Climate Economy

∝ Non-essential Consumption in the Context of Changing Climate and Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change

∝ Non-essential Consumption and Crises

∝ Poor Consumers and their Affordability of Non essentials

∝ Non-essential Consumption Good Practices within the Community

∝ Demonstrative Projects of Non-essential Consumption

∝ Budgeting for Non-essential Consumption

∝ Non-essential Consumption Indication on Products for Verification, Identity and Authenticity

∝ Non-essential Security and Guarantee

∝ Looking for Help and Support on Non-essentials.

Let us consider these key highlights, tips and hints.

• • • Key Terms

There are three terms that facilitate the understanding of the 2024 Edition of CRPCC. These terms are: consumption-based poverty, non-essential consumption and the 50/30/20 budgeting rule. Let us briefly explain them.

• • • • What is Reduction of Consumption-based Poverty?

The reduction of consumption-based poverty is part of CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme (7). It relates to the second goal of this programme; goal which is Consume sustainably to reduce poverty and climate change.

To explain the reduction of consumption-based poverty, one needs to know consumption-based poverty.

Tara O’ Neil describes it on the website of ‘americanactionforum.org’ (8) in terms of measure by arguing that

This measure can be to determine if for example the members of the CENFACS Community are experiencing poverty linked to consumption (including non-essential consumption). From this information, we can support them to find their way to reduce non-essential consumption-based poverty.

• • • • What is Non-essential Consumption?

To clarify non-essential consumption, we are going to break it into two: non-essential and consumption. Consumption is understood here from the definition given by Chris Park (9) as

“The process of using resources to satisfy human wants or needs” (p. 96)

From this definition, consumption is being perceived from the micro-economic perspective (from the point of view of individuals, households and firms), not at national or aggregate demand level. Consumption is here the use of goods and services by individuals or households. That consumption can be on essential and/or non-essential products (i.e., goods or services). In other words, it can be about satisfying human needs or wants.

In this 12th Edition of CRPCC, we are interested in that part of consumption relating to non-essentials or wants (that is, the desires for the consumption of goods and services).

Non-essential consumption is related to non-essential expenses. The latter are defined by ‘readersdigest.co.uk’ (10) as

“The expenses that you don’t necessarily need”.

The same website ‘readersdigest.co.uk’ provides the following examples of non-essential expenses: clothes, shoes, makeups, video games, gym memberships and Netflix. These expenses are also called discretional expenses. In other words, individuals or households are able to maintain themselves even if these discretional expenses are stopped. This was the case during the coronavirus crisis. Like any expenses, they are part of budgeting rule.

• • • • What is the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule?

The website ‘thebalancemoney.com’ (11) argues that the 50/30/20 rule of thumb, which originates from the 2005 book written by US Senator Elizabeth Warren and her daughter Amelia Warren Tyafi, is

“A way to allocate your budget according to three categories: needs, wants and financial goals”.

According to this rule, you should put aside 30% of your income (after tax) for your wants. Wants are what you desire but don’t actually need in order to survive. They include hobbies, vacations, dining out, digital and streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.

In the context of the 12th Edition of CRPCC, we are interested in these 30% or wants or non-essentials, instead of needs or 50% of your budget or essentials. We are looking at if there is any relationships between wants and poverty reduction and how we can work with the users of CRPCC to reduce consumption-based poverty, which could be linked with non-essentials or wants.

• • • Relationships between Non-essential Consumption and Poverty Reduction

There could be relationships between non-essentials and poverty reduction. For example, if non-essential item is clothes and poverty is expressed by the lack of clothing to cover your body; then reducing clothing poverty can be related to the want of clothes. Clothing poverty is described by ‘hellograds.com (12) as

“The situation in which people have very little or nothing to wear on a day-to-day basis”.

To further explain these relationships, let us refer to what ‘justfair.org’ (13) argues about clothing. It argues the following:

“Clothing is a fundamental human right. By law, the right of clothes is a key aspect of our right to an adequate standard of living – outlined by Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), alongside other basic necessities like food and housing”.

Additionally, there are studies that argue ending extreme poverty requires increasing the consumption levels of all people living below the international poverty line of US$2.15. Non-essential consumption is also part of this increase. However, there are other bodies of work which recognise that any increase of consumption (including from the poor) can lead to rise in carbon dioxide emissions. There is a third type of arguments that explain that the goals of poverty reduction via consumption increase can be compatible with the containment strategy of climate change. But, this can only happen under defined conditions.

• • • Non-essential Consumption Shopping Basket

Using the internet, e-mail, social networks and other communication technologies; it is possible to get enough information about products and services that meet non-essential consumption while reducing poverty at the same time. It is as well possible to find resources and websites that compare these kinds of products, services and prices. People can then choose products and services that are good value for non-essential consumption and add them to their online shopping basket.

• • • The Dilemma between Non-essential Consumption and Circular Economic Model

Embracing the recipes of the economic model that decouples (bad) exploitation of natural resources and the desire to meet human needs and wants (circular economy), can help improve consumer behaviour via essential consumption. It is said that all processes create waste. However, the circular economic model helps to direct consumption towards what is essential to maintain human life; in doing so it benefits humans to fix, reuse, reduce and save resources through their consumption.

There is dilemma if non-essential consumption is considered as being the opposite of what is essential to maintain human life. Non-essential is about wants, but not needs. To resolve this dilemma, it is required to ensure that non-essential goods and services or human wants do not create waste. If wants can be zero waste, then there is a possibility that they can contribute to the circular economic model.

• • • Non-essential Consumption and the Growing Climate Economy

The process of using resources in a frugal way to satisfy human wants and needs can goes hand in hand with an organised system for the production, distribution and use of goods and services that takes into account the changing weather conditions. In other words, consuming anti-wasteful and essential products and resources can help reduce adverse climate change.

As climate economy (that is, a system which attempts to solve the basic economic problem of climate) continues to grow, it can bring new climate educational opportunities, economic savings and improved well-being for the poor. These attributes of the Growing Climate Economy (GCE) can help them consume goods and services that are essential and have less or no harmful wasteful materials.

Nonetheless, research can help find goods and services that are non-essential and not causing harms and wastes to the environment. In this respect, not all non-essentials are wasteful and harmful. Non-essentials that are not wasteful and not harmful can make their in the GCE.

• • • Non-essential Consumption in the Context of Changing Climate and Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change

Maybe enough has been said about the impacts of changing climate. If not, then one area of work could be for humans to rethink about the negative waste that their non-essential consumption can create. If there is such harmful waste for some types of consumption, then there could a need to reduce it and shift to essential consumption for the sake of the environment and the nature on which we all depend.

• • • Non-essential Consumption and Crises

In times of crises, people are sometimes advised or decide by themselves to cut down on non-essentials. For example, in March 2023 ‘theguardian.com’ (14) reported that according to research from KPMG more than half of UK consumers cut back on discretional spending and nearly two-thirds chose to reduce amount they spend on eating out. Many of them did so because of fear about their financial security which they thought was under threat due to hikes in food and energy prices. However, before cut non-essential consumption, people need first to assess the impact on both essential and non-essential items and decide which ones they want to keep or cut down.

• • • Poor Consumers and their Affordability of Non-essentials

Non-essential consumption is not always the cheapest one. Not everybody can afford to buy non-essential goods as many of them may even lack access to affordable non-essential goods and services. Let us take the example of broadband. Not all the low-income families or households can afford to hire broadband or to have internet at home. Yet, broadband or internet at home can be essential for some and non-essential for others.

Giving them advisory support in terms how to increase your income, to make some changes in their expenses budget and find affordable non-essential consumption goods and services should be a priority amongst other ones. In this respect, a list of where to find affordable non-essential consumption goods and services in this CRPCC resource can be life-saving.

• • • Non-essential Consumption Good Practices within the Community

Despite the problem of affordability of non-essential goods for low income poor people and families, there could be nonetheless non-essential consumption good practices within our community. To back up these practices, the 12^th Issue of CRPCC highlights some cases of non-essential consumption good initiatives undertaken by the CENFACS Community that underpins non-essential consumption accounts as part of every day’s human life.

In this respect, those who have cases of essential consumption practices and who may find them worthwhile to share and be added to this issue of CRPCC, they can let CENFACS know.

• • • Demonstrative Projects of Non-essential Consumption

In non-essential consumption economy, every shopper demonstrates the ability to follow the rules of non-essentially consuming. There could be those consumers who do more by taking a proactive action to consume non-essentially.

Likewise, there could be local projects (for example, local non-essential charitable shops, non-essential budget stores and community organisations) that could display demonstrative talents and skills in promoting non-essential consumption goods, services and habits which are zero-waste or net zero.

For those members of our community who have developed this kind of demonstrative projects of non-essential consumption, it could be a good idea to let us know so that we can add them to this CRPCC resource.

• • • Barriers to Achieve Essential Consumption Goals

There could be some handicaps for people and families to achieve non-essential consumption goals. One of the barriers is the lack of income that extremely poor people experience that could push them out of reach of non-essential consumption products. Despite that in charitable world and economy in which no one is left behind, there could be still access for everybody to non-essential consumption goods and services.

However, people and families do not like non-essential consumption to happen to them in this way since they would like to work and pay for their non-essential consumption. Because of the barriers they face in finding opportunity to work and earn decent income, their prospect for meeting their non-essential consumption goals becomes remote. This is without forgetting hikes in price of non-essentials.

As part of tackling these barriers, the current resource provides some leads in terms of print and online resources that users can further explore in order to respond to some their non-essential consumption problems.

• • • Budgeting for Non-essential Consumption

It is a good idea for users to budget for non-essential consumption goods and services as part of the overall of household budgeting process. This kind of preparation in terms of financial statement for any planned incomes and expenses for a particular period can help to maximise the use of resources and reduce wasteful spending in terms of what is essential and non-essential consumption. It can as well provide alternative to non-essential consumption to reduce poverty and hardships due to waste.

• • • Non-essential Consumption Indication on Products for Verification, Identity and Authenticity

It is a good idea for any consumer, rich or poor, to check non-essential features on their buys and other specifications and read other people’s testimonies, reviews or comments about it. In this respect, selling the positive idea of non-essential consumption could be helpful for non-essential consumers.

• • • Non-essential Security and Guarantee

When buying non-essential consumption products and services (whether using online or a physical store), one needs to check, compare and contrast products, terms and conditions of business, buying terms, prices, etc. There is a need to check as well guarantees and safety policies for non-essential features.

If you are buying online, before you sign up, add to your non-essential consumption shopping basket and purchase an item; you need to read, discuss and check what you are agreeing on. You may even take more precautions when selecting items, filling up buying forms to enter your personal, financial information and sensitive details.

You should also be aware of scams and illegal and malicious practices. For own online security, use the e-safety tools and advice.

• • • Looking for Help and Support on Non-essentials

For those users who are looking for help and support, we can work with them so that they can navigate their way out non-essential consumption-based poverty. We can together explore the following options to deal with discretional or non-essential spending:

√ Improving their spending intent

√ Setting up cost cutting targets on budget items such as takeaways, eating out, clothing, etc.

√ Switching to cheap non-essential retailers to save money

√ Trimming budget

√ Prioritising expenses

√ Setting up a policy not to borrow money for non-essentials

√ Adopting cost-saving behaviour

√ Briefly, developing a strategy or policy to control non-essential spending.

The above-mentioned options or tools will help them to build confidence throughout 2024 and beyond.

For those users who would like to dive into the reduction of non-essential consumption-based poverty, we can provide them with online and print resources relating to the matters. These resources can highlight the following points: affordable non-essential retailers, where to eat out cheaply, plan before buying non-essentials, non-essential tracker, etc.

There is a lot of online resources and websites they can sign up and receive advice on these following matters.

The above are the key highlights, tips and hints about the 12th Issue of CRPCC we wanted to share with you.

For further details about Non-essential and Responsible Consumption and get the full 2024 Edition of Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change, please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/publication/securing-africas-land-for-shared-prosperity# (accessed in January 2024)

(2) https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed in January 2024)

(3) https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2020/07/indicator_1.4.2_training_module_secure_tenure_rights_to_land.pdf (accessed in January 2024)

(4) https://www.ifad.org/documents/38714170/39148759/Land+tenure+security+and+poverty+reduction.pdf/ (accessed in January 2024)

(5) https://study.com/academy/lesson/private-property-economics-overview-rights-examples.html (accessed in January 2024)

(6) https://corporatefinancialinstitute.com/resource/career-map/sell-side/risk-management/financial-controls/ (accessed in January 2024)

(7) cenfacs.org.uk/2020/03/11/the-2020s-agenda-and-programme/ (accessed in January 2024)

(8) Hayes, T. O. (2021), Measuring Poverty in United States: Comparing Measurement Methods, American Action Forum at https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/measuring-poverty-in-the-united-states-comparing-measurement-methods/ (accessed in January 2024)

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

(10) https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/money/managing-your-money/how-to-differentiate-between-essential-and-non-essential-expenses (accessed in January 2024)

(11) https://www.thebalancemoney.com/the-50-30-20-rule-of-thumb-453922 (accessed in January 2024)

(12) https://hellograds.com/news/clothing-poverty-awareness/ (accessed in January 2024)

(13) https://justfair.org.uk/home/blog/guest-blog/this-is-a-human-rights-issue-the-hidden-truth-about-clothing-poverty/ (accessed in January 2024)

(14) https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/apr/03/half-of-all-uk-consumers-have-cut-non-essential-spending (accessed in January 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 throughout 2024 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

2023 Year-in-review Impact Report

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on December 27, 2023 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

27 December 2023

Post No. 332

The Week’s Contents of the Last Post of 2023

This year-end post, which is the 52^nd one, is about covering the events of the year 2023 from the perspective of recapping the year for CENFACS’ audiences, followers, beneficiaries and supporters; as well as from the point of view of CENFACS’ contribution to poverty reduction and sustainable development. It highlights the outstanding points of our year-in-review campaign and uses retrospective data. The main contents of this post are as follows.

• 2023 Year-in-review Impact Report

• Year-end Triple Action Givings: Peace, Hope and Difference

• Year-end Advice-giving Service

… And much more!

Festive Season’s Key Messages

• 2023 Year-in-review Impact Report

The above mentioned report is an evaluation of what happened in this ending year (2023). It is not an annual report or an annual return. It is CENFACS‘ performance highlights and lowlights as well as insights, challenges, successes and learnings throughout 2023.

The report, which is a brief summary of 2023, will help to learn what went well and what did not go well within and around CENFACS, as well as how we can engage our charitable objects in 2024 and beyond.

The report helps to communicate connections with all of you who worked with us and/or helped us in our beautiful cause of poverty reduction. It is an impact report as it explains the effect or impression made by work we undertook with users and beneficiaries with the help of our supporters; effect or impression on those who needed support and help on their way towards relief or poverty reduction.

Under the Main Development section of this post you will find key highlights of this 2023 Year-in-review Impact Report.

• Year-end Triple Action Givings: Peace, Hope and Difference

• • What is the Season’s Relief Triple Action Giving?

It is about fighting poverty and hardships in a number of fronts over the Festive Season, particularly by helping…

(a) to bring peace,

(b) to create hope

Let us briefly explain each of the three givings (that is, peace, hope and difference).

• • • Peace via the Gifts of Peace

Our celebratory theme for the Season’s Reliefs is Peace and continues to be alive to the end of this season. The Gifts of Peace, which are one of CENFACS‘ festive favourites, are the set piece of the Season’s Reliefs that provides the absence of conflicts within ourselves as well as between us and others.

In terms of projects and programmes in Africa, the Gifts of Peace try to support poor people and communities so that they can navigate their ways towards freedoms from wars, armed conflicts, disease disturbance and disorder from natural events.

For those who are looking for fundraising appeals or projects to fund as festive gifts over this festive time, Gifts of Peace as an appeal is a valuable proposal they could consider. They can try any of the 12 Gift Ideas to reduce poverty and sustain development in the Gifts of Peace making our year-end campaign. They can unwrap their Gift of Peace for those in need this festive Season.

To enquire about and or fund the Gifts of Peace, please contact CENFACS.

• • • Hope through the Gift of Light

Our theme for the Season of Light is Hope and is still featuring what we have planned to achieve over this season. The Gift of Light helps to bring hope to those who are in the darkness and need some lights to see life through other ways.

Regarding the projects and programmes in our sphere of operation in Africa, we try to work – through the Gift of Light – with hopeless, desperate and destitute people and communities so that they can rebuild confidence and faith in themselves and continue to believe that they can find light and move away from darkness in the future.

• • • Difference by means of Charity e-Store – Zero Waste Store

Shopping and donating goods at our Charity e-Store is the third giving.

We are asking goods donors and buyers to DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS SEASON by undertaking these following options:

∝ Safe collection of goods for recycling: We can arrange for goods to be safely collected at an agreed location, day and time under our Recycle and Give policy

∝ Goods buyers can Click and Collect.

Every time you shop at CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store, you make a helpful difference to people in need over this festive time. Amongst these people are those who are trying to fight poverty induced by the cost-of-living crisis.

The above are the Season’s Relief Triple Action Giving. Each of these action givings will help to reduce poverty over the festive period and beyond.

We can only help reduce and possibly end multi-dimensional poverty as well as poverty induced by the cost-of-living crisis if you help us to do so. And this time of the year is a unique opportunity for you once a year to change lives through your invaluable action giving, however small it may be.

Please, don’t miss this marvellous opportunity of the year and the end of the year. There is a high demand for poverty reduction.

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

The above-mentioned Year-end Triple Action Giving or Year-end Fundraising Campaign continues until the last day, hour, minute and second of 2023.

For those who would like to donate to our End-of-year Asks and any other festive projects or campaigns or even causes before 2023 ends, please do not hesitate to donate. You can still make a helpful difference before the last second of 31/12/2023.

To donate, just contact CENFACS with your donation by any of these means of communications: text, phone, e-mail and contact form on this website.

• Year-end Advice-giving Service

The Festive Season’s Arrangements below explain that we are in holiday break until the 5^th of January 2024. However, some of our projects and campaigns are either self-running or designed to run throughout the holiday season like the festive holiday. One of these holiday projects is the Advice-giving one.

Indeed, during the festive period not everybody or member of our community can afford to celebrate on the New Year’s Eve. There are people who still need accommodation, food, income, guidance, support, help against loneliness, etc. They may also need life-saving support of various kinds to cope and survive while other people, the lucky ones, are busy preparing themselves for the New Year’s Eve festivities.

Because of this on-going need and demand within the community, we have maintained a minimum level of advice-giving service to e-work with those who desperately need advice to reduce poverty or any type of hardships they are facing and do not have anywhere else to ask for help and advice, especially at this challenging time of the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

If you are one of our members and facing serious hardship during the festive period, you can e-contact CENFACS for advice, guidance, information and support.

If you are not one of our members and would like to discuss this year-in-review advice project, please still e-contact CENFACS.

Festive Season’s Extra Messages

• Festive Season’s Arrangements: from 23 December 2023 to 5 January 2024

• Help for Your Year-in-review Accounts

• E-discussion on Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet, and Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme

• Festive Season’s Arrangements: from 23 December 2023 to 5 January 2024

The following are the arrangements we have made for the above stated period.

• • Queries and Enquiries

During the festive holidays, we will only handle online queries and enquiries until the 5th of January 2024. However, our All-in-Development Winter e-discussion on Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet is still on until the 5th of January 2023 as planned.

• • Opening Hours and Days: 24/7

We are open online 24 hours and 7 days of week.

• • Visits

You can only visit us online.

• • Festive Donations

Our festive campaigns highlight not only the projects and activities that are related to CENFACS’ demand, but also and mostly to the needs and asks of those living in poverty around this time of the year and of the continuing disruption of the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

Those who want to donate to our fundraising campaigns and projects (such as Gifts of Peace and Influence Gift) are welcome to do so.

Their festive support or donations will help bring a Blaze of Hope and Peace to those in need, particularly at this challenging time of the cost-of-living crisis.

As well as donating, there are other ways one can support. These other ways range from spreading the message about CENFACS’ work and campaigns to visiting our online store for shopping.

All the above initiatives can create magical reliefs during this Festive Season and disturbing moment of the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

• • Season of Light

Although our Season of Light has just kicked off, some of our services and activities (such as advocacy, in-person fundraising events, etc.) as well as development campaigns are scaled down until the 5^th of January 2023.

• • What’s on from 23 December 2023 to 5 January 2024!

Since 23 December 2023 we have broke for the festive holidays. However, there are projects that are essential including in festive times. One of them is advice-giving one, which will still be run online.

This is because evidence shows that in any difficult moments of human history or crisis, the poorest always suffer. They also suffer during the happiest times of the festive celebrations. They do not have festive celebration as such, just as they could be the ones bearing the brunt of the most negative socio-economic effects of the festive celebrations. Many of them need support which includes advice at any time.

• • Delays Regarding Call and E-mail Responses

People should expect delay from us in responding to their calls and e-mails. We heavily rely on volunteers for most of our services, who are sharing the Winter e-discussion with us during this Festive Time. Some of them are already on holiday.

• • Emergency and Exceptions

In case of emergency or exceptional circumstances, please do not hesitate to text, phone, e-mail and complete the contact form on CENFACS’ website. We will respond to your message as soon as we can.

We apologize for any inconvenience or upset this may cause.

We thank you all for your invaluable and sustained support during 2023 and look forward to your continued and further support in the New Year.

We wish you a Very Healthy, Safe and Peaceful Festive Season!

• Help for Your Year-in-review Accounts

How to successfully close your end-of-year personal or family accounts and get prepared for the New Year accounts before the end of financial year

We do not only carry out our own accounts review. We also work with users to review their accounts at the end of each year.

It is theoretically known that the financial year closes in April and the State budget starts in April of each year. For example, the current tax year ends on 5 April 2024 in the UK.

It is a good practice to use the opportunity of the end of the civil year to start to work out the balances of one’s personal or family accounts.

To help those who are struggling to close their year-end accounts of 2023, we will be looking at, from the start of January 2024 when we return, how to successfully close your personal or family financial accounts and prepare your new accounts in the New Year.

It is always a good practice to start early before the deadlines of the financial year!

It is wise to work out your year-end accounts early so that you could enter the New Year with a good understanding of your financial position while keeping financial control on accounts. In doing so, one can know areas of financial improvement to sort out their financial situation in the New Year.

This year-end financial control project or exercise includes income boost and other elements making our campaign to reduce and end income poverty. This is without forgetting the elements of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme, Financial Stability Programme/Scheme and Zero Income Deficit Campaign we conducted.

For those who may be interested in this year-end financial control project, they can contact CENFACS in the New Year.

• E-discussion on Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet, and Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme

• • E-discussion on Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet

Our Winter e-discussion about Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet has so far dealt with volunteering for not to choose between the fight against poverty and the fight for the planet, volunteering to keep the ownership of transition strategies, volunteering to find resources to support vulnerable people, and volunteering to scale up private capital flows or funds to Africa.

We have paused this e-discussion to give ourselves time to reflect on the planned areas e-discussed so far and to have a festive break as many activities are scaled down or close because of festive holidays. After the reflection period and festive break, we shall resume our e-discussion on 04 and 05 January 2024, dates on which we will focus on Impact Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Action Plan 2024.

While our pause is going on, we are asking for support to CENFACS’ All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS).

• • Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme

For those who would like to support CENFACS’ All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS). There are many simple helpful and useful ways of adding great value to our voluntary work. Among them, are the 12-themed enhancers or ways of adding great value to CENFACS’ AiDVS, as highlighted in our post of 13 December 2023 (1).

These 12-themed enhancers or ways of adding great value to CENFACS’ AiDVS are:

1) Gift ideas for the best ways of monitoring, evaluating and reviewing projects and programmes in the New Year

2) Money-saving and scrimping tips from scrimpers for AiDVS

3) Festive deals and packages (e.g., seasonal discounts, discount codes, etc.) for AiDVS

4) Festive free coupons, promo codes and vouchers for AiDVS

5) Net-zero or low carbon economic products to protect the environment and nature

6) Digital and media support to better volunteer for a climate neutral and sustainable world

7) Health and safety gifts for healthy and safe volunteering in the New Year

8) Wintry and festive giveaways (e.g., free products, gift cards, free tickets, etc.) to volunteer for net zero greenhouse gas emissions and fossil-free worlds

9) Generative Artificial Intelligence volunteering tools to improve the efficiency of volunteering

10) Festive price bundling for flexible volunteering

11) Distance working and gift technologies (e.g., cloud technology, volunteer management software, apps, virtual volunteering tools, etc.)

12) Net-zero energy saving products to volunteer for poor people and the planet.

To support AiDVS with your wintry or festive gift, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

To e-discuss Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet, please communicate with CENFACS.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Rapport rétrospectif et d’impact de l’année 2023

Le rapport mentionné ci-dessus est une évaluation de ce qui s’est passé au cours de cette année qui se termine (2023). Il ne s’agit pas d’un rapport annuel ou d’un bilan social. Il s’agit des faits saillants et des points faibles de la performance du CENFACS, ainsi que des idées, des défis, des réussites et des apprentissages au cours de l’année 2023.

Le rapport, qui est un bref résumé de l’année 2023, aidera à savoir ce qui s’est bien passé et ce qui ne s’est pas bien passé au sein et autour du CENFACS, ainsi que la façon dont nous avons engagé nos objectifs de bienfaisance en 2023.

Le rapport aide à communiquer des liens avec tous/toutes ceux/celles d’entre vous qui ont travaillé avec nous et/ou qui nous ont aidés dans notre belle cause de réduction de la pauvreté. Il s’agit d’un rapport d’impact car il explique l’effet ou l’impression que nous avons produit par le travail que nous avons entrepris auprès des usagers et des bénéficiaires avec l’aide de nos soutiens; l’effet ou l’impression sur ceux/celles qui avaient besoin de soutien et d’aide sur leur chemin vers l’aide ou la réduction de la pauvreté.

Pour plus de détails sur le rapport rétrospectif et d’impact de l’année 2023 du CENFACS, veuillez contacter CENFACS.

Festive Season’s Main Development

• 2023 Year-in-review Impact Report

How the year 2023 has gone within and around CENFACS

The following contents make this report:

a) A brief Summary of the Year

b) The Theme of 2023 Year-in-review Campaign

c) How Did the Year 2023 Go through from within and around CENFACS?

d) 2023 Key Produce or Achievements

e) Looking Forward to 2024 (or Commitments for the Year 2024)

f) 2023 Gratitude.

Let’s look at each of these contents.

• • The Year’s Brief Summary

Our 2023 poverty reduction story kicked off with the search for the best possible way of positively starting the year with and by those we serve. Our Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and their beneficiaries suggested to start with an issue which often is less spoken or dealt with. The issue that came into their mind was the insurance for the poor.

From this issue, our Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations (ASCOs) demanded to work together with them and their beneficiaries to promote the culture of insurance amongst the different ages and generations of these beneficiaries. In particular, their request was to address the old age poverty which is partly due to the lack of a developed culture of insurance amongst these beneficiaries.

As children in East Africa were experiencing a series of interlinked crises or polycrises (e.g., drought, insecurity and hunger), there was a need to support these children to reduce even to end the impacts of these crises on their lives. To make a positive influence on what was happening to these children, 2023 was dedicated as a Year of Influence.

As a result of this dedication, together with these children and their representative organisations we launched an influencing appeal entitled as the Polycrisis-impacted Children of East Africa Need Your Influence Right Now. We also rolled out influencing appeals for Africa’s Food Crisis Impacted, the Displaced and Hungry Lives in the Eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Earthquake-stricken People of Marrakesh-Safi and the Floods-hit of Libya.

Since the money owed by the poor was not showing any sign of calming in the business cycle of the cost-of-living crisis, we advocated with indebted users for debt reduction, for action to create change for the highly indebted poor users making our community. In our debt reduction advocacy, we faced a dilemma.

The dilemma was how we could help rebuild Africa by working together with our ASCOs while Africa was trying to recover itself from the polycrises and build forward better under the context of insufficient economic growth conditions to reduce extreme poverty. This dilemma did not stop us from undertaking our rebuilding work.

In the process of rebuilding, our ASCOs and ourselves agreed that no one should be left behind. In particular, ASCOs realised that many of their old age beneficiaries heavily relied on their families and community networks as economic security to survive. To enable them to tackle old age poverty, ASCOs worked to ensure sustainable security in the old age.

Addressing old age poverty meant financially including the financially excluded by removing the demand-side constraints on them. This was possible through experimental approach to financial poverty and the use of deliberative practice or methodology.

It also signified building financial capacity and capability across all generations. In this respect, we hope that the tips and hints about financial education, information, communication and technology given would help to improve financial inclusion for all and help in the New Year.

• • Theme of CENFACS’ 2023 Year-in-Review Campaign

The theme for this review is building forward better together greener, cleaner and safer within the context of falling real household disposable incomes from the damaging impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

• • How did the Year 2023 Go through from within and around CENFACS?

To underline the way in which the year 2023 went from within and around CENFACS, we are going to highlight the key takeaways of 2023 and the contributions we made.

• • • Key takeaways of the year

The points or facts to remember about 2023 from within and around CENFACS are as follows.

∝) 2023 as a year of positive influence to reduce poverty

2023 has proven to be a year of positive influence. We worked with users through a series or set of interconnected influencing tasks or activities (in total, we had 12 Influence Project episodes) with the aim of reducing poverty. These tasks or activities were undertaken each month of 2023 within the requirements and limitations of CENFACS‘ existing and acquirable resources, capacities and assets.

We also worked to find things or factors that could be influenced so that they could positively contribute to the same goal of relieving need hardship and distress amongst our community members throughout 2023.

Additionally, some of these tasks or activities (like lobbying, negotiation, advocacy, etc.) enabled to achieve attitudinal change, procedural change, behaviour change, and policy content change.

The above is evidence of what influence can accomplish to people in need.

∝) 2023 as a year of following the direction of poverty reduction via marine and coastal ecosystem services

This follow-up enabled our users to understand how marine and coastal ecosystem services can help reduce poverty, particularly through provisioning and regulating services they provide.

∝) 2023 as a year of the reduction of grey spaces-induced poverty

2023 has been a year of engaging space to deal with poverty induced or linked to grey space. It has been a year of addressing spatialisation of poverty. We explored with grey space poor ways of reducing or ending this type of poverty. Also, we made efforts with them reduce health hazards from grey spaces.

∝) 2023 as a year of learning and developing self-efficacy skills to refresh ways of tackling crises

Because the nature of crises and risks is changing, there was a need to refresh ways of tackling crises through three Self-efficacy skills – resilience, flexibility and agility. These skills started to help beneficiaries to bounce back from the lingering effects of the coronavirus and the enduring cost-of-living crisis and to grab any job opportunities that were available.

∝) 2023 as a year of advocacy for the world’s smallest creatures via Niamankeke project

Through the ‘Niamankeke‘ project and ‘A la une‘ (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature) campaign, we tirelessly worked with the community and others outside our community to raise awareness of the upkeep of endangered insect species like Erikssonia Acraeina (Eriksson’s Copper), Adetomyrma Venatrix (Dracula Ant), Dawn Jewel (Chlorocypha Aurora), African Dung Beetle and Brenton Blue Butterfly.

∝) 2023 as a year of data and insight skills to manage your households

Using free frontline tools of poverty reduction from CENFACS‘ poverty reduction box, we conducted basic data analytics and empowered user households with data and insight skills. Through Data and Insights Advocacy and Skills project, we came together with these households to build data collection, organisation, storing, and sharing skills. We were as well able to develop descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive insight skills.

∝) 2023 as a year of stories of building forward from the cost-of-living crisis

Amongst the stories received, we had 2 great stories of reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities, 4 remarkable stories of positively transforming human relationships with nature, 3 life-saving stories of dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor , and 2 moving stories of building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the centre of policy and action.

∝) 2023 as a year of creations and innovations to win the battle against crises

Through out this ending year, we worked with users to come out with new and innovative ideas to overcome the fight against crises (such as the cost-of-living crisis, falling incomes, natural disasters and humanitarian catastrophes).

∝) 2023 as a year of Matching Organisation-Investor Programme

2023 will be finally remembered as a year of working with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors to help them match project planning for the first and investment life cycle for the second. In doing so, the former could find the investment they were looking for and the latter the organisation to invest in, and both of them could start the New Year wit certainty.

• • 2023 Key Produce or Achievements

2023 has been a notable year of poverty reduction produce or accomplishments. It will be known as a year of influencing appeal. It is the year during which we tried to appeal for influence donation. Amongst these influencing appeals are the following ones which received influence donation:

The Polycrisis-impacted Children of East Africa, Africa’s Food Crisis Impacted, the Earthquake-stricken People of Marrakesh-Safi and the Floods-hit of Morocco, the Displaced and Hungry Lives of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Eastern Provinces.

We are thankful to those who donated their influence.

2023 has also been a memorable matching year as we set up a new impact programme – Matching Organisation-Organisation Programme – of working with ASCOs that are looking for not-for-profit investors to invest in them and not-for-profit who would like to invest in such organisations.

The above are just the few selected accomplishments or produce we wanted to share with audiences and supporters in this year-in-review campaign. However, for those who would like get more insights into them and other achievements of the year 2023, they can let us know.

• • Looking Forward to 2024 (or Commitments for the Year 2024)

In 2024, we will be developing projects and programmes of just, orderly and equitable energy transition as well as fossil-free projects and programmes. These projects and programmes with nature-positive and fossil-free contents will be carried out while we are continuing to work on global nature goals and nature-based solutions to poverty; that is nature-based projects to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

Besides that, we shall carry on with the financial empowerment programme to impact even more people in 2024 to reduce financial poverty and mitigate the lingering effects of previous, current and incoming crises, with some of the initiatives (like Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign, Financial Controls in 2024).

We shall as well continue to light a Blaze of Hope for every place and everyone who will need it in our identified area of operation.

• • 2023 Gratitude

To end this year-in-review impact report, we would like to continue to thank our poverty reduction producers, enablers and supporters as we did in last week’s post (2).

2023 was a noteworthy year for CENFACS for those who inspired us in responding to local and African needs at the challenging time of the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis. We could not do it without their support.

We thank them for making possible 2023 as another deserving year of poverty reduction and of sustainable development, as well as for what we accomplished together. We hope to achieve more in 2024 and beyond.

For further information or a full story of 2023 and to discuss any issues regarding this 2023 Year-in-Review Impact Report, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) cenfacs.org.uk/2023/12/13/matching-organisation-investor-programme-activity-4/(accessed in December 2023)

(2) cenfacs.org.uk/2023/12/20/season-of-light-2023-2024 (accessed in December 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 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 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

Season of Light 2023-2024

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on December 20, 2023 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

20 December 2023

Post No. 331

The Week’s Contents

• Season of Light 2023-2024

• Festive Giving, Gifting and Lifting

• Community Value Chains, the CENFACS Community

… And much more!

• Year-end 2023 Thank You Message

As the year 2023 wraps up, CENFACS would like to take a moment and expresses its gratitude to all its supporters and every one of you for your dedication and commitment to our noble cause of poverty reduction.

Thank you to all of you who produced poverty reduction with us and who made poverty reduction possible for those who needed it and for us in 2023.

Key Messages

• Season of Light 2023-2024

On 22 December 2023, we shall move from Autumn Fresh Start to the Season of Light. As a result, Autumn Fresh Start projects and programmes including campaign will end to signal the start of the Season of Light within CENFACS.

• • End of the Autumn Fresh Start Season and Campaign

The Autumn Season will officially end on 22 December 2023. The momentum we have built from the beginning and throughout Autumn Fresh Start Season continues to galvanise our poverty relief action and is taking our relief journey into the Season of Light, which starts the 21^st of December 2023.

• • Start of the Season of Light within CENFACS

The Season of Light, which usually starts the 21^st of December of each year and ends around 21 March in the New Year, runs through the Festive Season, which is between 01 December of the ending year (here 2023) and 31 January in the New Year (2024). The Gifts of Peace, which keep on giving, normally feature the Festive Season.

During the Season of Light, we light up a Blaze of Hope for people and communities suffering from the effects and impacts of destructive wars and natural disasters in Africa.

In the coming weeks and months of the Season of Light, our Blaze of Hope will be extended to those who are continuing to suffer from the lingering effects of other crises (such as the cost-of-living, hunger and security crises).

The Season of Light will come with the Lights Appeal or Campaign, which is a set of poverty reduction projects that features the Season of Light.

• • Two Themes, Two Seasons and Two Gifts

The theme for the Season of Light is Hope which we try to bring through a Blaze, while the theme for the Festive Season’s Reliefs is Peace. During the Festive Season, we try to reduce poverty as a lack of peace via the Gifts of Peace; whereas in the context of the Season of Light we work through Lights Appeals/Gifts to relieve poverty as a lack of hope. Those who feel themselves hopeless need some hope. They need some belief to attain the wish or desire of poverty reduction, to persist, to build trust in resources and to share hopes.

Under the Main Development section of this post, there is more information about the Season of Light 2023/2024.

• Festive Giving, Gifting and Lifting

As part of the season of giving and gifting as well as of lifting poor and vulnerable people out of poverty, we are asking supporters to go extra miles in replying to these two fundraising appeals which are: Festive Gift Set and End-of-year Support.

• • Festive Gift Set

The remaining eleven days of this year starting from today are those of the last legacy of the Year 2023 as the ‘Influence’ Year at CENFACS.

To mark the end of our ‘Influence’ Year and Campaign, we are appealing to you to support CENFACS’ year 2023 through a ‘Influence’ (‘i’) Gift or Year 2023 Gift.

Such a gift will help to undertake four changes as follows:

a) Change in attitude which will allow to draw attention, affect awareness, attitudes and perceptions of the poor (a gift of attitudinal change)

b) Change in procedure in way poor people decide their matters (a gift of procedural change)

c) Change of behaviour in poor people (a gift of behavioural change)

d) Change of policy content through the influencing activities such as lobbying, negotiation, advocacy; content that affects the poor (a gift of policy content change).

With the ‘Influence’ Gift plus the Gift of Light plus the Gift of Peace; the three of them give you a Gift Set of £5 or more. What do these gifts express?

• • • Expressions from the three gifts (of Influence, Light and Peace)

• • • • The Influence Gift represents the 12 Influence Project Episodes of the Year of Positive Influence to Reduce Poverty within CENFACS. It is a gift of positive influence that would better help and work with poor people so that they can navigate their way to poverty reduction.

• • • • The Gift of Light symbolises hope for the victims of multiple crises (i.e., the cost-of-living crisis, wars and natural disasters). It is also a donation programme that uses practical and meaningful means to meet the unique needs of transitioning from darkness to brightness, to guide or show way of reducing poverty.

• • • • The Gifts of Peace create long lasting relationships in a world without conflicts between humans as well as between humans and the nature (other living beings and things). At this time of the lingering effects of polycrises, the Gifts of Peace will enable to re-conquer the lost peace and get new form of peace from poverty induced by these effects. This is without forgetting the lack of peace brought by climate change events.

All these initiatives represent some great ways of helping to reduce poverty at this special time of the year. They give more opportunities to supporters to do something different for those in need.

By donating £5 or more for this Gift Set, you will help people in need to leave poverty and hardships behind them and may be for ever.

To donate and or enquire about this Gift Set, just contact CENFACS with or without your donation.

• • End-of-year Support and Appeal

As 2023 is coming to an end, we would like to ask you to donate as a legacy towards CENFACS’ efforts to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

You can donate to support CENFACS’ anti-poverty mission and to help reduce poverty and hardships this festive season and in the New Year.

Your support can make helpful differences to CENFACS and to those in need, the people and communities that CENFACS serves.

• • • Two ways of responding to this appeal

1) Make a One-off Festive Donation of £5 or more this festive time…

as a way of helping poor people via CENFACS and / or support CENFACS’ work on poverty relief and sustainable development.

You can also support one of the CENFACS projects and programmes if you wish.

2) Make a Monthly Donation of £5 or £10 or £15 or more per month…

as a legacy for CENFACS’ work.

Please make a year-end contribution today to help us continue to deliver the work of CENFACS in 2023 and beyond.

This Year-end Support is an inclusive relief sending a never-ending message from the giver that they are part of what we have achieved in 2023 and will do in the coming years.

To make a donation and or enquire about this End-of-year Ask or Support, just contact CENFACS with or without your donation.

• Community Value Chains, the CENFACS Community

CENFACS as a Community of Influential People, which is the Closing Act of the 2023 Year, is being prepared and trended.

• • What is CENFACS’ Community Value Chains (CVC)?

1) It is a community value control, inspirational and motivational project of year-end celebration introduced by CENFACS in 2009. The project is based on a basic idea of development which is as follows:

“What a member of our community best does which well works for them can have an underlying good value. If there is a good value, it is desirable to share such value so that other members of our community could be aware of it and build a sort of chains of beliefs and community spirit/principles within our support network”.

2) It is all about improving lives and outcomes of community members as well as enlivening capacities by sharing good practices, values, achievements and hopes about shared goals for the future; while learning from past mistakes.

In doing so, we can pull together as one community, strengthen our links and bonds, learn our differences and harness transformative changes we all want amongst us and beyond our self-interests.

3) It is finally about sharing and celebrating our impact as a community.

To sum up, CENFACS’ CVC or the CENFACS Community is our voluntary local and non-profit making arm inside which all our projects and activities carried out in the UK are grouped and delivered; the other two domains being CENFACS International and CENFACS Fund for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development.

• • What Are Those Shared Values?

Good practices and good values do not need to be big or exceptional or even spectacular. They are the simple good little things we do every day, which may have worked for us and could work for others as well. These good little things could have a bigger impact on us as a community.

They could be life and work learning experiences, lifestyles, helpful differences, social responsibilities and principles that underpin them. At this time of the cost-of-living crisis, they could be all the little initiatives one has taken to care each other in order to have access to economic means of copying and survival.

• • Sharing and Celebrating Our Impact via CVC 2023

CENFACS as a Community of Influential People (or the Closing Act of the Influential Year) will feature our year-end campaign.

This celebratory theme for CVC’s 14^th Celebration of CENFACS as a Community is and will be the Closing Act of the Influence Year and Project. However, this celebration will be a low key one since many of supporters and users have been affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Instead, we shall call it end-of-year sharing, sharing of our hopes about shared goals for a better future.

• • The 14^th Celebration of CENFACS Community as Way of Looking both Back and Forward

• • • Looking back on 2023

It will be about

~ the use of a positive influence to mobilise support and resources towards the meeting of the community needs.

~ the work carried out with the members of our community and Africa-based Sister Organisations via influencing skills, styles and models to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development

~ how we approached crises and challenging situations to get the best outcomes for poverty reduction via influencing skills, styles and models

~ how we used the fundamental principles of influencing others, especially those in the position of power, to better change things so that poverty reduction could be achieved for those who needed it.

• • • Looking forward to 2024

It revolves around

~ making use of the findings from what we did not know and we now know about the needs and aspirations of the people in need making our community to build a better community

~ planning appropriate responses or new ways of working together with project beneficiaries in 2024 to meet unmet needs and demands (For instance, planning projects of just, orderly and equitable energy transition as well as fossil-free projects).

In this respect, looking forward will be about thinking of the direction and shape that the evolution of the community needs may take in 2024 and how we can effectively and efficiently work with our members in 2024 in terms of improved course of action in the New Year.

Briefly, the 14^th Celebration of CENFACS Community will be a hybrid sharing of our positive influence and knowledge on how the 2023 went on in everybody’s life in terms of the positive takeaways from it in order to build forward in 2024. In this hybrid sharing, the positive experience from the cost-of-living crisis will be welcome.

We want our community ends 2023 on a positive note or sharing despite the ups and downs of this year, especially with the disturbance that the high cost of living has caused and is continuing to cause on many of us. We would like as well our community to start 2024 with hope and positive belief.

• • Share, Spread & Tweet the Message

To enable us to build value chains with you and others and to keep our support network alive and networked CENFACS, please spread the message to/pass it on around you.

If you feel that you need first to talk to us before responding to this invitation of end-of-year celebration/sharing, please let us know.

If you prefer to respond via e-mail, you are free to do so at facs@cenfacs.org.uk.

Whichever way or means you choose to enter this year-end sharing project, please reply by the 23rd of December 2023 so as to ease the end-of-year 2023 celebration/sharing and the start-of-year 2024 preparatory activities, projects and programmes.

For further details about this Closing Act of the Influence Year and Project as a ‘i’ Year, please contact CENFACS.

For the timeline of the themes that made the Community Value Chains so far, please also contact CENFACS.

As part of the closure of 2023 and preparation for 2024, we are as well doing an inventory of skills and are registering the talents and skills of the CENFACS Community.

If you have not yet registered your skills to CENFACS’ Skills Data Bank, this is the opportunity to do it over this festive period. Your skills registration will be essential to ensure that all the skills and skilled people making our community are included in any future plans to improve our community support.

To register or add your skills to the CENFACS Community’s Skills Register or Database, just contact CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Income Generation Leads/Advice: Income Generators, Creators and Curators of the Month

• All Year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives): 2023 Verdict

• Festive Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme, and Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Matching Organisation-Investor Programme

• Income Generation Leads/Advice: Income Generators, Creators and Curators of the Month

Our advisory service on leads to income generation is still on. Through this festive advice service, we are looking at and reviewing income generation plans or strategies for who need a review. We are also trying to explore the different leads or avenues that those in need can use, depending on their personal circumstances; to find the appropriate means to generate little extra income.

In this income generation to reduce poverty, we are as well trying to enlist those who could be named as Income Generation Models or Income Generators, Creators and Curators of the Season. We are looking at their models or ways of generating little extra income. We are assessing whether or not their models of generating income are generalizable or duplicatable or just are exceptions to the general rule and to the CENFACS Community.

If anyone has managed to generate little extra income and finds that their way of doing it has an underlying good value that can be shared with the CENFACS CVC members, please do not hesitate to talk to CENFACS.

• All Year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives): 2023 Verdict

The week is finally an occasion to remind the need to report on All-year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives) which are: Play, Run and Vote projects for poverty relief and sustainable development.

As we are nearing the end of year 2023, it is now the time to report on our three All-year Round Projects – which are Play, Run and Vote.

We know that this year has been economically challenging for some of you to run some types of activities. However, for those who have managed to undertake and complete the above named projects, we would like them to share with us and others their experiences, stories and reports regarding these projects.

• • The Action-Results of 2023: Tell it!

You can feedback the outcomes or Action-Results of your…

… Run if you ran for poverty relief over the year 2023 (or organised a Run activity)

… Play if you played the CENFACS League for Poverty Relief

… Vote if you have already voted your 2023 African Poverty Relief and Development Manager.

We would be more than happier to hear your Action and Results to feature and conclude CENFACS 2023 Year as Year of Influence. Tell it!

• • What or Who We Want to Hear

We would like to hear from you about the Winner of CENFACS Virtual Trophy of the Year, that is one of the following Three Stars or Bests of the Year:

√ The Best African Country of 2023 which best reduced poverty

√ The Best African Global Games Runner of 2023

√ The Best African Poverty Relief and International Development Manager of 2023.

If you have not yet told us, have your say by 23 December 2023. The Verdict is yours.

• Festive Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme, and Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Matching Organisation-Investor Programme

During this month, we have been run the above-mentioned programmes.

Regarding Festive Structured Finance Activities or Micro-projects as part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme, they are closed and will be re-run in the New Year.

Concerning Matching Organisation-Investment Programme, we are now conducting Impact Monitoring and Evaluation (IME) after the last episode. This IME is on matching maths and statistics for both Africa-based Sister Organisation and Not-for-profit Investor. Those who may be interested in this IME, they can let CENFACS know.

For those potential not-for-profit investors who still need some guidance for impact to find investee organisation and Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation looking for an investor, they can contact CENFACS to book an appointment for a match/fit test in the New Year.

Equally, for those households who still need support regarding their financial capacity and capability building problems, they can also communicate CENFACS with their queries or enquiries to book an appointment in/for the New Year.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Remerciement de fin d’année 2023

Alors que l’année 2023 touche à sa fin, le CENFACS souhaite prendre un moment pour exprimer sa gratitude à tous/toutes ses sympathisant(e)s et à chacun(e) d’entre vous pour votre dévouement et votre engagement envers notre noble cause de réduction de la pauvreté.

Merci à tous (toutes) ceux (celles) d’entre vous qui ont produit la réduction de la pauvreté avec nous et qui ont rendu la réduction de la pauvreté possible pour ceux ou celles qui en avaient besoin et pour nous en 2023.

Main Development

• Season of Light 2023-2024

The Lights Season at CENFACS kicks off with the theme of Hope as said above. We are going to deliver this Hope with projects and programmes adapted to the context of crises like the cost-of-living crisis. We are going to add to them projects of just, orderly and equitable energy transitions as well as fossil-free projects. Hope will also be provided by other initiatives with Nature-positive Goals and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.

Indeed, many observers and planners believe that the context of the cost-of-living crisis will be over when price trajectories stabilise and wages have risen enough money to match.

For instance, according to the Resolution Foundation’s annual Living Standards Outlook for 2023 (1),

“The cost-of-living crisis should ease in 2024. But it won’t fully be over until wages catch up for all households”.

To cultivate and nurture hope in this type of context, one needs to develop positive feelings, experiences and emotions.

The following items make the contents of our Season of Light 2023-2024:

∝ What will shape the Season of Light?

∝ Two themes to bear in mind this Festive and Lights Time: Peace and Hope

∝ The Gift of Light that Keeps on Giving this Winter

Let us look at these contents.

• • What Will Shape the Season of Light?

The 2023-2024 Season of Light will be about working on issues revolving around nature-positive and nature-based solutions to poverty. It will also be about light (or energy) and energy transition and how this transition can help reduce poverty. We will be dealing with energy transition since the global climate community has committed itself to transition away from fossil fuels at the end of COP28 (2). This means we shall develop projects of just, orderly and equitable transition as well as fossil-free projects.

The 2023-2024 Season of Light will be the case of harnessing transformational and structural changes in the context of increasing uncertainty and climate change so that those who are living in poverty can find the means, paces and spaces they need to navigate out of it.

The 2023-2024 Season of Light will revolve around our preparedness after the last cost of living payment that goes to the poorest people (or eligible households and those claiming eligible benefits) around the country (in the UK) to help them during the cost-of-living crisis will be given in February 2024, and if the energy price cap goes up in January 2024.

The 2023-2024 Season of Light is finally an energy transitional period to work with those living in poverty so that they transition away from fossil fuels, from polluting to clean and green energy and technology. We started this process few years ago. To achieve or continue this energy transition to carbon net zero or free-fossil world, it requires Hope and support.

Besides that there are two developments that will shape our 2023-2024 Season of Light, developments which are Global Nature Goals which we started to work on them since January 2023, and the match between the incomes rise and prices stability which will signalise the possible end of the cost-of-living crisis. In the light of these developments, CENFACS will continue the work Global Nature Goals in 2024 with a new generation or set of new nature projects and projects to manage the above-mentioned match if it happens. Details of these projects will be unveiled in the New Year.

So, we will be developing projects and programmes of just, orderly and equitable energy transition as well as fossil-free projects and programmes. These projects and programmes with nature-positive and fossil-free contents will be carried out while we are continuing to work on global nature goals and nature-based solutions to poverty; that is nature-based projects to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. Besides that, we shall carry on with the financial empowerment programme of our users to reduce financial poverty and mitigate the lingering effects of previous and current crises with some of the initiatives (like Financial Capacity and Capability Campaign).

• • Two Themes to Bear in Mind This Festive and Lights Time: Peace and Hope

The theme of Hope is the overall theme of the Season of Lights, while the theme of Peace will be dominant over the festive celebrations period.

• • • The theme of Hope

The theme of Hope is made of notes or pieces of nature-positive, energy transition and fossil free. This Wintry season, we shall bring a glimmer of hope through nature-positive, nature goals, energy transition and fossil-free initiatives, while making sure that the poor people own the energy transition process. Hope will help beneficiaries as follows:

~ to actively cope with everyday challenges and find the appropriate relief and comfort they need

~ to reframe negative situations or events in a positive portrait or mood

~ to cultivate positive engagements, experiences and emotions in life

~ to keep momentum towards a better future

~ to engage in a proactive behaviour.

• • • The theme of Peace

The Gifts of Peace are included in the Season of Light. Peace is the festive theme we choose to spread the joy of Season’s Reliefs to those in need. We try to help their wishes and dreams of poverty relief become true through the Gifts of Peace that put a smile on poor people’s faces and lips with relief notes while hoping they will rediscover freedom from disturbance and disorder caused by crises and other painful events of 2023.

• • The Gift of Light That Keeps on Giving This Winter

What is the Gift of Light? It is as explained below.

• • • A gift of light for every person in need everywhere!

The Lights Season is the season during which we try to bring light or shine light to impoverished lives in the darkness. We try to bring clarity, brightness to people who need to see clearly and accurately about their life. It is about helping them see the light of relief so that they can see the world in a new relieved light or version.

• • • A gift of light that ignites and sparks the life of those in need!

This is why we have the Lights project at CENFACS; projects which enable us to bring lights to those in need and which identify the poverty reduction gaps in human systems and support those areas of these systems which do not receive support. Like the last Winter, this Winter 2023-2024, our Lights projects will focus on two parts or two waves of action:

1) post-coronavirus, post-war and post-natural disaster developments

2) current and emerging armed conflicts and environmental catastrophes as well as new waves of threats.

However, in these developments and waves, we shall take into account the changing contexts in Africa where there could be scaling down or changing types of crises (for example, the return of military putsches in West Africa with their impacts on poverty reduction, threat to international trade due to the current conflict in the Middle East and its implications for poverty reduction in Africa). To mention other crises where the work of poverty reduction could be needed, we can speak about hunger crisis and debt crisis which are still stubborn issues for many low income countries in Africa.

• • • A gift of light that helps people to navigate their own way out poverty with pride!

The Gift of Light is about helping people to help themselves. By using the light, they can find their own way out poverty and hardships, out of darkness instead of CENFACS telling them what do. They can act with self-esteem and self-respect. In this respect, the Gift of Light is a blessing of empowerment.

• • • A Blaze of Hope for post-life following crises (e.g., the cost-of-living crisis), armed conflicts and natural disasters

When there are environmental disasters and armed conflicts, there are pledges and commitments to end the effects of wars and disasters. For various reasons, some of these pledges do not always materialise. The post-war and post-disaster developments are sometimes left without support even until the conflicts and disasters return and or strike again.

The same situation can happen if the pledges – made at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which took place in Dubai (op. cit.) to help poor nations to transition away from fossil fuels to avert the worst effects of climate change – do not materialise in concrete actions.

As we cannot wait the return or repeat of the same wars and disasters; our first Blaze of Hope will go this Winter to the unfinished business of previous destructions and disruptions brought by crises (e.g., the coronavirus and the cost-of-living crisis), wars and natural disasters.

• • • A Blaze of Hope for the eruption of any crises, armed conflicts and natural disasters

We always advocate for preventive development and we do not seek for destructive events to happen. However, our preparedness and readiness should make us to assemble as quickly as possible advocacy tools should any effects and impacts erupt from new waves of crisis, wars and natural disasters in Africa.

So, our second wave of intervention or Blaze of Hope will go this Wintry season to erupted effects of unexpected crises, armed conflicts and natural disasters in the areas of our interest in Africa.

With these two waves of action over this Wintry Season, we hope to enlighten the lives of those in pressing and emergent need.

• • • Examples of areas where a Blaze of Hope may be needed

For this December 2023, we have initially selected or identified six areas of priority that may need lighting a Blaze of Hope, which are as follows:

a) Areas of countries severely affected by food insecurity or the socio-economic impacts of high food prices like in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritania and Senegal

b) Areas of vulnerable countries hit by or prone to torrential rains and cyclones that could cause enormous food insecurity such as in Chad, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo

c) Areas of countries devastated by other types of weather extremes (such as prolonged and severe drought, extreme temperature, etc.) like Burundi, Madagascar, Congo and countries of the Horn of Africa

d) Areas of countries that are the victims of a high level of persisting civil insecurity such as in in Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Mali

e) Areas of countries where innocent people are the victims of unfamiliar forms of civil insecurity (e.g. interpersonal violence, gang violence and insecurity due to the presence of private military company personnel) and forced displacement/refugee influx like in Congo, Mali and Burkina Faso

f) Areas of countries with neo-sovereignist or putschist States (in countries where there have been putsch like in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger and Mali).

The above selection is an initial one, which may change depending how and where humanitarian events will unfold in Africa. The selection will help to start our Light advocacy and campaign.

The countries listed in this selection are also mentioned in the Crop Prospects and Food Situation of the Food and Agriculture Organisations of the United Nations (3). None of the above-mentioned countries is experiencing a single issue. Many of them can be subject to multiple issues. For example, the Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing conflict in its north-eastern provinces, torrential rains in other parts the country and high food prices.

Also, our priority areas can change depending on the events in Africa. For example, if there is eruption of unpredicted or unplanned events (such as natural disasters, natural resource crises, environmental incidents, large scale involuntary migration, health crisis, international trade crisis, etc.), our Blaze of Hope will go to the victims of these erupted events.

For those who can support Light project, we can count on them to move forward this advocacy or campaign. And we would like to thank them in advance.

For any queries or enquiries regarding the Season of Light, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) https;//www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/will-prices-uk-ever-go-down-cost-of-living-crisis/ (accessed in December 2023)

(2) https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2023_L17_adv.pdf (accessed in December 2023)

(3) FAO/GIEWS.2023.Crop Prospects and Food Situation – Triannual Global Report No.3, November 2023. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc8566en (accessed in December 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 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 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Permalink

Matching Organisation-Investor Programme – Activity 4

Posted by ctsh@in2015 on December 13, 2023 in Uncategorized

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

13 December 2023

Post No. 330

The Week’s Contents

• Matching Organisation-Investor Programme – Activity 4 (from 13 to 19/12/2023): Matching Organisation’s Project Documentation with Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation

• Translating or Turning the Goal of the Festive Month into the Gift of the Festive Month

• E-discussing Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet and Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS)

… And much more!

Key Messages

• Matching Organisation-Investor Programme – Activity 4 (from 13 to 19/12/2023): Matching Organisation’s Project Documentation with Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation

The last episode of our 4-week Matching Organisation-Investor Programme is about Matching Organisation’s Project Documentation with Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation.

Indeed, both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Investor) have made progress so far as they continue to score points; points which are enough to enable them to enter the last stage of the matching talks. They are excited and have started to dream to begin 2024 with a new investment for Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) and a new asset in portfolio for not-for-profit (n-f-p) investor. However, each of them still has some work to do to complete the matching process.

For ASCO, this Activity 4 is about having its application for investment in the form of project documentation. This application needs to be completed and to show coordination and collaboration in terms of its contents.

This last stage is an opportunity for ASCO to elevate its application in line with project planning theories, processes and practices. It is the stage at which ASCO has to sell its project unique point to stand out amongst competing projects and organisations, while highlighting impactful aspects of its project in terms of poverty reduction.

As to the n-f-p investor, it is about keeping its pre-investment evaluation ready while capitalising on the findings from this evaluation in order to win an organisation in which to invest. In its pre-investment evaluation, n-f-p investor will look at qualitative (facts) and quantitative (numbers) data, metrics and indicators to help him/her in its investment decision or case. This insight will indicate to him/her whether or not to back the project and the ASCO that initiates this project.

Where the two (i.e., investee and investor) need support, CENFACS will work with each party to fill the gap.

More on Activity 4 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

• Translating or Turning the Goal of the Festive Month into the Gift of the Festive Month

Our Goal for the Festive Month is about Reducing Income Poverty for the Income Poor. Our Gift for the Festive Month is a donation of £5 to support income poor. In this respect, it is possible to translate or turn of our Goal for the Month into a Gift for the same month. Before turning it, let us explain this goal.

• • Goal for the Festive Month: Reduction of Income Poverty for the Income Poor

Our goal for the festive month is about reducing income poverty since we are in Income Generation Month within CENFACS. This goal has a target or a result that aims to achieve.

For instance, our goal for the income generation month could be to make sure that the members of our community have enough income to cover their basic expenses, pay off debts and save for emergencies. The target could be how many of them can realistically achieve this goal. The target could be as well the level or seize of income (e.g., being at or above the international poverty line) they need to earn or have this month.

The above is our poverty reduction goal and target for this festive month, which we are asking to our audiences and supporters to translate or turn into gift of the festive month.

• • Translating or Turning the Goal of the Festive Month into the Gift of the Festive Month

Any of our supporters can translate or turn the Goal of the Festive Month into the Gift of the Festive Month to support the income poor or project to support these poor via CENFACS.

For instance, one can make a donation of £5 to support income poor to achieve one of the targets below:

√ to build resilience against financial stresses

√ to address financial incapacity and incapability

√ to reduce the financial effects of the high costs of festive living

√ to develop financial life-saving skill and knowledge

√ to improve financial decision-making skills of the financially unskilled poor

√ to contribute to income-generating activities of the income poor.

Your festive gift will help reduce income poverty amongst the income poor and give them some hope for 2024.

To support and/or enquire about the Goal of the Festive Month and to provide the Gift of the Festive Month, please contact CENFACS.

• E-discussing Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet and Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS)

Our Winter e-discussion about Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet has entered its third planned area. In this area, the e-discussion is on Volunteering to find resources to support vulnerable people and communities; e-discussion which would be held on 13, 14 and 15 December 2023.

While our Winter e-discussion is going on, we are asking for support to CENFACS’ All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS).

• • Supporting All in Development Volunteer Scheme (AiDVS)

It is possible to support CENFACS and its AiDVS from wherever you are (at home, work, away, online, abroad, on the go and move, etc.). Supporting us does not need to be magical and majestic. It can be in any thing or means that can advance the work of AiDVS.

Your support will help us to support others who need support during this challenging time.

One can still enjoy a great festive season while supporting us to support others.

There are many simple helpful and useful ways of adding great value to our voluntary work.

Here are 12-themed enhancers or ways of adding great value to CENFACS’ AiDVS:

1) Gift ideas for the best ways of monitoring, evaluating and reviewing projects and programmes in the New Year

2) Money-saving and scrimping tips from scrimpers for AiDVS

3) Festive deals and packages (e.g., seasonal discounts, discount codes, etc.) for AiDVS

4) Festive free coupons, promo codes and vouchers for AiDVS

5) Net-zero or low carbon economic products to protect the environment and nature

6) Digital and media support to better volunteer for a climate neutral and sustainable world

7) Health and safety gifts for healthy and safe volunteering in the New Year

8) Wintry and festive giveaways (e.g., free products, gift cards, free tickets, etc.) to volunteer for a net zero greenhouse gas emissions world

9) Generative Artificial Intelligence volunteering tools to improve the efficiency of volunteering

10) Festive price bundling for flexible volunteering

11) Distance working and gift technologies (e.g., cloud technology, volunteer management software, apps, virtual volunteering tools, etc.)

12) Net-zero energy saving products to volunteer for poor people and the planet.

The above-mentioned enhancers, which could be wintry and festive news, information and products – will assist volunteers (that is, short-term, episodic, regular ongoing and virtual volunteers) to better help out CENFACS’ noble cause of poverty reduction. They will also assist in recruiting and easily managing volunteers while improving volunteer experience and the effectiveness of our work on poverty reduction. Additionally, they will contribute in tracking volunteers and their work.

For instance, gift technologies could enable to automate volunteers’ tasks to free up resources and time as well as increase volunteer engagement in our poverty reduction work.

To support AiDVS with your wintry or festive gift, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

To e-discuss Volunteering for Poor People and the Planet, please communicate with CENFACS.

Extra Messages

• Influence Year and Project: Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

• Autumn 2023 Humanitarian Relief Appeal: Only One Week to Go!

• Festive Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

• Influence Year and Project: Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

At the start of 2023, we dedicated 2023 as a Year of Positive Influence to Reduce Poverty within CENFACS (1) and of poor people’s needs and demands; positive influence that would better help work with them so that they can navigate their way to poverty reduction. To deliver this dedication, we set up a Policy Influencing Project or Influence Project.

• • What is Policy Influencing Project or Influence Project or ‘i‘ Project?

The ‘i‘ Project is a series or set of interconnected influencing tasks or activities planned for the execution of CENFACS‘ dedication of year 2023 as of Positive Influence. These tasks or activities, which aim at reducing poverty, were planned to be undertaken all over 2023 within the requirements and limitations of CENFACS‘ existing and acquirable resources, capacities and assets.

Through this project, we did hope to continue to help reduce poverty through the influence on people and factors holding the key to the solutions to problems faced by our potential ‘i‘ project beneficiaries during 2023. In this respect, the ‘i‘ Project was designed to accompany project beneficiaries in their journey to the reduction of poverty and hardships. The ‘i‘ Project has activities and tasks (or 12 Influence Project episodes).

• • Activities and Tasks Relating to the ‘i’ Project

A number of activities and processes has been conducted each month to enable smooth implementation of the project. We planned twelve specific activities/tasks (or 12 Influence Project episodes), one activity or task every month. Through this project and each task, we have tried as much as we could to identify people who could have influence on poverty reduction generally and on a particular area of poverty reduction (e.g., humanitarian or overseas development matters).

We have used our head, heart and hands to appeal to those who could (i.e., influential figures) to help us help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development. We have been working to find things or factors that can be influenced so that they could positively contribute to the same goal of relieving need hardship and distress amongst our community members throughout our dedicated year. Last week, we announced the last activity or episode of the Influence Project, while carrying out impact monitoring and evaluation of the same project.

• • Continuing Impact Monitoring and Evaluating the ‘i’ Project

This week, we are continuing the process of looking back what happened in the last 11 months until now. This is our impact monitoring task. Equally, it is worth to start the task of evaluating the Influence Year and Project. We may not finish this evaluation by the end 2023, but it is better to start now and continue it in January 2024 if we do not finish.

The two exercises (i.e., monitoring and evaluation) will enable to inform any interested parties (e.g., project beneficiaries, supporters, our audiences, etc.) the findings about what we did not know and we now know about the needs and aspirations of the people in need making our community. These monitoring and evaluative exercises would also lay ground to seize the early impacts or outputs from the delivery of the Influence Year/Project.

From these exercises – monitoring, evaluative information and knowledge – and other discoveries within the project, we can plan the kinds of appropriate responses we may develop or ways of working together with project beneficiaries in 2024 to meet those unmet needs and demands.

In order to impact monitor and evaluate the Influence (i) Project, it is essential to have a theory of change for accountability and reporting to stakeholders. We had this theory before starting this policy influencing project. The theory of change developed here is the causal chain or a description of a succession or chain of elements and causal connections between them.

For example, one could look at any of the 12 activities/tasks (or 12 Influence Project episodes) and check how they were connected to find out if there were inputs, outputs, outcomes and impacts which each element led to the next.

The Impact Monitoring and Evaluation (IME) will provide the two results below.

On the one hand, the IME will tell if there has been influence in terms of:

~ attitudinal change, that is whether or not the ‘i‘ project has allowed to draw attention, affect awareness, attitudes and perceptions of the poor

~ procedural change, that is changes in way poor people decide their matters

~ behaviour change, that is changes in behaviour in poor people.

On the other hand, we can evaluate if the activities (e.g., lobbying, negotiation, advocacy, etc.) conducted influenced policy or policy content change.

For example, can we argue that our influencing appeals (like the Polycrisis-impacted Children of East Africa Need Your Influence Right Now, Africa’s Food Crisis Impacted Need Your Influence, Libya-Morocco Joint Influence Appeal, etc.) to deal with extreme poverty in Africa have resulted in policy content change?

To conduct impact monitoring and evaluation, it requires the contribution of every body who took part or came across these activities.

• • How Can You Help or Get Involved in the Impact Monitoring and Evaluation Processes of the ‘i’ Project?

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 11 months and two weeks to share with us their feelings and thoughts about these two areas:

(a) The overall “Influence Year/Project”

(b) Any of the activities/tasks they have been interested in or used to influence the solutions to the needs of those people living in poverty.

You can share your feelings and thoughts with us by:

∝ Phoning

∝ Texting

∝ E-mailing

∝ Completing the contact form with your feelings and thoughts.

• • Supporting the Findings from the ‘i’ Project

Impact monitoring and evaluation are not an end for themselves. After concluding them, there will be some findings in terms of knowledge of poor people’s needs. There will be some suggestions or proposals in terms of project planning and development. In other words, these findings could mean that we may have to take some steps forward in terms project planning and development in the New Year.

If there are new projects to meet those unmet needs within the community, how can one support those findings or emerging new project proposals?

For those who are willing to support those findings and projects stemming from those findings, we are willing to share the findings with them.

To request the findings from the 12 Influence Project episodes, please contact CENFACS.

To support projects that may result from these findings, please let CENFACS know.

• Autumn 2023 Humanitarian Relief Appeal: Only One Week to Go!

Needy People, Flora, Fauna, Funga, Communities and Organisations in Africa are Asking for Your Support!

We have only one week remaining for our Autumn 2023 humanitarian appeal. This appeal is about supporting needy people, flora, fauna, funga, communities and organisations in Africa. It includes the following five selected projects:

1) Skills for Cross-border Trade and Economic Diversification

2) Symmetry Poverty Reduction Projects

3) Financial Inclusion of Women and Youth in Africa

4) Rescuing Children’s Education

5) Save Flora, Fauna and Funga Projects.

• • Supporting the Autumn 2023 Campaign

Donors and funders can seize the opportunity provided by these projects and the giving season to directly and respectively donate or fund these projects.

A message about this appeal can also be passed on to a person who is in a position and willing to support. Many thanks to those who will be passing this message!

• • Where Donors’ and Funders’ Money Will Go

We are inviting those who can, to donate £4 to create 3 benefits (1 benefit for humans, 1 benefit for other natural livings and 1 shared benefit between humans and nature) or any amount starting from £4 or more as you wish or can.

• • Gift-Aiding Your Donation

You can declare your charitable donation made as eligible for Gift Aid. You can as well support these projects in a way that is the most suitable and related to your situation, circumstance, budget, capacity and willingness.

To donate, gift-aid and support otherwise; please contact CENFACS or go to our ‘support causes’ page at Support Causes – (cenfacs.org.uk)

• Festive Structured Finance Activities/Micro-projects under Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme/Scheme

As part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme and Scheme Periods (01 to 07/12/2023 and 08 to 14/12/2023), we are available to work in hybrid mode with users via a Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (FCCBP) or Scheme (FCCBS) so that they can start stronger in the 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.

These are exclusive festive activities to maximise programme and scheme beneficiaries’ financial management and decision-making for a successful year-end. To practise FCCBP and FCCBS , we are carrying out structured festive finance activities for the two periods as indicated below.

• • Structured Festive Finance Activities as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Programme (01 to 07/12/2023)

FCCBP is a set of structured planned actions or events designed to help users to better manage financial aspects of festive celebrations, to develop financial knowledge and skills, to make life-saving financial decisions and to invest in financial capacity and capability goals

As a result, we will be working on how people and families can be involved a series of the following structured festive activities or small projects:

Activity 1: Investing in realistic goals about financial capacity and capability

Activity 2: Managing financial aspects of festive events

Activity 3: Making financial knowledge and skills positively impact on their financial behaviour

Activity 4: Taking sensible life-saving financial decisions

Activity 5: How to generate little extra income in order to reduce poverty.

These activities are run in the forms of advice, advocacy, e-discussion, workshop, focus group, survey, direct questions/answers, etc. More details about them can be obtained from CENFACS.

• • • • Structured Festive Finance Activities as Part of Financial Capacity and Capability Building Scheme (08 to 14/12/2023)

Activity 1: Financial Capacity and Capability to make ends meet (e.g., coping and survival strategies)

Activity 2: Financial Capacity and Capability to plan head (plan and save for the future)

Activity 3: Financial Capacity and Capability to organise money management (e.g., money management plan)

Activity 4: Financial Capacity and Capability to make financial decisions and act through budgeting

Activity 5: Financial Capacity and Capability to control spending through cash flow statements.

In the end, we hope that the financially incapacitated or incapable people and families can develop their own individual working FCCBP and FCCBS plans or policies to establish financial capacity and capability as well as generate little extra incomes not only for the festive period, but also beyond the festive time. In doing so, they can improve their intergenerational economy and transfer accounts.

Need festive advice or support to deal with the problems of financial capacity and capability you are experiencing, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

If you have financial planning problems, you can contact CENFACS so that we can work together on your financial planning needs and help you to start the New Year stronger and confident with a financial plan or a system or a policy.

Message in French (Message en français)

• Traduire ou transformer l’objectif du mois festif en un cadeau du mois festif

Notre objectif pour le mois des fêtes est de réduire la pauvreté monétaire pour les personnes à faible revenu. Notre cadeau pour le mois des fêtes est un don de 5 Livres (£) pour soutenir les personnes défavorisées aux revenus faibles. À cet égard, il est possible de traduire ou de transformer notre objectif du mois en un cadeau pour le même mois. Avant de le traduire, expliquons cet objectif.

• • Objectif pour le mois des fêtes: Réduction de la pauvreté monétaire pour les personnes à faible revenu

Notre objectif pour le mois festif est de réduire la pauvreté monétaire puisque nous sommes dans le Mois de la Génération de Revenus au sein du CENFACS. Cet objectif a une cible ou un résultat à atteindre.

Par exemple, notre objectif pour le Mois de la Génération de Revenus pourrait être de nous assurer que les membres de notre communauté ont suffisamment de revenus pour couvrir leurs dépenses de base, rembourser leurs dettes et épargner pour les urgences. L’objectif pourrait être de savoir combien d’entre eux peuvent atteindre cet objectif de manière réaliste. L’objectif peut être aussi bien le niveau ou le seuil de pauvreté qu’ils doivent atteindre ou dépasser (par exemple, être au niveau ou au-dessus du seuil de pauvreté international) ce mois-ci.

Ce qui précède est notre objectif et notre cible de réduction de la pauvreté pour ce mois festif, que nous demandons à nos soutiens et à nos sympathisants de traduire ou de transformer en cadeau du mois festif.

• • Traduire ou transformer l’objectif du mois festif en un cadeau du mois festif

Quiconque de nos sympathisants ou soupporters peut traduire ou transformer l’objectif du mois festif en cadeau du mois festif pour soutenir les pauvres ou un projet pour soutenir ces pauvres via le CENFACS.

Par exemple, on peut faire un don de 5 £ pour soutenir les pauvres en revenus afin d’atteindre l’un des objectifs ci-dessous :

√ renforcer la résilience face aux tensions financières

√ remédier à l’inaptitude et l’incapacité financières

√ réduire les effets financiers du coût élevé de la vie festive

√ acquérir des compétences et des connaissances en matière de sauvetage financier

√ améliorer les compétences des pauvres en matière de prise de décisions financières

√ contribuer aux activités génératrices de revenus des personnes à faible revenu.

Votre cadeau de Noël contribuera à réduire la pauvreté monétaire chez les pauvres et leur donnera une lueur d’espoir pour 2024.

Pour soutenir et/ou se renseigner sur l’objectif du mois festif et pour offrir le cadeau du mois festif, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

As introduced in the Key Messages, both parties (i.e., Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation and Not-for-profit Investor) have made progress so far as they continue to score points; points which are enough to enable them to enter the last stage of the matching talks. These matching talks will be about finding ways to reach an agreement between Organisation’s Project Documentation with Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation.

To explain what is going to happen at this last stage or Activity 4, we have organised our notes around the following headings:

σ Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Documentation

σ Not-for-profit Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation

σ The Match or Fit Test.

Let us look at each of these headings.

• • Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s Project Documentation

To start off, it is better to understand project documentation.

• • • What is a project documentation?

The definition used in these notes of project documentation comes from ‘projectmanager.com’ (2) which states that

“Project documentation refers to the project management documents that are created throughout the project life cycle. These documents, such as the project plan, project schedule or project budget, define activities procedures and guidelines that the team should follows”.

The website ‘projectmanager.com’ provides top 15 project documents to include in a project documentation, which include:

project plan, project charter, business case, project schedule, risk register, scope statement, project budget, project communication plan, project statement report, project closure, project proposal template, project brief template, requirements gathering template, project overview template, and team charter template.

Depending on the type of Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation’s project, this documentation can be simple or complex. What is important is not only to have a well documented project, but to have a project documentation that can help to win the argument to attract investment/investor. This well crafted project documentation will serve a basis for Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisation (ASCO) to reach an agreement with potential not-for-profit (n-f-p) investors.

• • • What ASCO can do to reach an agreement

In this Activity 4, ASCO needs to champion its project/cause by demonstrating that there is consistency and links between its planned documents. That the project documentation provides a blended roadmap in the way the project will be implemented. ASCO is also required to show that the processes and protocols of project planning, tracking and monitoring are canonical and clear without any confusion.

Since the n-f-p investor is looking for ASCO’s ability to record and document all aspects of its project, ASCO must AVOID to have its project into pieces all over the place without any links or relationships. ASCO is therefore required to provide a high-quality crafted project documentation as well as uphold openness and transparency.

It is the stage that ASCO needs to boldly speak about measures and numbers like how many people will benefit from the project, how many amongst them will be lifted out of poverty because its intervention, the impact of the project on local area and local people, etc. ASCO can as well explain the approach or methodology it has used to factorise external variables (such as economic, environmental and political factors or indicators) in the project documentation.

In this design of project documentation, ASCO can add testimonies, evidence of need and any research findings from and about the people where the project will be implemented to demonstrate that the project has baseline documents and is based on genuine local needs and demand.

Briefly, throughout its project documentation ASCO must show that is leading the way and the project has something noble to offer and can generate tangible and palpable results in terms of poverty reduction. The project is worth undertaking and commends a genuine case or value for investment.

• • Not-for-profit Investor’s Pre-investment Evaluation and Capitalizing on Evaluation

To understand the n-f-p investor’s position at this stage, one needs to know the meaning of pre-investment evaluation and capitalising on evaluation results.

• • • Brief understanding of pre-investment evaluation and capitalizing on evaluation

Within the literature about investment evaluation, it is argued that evaluation can be undertaken at various stages of the investment decision-making processes including pre-investment, investment and post-investment. Since we are at the stage of before investment, we are dealing with pre-investment evaluation.

• • • • What is pre-investment evaluation?

The website ‘fastercapital.com’ (3) explains that

“Investment evaluation is the process of assessing whether a proposed investment is worth undertaking”.

The same website adds that

“Pre-investment evaluation assesses whether the proposed investment has the potential to generate a positive return on investment (ROI). The evaluation looks at factors such as the company’s financial stability, its management team, and its competitive environment”.

Although this definition talks about company, it can be relativized to apply to charitable and not-for-profit organisations. If we relativize it, the ROI for n-f-p investors will be the return on poverty reduction. The return the n-f-p investor is looking for could be the rate or number of people who will be lifted out of poverty as a result of its investment into ASCO.

For example, a not-for-profit investor will consider a reasonable rate of return on an investment like a significant percentage or number of people will be relieved from poverty and hardships as result of its investment. He/she will assess risk (or uncertainty of returns) to such an extent that a high-risk investment will require more returns in terms of poverty reduction.

The n-f-p investors will conduct a pre-investment evaluation to determine each attribute of investments while being concerned with the financial viability of the project and the investee. In other words, the n-f-p investor will assess or question whether or not ASCO will require more resources in the future in order to complete the project. A good n-f-p investor will also look at the opportunity cost, although it is not investing for profit.

All this exercise about pre-investment evaluation and its results will enable the n-f-p investors to use them for their own advantage.

• • • Capitalising on Pre-investment Evaluation (or What the n-f-p investor can do with the results of pre-investment evaluation)

Pre-investment evaluation is not an end itself. It should provide some leads and lessons learning from its findings. The n-f-p investor needs to use the results from the pre-investment evaluation to identify suitable conditions and create the appropriate environment so that its investment produce the expected results.

In the process of capitalising on pre-investment evaluation, the n-f-p investor needs to ensure that cross-cutting aspects of the investment are properly addressed and any grey areas are clarified.

For example, the n-f-p investor can think of capitalisation not for him/herself, but for ASCO. He/she needs to question if ASCO will require the seed of money to launch its project or assets to grow or keep its project as planned.

Briefly speaking, a start-of-investment evaluation will help to provide some information on whether or not the proposed investment has the potential to generate a positive return in terms of poverty reduction. The n-f-p investor can use the preliminary results of this evaluation to ensure that investment produces its expected results or outcomes.

• • The Match or Fit Test

As part of the match or fit test, n-f-p investor’s pre-investment evaluation needs to match ASCO’s project documentation. The match can be perfect or close in order to reach an agreement. If there is a huge or glaring difference between the two, the probability or chance of having an agreement at this last round could be null or uncertain.

However, CENFACS can impact advise ASCO to improve its project documentation. CENFACS can as well guide n-f-p investors with impact to ameliorate their pre-investment evaluation to a format that can be acceptable by a potential ASCO. CENFACS’ impact advice for ASCO and guidance on impact investing for n-f-p investor will help each of them (i.e., investee and investor) to make informed decisions and to reduce the likelihood of any significant losses or misunderstandings or mismatches.

The rule of the game remains the same; which is the more investors are attracted by ASCOs’ project documentation the better for ASCOs. Likewise, the more ASCOs are willing to adopt investors’ pre-investment evaluation the better for investors. In this respect, the matching game needs to be a win-win one to benefit both players (i.e., organisation and investor).

The above is the last episode of the Matching Organisation-Investor Programme.

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

For any queries and/or enquiries about this fourth activity of the Matching Organisation-Investor Programme and/or the programme itself, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

To conclude this programme, let us recognise that although the programme has been based on a 4-stage model of project planning and a 4-stage type of investment life cycle, there could be more than four stages in any project planning and in any investment cycle.

The match probability can be high or average or low depending on how much ASCOs’ needs meet investors’ interests.

CENFACS is still available to work with ASCOs that are looking for Impact Advice and Not-for-profit Investors who need Guidance with Impact so that the former can find the investment they are looking for and the latter the organisation to invest in, and both of them can start the New Year on a promising path.

To work together to find an investee or investor and help you start 2024 with certainty while making your matching dream come true, please contact CENFACS.

_________

• References

(1) cenfacs.org.uk/2023/01/18/promoting-the-culture-of-insurance-amongst-those-in-need-to-reduce-poverty-in-africa/ (accessed in December 2023)

(2) https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/great-project-documentation (accessed in December 2023)

(3) https://fastercapital.com/What-is-Investment-Evaluation.html (accessed in December 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 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 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

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