Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

19 May 2021

 

Post No. 196

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3 – In Focus from Wednesday 19/05/2021: Rehabilitation Stories

• Stories of Rehabilitation of Poverty Reduction Infrastructures in Africa

• Stories of Volunteers’ Actions across All the Recovery and Rehabilitation Fronts

 

…And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3 – In Focus from Wednesday 19/05/2021: Rehabilitation Stories

 

The lead message of this 196^th post of CENFACS Blog is about the tales of helping people and communities in need to re-adapt to society and the economy after being adversely affected by the coronavirus disaster and associated containment measures (i.e. social distancing, lockdowns, travel restrictions and border control).

The accounts to be told; shared and learnt are those that falling within the scope of the process of building back better from the coronavirus and accidental damages caused by the COVID-19 containment measures.  They are also the following level of stories after those of recovery that we called upon in the last post.

To continue the presentation of this first key message, let us stress this.  The recovery stories presented in Serial 2 are/were those of individuals and/or communities trying to recover while the tales of rehabilitation in Serial 3 are those of systems that rehabilitate from the life-threatening and –destroying impacts of the coronavirus.  However, within the rehabilitation literature, there are authors who speak about the rehabilitation of individuals as well.   The Rehabilitation Stories we are asking for are those related to disaster risk reduction management.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided more details about these Serial 3 stories.

 

 

 

• Stories of Rehabilitation of Poverty Reduction Infrastructures in Africa

 

Before speaking about these stories, let us clarify our understanding of infrastructure. 

By infrastructure, we mean both soft and hard infrastructure.  The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (1) defined it in 2011 in the following terms:

“In general, infrastructure can be categorised into ‘hard’ infrastructure and ‘soft’ infrastructure.  The former refers to physical structures or facilities that support the society and economy… The latter refers to non-tangibles supporting the development and operation of hard infrastructure”.  (p. 5)

From this definition of infrastructure, it is possible to check the state of poverty reduction infrastructures in Africa during and after the coronavirus disaster.  Many of them may have been damaged by this unprecedented disaster. 

Those who hold stories about any rehabilitation work on these infrastructures related to basic utilities (such as water supply, health centres, hospitals, schools, irrigation, sanitation, etc.) can tell and share them.

We would like as well to hear and share the rehabilitation stories of soft infrastructures for poverty reduction, such as information systems, knowledge bases, digital infrastructures, etc. 

Both soft and hard infrastructures have been adversely affected by the coronavirus in Africa.  We would like to hear the rehabilitation stories of these infrastructures. 

 

 

 

• Stories of Volunteers’ Actions across All the Recovery and Rehabilitation Fronts

 

By definition, All in Development Stories are the stories from volunteers.  To go back to these basics, we are considering the accounts of actions carried out by All in Development Volunteers in the areas of recovery and rehabilitation from the life-threatening and –destroying impacts of the coronavirus. 

These stories could be related to actions generally taken in volunteering capacity to help people and communities in need to recover and rehabilitate from the coronavirus disaster and its side effects.  They could be also actions in which a volunteer got specifically involved and at the fronts of both recovery and rehabilitation processes.  

To tell, share and provide opportunity for learning development through your story of volunteers’ actions across all the fronts of recovery and rehabilitation, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Stories of Environmental Rehabilitation in the Era of COVID-19

 

Since sustainable development is one of CENFACS’ specialities, we are as well calling for submission of stories of environmental rehabilitation.  These are the tales of returning disturbed or disrupted natural sites to their original condition.  They are the revelations of the rehabilitation process in dealing with environmental pollution as well. 

For example, one can submit a story of returning habitat or ecosystem to its original condition. 

During the coronavirus lockdowns, there have been many examples in terms of the way the environment has gained in conservation and protection.  Likewise, during the easing of pandemic-related restrictions and the resumption of mobility for certain societies and economies, there could be interesting stories of rehabilitation that one can tell, share and provide opportunity for learning and development.

For instance, the 22^nd of May 2021 is the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), which will be celebrated virtually.  The slogan for the IDB on 22 May 2021 is: “We’re part of the solution”.  To echo the IDB, CENFACS will be featuring or making a story of the African Biodiversity Hotspots, particularly the Peatlands of the Congo Basin.  Through this featuring or story making, we shall as well look at if there is any story of rehabilitation relating to the Congo Basin Peat lands.

For those who have those stories of environmental rehabilitation during this time of the coronavirus pandemic, they can submit them to CENFACS.

 

 

 

• E-workshop for Gamers of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction League: Create a League Table

How to create your African Countries’ League Table when gaming for poverty reduction

 

As part of CENFACS’ All Year Round Play Project (that is, CENFACS Poverty Reduction League), we can work together to support you (as a gamer) create your league table as you play.  You can create a poverty reduction table showing the following:

√ Your selected African team countries

√ The number of criteria/indicators you can assess them against

√ The number of criteria/indicators any of them has passed

√ How many of them they average

√ How many of them they under-perform

√ How many of them they score against the opposition

√ How many of them they concede against the opposition

√ Points they earn or share for each game

By systematically and continuously recorded the results, scores and actions of your game fixtures via this table, you will in the end know which African country that would best reduce poverty by the end of 2021.  

To access this e-workshop and get the grips with skills and techniques to create your poverty reduction league table, just contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Be.Africa Forum Discussion: Can Differences in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Drive Divergent Poverty Reduction Rates in Africa?

 

There is a disagreement between those who think that differences in access to COVID-19 vaccines can lead to divergent paths in terms of poverty reduction in Africa and those who believe in the opposite. 

You can make your contribution to this debate over access to COVID-19 vaccines by telling the forum what you think.

To tell and share your thoughts on the question, just contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Main Development

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3 – In Focus from Wednesday 19/05/2021: Rehabilitation Stories

 

Before detailing the types of rehabilitation stories we are aiming for, let us explain the following: the selected definitions of rehabilitation for this Serial 3, rehabilitation as part of build back better programme, rehabilitate greener and cleaner, types of rehabilitation stories sought, rehabilitation stories tracking tools and ways of making your story to reach out to the CENFACS Community.

 

• • Selected definitions of rehabilitation

 

In order to help those who would like to give or donate stories, we have selected two definitions of rehabilitation which are as follows.

The first definition is from the United Nations General Assembly (2) which argued in 2016 that

“Rehabilitation is the restoration of basic services and facilities for the functioning of a community or a society affected by a disaster”

The second definition is from the World Health Organisation (3) which explains that

“Rehabilitation is a set of interventions designed to optimise functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment”.

The first definition is related to the socio-economic situation in which people and community can find themselves in the aftermath of a disaster.  The second definition features actions taken to help individuals from the health point of view.

Since we always argue that the coronavirus is an economic and health crisis, both definitions of rehabilitation would be our guiding principles for the creation of stories of rehabilitation from real life.

 

• • Rehabilitation as part of build back better programme

 

Rehabilitation here is part and parcel of build back better programme which CENFACS is pursuing in order to help people and communities to come out from the detrimental impacts of the coronavirus.  Rehabilitation is thus a continuing and back-forward process that needs to be placed within the context of disaster risk reduction management theories and practices. 

 

• • Rehabilitate greener and cleaner

 

In our request for stories, it would better for those submitting stories to make sure that their stories are of bringing back greener and cleaner.  They are of environment-friendly (that is, they have a small or zero environmental impact) and reduce waste in the nature.

These could be the stories of lowering emissions of greenhouse gas, of reducing climate-damaging CO2 emissions, of spearheading green energy solutions and increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix in the process of rehabilitating lives.

 

• • Types of rehabilitation stories sought

 

The choice or selection of definition of rehabilitation can have some implications in terms of the stories one would like to give or donate.  Depending on this choice or selection, it is possible to have the following stories of:

√ Enabling basic services and facilities to resume functioning

√ Assisting the victims’ self-help efforts to repair the damages caused by COVID-19

√ Revival of economic activities

√ Optimizing functioning in individuals who suffered from COVID-19 adverse impacts

√ Improving interactions between individuals suffering from COVID-19 led conditions and their environments

√ Addressing underlying conditions left by the coronavirus (e.g. health and economic pains)

√ Improving the way in which an individual functions in everyday life

√ Supporting individuals and communities to overcome difficulties with economic and health legacies of the coronavirus pandemic

The above are just an illustration of ways of developing, telling and sharing stories of bringing back lives to an original condition.  There are many other ways of bringing back lives.

If anyone of you has them, they can share with CENFACS to steward All in Development Stories Telling and Sharing Programme.

 

• • How to make your stories to reach CENFACS and others in the community

 

There are many means or ways in which you can submit or donate your story.  In the context of this Serial 3, there are ways that one can use to do it, which are:

 

• • •  Written text options

 

You can write your story in a textual format.  You can use email, mobile phone, text messing system and CENFACS’ contact form; and send your story in the form of text.

 

• • • Phone calls

 

You can call CENFACS and give your story via phone.

 

• • •  Audio storytelling and listening

 

You can use the capacity of audio to tell your volunteering story.  Audio storytelling (with short digital narratives, podcasting, social media and online streaming) can help create and share the impact of the change you made or have made.

 

• • • Short film experiences

 

You can make short films to support your storytelling experiences and create a social impact.   You can make film on your smart phone with a video content.  Shooting interviews with project participants can also help to create experiences that maximise social media and essential story contents.

 

• • • Video options

 

You can use audio High Definition video calling (for example Skype video calls or Google Meet for video conferencing options) to tell and share you story with CENFACS and others.

If you are going to use video options, it is better to use a free option and non-profit programme, as they are accessible to everybody to join in with at home or wherever they are, especially at this time of the coronavirus pandemic.   

Some of our users and members may not be able to afford to pay for some types of video options on the market.  That is why it is better to use something which is accessible by the majority of people.

For the purpose of data protection, please use the security tips attached to your chosen option.

If you know you are going to tell your story via video calling or conferencing option and you want CENFACS to participate or join in, you need to let us know at least three days before your story calling or conferencing start so that we can plan ourselves.  You need as well to inform us about the date, time and possibly participants.  You can email, phone, text or complete the contact form to let us know as we are busy like you.   

If you have a story, you can tell and share with us and others via the above named means.  And if you do not mind, we will circulate your stories within the CENFACS Community.

 

• • Rehabilitation stories tracking tools

 

To track the rehabilitation stories you are or will be telling and sharing with us, we have developed a certain number of tracking tools for monitoring and evaluation purposes.  One of these tools is our AiDS (All in Development Stories) terms and conditions which we highlighted at the beginning of this programme.  We strongly recommend to those who would like to submit their rehabilitation stories to consider this tracking tool.

If you have a story of green and sustainable rehabilitation from the COVID-19 disaster and associated adverse impacts, please do not hesitate to tell it to CENFACS. 

_________

 

References

(1) The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), 2011, Infrastructure for Economic Development and Poverty Reduction in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya (www.unhabitat.org)

(2) https://www.unisdr.org/files/53213_bbb.pdf, United Nations General Assembly 2016 (accessed May 2021)

(3) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rehabilitation (accessed May 2021)

 

________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

12 May 2021

 

Post No. 195

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 2: Stories of Recovering from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (From Wednesday 12/05/2021)

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and Data-based Stories of Recovering from COVID-19 Adverse Impacts

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and “Pro-benefit” Organisations in Africa

 

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 2: Stories of Recovering from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (From Wednesday 12/05/2021)

 

Our Story Month continues with Serial 2 which is devoted to people-centred stories of regaining a former and better condition in the process of building back better from the coronavirus and associated containment measures.  They are also stories of setting again or returning to a previous stage or fixing what the coronavirus has destroyed, mostly from people in need.

Recovery is a process.  Like in any process, there are phases or stages.  In every stage or phase, there could be stories to tell and share.  Recovery can be economic, social, environmental, etc.  It can be in conservation, in disaster management, waste management, etc. 

In the context of this Serial 2 of our May Month, we are interested in the storylines from disaster management; that is from the management of COVID-19 as a socio-economic and health disaster.  Disaster management is understood in Chris Park’s Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1) as

“A comprehensive approach to reducing the adverse impacts of particular *disasters [natural or otherwise] that brings together in a *disaster plan all of the actions that need to be taken before, during, immediately after, and well after the disaster event” (p. 122)

One of the actions to be taken is recovery.  Because the coronavirus has been a disaster, a recovery action can be taken at the individual and community levels. 

We are calling for submission of the stories of a coordinated process of self-support and /or supporting communities and people who have been affected by the coronavirus and trying to return to their original state.

Since we are working within the framework of a recovery that is green, clean and sustainable; we are therefore looking for stories of recovery from COVID-19 health, climate and green economic crises. 

Under the Main Development section of this post, there is more about this Serial 2 of our May Month 2021.

 

 

 

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and Data-based Stories of Recovery from COVID-19 Adverse Impacts

 

Our All in Development Stories Telling Programme includes the stories or experiences that our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) are having with local people regarding their recovery from the Covid-19 adverse impacts.

We continue to have reports of local people struggling to access life-sustaining basic needs (such as food, water, sanitation and financial support) in order to fight the economic threats and social disruptions from Covid-19; let alone the threat it poses to lives in Africa.  We had also reports of those who have successfully recovered from the health and economic impacts from the same coronavirus and containment measures. 

As we are in CENFACS’ Stories Month, we would like to include their tales or experiences of recovering from the coronavirus pandemic and containment measures.  We would like them to tell us their stories with data (i.e. textual, numerical and visual data).

For any of ASOs that would like to submit or donate their data-based stories of recovery from Covid-19 adverse impacts, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

• Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and “Pro-benefit” Organisations in Africa

 

We are carrying on with the proposals we made to those African organisations that are willing to build and develop their capacity in order to better operate and / or improve their participation in the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area. 

As part of strengthening their capacity, we are also working on the “pro-benefit” sector or the fourth sector; a sector that is made of cooperatives, social enterprises, social change organisations, public benefit corporations, community development banks, community interest companies, etc.

We are advocating for those ASOs that have not yet done it so far to consider searching for market niches and opportunities with or within “pro-benefit” organisations in order to increase and improve their outcomes in terms of poverty reduction.  ASOs can deliver “pro-benefit” services in some of the under-prioritised and unidentified markets in areas such as water, sanitation, education, shelter, protection, digital support, financial services, etc.

For those of the ASOs that would like to discuss with us about the “pro-benefit” work with African organisations, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• What to do when the heaviest burden falling on you during the recovery process?

 

As part of the recovery stories telling sessions, we are discussing what to do when the heaviest burden falls on you in terms of what to do to get out poverty induced by the coronavirus disaster and associated containment measures. 

Those who would like to discuss with us and others through their recovery stories of having to handle the heaviest burden in order to get out of the damage that the coronavirus and associated impacts have inflicted upon them, they can contact CENFACS with their recovery stories.

To tell your recovery story of handling heavy burden through discussions, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Capacity Development to Live and Sustain within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

 

Our offer to work with African organisations and individuals from the charitable and not-for-profit sector to build and/or develop their capacities to operate in the context of the AfCFTA is still available. 

For those who think that their organisation does not have the necessary and required capacity to provide cross-border services in the context of AfCFTA, they can contact CENFACS so that we can together organise a programme or plan of work.

CENFACS can work with your organisation in blended ways to find the right capacity to build and/or develop to enter and / or sustain in the trading space provided by the AfCFTA.

Need capacity development to operate within a free trade area; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Survey about gains and losses for the African Not-for-Profit Organisations (AN4POs) in the Game of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

 

Our survey concerning the advantages and disadvantages deriving from the AfCFTA for the AN4POs is still on.  The survey is about to evaluate the gains and losses for the AN4POs in the context of AfCFTA. 

As a part of this survey, we have developed a questionnaire to help you give your views.  One of the questions in this questionnaire is:  Do you think that the AfCFTA will benefit the not-for-profit development in Africa?

If you have not yet answered to this question, please have your say.  You can simply say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.  You can go further in adding some comments.  You can as well take part in the full survey should you wish to do so.

To take part in this survey, just let CENFACS know.

 

 

 

Main Development

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 2: Stories of Recovering from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (From Wednesday 12/05/2021)

 

Before developing the types of stories of recovery we are calling for, let us say a few words about the context, kind of recovery we are talking about, criteria about recovery stories, and benefits relating to stories telling and sharing.

 

• • Meaning of recovery in the context of AiDS Telling Programme 2021

 

As part of this context, recovery is looked at as the process of combating the socio-economic and health disturbances and disruptions brought by the coronavirus and associated adverse impacts.  This recovery is part of a set of actions to be taken in the context of disaster management as defined by C. Parker (op. cit.).  It is also in line with what the United Nations (2) argued in their General Assembly in 2016 which is

“Recovery is the restoring or improving of livelihoods and health as well as economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets, systems and activities, of a disaster-affected  community or society, aligning with the principles of sustainable development and build back better, to avoid or reduce future disaster risk”

Since COVID-19 has been a disaster, recovery stories will be the tales relating to this disaster.

 

• •  Kinds of recovery stories expected

 

They are those of a sustained cycle or stage of period of fight against the coronavirus disaster or shock in order to improve people’s socio-economic and health conditions. 

They are the stories of what happened to people, especially those in need, at the flattening phase of the epidemiological curves of the coronavirus pandemic when the process of building back better starts.

 

• • Eligible criteria about recovery stories

 

The stories to be given or donated should be of recovering from the socio-economic and health impacts of the coronavirus shock/disaster and associated containment measures.  These stories will be more appealing to the AiDS assessment team if there have highlights of green, clean and sustainable aspects in them.   

 

• • Identification of stories according the phases of recovery process

 

As argued earlier, recovery can be a process or be done in different steps or phases.  In each step or phase, there could be a story to tell or share. 

For example, in the field of emotion or trauma management after the coronavirus shock or disaster, there could be five stages that people who suffer from COVID-19 emotion or trauma may take.  These stages are:  pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination.

Another example could be of a disaster-stricken community that can take three phases to recover, which are: post-impact relief, recovery and reconstruction, and transition.  

In these above different phases or steps, there could be a story to tell and share from those who have been through any of them.  There could be as well stories to tell and share between stages whether it is about an individual or a community.

Those who have a story to tell and share on any of these steps or stages, they can do it.

 

• • Types of possible recovery stories

 

From what we have so far described, recovery stories can be of various types depending on each community’s or each person’s circumstances with the impacts of COVID-19.  These stories could include those of different stages of the recovery process as highlighted above.

To the above, one could also add stories of vision for recovery; recovery plan; recovery approach used; recovery funding; restoration of emotional, social, economic and physical well-being, etc.

 

• • Advantages of telling and sharing recovery stories

 

The good thing in telling and sharing recovery stories is that these kinds of stories can bring four important outcomes to the community which are:

√ Providing inspiration to others, particularly but not exclusively to the CENFACS Community members, suffering from the coronavirus induced poverty and hardships

√ Proofing that it is possible to recover from the adverse impacts of the coronavirus, particularly the types of poverty and unsustainable development it may lead to

√ Strengthening our infrastructure networks of protection from poverty and hardships through stories telling, sharing and stewardship

√ Stewarding CENFACS’ All in Development Stories Telling Programme

 

• • Recovery story tracking tools

 

To track the recovery stories you are or will be telling and sharing with us, we have developed a certain number of tracking tools for monitoring and evaluation purposes.  One of these tools is our AiDS terms and conditions which we highlighted last week.  We strongly recommend to those who would like to submit their recovery stories to consider this tracking tool.

If you have a story of green and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 disaster and associated adverse impacts, please do not hesitate to tell it to CENFACS. 

 

_________

 

References

 

(1) Park (2011), Oxford Dictionary of Environment and Conservation, Oxford University Press Inc., New York

(2) https://www.unisdr.org/files/53213_bbb.pdf (United Nations General Assembly, 2016)

 

_________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

05 May 2021

 

Post No. 194

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• May Stories – All in Development Stories: Stories of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures

• All in Development Story Telling Series

• Leafy Year and May Stories

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• May Stories – All in Development Stories:

Stories of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (social distancing, lockdowns and border closures)

 

Story telling is our main content for the month of May.  It is the month and time of the year we dedicate ourselves to telling and sharing poverty relief and sustainable development stories. 

 

• • Why do we tell and share stories? 

 

This is because in whatever we do to help reduce poverty and appeal for support to development process, there is always a story to tell and share from various places we intervene and from different individuals and communities or organisations involving in our work. 

 

• • How do we tell and share these stories?

 

We do it through All in Development (AiD) Stories project.  There is an explanation about this project that can be found under the Main Development section of this post.  Every year, there is a different theme for this story telling project.

 

• • This year’s theme for AiD Stories project

 

This year, the theme for AiD Stories project will be about Stories of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (e.g. social distancing, lockdowns and border closures). 

These stories will be…

– about how people and communities are trying or have tried to build back better from the coronavirus disaster and containment measures

– of those Asking for Help and Support, Recovery, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction from the shock and disaster caused by the coronavirus pandemic and associated containment measures

– the tales of physical, social, environmental, humanitarian and economic building back better.

 

Entries for these May Stories were opened since last March when we announced the general theme of Spring Relief 2021, which is “Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner”.  So far, some people have shown some interests.  For those who have not yet submitted or told us their stories, this is the month to do it.

 

• • Underlying principle of AiD Stories project

 

The principle of AiD Stories project is that it is about stories by volunteers or people who are giving their stories not for money or not being paid for their experience they had in relation to the story theme.  However, this principle does not stop anybody to provide a story even if what they are saying come from their paid position.

Besides this general principle, we have two criteria we would like to highlight about the theme of AiD Stories project for this year.

 

• • Criteria for the theme of AiD Stories project 2021

 

For this year’s AiD Stories project, we are mainly interested in stories of building back better greener and cleaner from the coronavirus disaster and containment measures as mentioned above.  They are the stories of those who hit rock bottom of poverty because of COVID-19 and are trying to bounce back in a sustainable way. 

Additionally, we are registering people’s personal experiences of being or at risk of being left behind in the process of building back and forward from the coronavirus pandemic.

To facilitate and organise ourselves in the way of telling these stories, we are going to do it through a series or programme or a timeline of scripts.  There is more information about this series below.  

For more information on AiDS project and this year’s storytelling focus and scripts, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

To tell your story of change for change to CENFACS, please contact CENFACS for story telling terms and conditions.

 

 

• All in Development Story Telling Series

 

The 2021 series of AiDS Telling Programme starts from the 5th of May 2021, every Wednesday afterwards and will last until the end of May 2021.  These series, which are part of May stories, are a timeline of scripts or a set of notes arranged in line to tell and share stories of Building Back Better Greener and Cleaner from the Coronavirus and Containment Measures (e.g. social distancing, lockdowns and border closures).

There is no single logic or model of organising a story.  We thought that to make it easier, our storytelling series will follow these four sequences: 

(a) Asking for help and support

(b) Recovery and reset

(c) Rehabilitation

(d) Reconstruction

The four sequences are linked each other in a sequential way. 

For further details about these sequences or timeline of AiD scripts, please continue to read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Leafy Year and May 2021 Stories

 

This month, we are continuing our Leafy Year or Year of Leaves by looking at the relationship between leaves and stories in the process of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.

Indeed, stories of poverty reduction and sustainable development can be related to leaves of poverty reduction and sustainable development.  One can tell their story of poverty reduction and sustainable development and of how leaves can help in reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development. 

In this respect, there could be a relationship between leaves and stories telling through poverty reduction and sustainable development.  Poverty reduction and sustainable development could be the main topics to tell our stories, just  as leaves could be the means to tell or express those stories.

So, in this Year of Leaves at CENFACS and month of stories telling, one can use leaves to tell and share their stories of poverty reduction and sustainable development. 

As we are in the process of building back better (BBB) from the coronavirus disaster and containment measures, one can as well use leaves to tell their stories of BBB from the coronavirus as well as how leaves are helping them or those around them to come out the coronavirus hardships and build back better.

Those who would like to go into depth about the relationship between leaves and stories or those who simply want to tell their stories via leaves, they are welcome to contact CENFACS or to do so.

 

 

 

Extra Messages 

 

• Rebuilding of Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Health Resources, Structures and Infrastructures: On Year On!

 

Last year, CENFACS advocated for the granting to Africa-based Sister Organisations of charitable and voluntary sector the appropriate means, organisation and equipment they need in order to better play their poverty relief role during and after the Covid-19 crisis.

For example, in Madagascar there is a growing concern about the lack of equipment to deal with the increasing number of COVID-19 patients victims of the violent South African COVID-19 variant. 

Another example is the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (in South and North Kivu, Tanganyika Ituri and the province of Central Kasai) where almost 20 million people are experiencing famine and need urgent humanitarian assistance according to the United Nations.  Many of the suffering families in these places are far away and cut off from health centres and facilities as they are fleeing conflicts and are afraid to mix up to increase the probability of catching the coronavirus.    

One year on, we are discussing if there has been any boost of resources, structures and infrastructures Africa-based Sister Organisations so that they could effectively respond to the enormous challenge that Covid-19 has posed, and to new and emerging needs of their users.  These discussions are part of Rebuilding Africa together.

Those who have any contribution to make in these discussions, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

To support CENFACS’ advocacy about Rebuilding Africa, please also contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Green and Sustainable Alignment of All Year Round Projects (or Triple Value Initiatives) to Long-term Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reduction Goals and Targets

 

• • What is green and sustainable alignment of All Year Round (AYRPs) or Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)?

 

Green and sustainable alignment of AYRPs or TVIs (made of Play, Run and Vote projects) simply means when planning and executing these projects or initiatives one should not cause harm to the environment.  Also, if these projects and initiatives are planned for a longer period, their long term life should be without adverse effects on the environment or nature.  This alignment is required for the GHG emission reduction goals and targets in the interest of the commons. 

 

• • The alignment of AYRPs or TVIs to GHG emission reduction goals and targets

 

Implementing AYRPs or TVIs requires taking into account the target requirements in terms of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  These greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets are binding ambition to progressively reduce GHG emissions to be in line with the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the global temperature increase to well below 2ᵒ C and pursuing efforts to keep it to 1.5ᵒ C.  From this binding global goal, each part and place of the world are making their own efforts to set up targets or pledges in terms of CO2 net-zero emissions by 2050. 

To move towards the 1.5ᵒ C trajectory; any activities conducted in order to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development need to be aligned to this long-term climate goal and target.  In this respect, green and sustainable alignment of AYRPs or TVIs is about making sure that the conduct of these projects or initiatives reflects the climate need and agenda of meeting the GHG emission reduction targets. 

Any participant to these projects or initiatives needs to meet this requirement of long-term GHG emissions reduction goal and targets.

Those who may be interested in this issue of green and sustainable alignment of AYRPs or TVIs, they can contact CENFACS for further discussion on the matter.

 

 

 

• Capacity Development to Live and Sustain within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

 

Our offer to work with African organisations and individuals from the charitable and not-for-profit sector to build and/or develop their capacities to operate in the context of the AfCFTA is still available. 

For those who think that their organisation does not have the necessary and required capacity to provide cross-border services in the context of AfCFTA, they can contact CENFACS so that we can together organise a programme or plan of work.

CENFACS can work with your organisation in blended ways to find the right capacity to build and/or develop to enter and / or sustain in the trading space provided by the AfCFTA.

Need capacity development to operate within a free trade area; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Main Development

  

• May Stories – All in Development Stories:

Stories of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (e.g. social distancing, lockdowns and border closures)

 

• • What is ALL in DEVELOPMENT STORIES project?

 

All in Development STORIES (AiDS) is a life story developing, telling, sharing and learning project set up by CENFACS in 2009 in order to give opportunities to volunteers, interns and other development supporters and enthusiasts to inspire others and spread the good news and will of better change to the community.  The project, which is run during the month of May, has three dimensions as follows:

 

√ AiDS is a telling and sharing story

 

It is about telling and sharing with us your experience and achievements made in the fields of local (UK) and International (Africa) developments.

 

√ AiDS is a learning and development process

 

It is also about learning from volunteers and interns how they improved their own life, changed deprived lives and reached out to the needy communities.  After learning, one can try to develop strengths and better practices to solve problems.

 

√ AiDS is an inspirational and motivational support network

 

After all, the project seeks to inspire and motivate others on the road of change for change; especially for those who might prepare and use their summer break or any other occasions (like the Covid-19 outbreak or lockdowns) to take up volunteering and or internship roles and positions.

 

√ AiDS finally is a state-of-the-art project 

 

It enables us to get up-to-date information, knowledge and thinking in the fields of poverty reduction and sustainable development from those who went on the grounds to learn and experience real-life development works.  They return with volunteering stories to tell and share.

This year’s storytelling and sharing will be about Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (e.g. social distancing, lockdowns and border closures)

 

• • May 2021 STORIES: Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (social distancing, lockdowns and border closures)

 

We are running 4 series of AiD Story Telling programme during this month of May, programme that will revolve around the process of building back better from Covid-19.

For those who want to tell their stories of asking for help and support, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction; they can choose among the following sequences to tell their stories. 

 

• • Types of 2021 Stories and Story Telling Series

 

AiD Story Telling Series: Starting 05/05/2021 and after every Wednesday until the end of May 2021.

The following series or sequences have been planned for this month of storytelling (May Stories) relating to post-COVID-19 disaster management.

 

# Serial 1: From Wednesday 05/05/2021: Stories of Asking for Help and/or Support 

These are the stories of those who were or are in need and who asked for any help and /or support to build back better from the effects of the coronavirus disaster and containment measures.

 

# Serial 2: From Wednesday 12/05/2021: Stories of Recovery and Reset

These are the tales of regaining a better condition (that’s good health, former economic situation, etc.), of emotional, social, economic and physical well-being from the life-threatening and –destroying impacts of the coronavirus.

 

# Serial 3: From Wednesday 19/05/2021: Stories of Rehabilitation

These are accounts of returning a disturbed life or re-adaptation to normal life and of restoration to a previous state before the coronavirus broke out and containment measures came into force.

 

# Serial 4: Week beginning 26/05/2021: Stories of Reconstruction

They are the experiences or anecdotes of restoration to an original condition before the coronavirus crisis and containment measures.

 

• • Add-on to CENFACS’ May 2021 Stories

 

As mentioned above, we shall add the Stories of Those At Risk of Being Left Behind Build Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (social distancing, lockdowns and border closures).

 

There are people and / or members of our community who have been accidentally left behind in the process of building back better from the coronavirus disaster and containment measures.  We would like to hear the narratives of these people and community members so that advocacy can be stepped up to do something about their situation.

Anyone has who has the stories of the left behind, please do not hesitate to tell and share it with us.

 

• • Nature-based Solutions inside your Stories of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus Disaster and Containment Measures (social distancing, lockdowns and border closures)

 

There are many solutions or recipes in order to build back from the coronavirus disaster and containment measures.  In the context of AiD Stories, we would like to hear stories of building back better using nature-based solutions.  What do we mean by nature-based solutions?

There are many ways of defining nature-based solutions.  The EU Commission (2) defines nature-based solutions as

“Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience”.

For those who would like to tell or submit their stories, it will be a good idea to bring out aspects of nature-based solutions making part of their stories.

 

 

 

• Serial 1: From Week Wednesday 05/05/2021: Stories of Asking for Help and/or Support to Build Back Better from the Enduring Coronavirus and Associated Containment Measures

 

One of the problems that many ordinary people (who have been affected by the enduring coronavirus and its associated containment measures) face is that they need help or support.  Although some of them have received help or support, there are still many of them who have not received any help or support they asked for.  In addition to that help and support given so far may not be enough to cover these damages caused by the coronavirus since these damages  are colossal . 

There could be many reasons that can explain why those who asked for help and support did not receive them.  Without getting into the reasons why those who asked for help or support did not receive it, let us simply argue that any help or support depends on many factors such as the way in which one asks for it, the person to whom they ask for support and whether or not is listening to them, the available resources for help and support, etc. 

This is why we want to hear the stories of those who asked for help and or support to build back better from the enduring coronavirus and its associated containment measures.

 

• Kinds of Stories of Asking for Help and Support

 

These are the tales of what, when, where, why, who and how to ask for help and support.  These stories connect those who ask to those who respond to asks.  Then, what are those stories?

 

They are…

√ the fables, written or spoken, made of words, voices and tones to ask for assistance

√ the anecdotes of building and developing relationships between those in need and those who help in fulfilling those needs

√ the tales of those who have asked for help or support in order to self-build or build back better

√ the accounts of those who give help and support since in every act of asking for help and support, there are always two sides (those who ask and those who give)

√ the stories of continuing asking for aid of those countries and communities that are still listed under humanitarian crisis.  Their ask at this time of the enduring coronavirus could be even bigger than at any time of the modern human history.

 

• Example of a story of asking for help

 

To illustrate the stories of asking for help or support, we are going to refer to the story or the well-known poem of the French poet Jean De La Fontaine (2).  One of his well-known poems is about ‘The fox and the crow’.  This is the poem:

Le Corbeau et le Renard

 

Maître Corbeau, sur un arbre perché,
Tenait en son bec un fromage.
Maître Renard, par l’odeur alléché,
Lui tint à peu près ce langage :
« Hé ! bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau.
Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
Sans mentir, si votre ramage
Se rapporte à votre plumage,
Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois. »
A ces mots le Corbeau ne se sent pas de joie ;
Et pour montrer sa belle voix,
Il ouvre un large bec, laisse tomber sa proie.
Le Renard s’en saisit, et dit : « Mon bon Monsieur,
Apprenez que tout flatteur
Vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute :
Cette leçon vaut bien un fromage, sans doute. »
Le Corbeau, honteux et confus,
Jura, mais un peu tard, qu’on ne l’y prendrait plus.

Jean de La Fontaine

 

 

In this poem, the fox that needed help from the crow said:

“Learn that every flatterer Lives at the expense of the one who listens to him”.  (translated from french as “Apprenez que tout flatteur
Vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute“)

Without calling those who need help or support as flatterers, one can learn about their stories of asking for help or support and help them to be listened to and get the backing they need in order to self-build or build back better greener and cleaner from the enduring coronavirus and associated containment measures.

To donate, tell and share your story of asking for help or support, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • 2021 Story Areas of Interest

 

We normally take stories that cover any areas of poverty reduction and local and international sustainable developments.

 

• • Contexts of Stories

 

Stories could come from any level of project/programme cycle (i.e. planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review) as long as it is to do with poverty reduction and sustainable development. 

They could also be a result of research and field work activities or studies. 

They could finally be an experience of everyday life. 

  

• • Call for 2021 Entries 

 

As said above, the 2021 Edition of AiDS has already kicked off.  For those who want to enter their stories of life renewal, please note you are welcome to do so. 

Just read below the annotated timetable for story submission and CENFACS’ storytelling terms and conditions.

We await your responses to our call.

 

• • Annotated Timetable for Story Submission in 2021

 

# Start of online (e-mail) and paper-based submission (01/05/2021)

# Story submission deadline (31/05/2021)

# Notification of receipt/acceptance (by 17/06/2021)

# Submission of revised stories (01/05/2021 to 31/05/2021)

 

• • CENFACS Story Telling & Sharing Terms

 

To tell and/or share your May story, please let us know the following:

√ who you are 

√ where and when your experience took place 

√ and of course the story itself. 

 

You could also 

√ text

√ twit  

√ send some forms of supporting materials/resources to back up your story. 

Should you wish not to be name please let us know your decision. 

Please see below our story telling, sharing and learning terms.

 

CENFACS story telling, sharing and learning terms:

 

1/ We welcome both told and untold stories

2/ Inside, witness, news, behind the scenes and case stories are eligible

3/ We only take real life stories, not fiction stories or fake news

4/ Tell true and evidence-based stories only, not lies

5/ If possible, back up your stories with facts and data (numerical or textual)

6/ Mention location, dates and names of events in the story

7/ We accept photos, images, pictures, videos, info-graphic materials, audios and other forms of resources (e.g. digital or e- technologies) to support, capture and communicate the impact of your story 

8/ Plagiarism, prohibited, offensive, violation of copyrights and unlawful/illegal materials are not accepted

9/ Hacking, flaming, spamming, ransom ware, phishing and trolling practices are not accepted as well.

10/ We greatly consider stories highlighting nature-based solutions to poverty and hardships

 

For further clarification, contact CENFACS

 

Tell and share your story of change for change by communicating the impact you make!

 

 

_________

 

References

 

(1) European Commission, Nature-based solutions | European Commission (europa.eu)

(2) Jean de La Fontaine, Le Corbeau et le Renard, poème de Jean de La Fontaine – poetica.fr

 

_________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

28 April 2021

 

Post No. 193

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• FACS, Issue No. 71, Spring 2021: African Not-for-profit Organisations and the African Continental Free Trade Area

• Protection against Future Shocks and Disasters (Protection Key Notes 4 for Week Beginning Monday 26/04/2021)

• An Update of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction Tools Box

 

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• FACS, Issue No. 71, Spring 2021: African Not-for-profit Organisations and the African Continental Free Trade Area

How the African not-for-profit organisations can get the best of the game from a free trade area

 

There are pros and cons about any free trade areas.  Without selling the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), the 71^st Issue of FACS supports the narrative that it is possible for the African Not-for-profit Organisations (AN4POs) like CENFACS’ Africa-based Sister Organisations to explore market niches and opportunities within the ACFTA so that they can deliver better and more poverty-reduction outcomes beyond their original borders. 

For example, the World Bank Group (1) argued in 2020 that

“At the moderate poverty line of PPP (purchasing power parity) US$ 5.5 a day, African Continental Free Trade Area has the potential to lift 67.9 million people, or 3.6 per cent of the continent’s population, out of poverty by 2035” (p. 7)

The above number or percentage is a huge market niche or opportunity for the AN4POs.  In this respect, the Issue reinforces the current running argument about reaping off the benefits from the economic space that the ACFTA will provide.

The Issue goes further in advocating that the AN4POs can use the leverage that would be provided by the ACFTA to form and/or develop poverty-reduction alliances or improve their existing links with other organisations of similar aims operating on the African soil in order to better deliver cross-border poverty-reduction outcomes, especially in the post-coronavirus and post-carbon emissions eras.

Furthermore, the Issue explains that the AN4POs can together improve value chains within their own organisations while developing poverty-reduction value chains across Africa.  This will help them deliver far-reaching poverty-reducing outcomes or poverty-reduction creating effects to those in need in Africa.  It is in this way they can gain in the game of the ACFTA.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have given Key Summaries making the contents pages of FACS Newsletter, Issue No. 71 of Spring 2021.

 

 

 

• Protection against Future Shocks and Disasters

(Protection Key Notes 4 for Week Beginning Monday 26/04/2021)

 

Last week, we started this area of protection relating to future shocks and disasters when we presented the 11^th Edition of our Reflection Day (held on 27/04/2021) which focussed on the Protection of Women and Children against Future Shocks, Risks and Crises. 

We can refer to what we argued about the Reflection Day in order to strengthen protection against future shocks and disasters.  We are doing it with in mind the needs of poor people and the CENFACS Community.  However, before going any further in this presentation of protection key notes 4, let us try to understand the meanings of shock and disaster.

 

• • Meanings of future shock and disaster

 

There are many definitions of future shock and disaster.  For the purpose of these notes, we are referencing to the definition of Alvin Toffler (2) who argues that

“Future shock is a certain psychological state of individuals and entire society”

Psychological state of individuals and entire society can be affected by certain events such as food scarcity, climate change, the extinction of fish, infectious disease (like the coronavirus), etc.  For example, the impact of COVID-19 ripples across every community including the CENFACS Community.

As to disaster, we are borrowing its definition from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (3); definition which is:

“a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its resources” (p. 4)

Disasters can be natural (e.g. wild fires, global drought, etc.), economic (e.g. global economic collapse), health (e.g. the coronavirus pandemic), etc. 

These future shocks and disasters can be predicated or unpredictable.  Whether or not they can be predicted, one needs to plan protection should they occur.

 

• • Protection against future shocks and disasters

 

Self-protection or protecting poor people and communities from the adverse impacts of the eruption of future shocks and disasters means erecting defence against those shocks and disasters that are likely to happen.  As part of this protection process, one can use their foresight and work with the potential victims of these shocks and disasters to help them reduce their risks; manage them and adapt to the new normal.

For example, the economist Federico Dominguez (4) in his work argues that the decade 2020-2029 will be the Decade of Turbulence.  If this turbulence will happen and will be caused by future shocks and disasters, then protection would be needed for the potential victims of these future shocks and disasters.

The above protection notes are the last for our Protection Month.  For those who would like to discuss with us about the Month of Protection and the different notes developed to cover it, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• An Update of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction Tools Box

 

In the light of the COVID-19 evolution and experience, we have carried out a risk assessment of CENFACS’ Poverty Reduction Tools Box which we created in 2020.  As a result of this risk assessment, we have included COVID-19 protection items such as hand sanitising bottles, gloves, face coverings and other personal protection equipment. 

These items are related to COVID-19 containment measures.  This update is part of the efforts deployed in order to keep the community and general public safe from the coronavirus pandemic.

Likewise, we have aligned the tools that this box contains to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goal targets in the process of building forward together greener and cleaner.  In doing so, we hope to continue to help reduce poverty with tools that are COVID-19 proof and aligned to GHG emissions reduction goal targets.

In these processes of updating and alignment, we have taken into consideration the current, changing and emerging needs of the community.

For any enquiries about these updates and any of the tools constituent the above mentioned box, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Coming in May 2021: Volunteering Stories of Building Back Better from the COVID-19 Disaster

 

This year’s All in Development Stories will be about how people and communities are trying or have tried to build back better from the coronavirus disaster and continuing lockdowns.  We said better because we want to encourage those who will read All in Development Stories to be positive and optimistic about their future despite the COVID-19 upset.

This year’s stories are those of recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction from the shock and disaster caused by the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns.  They are the tales of physical, social, environmental and economic building back better. 

For further details including the agenda for this year’s May Stories, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Building Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner with the “Pandemial Generation”

 

This week, we are also working on our post-coronavirus programme of Building Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner.  We are doing through the African Children’s Climate and Sustainable Development Goals project or Global Goals Generation project, in which we use African children as a sample.  Some of these children may become the “Pandemial Generation”.  The “Pandemial Generation” or “Pandemials” are defined by the economist Federico Dominguez (op. cit) as

“those young people who are entering the world of work along with the coronavirus crisis”

So, the children generation of the sustainable development goals (that is, children born between 2015 and 2030 during the life time of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) could one day become the “Pandemial Generation” because of the long lasting legacies of the coronavirus pandemic.  If so, there is need to find ways of working with them so that we can build forward better together greener and cleaner.

Those who may be interested in building forward better together greener and cleaner with the “Pandemials”, they can let CENFACS know.

 

 

• Fundraising while Gaming for Poverty Reduction

 

For those who are playing the CENFACS Poverty Relief League, they can use the opportunity of playing to introduce a giving feature in their game.  They can ask those who are involved in the game with them to support good causes in African countries making part of their fixtures and tables.  In this way they can help revolutionise the game with a fundraising element while entertaining through the game with or without others.

However, they must remember that the aim of the CENFACS’ League of Poverty Relief is to help African countries reduce poverty by finding out the best performer amongst them in terms of poverty reduction.  The aim of this league is not to raise money.

For those who may be having or are experienced some problems in installing a fundraising feature in the game, they can speak to CENFACS.

CENFACS’ League of Poverty Relief is the world’s only league without relegation.  Those countries that do not perform well in terms of poverty reduction get help, not a punishment.

To discuss your progress in the game, the fundraising feature in the game or any other issues relating to All Year Round Projects (Triple Value Initiatives), please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• FACS, Issue No. 71, Spring 2021: African Not-for-profit Organisations and the African Continental Free Trade Area

How the African not-for-profit organisations can get the best of the game from a free trade area

 

The contents and key summaries of the 71^st Issue of FACS are given below.

 

• • Contents and Pages

  

Free trade development and not-for-profit development (Page 2)

Service-creating and –diverting effects for the African not-for-profit organisations (AN4POs) within the ACFTA (Page 3)

ACFTA as a framework of continuance of the AN4POs’ work (Page 4)

Quel est l’espace économique des organisations africaines à but non lucratif dans la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECA)?  (Page 5)

Les organisations africaines à but non lucratif (OABNL) et la résorption des goulots d’étranglement économique liés à la zone de libre-échange (Page 5)

La ZLECA et la facilitation de la création des chaînes de valeurs de réduction de la pauvreté au sein des OABNL (Page 6)

Les OABNL et les économies d’échelle au sein de la ZLECA (Page 6)

ACFTA as a way of improving financial bargaining power (Page 7)

Outward- and inward-looking poverty reduction policies within ACFTA (Page 7)

Not-for-profit foreign direct investment in the AN4POs in the context of ACFTA (Page 8)

Help to Win Market Niches and Opportunities in the ACFTA (Page 9)

Capacity Development Offer! (Page 9)

Survey about gains and losses for the AN4POs in the ACFTA (Page 9)

Game of the Not-for-profit Developers (Page 10)

 

• • Key Summaries

 

Please find below the key summaries of the 71^st Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10. 

 

••• Free trade development and not-for-profit development (Page 2)

 

Economically speaking, a free trade area would be a sort of economic integration in which free internal trade will be established between country members but each member would be free to levy different external tariffs against non-members.  In this kind of trade integration model, the emphasis is on free trade as this is seen as the engine of growth.

However, in places where there is a very high level of poverty like in Africa, this view on economic growth needs to be balanced and to integrate poverty reduction.  In those places of high level of poverty, the focus should be on what the free trade can bring to the reduction of poverty, to the quality of life of those who are poor and who make the majority of the free trade area in terms of population.  

By looking at things in this way, this raises the debate over the place and role of those organisations that do not have profit as their mission, but can contribute to the development of free trade and of the reduction of poverty at the same time.  In other words, the not-for-profit organisations that are specialised in poverty reduction need to have their place and role to play in the achievement of the growth of poverty reduction.  It further means that one should look for a pre-distribution of economic growth in terms of economic factors and forces that make it to happen rather than overlooking the redistribution of the fruits of economic growth from a free trade scenario.

The above is our first key summary.  For those who would like to further discuss this introductory summary, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

••• Service-creating and –diverting effects for the African not-for-profit organisations (AN4POs) within the ACFTA (Page 3)

 

It is hoped that with a fully functioning ACFTA, there would be pan-African service-creating effects for poverty reduction for those AN4POs that would actively engage in poverty reduction work in ACFTA.  However, for this to happen, the AN4POs need to have relevant infrastructures, capacities and structures in order to provide poverty-relieving services across the continent or beyond their original borders.

Reciprocally, the potential service beneficiaries in recipient countries need to accept the services to be offered.  This is because there could be cultural and ethnic barriers or clashes to non-national service providers. 

Furthermore, there could be diversion or redirection of humanitarian relief aid provided by non-members of the ACFTA.

There could be more to argue in terms of service creation and diversion for AN4POs within the ACFTA.  For those who have any issues that they want to raise in relation to these effects, they can contact CENFACS.

   

 

••• ACFTA as a framework of continuance of the AN4POs’ work (Page 4)

 

ACFTA can be a model for the continuation of the poverty reduction work that the AN4POs are already doing.  This continuation can happen if the mechanism and mechanics of ACFTA provide an enabling environment for the not-for-profit development; not only for those trading goods and services for profit.  This is because history shows that there are places in the world with a high return on investment but with a very high level of poverty as well.

Profit making does not always lead to the reduction of poverty.  Poverty reduction is not always a direct consequence of profit-making activities.  Likewise, poverty reduction does not happen by chance.  For poverty reduction to happen, the value of poverty reduction has be embodied or integrated in the processes of production, consumption, distribution and exchange of goods and services, as well as in human relations.

That is why those organisations (like the AN4POs) that seriously take poverty reduction as their core mission are well placed in working on poverty reduction in the game of trade or economic integration.  They have to be given the right space and means to expand the benefits of what they are already doing at local and national levels (of poverty reduction) across the continental free trade area.

For any queries about the kind of place that the AN4POs need to be given in the ACFTA, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

••• Quel est l’espace économique des organisations africaines à but non lucratif dans la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine (ZLECA)?  (Page 5)

 

Quand on parle de la zone de libre-échange, on s’adresse souvent à des organisations important et exportant des marchandises et services pour réaliser le bénéfice ou le profit.  L’espace économique est surtout réservé à ce genre d’activités, d’entreprises ou organisations.

Et pourtant, faire du profit n’est pas toujours synonyme de réaliser le bien-être ou la qualité de vies des populations locales, surtout de celles qui vivent dans la pauvreté ou la précarité.

L’espace économique est aussi pour des organisations à but non lucratif qui prennent la réalisation des objectifs de réduction de la pauvreté comme une mission principale de leurs activités. 

C’est en intégrant et en donnant une part non négligeable à ce genre d’activités dans l’ensemble commercial continental africain que l’on peut espérer gagner le combat contre la pauvreté en Afrique.    C’est-à-dire qu’on jugulera l’épineux problème de pauvreté et de précarité en Afrique quand on donnera à ces organisations à but non lucratif la place qu’elles méritent ou une part égale par rapport aux autres au sein de la zone de libre-échange continentale africaine.

Pour ceux ou celles de vous qui veulent en savoir plus sur ce sujet, s’il vous plaît n’hésitez de contacter le CENFACS.

 

••• Les organisations africaines à but non lucratif (OABNL) et la résorption des goulots d’étranglement économique liés à la zone de libre-échange (Page 5)

 

La zone de libre-échange continentale africaine peut subir des goulots d’étranglement liés à des facteurs ci-après: l’offre de proximité, des coûts de transport, des marchés imparfaits et exigus, des écarts technologiques, etc.

En faisant que les OABNL soient une partie intégrante du jeu de l’intégration commerciale continentale, elles peuvent épauler les organisations à but lucratif dans leurs tentatives de résorption de ces maux économiques.  Car, les OABNL ont des atouts exceptionnles tels que leur imprégnation dans la vie locale avec des projets locaux.

En gros, les OABNL peuvent être un atout majeur pour les autres organisations commerciales oeuvrant dans la zone en les aidant dans leur tentative de règler ces goulots d’étranglement.

 

 

••• La ZLECA et la facilitation de la création des chaînes de valeurs de réduction de la pauvreté au sein des OABNL (Page 6)

 

Commençons d’abord par définir ce que l’on entend par une chaîne de valeur.  Pour le faire, nous allons utiliser la définition de M. Porter (4).  Selon lui, l’entreprise est

“un enchaînement d’activités qui permettent de transformer des achats (auprès de fournisseurs de matières premières, biens …) en ventes”.

En partant de cette définition, on peut dire que la chaîne de valeur (c’est-à-dire toutes les étapes dans la conception, la fabrication et la distribution d’un produit) peut jouer un rôle pour la réduction de la pauvreté.

Les OABNL peuvent établir des chaînes de valeurs leur permettant de réduire la pauvreté.  De même, elles peuvent utiliser l’espace de la ZLECA pour en faire advantage.  En d’autres mots, elles peuvent localiser les sources de différenciation de leurs organisations et identifier là où la valeur de réduction de la pauvreté peut se créer.  Ce qui peut leur donner un avantage compétitif en matière de réduction de la pauvreté.

Ces chaînes offrent aux OABNL la possibilité de s’insérer dans l’économie de la ZLECA et de développer des structures leur permettant de réduire la surdépendance aux organisations multinationales à but non lucratif.  Elles peuvent par ailleurs améliorer leurs capacités de négociation et corriger l’asymétrie de pouvoir et de relations avec ces organisations multinationales.

Pour plus de détails à propos de ce qui précède, s’il vous plaît contactez le CENFACS.

 

••• Les OABNL et les économies d’échelle au sein de la ZLECA (Page 6)

 

La ZLECA peut offrir aux organisations y oeuvrant ou participant des possibilités de réaliser des économies d’echelle.  Est-ce que cela va de soi avec les OABNL?

C’est possible pour des OABNL participant dans la ZLECA de réaliser des économies d’échelle qui leur permettront en retour de créer des échelles de réduction de la pauvreté.  Elles peuvent réduire leurs coûts unitaires ou moyens de production et distribution de services de réduction de la pauvreté pendant que la dimension de leurs opérations augemente dans la ZLECA.  Evidemment, cela dépendra du secteur et de location des OABNL. 

Il peut donc y avoir à terme des effets de l’ouverture commerciale sur la dynamique de la croissance de réduction de la pauvreté pour des organisations participantes à la ZLECA.

Pour ceux ou celles qui veulent débattre avec nous cette question sur les économies d’échelle des OABNL, elles peuvent contacter le CENFACS.

 

••• ACFTA a way of improving financial bargaining power (Page 7)

 

The AN4POs can use the leverage provided by the free trade area in order to improve their financial negotiation power in international funding market; just as they can tap into any new funding schemes or programmes that could be available for the not-for-profit sector or actors at the level of the ACFTA. 

For example, there are funding programmes that are more appealing to organisations working across many borders and delivering services to users in various countries than those working in a single country. 

The AN4POs can explore new and emerging funding opportunities that are or will be available within the ACFTA; just as they can bid in the international capital market to secure funds for poverty reduction in the ACFTA.  They can as well form a coalition within the ACFTA to appeal for funding to tackle various problems that Africa is facing, such as the elimination of tropical diseases, access to COVID-19 vaccines for the poorest people, etc.

Briefly, there are ways of increasing and improving the financial bargaining power and position of the AN4POs within the framework of ACFTA.

 

••• Outward- and inward-looking poverty reduction policies within ACFTA (Page 7)

 

The AN4POs can work in order to increase the rate of self-reliance between them while promoting indigenous and local technologies and innovative ways to reduce poverty.  They can assess the potential resources and opportunities given by the ACFTA and see how they can increase their level of self-reliance.  Where they fall short, they can evaluate by how much inward-looking services can fill the gap.

They should carry out a prudent and intelligent mix of inward- and outward-looking policies in order to continue their journey of poverty reduction and sustainable development.  This requires pragmatism.  They should not expect the ACFTA to provide all the answers to the problem.

In short, it is possible to get the best of ACFTA by conducting a clever mix of both outward- and inward-looking poverty reduction policies.

  

••• Not-for-profit foreign direct investment in the AN4POs in the context of ACFTA (Page 8)

 

The AN4POs can work to attract part of incoming foreign direct investment (FDI) that the ACFTA may benefit as a result of continental free trade area.  This part of FDI could be the one coming from overseas development organisations or non-trading arms of some multinational corporations.

For example, at the moment there are binding contracts or legislation in some places that force foreign multinational corporations to invest in local poverty reduction projects, green projects, programmes for much-needed support to marginalised communities, climate resilience and health initiatives, projects to reduce plastic pollution and waste, etc.

The AN4POs can get involved in those types of projects or programmes in the context of the ACFTA.  The principles of a free trade area can give them impetus to be more ambitious and grab the markets where legislation is permitted within the ACFTA.    

It may be too early to think of this kind of market opportunities.  However, as the ACFTA develops, this sort of opportunities could become clearer and wider.

 

 

••• Help to Win Market Niches and Opportunities in the ACFTA (Page 9)

 

Does any African organisation is interested in training, seminars, webinars, online discussions, forums and conferences, etc. in order to access the opportunities of the ACFTA?

 

 

 

••• Capacity Development Offer! (Page 9)

 

Does your organisation have the necessary and required capacity to provide cross-border services in the context of ACFTA?

If not, CENFACS can work with your organisation to find the right capacity to build and/or develop to enter and / or sustain in the economic space provided by the ACFTA.

Need capacity development; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

••• Survey about gains and losses for the AN4POs in the ACFTA (Page 9)

 

There are advantages and disadvantages deriving from the ACFTA for the AN4POs.  Further to these advantages and disadvantages, CENFACS is carrying a survey to evaluate the gains and losses for the AN4POs.  As a part of this survey, we have developed a questionnaire to help you give your views.  One of the questions in this questionnaire is:

Do you think that the ACFTA will benefit the not-for-profit development in Africa?

 

••• Game of the Not-for-profit Developers (Page 10)

 

The Game of the Not-for-profit Developers (or the Game of the African Not-for-profit Organisations in the African Continental Free Trade Area) is an investigative project that aims to help African Not-for-profit Organisations to get the best of the African Continental Free Trade Area so that they can expand their outcomes in terms of poverty reduction, and in doing so help lift more people out of poverty in Africa or in this area.

The project, which is not a sum of recreational activities, is a model of decision-making process that analyses the threats and risks deriving from the trading space provided by the ACFTA while identifying the opportunities that can be reaped off from the same space.

The investigative project takes into account the local needs as well as the conflicting interests of the other game players and their choices.

For details including full project proposals and budget for the Game of the Not-for-profit Developers, please contact CENFACS.

 

The full copy of the 71^st Issue of FACS is available on request.

 

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

_________

 

References

 

(1) World Bank Group (2020), The African Continental Free Trade Area: Economic and Distributional Effects, World Bank Publications, Washington, D. C.

(2) Alvin Toffler (1970), Future Shock, Pandom House

(3) United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (2009), United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, UNISDR Terminology on Disaster Risk Reduction

(4) Federico Dominguez (2021), La Rebelión de los Pandemials, Editores Argentinos

_________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

21 April 2021

 

Post No. 192

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Protection against the Newly-emerged Forms of Poverty and Hardships (Protection Key Notes 3 for Week Beginning Monday 19/04/2021)

• Coming Next Tuesday 27/04/2021: Virtual Reflection with a Focus on Ring-fencing Protection for Women and Children to Become More Resilient and Vigilant to Future Risks and Crises

• Advisory Support for Coronavirus Rescue Income (ASCRI)

 

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Protection against the Newly-emerged Forms of Poverty and Hardships

(Protection Key Notes 3 for Week Beginning Monday 19/04/2021)

 

Our Month of Protection continues this week with the Protection Key Notes 3 that deals with the protection against the emergence and manifestations of new forms of lacks or deprivations experienced by a number of our community members during the enduring coronavirus time. 

The new forms of lacks or deprivations are a situation of human failure in which a certain number of people in need has been struggling to meet the subsistence essentials of shelter, food, sanitation, etc. in order to maintain minimum levels of living.  This failure is in itself an expression of lack of protection for those who are economically vulnerable at this very challenging time.

These needy people and new forms of lacks or inabilities to meet basic life-sustaining needs are further explained in the Main Development section of this post.  In the said section, we will be mostly arguing about human protection against these new forms of poverty.

 

 

 

• Coming Next Tuesday 27/04/2021: Virtual Reflection with a Focus on Ring-fencing Protection for Women and Children to Become More Resilient and Vigilant in face of Future Risks and Crises

 

• • What is CENFACS’ Reflection Day?

 

CENFACS’ Reflection Day is a day to acknowledge the conditions of women and children in need, to reflect on attitudes and what can be done to improve the living conditions of women and children in need.

CENFACS’ Reflection Day is also a special eventful day to re-engage our mind set and spirit to deeply think about the fate of poor women and children, and engineer possible new solutions that can lift them out of poverty and hardships they are facing.  At this time of enduring Covid-19, they may be facing sanitation poverty and associated hardships.

 

• • The 11^th Edition of CENFACS’ Reflection Day  

 

This year, the 11^th Edition of our Reflection Day will be virtually run like last year.  We shall keep it virtual since the fight against the coronavirus pandemic is still on.  Because of the enduring coronavirus, we will not be physically gathering together on the day.  Every participant will be reflecting from the location which is suitable for them (that is, like a virtual reality or remotely).

The 11^th Edition is about processing thoughts and feelings about the conditions of poor women and children in terms of the best way of protecting themselves or protecting them. 

It is about to enclose or reinforce protection for vulnerable and needy women and children to become more able to adapt and live despite future shocks and crises (like the coronavirus). 

Although the Virtual Reflection Day (VRD) is about resilience building, it is also about managing future risks and harnessing women’s and children’s leverage of new opportunities for defence.

 

• • The need of protection

 

One may argue or question if this protection is really needed since no one knows these future risks and crisis or simply when they are going to happen. 

To self-protect or protect lives no one needs a disaster first to happen.  There is a say that prevention is better than cure.  Protection is better before the disaster happens than waiting for a disaster to happen and react after.   

In fact, one could learn from the mistakes made about the coronavirus as infectious disease.  If preparation and protection were planned against the coronavirus, perhaps we would have minor impacts from it rather than those of a big scale like now.  However, what are those future risks or crises that women and children need to think of for their own protection?

 

• • Future risks that need protection for women and children

 

To simplify the matter, we are going to refer the 16^th edition of the World Economic Forum’s annual analysis – the Global Risks Report 2021 (1).  In its report, the Forum categorises risks into the following types: economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal and technological ones.  On the page 12 of this report, there are 10 top risks that are likely to happen and 10 top risks that may impact over the course of the next ten years. 

Additionally, it is indicated in this report that further to the survey respondents’ results, the 10 top global risks by likelihood (from unlikely to very likely to occur over the course of the next ten years) are:

(1) extreme weather  (2) climate action failure  (3) human environmental damage  (4) infectious diseases  (5) biodiversity loss  (6) digital power concentration  (7) digital inequality  (8) interstate relations fracture  (9) cyber-security failure  (10) livelihood crises

For the same survey respondents’ results, the 10 top global risks by impact (from minimal to catastrophic impact to occur over the course of the next ten years) are: 

(1) infectious diseases  (2) climate action failure  (3) weapons of mass destruction  (4) biodiversity loss  (5) natural resource crisis  (6) human environmental damage  (7) livelihood crises  (8) extreme weather  (9) debt crisis  (10) IT infrastructure breakdown

If any of these risks happen, they can affect the quality of life and well-being of women and children, especially the poor ones.  Because of that, we can reflect on the ways of protecting women and children from these future risks. 

For example, if there is a natural resource crisis, how can women and children protect themselves or how one can protect them?  The Reflection Day can help to shine lights or simply have some thoughts and feelings about the answer on this question.

In the light of these future risks, there is therefore a need to improve resilience and vigilance of women and children should these risks become realities.  In this respect, our Virtual Reflection Day will help in the following:

√ To provide ways of screening and analysing the early warning signals or signs of future threats and risks to protection so that women and children are not surprise by the course and speed of disastrous events like the coronavirus pandemic

√ To enable the identification and communication of the already-present, persistent and emerging risks  

√ To mostly ring-fence protection in face of these potential or probable risks.

 

The above is the main menu of our Reflection Day.  Besides this main menu, we shall have a side menu which is Reflection on the Effects of COVID-19 Threats on our Network for Protection in the process of building forward better together greener and cleaner. 

 

• • Reflection on the Effects of COVID-19 Threats on our Network for Protection

 

Through this additional reflection exercise, we should be able to know whether or not the infectious disease like COVID-19 has made our network for protection stronger or weaker or unchanged.  Alternatively, we can reflect on a new window of opportunities to network for protection that the coronavirus may have brought.

Briefly, this add-on activity will enable us to reset our system of networking for protection in the process of building forward together greener and cleaner.     

To support or join the Reflection Day on the Protection of Women and Children, please contact CENFACS.

  

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have appended a timeline about CENFACS’ Reflection Day for your reference.

 

 

 

• Advisory Support for Coronavirus Rescue Income (ASCRI) to Help Those in Most Need

 

ASCRI, which is part of CENFACS’ Cube of Protection, is a non-face-to-face advice, support and information project to help those in most need and who lost their earning capacity or potential because of the destructive impacts of the enduring coronavirus pandemic on their incomes and lives. 

The ASCRI project has a double objective:

(a) Helping deprived and vulnerable people impacted by Covid-19

(b) Supporting them through the alleviation of the associated social, environmental and economic hardships caused by the coronavirus crisis

The project, which will help them to improve their prospects for earning income again, is also a deterrent against side effects of losing income or earning capacity; effects such as mental, psychological and social breakdowns.  Additionally, the project will help avoid reversal gains made by those in most need against poverty and hardships.  In doing so, the project will assist them in better coping with undesirable change brought by Covid-19.

The ASCRI advice will be given in three keys areas:

# Advice to help stop the loss of income

# Advice to support response to the loss of income

# Advice on recovery measures to minimise the long term impact of Covid-19 after it ends, while helping them find new or alternative sources of earning income to prevent them from economic and financial collapse

Through this project, one can hope as outcomes, the following ones: self-confidence, self-esteem, hope, a newly survival strategy, develop new streams or sources of earning income again, build back better, etc.

To access and or gain the benefits of this project, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Implementing Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring and Post-exit People’s Development Projects

 

From this week, we will start the implementation of the Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Projects (P-CPRRPs) and the Post-exit People’s Development Projects (P-EPDPs).

 

• •  P-CPRRPs

 

P-CPRRPs, which are designed to work with organisations (particularly our Africa-based Sister Organisations), will be implemented in the context of the Programme of Building Back Better and Forward Together Greener and Cleaner and via our International Advice Service. 

P-CPRRPs include the following:

managing changes, adaptation to new market developments, reorganisation of the system of poverty reduction production, and alignment to greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets.

 

•  •  P-EPDPs

 

P-EPDPs, which are meant to support individuals (notably those making the CENFACS Community), will be carried out in the context of our Individual Capacity Development Programme and through our Community Advice Service. 

P-EPDPs include the following:

promotion of living levels, self-esteem building and maintenance, and protection of human freedoms.  

 

For those organisations or individuals in need who would like to work with CENFACS via either of these projects, they are advised to first contact CENFACS so that we can together carry out a needs assessment and draw a programme of work or action plan.

For any queries or enquiries about the above named two sets of projects, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

•  Coronavirus and Build Back Better Donations Needed!

 

The coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns have put serious pressure on the finances and other areas of operations of many organisations including ourselves.

We need donations to help those affected by both health crisis and lockdowns so that they can properly start the work of building back better.

We know that some of you have their income dropped because of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures.  However, for those who can, please do not hesitate to support as the need is still pressing and the stakes are still higher at this time.

You could be a life-saver or changer this Spring 2021.

We look forward to your support.  Many thanks!

 

 

 

• YOUR SAY ON COVID-19 AND LOCKDOWNS as a New Poverty or New Opportunity

 

• •  COVID-19 and lockdowns as damages and opportunities

 

In any crises, there are both damages and opportunities.  This applies to the coronavirus as a health and economic crisis as well as to lockdowns as painkilling measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease.

One of the damages that the coronavirus has caused is the emergence of new poverty or new manifestations of poverty and hardships.  Likewise, some of the measures taken to combat the coronavirus have accidentally resulted in the exacerbation of poverty and hardships for some sections of the population. 

However, beyond or besides these damages, there could be opportunities not only for the well-off but also for those who are in need.  There could be opportunity to bring to attention their living conditions.  There could also be opportunity in the rebuilding process since there are calls for a recovery that is inclusive and for all.

So, as part of this week’s work on the protection against the new poverty, CENFACS would like to know from its members and followers if they consider themselves that the COVID-19 and some aspects of lockdown measures have been an experience of new poverty or new opportunity for them.

 

• • Sharing your COVID-19 and lockdowns experience

 

Those who think that COVID-19 has been an experience of new form of poverty for them; they can share with us their experience.

On the contrary, those who take a different view by contemplating that COVID-19 has been an experience of a new opportunity for them; they can as well share their experience in terms of the opportunity they have so far.

Those who believe that lockdowns or some aspects of lockdowns have been an experience of exacerbation of poverty or hardships for them; they can share with us their experience on this matter.

By contrast, those who feel that lockdowns or some aspects of lockdowns have brought some forms of opportunity for them; they can share with us their experience on this as well. 

To share your experience about COVID-19 and lockdowns as a new poverty or a new opportunity; you need to text or phone or e-mail or complete the contact form on this website.

 

 

 

Main Development

 

• Protection against the Newly-emerged Forms of Poverty and Hardships

(Protection Key Notes 3 for Week Beginning Monday 19/04/2021)

 

The following makes up the contents of protection key notes 3: the changing face of poverty, change of the very nature of poverty, the new poor who need protection and protection of the new poor. Let us look at this makeup.

 

•  •  The changing face of poverty

 

The history of poverty in many places at different times tells us that poverty keeps on changing or if it has the same content its manifestations/presentation may be various.   These changing face and manifestations are found at this time of the enduring coronavirus. 

At this time of the enduring coronavirus and lockdowns, poverty may have shown its new face and or manifestations.  This is to such an extent that one could argue that there are new forms of poverty.  However, if one disagrees with this, let say that there are at least new manifestations of poverty.  These new forms or manifestations could lead to a new message or paradigm shift in terms of the changing nature of poverty.

 

•  •  Change of the very nature of poverty

 

To speak about new forms of poverty, this requires a change of the very nature of poverty.  It means that poverty as a lack of means or resources has undergone some transformations in such a way that it becomes something that has never been or seen before in a particular place or time or format.  In other words, the essential character or outlook of poverty the way in which one knows it in particular place or at a specific time has changed. 

If one observes what has currently happened in some places during this health crisis, one can argue that the coronavirus has perhaps created new poverty or new manifestations of poverty, while some measures of lockdowns may have fuelled the problem of poverty and hardships.

Likewise, if one takes into account the various signs pointed up by relative poverty indicators, one could argue that the magnitude of phenomenon of “lack” has been so deeper to the extent that one could think that there are emerging new forms of poverty.  What are those forms or who are those new poor or new symptomatic to poverty.

 

• •  Types of new poor who need protection

 

Like in any lacks (or diseases), some people will show mild symptoms, while others will have strong symptoms of lack.  Others even could be asymptomatic as they may show manifestations of lack without really becoming poor.  For those who have been really affected by the socio-economic impacts of the coronavirus and inappropriate lockdown measures to the extent that they become poor or their conditions of poverty become exacerbated; who are they?

They are as follows:

√ The new types of street beggars (amongst them are normal looking gentlemen and normal young girls)

√ Those who failed to meet the punitive terms and conditions of the coronavirus financial bailout programmes and policies

√ The new homeless who are in search of any secure refuge or corner in the local area to shield themselves because the town and shopping centre are locked down

√ The rejected by the system that is meant to count every body

√ Those who have been cut off from their network of support or service

√ Those who simply own nothing

√ The previously and relatively protected who lost their protection because of the coronavirus and lockdowns

√ Those who become socially and economically vulnerable because of the coronavirus and lockdowns

√ Those who are experiencing instability in social relations because of the coronavirus and lockdowns

√ The new digital, information and communication poor not having access to support/help

√ Those who have been caught in poverty trap because of social and physical distance measures that made life line services to move away from them

√ The least protected community groups and sections of the local population

√ The isolated, confined and locked down without any means of survival or copping (such as food, medicines, sanitary items, etc.) or relationships

√ The less engaged in the local life

√ Those living in overcrowded homes and close-contact settings

√ The over-indebted because of the coronavirus and lockdown financial pressure

√ Students or those who need a considerable number of years to catch up with education and learning because of the coronavirus and inappropriate lockdown measures

√ Those who lost their informal jobs and are without financial bailout

√ Those who cannot learn from home because they cannot afford to buy distance learning technologies and equipment

Etc.

 

Most of these new poor or manifestations of poverty are the results of the coronavirus and asymmetrical distributional effects of lockdown measures.  They make the new forms of poverty that could be transitory.  However, because of the magnitude of the current crisis, some of them could become permanent if nothing is done to stop this new poverty.  So, protecting these people could help avoid them move from transitory to permanent poor/poverty.  It could even help to prevent the worst scenario of inter-generational poverty.

 

• • Protection of the new poor or symptomatic new poor

 

Any human being living in a place has to be numbered and their means of living has to be known as well.  In other words, without policing them, it is a duty of protection to know the number of human beings in a given area, and whether or not they have the means to meet their basic life-sustaining needs of food, shelter, health, education or training, clothing, protection, etc.    This knowledge about the number of people (or their statistics or quantity) and their means of living (or their quality of life) is in fact the first step in the process of building protection for everybody.

There could be three possible ways of getting information for poor people’s economic protection, which are as follows. 

They could be working and earning income.  If this income is not enough, they could be in-work or working poor. 

They could be getting support to cover their needs.  If this support is insufficient, then they could experience income poverty or any other forms of poverty. 

They could have savings or investments.  If these savings are low or investments are not rewarding, they could be still in symptomatic poverty. 

In the context of the coronavirus crisis, the above mentioned first step will enable to identify the new poor or symptomatic poor as well as assess their resources if they have any and their needs.  This process will enable to know who is lacking the means to survive the crisis like the coronavirus. 

Since we are in a situation whereby there have already been coronavirus and new poor, one needs now to think of the kind of work to do with these poor in order to provide them with the level of protection they need in order to come out poverty. 

Briefly, the protection of poor people is needed in order to tackle the emerging new forms of poverty and new manifestations of poverty that may have been caused by the coronavirus and exacerbated by some measures that were supposed to protect the public health, but accidentally end up by economically harmed them and others.

For any queries or enquiries regarding these protection notes and the previous ones as well as the entire Month of Protection, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

_________

 

Reference

 

(1) World Economic Forum (2021), The Global Risks Report 2021, 16th Edition, Insight report

https://www.weforum.org/global-risks

 

Appendix

 

Reflection Day Timeline

The Reflection Day is a day of thoughts by bringing together the two pillars of our network and protection programme, which are 3W and PPS.  Although they started in 2003, we only introduced a Reflection Day (RD) in them in 2011. 

In 2016, we amalgamated 3W and PPS to become Women and Children projects as we noticed in some situations it was difficult to separate women’s and children’s needs.  Where their needs are separable or differentiated one to the other, we run either of the two brands (that is 3W and PPS) individually.  This is why these two brands of our network and protection are still alive despite their amalgamation.

The Reflection Day is a day of introspection to think in depth the ways forward for our systems of support network and protection for poverty relief and sustainable development in face of the current, new and emerging challenges ahead as well as the ever changing development landscape.

Since its inception, the following is the timeline of 3W and PPS

2011: Making Networking and Protection Even Better in 2011

2012: Raising Standards in Poverty Reduction for Improving Lives

2013: Place of Women and Children in the Post-2015 Development World (Part I)

2014: Women and Children in the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda (Part II) – A Stock Taking Reflection Event

2015: Doing Business to Lift Women and Children out of Poverty

2016: Improving Digital Protection for the Extremely Digitally Poor Women and Children

2017: Reducing Information and Communication Poverty for Multi-dimensionally Poor Women and Children

2018: Making Transitional Economy Work for Poor Families  

2019: Protection of Women and Children in War-torn Zones and Natural Disaster-stricken Areas

2020: Protection of Women and Children in Times of Health or Sanitary Crisis like Covid-19

 

For your information,

3W & PPS = Support Network and Protection for Poverty Relief and Development

Women and Children projects = amalgamation of 3W and PPS in 2016

3W (What Women Want) = a CENFACS support network scheme to enhance the lives of multi-dimensional deprived women and families

PPS (Peace, Protection & Sustainability) = a CENFACS child and environmental protection programme to support multi-dimensional vulnerable children, young people and families

KNA (Keep the Net Alive) = a motto that helps to keep our networking for protection running.

For more information on 3W and PPS or Women and Children projects, please contact CENFACS.

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

14 April 2021

 

Post No. 191

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Mid-April 2021 Message of Hopes as the Coronavirus Endures 

• Protection against the Negative Delayed Effects of the Coronavirus and Lockdowns 

• Protection of the Acutely Food-insecure People in the Lake Chad Basin and Central African Sahel

 

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Mid-April 2021 Message of Hopes as the Coronavirus Endures

 

To All of our Supporters and Users,

 

We hope that everybody is having a good Easter season despite the enduring coronavirus.

We shall continue to engage with you whether you are self-isolated or confined or locked down or working or just staying home or have recently resumed your outdoor activity during this time.  Our engagement will be mostly via CENFACS’ various physically contactless means and no close-contact services.

We trust that everybody is continuing to follow the proscribed health measures and safety guidance to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic where they are based to save lives and healthcare systems.  This following of health measures and safety guidance should be done regardless of the COVID-19 vaccine rolling out (or jabbing) and the non-essential retail restrictions easing.

We would like take this opportunity to thank everybody who has been supportive to CENFACS at this turbulent time since the coronavirus began.  We particularly thank our essential volunteers who continue to incredibly help harder than ever to keep our month and system of protection alive during this enduring coronavirus pandemic period. 

We have updated and upgraded CENFACS’ Cube of Protection against the Coronavirus.  CENFACS’ updated and upgraded Cube of Protection brings together under one roof these coronavirus-related initiatives that are intended to help poor, vulnerable people and incapacitated Africa-based Sister organisations.  

For those who think that CENFACS’ coronavirus-related initiatives making CENFACS’ updated and upgraded Cube of Protection may be of any help to them or people around them; they are free to contact CENFACS by texting or emailing or phoning or completing the contact form with their request.  

We look forward to receiving your or their request.  After receiving your/their request or query, CENFACS will get back to you or them.

Please STAY HEALTHY and SAFE.  Don’t forget to WEAR YOUR FACE COVERING!

 

From CENFACS

 

 

 

• Protection against the Negative Delayed Effects of the Coronavirus and Lockdowns

(Protection Key Note 2 for Week Beginning Monday 12/04/2021)

 

There are arguments that COVID-19 is a revelatory crisis as it has revealed what has been already there or known about the weakening of health and economic systems.  COVID-19 is not only a revelatory crisis; it is as well a crisis with far-reaching hidden effects.  Some of these hidden effects have not yet been unveiled.  When the coronavirus pandemic finishes or is nearly defeated, and one starts to really do the accounting of its negative effects, then one will figure out the real scale of damages this crisis has caused or left.

However, one does not need to wait until this end or near end to happen in order to start to the recovery work.  One can still start to guesstimate the kinds of negative effects that may come after, in order to prevent the transformation of this crisis into another one.  Once this guesstimate exercise happens and the possible negative effects to come are identified, one can think of protecting those who could bear the brunt of these negative effects and externalities from the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have identified some possible negative delayed effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns that need to be tackled as way of protecting those who may suffer from these effects.

 

 

• Protection of the Acutely Food-insecure People in the Lake Chad Basin and Central African Sahel

 

The Lake Chad Basin and Central African Sahel continue to experience structural deficit in food to live on despite the stabilisation of the civilian situation in these regions, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin.  According to local statistical sources, around 27 million people will be in food crisis between June and August 2021.  Two million children are in need of treatment from acute severe malnutrition.  Structural and continuing food deficit have made people and communities in these two regions to highly depend on humanitarian food assistance since they cannot feed themselves. 

As part of CENFACS’ Month of Protection and Project of Africa Feeding itself with Agriculture, we are echoing the work of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (1) about the need to strengthen State leadership in food and nutrition security governance in the Sahel and West Africa.  We are calling for the protection of the acutely food-insecure people in the Lake Chad Basin and Central African Sahel. 

To reduce these over-dependency and over-reliance on humanitarian food assistance, it requires from these regions to build and develop a self-sustenance or sustaining capacity in food supply and distribution.  This capacity building and development in food will help to protect their people and communities from hunger and food insecurity as well as mitigate disease-related to the lack of food. 

Anyone who knows what has been happening in these two regions in terms of food insecurity, malnutrition, the impact of climate change, civil conflicts, financial limits of States in the entire African Sahel region (the Lake Chad Basin being part of it), etc., will realise that it is not easy for under-resourced States of the region to solve the immense problem of food insufficiency and scarcity.  However, it will be unrealistic prospects to totally and continuously rely on international food humanitarian assistance to solve the hunger problem there.  Unless the locals in these regions start to develop some form of autonomy or self-sustenance in terms of food supply, food poverty is not going to go away.

For those who would like to engage with CENFACS on the issue of building and developing food self-sustenance capacity in the African Sahel region, they are welcome to do so.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Updates and Upgrades of the Month: CENFACS’ Cube of Protection against Enduring Coronavirus

 

In the above message of hopes, we have informed you that as the coronavirus endures, we have updated and upgraded CENFACS’ Cube of Protection against the Coronavirus.   CENFACS’ Cube of Protection against the Coronavirus is a cuboidal system that enables us to defend against harms, dangers, threats and risks from the coronavirus and its associated health and socio-economic impacts. 

The upgrades we have done concern the Coronavirus Spring Project which is now trending as Spring Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus.  They are as well for Virtual Support against the Coronavirus Pandemic which is currently trending as Advisory Support to Build Back Better from the COVID-19.  Our ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) Resource known as ‘Holiday with Relief’, which is part of our Cube of Protection, has an updated focus for this year.  Its updated focus is on ‘Restricted Holiday’.

The other three remaining sub-cubes (that is, Charitable Response to Coronavirus, Advisory Support for Coronavirus Rescue Income and Coronavirus-related Organisational Relief Programme) of the main Cube of Protection remain unchanged.  However, we are monitoring the evolution of the epidemiological curves of the coronavirus and shall take into account any changes that may occur in terms of protection and safety against the coronavirus.  If there is any change, we shall again review our Cube of Protection against the Coronavirus.

For any queries and enquiries about the above mentioned updates and upgrades, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Reopening of CENFACS’ Charity e-Store

 

CENFACS e-Store has been reopened following the easing of non-essential retail restrictions and the unlocking of the charity retail sector.

We are following the strict restrictions and guidance regarding the control and surveillance of Covid-19 as well as the protection and saving of lives.

For the health and safety of everybody, all goods donations will be quarantined for at least 72 hours.

We have enhanced our sanitation and cleaning methods and practices. 

We hope you are doing the same in the interest of public health and safety.

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

Many lives have been threatened and destroyed by the coronavirus pandemic.  Those who managed to survive, they need help.  We need help to help them come out poverty and hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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

 

 

 

 

• Protection of In-work or Working Poor and Reduction of In-work or Working Poverty

 

Protecting people includes the reduction of in-work or working poverty they may face.  During this Month of Protection, we have added to our protection work the reduction of in-work or working poverty.  The reduction of in-work or working poverty is the 4^th Goal of CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme.  The Goal 4 is about supporting in-work or working poor people.   However, what is in-work or working poverty?

 

• • Meaning of In-work or Working Poverty

 

Drawing from the Eurostat (as part of the EU’s set of social inclusion indicators), Ive Mark and Brian Nolan (2) assert that

“The working poor are defined and measured as those individuals who have been mainly working during the reference year (either in employment or self-employment) and whose household equivalised disposable income is below 60 per cent of the median in the country in question”. (p. 11)

Yet, Abigail McKnight et al (3) argue that there is no uniform definition of in-work poverty and different studies take different approaches.  Abigail McKnight et al use the following definition:

“Individuals are poor or at risk of poverty if they live in households with equivalised income below 60 per cent of the national household median” (p. 52)

In the same line of reasoning, Rod Hick and Alba Lanau (4) contend that

“in-work poverty is based on an evaluation of the total circumstances of a working household, considering not only earnings from employment but income from all sources, minus taxes, with income equivalised to take account of the differences in needs that different household types have, and with all household members classified as poor or non-poor” (p. 5)

Rod Hick and Alba Lanau (op. cit.) add that

“In-work poverty occurs when a working household’s total net income is insufficient to meet their needs”. (p. 5).

                                                                                                                                               

The common denominator from these definitions is that the household equivalised income should be below a certain level in order to start to speak about in-work or working poverty.

 

 

• • Reducing In-work or Working Poverty

 

There is a set of measures (both statutory and non-statutory) to help reduce in-work or working poverty in any country.  There are as well initiatives taken by poor people/households themselves and organisations which go in the same direction of reducing this type of poverty.

As far as CENFACS is concerned, we work with users and Africa-based Sister Organisations through our Advice Service to direct the beneficiaries of this service to relevant support so that they can get the help they need in order to root in-work or working poverty out. 

However, in these current conditions of COVID-19 lockdowns, many ways of improving in-work or working poor’s income prospects and conditions are closed or restricted, especially for those who would like this improvement happens by grabbing opportunities that the non-essential retail industry offers.  One could hope that the easing of non-essential retail restrictions would help to bring some add-ons to the household equivalised income for some in-work or working poor working in this sector.

For those who would like to dip into in-work or working poverty with CENFACS, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 Main Development

 

• Protection against the Negative Delayed Effects of the Coronavirus and Lockdowns 

(Protection Key Note 2 for Week Beginning Monday 12/04/2021)

 

In any disaster of the magnitude of the coronavirus, there would be delayed effects due to shock waves.  In this respect, the effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns are still to come since both of them are not over yet.  We are still in sinusoidal cycle of the epidemiological curves of the coronavirus in many places.  Likewise, we are still having intermittent closures and openings of economies and societies, especially for what it has been considered as non-essential retail activities. 

In this policy of stop and go, close and open; no one exactly knows the scale of the damages or negative effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns until the war/fight against the coronavirus is really over.  Until then, we will continue to have COVID-19 effects.  Some of these effects are already known.  Others will come on time as expected while other ones will be delayed or are delayed.  The delayed ones would be fully known when economies and societies will be fully open and functioning, and the process of counting all damages will be finished. 

In meantime, we can anticipate or speculate on some of the negative delayed effects that we may expect.  Since we are in the area of probability or possibility, one can make theoretical assumptions about the kind of negative effects one may expect while taking into account what is already known so far about the coronavirus and lockdowns. 

One can as well work on the kind of protection that is needed against these negative effects.  Because CENFACS work on poverty reduction and sustainable development, we are going to limit ourselves to the kind of protection that is needed to handle the negative delayed effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns in the areas of poverty reduction and sustainable development.

 

• • Types of negative delayed effects that could be expected

 

We have identified the possible or probable areas of negative delayed effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns in relation to poverty reduction and sustainable development.  The identified negative effects relate to organisations and individuals with whom CENFACS work.  They can include the following:

loss of skills, capacities and capabilities; frozen and postponed bills; the increase of the stock of household waste; and the socio-economic effects of staying homes during the coronavirus lockdowns. 

Let us look at them one by one.

 

• • • Loss of skills, capacities and capabilities

 

Although many organisations and individuals gain online and distance working skills, they are also those who lost their other areas of skills, capacities and capabilities.  In this respect, it is difficult to assert that the coronavirus and lockdowns have been a win-win game.  Instead, many would like see them as a zero sum game or simply a lost game for those who lost their skills, capacities and capabilities.

The losers are those who have not been able to home or distance work/study because of lack of means and opportunities.  Many of those who also work in non-essential economic activities, physical close-contact services and non-essential travel and transport additionally bear the brunt of the coronavirus and lockdowns.

Since most of people and organisations we work with are in need, this implies that they would probably be on the losing side in terms of the effects of coronavirus and lockdowns on skills, capacities and capabilities.  In other words, the coronavirus and lockdowns have not so far enhanced the skills, capacities and capabilities for these people and organisations.  Instead, they have denied to them many opportunities for development.   

 

• • • Frozen and postponed bills

 

Part of the arrangement during the COVID-19 crisis and lockdowns has been to reach a mutual understanding or mediation between service providers and users to freeze or postpone or spread out the payment of bills (such as utilities, rents, credits, etc.).  When societies and economies come to term with the fight against the coronavirus and lockdowns, most of these frozen, postponed and spaced out payments could become overdue or enforceable or will just rebound.  There will be negative effects for those who are unable to honour these owed bills.

 

• • • An increase of the household stock of recyclable waste

 

Since many of those recycling facilities have been working at a relatively low speed and high street retail recycling stores have been closed during the lockdowns, the normal process of recycling household personal items (such as clothes, light domestic appliances, etc.) which starts from household reducing the amount of unneeded and unused items has been stopped or sensibly reduced because of the coronavirus and lockdowns.  With the reopening of non-essential economic activities, the true scale of household and environmental stock of waste will come to light.

 

• • • The cost of staying home during the coronavirus lockdowns

 

For those of our members of the community whose life depends on they going out to survive and seek support, staying home has unbearable consequences on them.  If they do not have enough space, resources and other means; staying home could have led to various problems including psychological issues, tensions and conflicts over the share of space and limited resources.  These problems that the coronavirus and lockdowns may have exacerbated could still develop and take different forms or shapes.

The above identified problems or negative delayed effects can harm or endanger the lives of the above named organisations and people in need.  They can lead to further poverty and unsustainable development.  Protection is needed to stop this happens.

    

• • Protection against negative delayed effects

 

The delayed effects could be positive, negative and neutral.  In the context of these protection notes, we are interested in negative delayed effects or those results that will negatively affect the quality of life and the well-being of the organisations and people we work with, when these effects are fully known and counted.

 

• • • Protection against the loss of skills, capacities and capabilities

 

After losing skills, capacities and capabilities; it could mean one has become less able about what they were able to achieve.  They may need to re-empower and rebuild themselves.  They may as well need to be or self-protected against any harms and dangers that the skills, capacities and capabilities they had helped them to deal with these sorts of situation.

 

• • • Protection to meet the frozen and postponed bill payments

 

The true picture of the amount of the frozen and postponed bills will come when the real accountability and counting of all payments (due, in arrears and outstanding) are accounted for when the battle against the coronavirus and lockdowns are completely over.  Defending the community and people to cover these bills so that they do not fall deep into poverty and unsustainable development should be thought about.

 

• • • Protection against climate inaction or for climate action relating to recyclable waste

 

Shielding from danger and keeping life safe are further about facilitating or enabling the community and people to get rid of unwanted and unneeded household items that put pressure on them and the environment.  Protecting people and the community in this way will reduce climate inaction while encourage active climate action and the circular economy to grow.

 

• • • Protection to recover from the cost of staying home during the coronavirus lockdowns

 

Apparently, some may think that staying home help to save money.  It could be true for those who have money to save.  For those who do not have, staying home could be extremely costly.  Recovering from this cost could mean mending the negative legacies of the coronavirus and lockdowns.  One of the negative legacies within the community could be conflicts and tensions over the share of limited space and resources. 

Working with the members of our community to overcome these internal conflicts, disputes and tensions can help relieve the situation in the short, medium and long terms.  Likewise, working with them to improve the share of resources within their households could help guard them from poverty linked to unfair distribution of resources and assets.

The above areas of protection notes briefly illustrate the way in which one can protect themselves from the negative delayed effects of the coronavirus and lockdowns.  For those who would like to enquire about these effects and their related protection, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

_________

References

(1) www.food-security.net/en/ 

(2) Mark, I., Nolan, B. (2012). In-Work Poverty. AIAS, GINI Discussion Paper 51

(3) McKnight, A., Stewart, K., Himmelivert, S, & Palillo, M. (2016), Low Pay and In-work Poverty: Preventative Measures and Preventative Approaches, Evidence Review, May 2016

hpps://www.lse.ac.uk/business-and-consutancy/consulting/assets/documents/Low-Pay-and-In-Work-Poverty.pdf (accessed April 2021)

(4) Hick, R. & Lanau, A. (2017), In-Work Poverty in the UK: Problem, policy analysis and platform for action, Cardiff University  

 

_________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

07 April 2021

 

Post No. 190

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring and Post-exit People’s Development Projects

• Protection Key Note 1: Protection of Those without Essential Support and Service

• Green and Sustainable Alignment of Protection to Long-term Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Goals and Targets

  

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring and Post-exit People’s Development Projects

 

Protecting people and communities (or defending them against harm or danger) is about working with them in order to find solutions (via projects) to the problems, threats and risks they may face.  This would be the same in case of self-protection. 

In the context of CENFACS’ work with the community, there are many problems that organisations and the people CENFACS work with are facing.  Among these problems, we can single out two current of them, which are: poverty during the post-coronavirus time and people’s development in the post-exit era.                                                                                      

The post-coronavirus time is the period during which the idea of coronavirus is already settled in people’s mind set and coronavirus is no longer a strange concept.  The post-exit era is the period after an economy has exited from a regional economic integration model (like the UK exited from the EU).  Post-exit as an idea is not any more something new.

Because of the severity and deepness of the coronavirus impacts and the scars that economic exit have brought, the work of poverty reduction may not be the same or business as usual in the post-coronavirus and post-exit times.  For example, the coronavirus has made Africa to exponentially lose a hard-won decade of steady economic growth and poverty reduction. 

In this kind of circumstances, there could be a need to rethink or restructure the way in which poverty has been dealt with in the pre-coronavirus and pre-exit times.  Thus, a new way or model of reducing poverty and hardships may need to be found.  This could include new methods, techniques (qualitative and quantitative), approaches, theories, practices, paradigms, etc.  

To support these organisations and people to overcome the above mentioned problems, we have planned together with them a number of sustainable initiatives, which we can call “Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring and Post-exit People’s Development Projects”.  These are the projects that we previously argued would enable to make smooth transition from 2020 to 2021.   

During the Month of Protection and thereafter, we shall work with the community via creative and innovative ways of dealing with poverty in order to find possible answers to the problems they are facing.  Likewise, we are going to explore with our Africa-based Sister Organisations the best possible way of reorganising their activities of dealing with poverty to reflect the current changes in the poverty reduction market developments.   

The work with the community as well as with Africa-based Sister Organisations will be conducted via these “Post Projects” related to people’s development and organisational restructuring respectively.   

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have given the key highlights about these “Post Projects”.

 

 

 

• Protection Key Note 1: Protection of Those without Essential Support and Service

  

This week, we are starting the implementation plan of the Month of Protection with this first protection key note; a month which is of protection against enduring coronavirus.

At this time of enduring coronavirus, not all those in most need have been able to access the basic support and service they need.  Likewise, many of them have not been involved in working with those who could help to help them.   

There could be many reasons that explain this lack of access and involvement which include:

 

√ Those without support or service could be simply falling through the net

√ They may not be able to meet the punitive financial bailout terms and conditions of some of the bailout schemes, projects, programmes and policies

√ They are not able to pay their own bills (e.g. communication bills) in order to seek help and support 

√ They do not have any essential service because their life line support services are closed or have been destroyed by the impacts of coronavirus disaster and lockdowns 

√ They are digital, information and communication poor, as such they are or become voiceless and invisible within the system

√ They are informal and unregistered, therefore unrecognisable or ineligible for help and support  

Etc. 

Whether or not there could be a genuine reason that makes those people not getting the essential support or service the need, they deserve to live in a dignified manner like any human beings.  It is not simply acceptable to see humans suffering in humiliating and dehumanising manner by not having food, shelter and basic sanitary necessities to protect themselves against diseases (like the coronavirus). 

Protecting these people at the time of enduring coronavirus should really be on the top of the agenda.  Protecting them is on the rebound about protecting the public or those near them.  Failure to protect them may result in threats and risks for the health and economic life of others.  If not, there is a probability that they could pass their problems (such as poor health) to other members of the public or their inner circle.   

So, there could be some health and economic duties as well as benefits to protect everybody in this extraordinary time of the coronavirus pandemic, especially those who do not have any line of support or service.   They need protection if the society and economy want to come out stronger and together from this coronavirus crisis.  Monitoring and reporting of protection relating to those in most need have to be regularly and systematically conducted for this purpose. 

This is our first protection key notes for the Month of Protection 2021.  For those who have any queries or enquiries regarding these notes, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.   

 

 

 

• Green and Sustainable Alignment of Protection to Long-term Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reduction Goals and Targets

 

• • What is green and sustainable alignment of protection?

 

Green and sustainable alignment of protection simply means positioning ourselves for the defence against harms and dangers should be done in a way that does not cause harm to the environment, while it is continued over the long term without adverse effects.  This alignment of protection is required for the GHG emission reduction goals and targets in the interest of the commons. 

 

• • The alignment of protection to GHG emission reduction goals and targets

 

Defending humans and things from harms or dangers may demand taking into account the target requirements in terms of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  These greenhouse gas emission reduction targets are binding targets to progressively reduce GHG emissions to be in line with the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the global temperature increase to well below 2ᵒ C and pursuing efforts to keep it to 1.5ᵒ C.  From this binding global goal, each part and place of the world are making their own efforts to set up targets or pledges in terms of net-zero emissions by 2050.   

In order to move towards the 1.5ᵒ C trajectory; protection of humans, animals and other things needs to be aligned to this long-term climate goal and target.  In this respect, green and sustainable alignment of protection is about arranging our protection positions or repositioning our work on protection so that they can reflect the climate need and agenda of meeting the GHG emission reduction targets.   

The above means in every role or character in role-playing game of protection we are involved in as part of protection, we need to consider or have the net-zero emission thinking of alignment.  So, this thinking will be like a reminder for us and will help to make our protection work like the one that saves, preserves and conserves natural and non-renewable resources without depleting them.  It is finally about making protection capable of continued over the long term without adverse effects.  

Those who may be interested in this issue of green and sustainable alignment of protection, they can contact CENFACS for further discussion on the matter.

 

 

 

Extra Messages 

 

• Leafy Year and Month of Protection

 

The Month of Protection is also of protection of leaves from biological pest as we are in CENFACS’ Year of Leaves.  It is about the defence of leaves against damage caused by herbivores.   This defence can help leaves survival and reproduction.   

In this respect, in order to continue our Campaign on Leaves, we are going to consider three areas of interest in this Month of Protection:

(a) Protection of leaves/plants

(b) Medicinal benefits from leaves/plants for protection against the coronavirus and future diseases and

(c) The way in which Africa-based Sister Organisations can enhance the Leaves Campaign.

 

(a) Protection of leaves/plants

 

Although plants produce their own chemical defences (such as thorns, spines and prickles) through secondary metabolites that act as repellents or toxins to herbivores or reduce digestibility, it is in human interest to protect plants/leaves, especially as we need them for food, medical and other living purposes.

 

The Month of Protection via the Year of Leaves is also about dealing with poisonous leaves for human/animal protection.  It means for example working to reduce the toxicity of some types of leaves that produce toxins that deter herbivores (such animals and insects) from consuming them.  Although human fatalities caused by plants are low, it is in the interest of humans and our users to study and be aware of these plants as we talk about protection.

 

(b) Medicinal Benefits from leaves/plants for protection against the coronavirus and future diseases.

  

There are many types of leaves that have been used for medicinal purpose since the beginning of mankind civilisation.  The Month of Protection gives us a further opportunity to learn the history of leaves in curing diseases as well as to use these leafy legacies to deal with new health challenges like the one posed by the coronavirus.  During this era of enduring coronavirus, in some parts of the world people have been using some types of leaves to protect them from infection and bacteria by cleaning their hands with protective leaves.   

 

(c) How Africa-based Sister Organisations can enhance this Campaign on Leaves

 

Many of our Africa-based Sister Organisations working in the field of plants and leaves are familiar with what we have just briefly described above.  They can use this Month of Protection in a Year of Leaves at CENFACS to better highlight the importance of leaves in protecting their users.

They can send additional messages or testimonies about the relevancy of leaves in helping their beneficiaries from poverty, hunger, famine and disease, as well as in providing ingredients in helping people in their living environment (e.g. leaves can be used to build a mattress for those in need to sleep, they can be used as energy as well).  

To the above, one can add other usages (nutritional, cultural, religious, etc.) of leaves such as wrapping food with banana leaves, creating a cross with palm leaves to celebrate Palm Sunday for Christians during the Easter period, etc.

To sum up, leaves need to be protected although they have their own chemical defences.  Many types of leaves have medicinal properties that help protect human from and cure diseases as well stop the transmission of diseases.  If leaves are poisonous, then it is in human interest to learn about it and deal with it. 

For those who are interested in leaves as protection, they are welcome to discuss with CENFACS the matter.

 

 

• Help CENFACS fight the Coronavirus-induced Poverty together with you this Easter

 

You can donate or pledge or make a gift aid declaration to help CENFACS’ in its Charitable Response to the Coronavirus (CRC) or Charitable Fight against the Coronavirus (CFAC).

CRC or CFAC is a CENFACS’ contribution via its supporters to the global effort to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Any of the donations, pledges and gifts given will help the coronavirus-affected poor people in Africa.

To support, just contact CENFACS by quoting or asking the Charitable Response to the Coronavirus (CRC) or Charitable Fight against Coronavirus (CFAC).

CRC or CFAC is a fundraising campaign set up by CENFACS to support the coronavirus-stricken poor people in Africa.

Thank you!

 

 

 

• Holiday with Relief at Easter Time

 

The Individual Capacity Development Programme (ICDP) resource entitled Holiday with Relief continues to be our source of reference and support this Easter holiday, together with its focus on ‘Restricted Holiday’. 

For those who are looking for advice, tips and hints including fixers for their Easter holiday; our ICDP resource is a handy basic companion to consider for Holiday with Relief.  It contains useful pieces of information for holiday with relief whether holiday makers stay at home or go away to pass their holiday.  In this particular time of the coronavirus-restricted Easter holiday, it can help about self-isolation, social distancing protection, confinement and lockdown easing.

Its handiness and usefulness are as good for this year’s edition as for the previous issues.

To request a copy of the ICDP resources, please contact CENFACS.

Whether you pass your Easter holiday in self-isolation or confinement or not, CENFACS would like to wish you a Very Healthy, Safe and Hopeful Easter Time!

 

 

 

 Main Development

 

• Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring and Post-exit People’s Development Projects – Key Highlights

 

To better highlight the above named projects; let us start with their meaning.

 

• • Understanding Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring Projects and Post-exit People’s Development Projects

 

• • • Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring Projects (PCPRRPs)

 

Post-coronavirus Poverty Reduction Restructuring Projects (PCPRRPs) are a series of activities, proposals, plans, processes and tasks to deal with changes within the components of poverty reduction systems or structures in the post-coronavirus development era.  In other words, they are sustainable development initiatives that help in the reorganisation of the constituting elements in the process of reducing poverty during and after the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

As Witold Kowalski (1) puts it:

“Reorganisation is a necessary process to respond to external market developments or to take any company to the next, higher level.  It is the company’s friend if executed properly”.

To respond to the new market developments brought by the life-threatening and destroying impacts of the coronavirus, poverty reduction systems need restructuring.  This is about aligning poverty reduction systems and structures with the current trend reflected by the new development landscape caused by the coronavirus pandemic and greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets.  In this respect, COVID-19 has not only brought threats and risks; it has also come along with it new opportunities and openings to reduce poverty and meet needs differently.

 

• • • Post-exit People’s Development Projects (PEPDPs)

 

Post-exit People’s Development Projects  (PEPDPs) are a set of activities, processes and tasks that help raise people’s living levels, create conditions for people’s self-esteem and increase people’s freedom from poverty and hardships after the economy they belong to or work within exits from a regional economic integration model.  Through these projects, the goal is to make sure that the economic well-being and quality of life of users do not go down or get worse because of the economic exit from economic integration. 

PEPDPs find their explanation in the notion of development as defined by M. P. Todaro and S. C. Smith (2) who argued in the glossary page of their book on economic development that development is …

 

“the process of improving the quality of all human lives.  Three equally important aspects of development are [1] raising people’s living levels…[2] creating conditions conducive to the growth of people’s self-esteem…[3] increasing people’s freedom by enlarging the range of their choice variables, as by increasing varieties of consumer goods and services” (p. 810)  

 

PEPDPs will try to help those in need to achieve these three aspects of development.  Particularly, the projects will help the community to keep and or improve standard in poverty reduction as the country exited from the EU.  The projects will use any breakthroughs emerging from the new situation to even upgrade the work of poverty reduction and sustainable development.   

 

• • How these “Post Projects” work

 

Under the PCPRRPs, CENFACS will try to work with Africa-based Sister Organisations so that they can reorganise their poverty reduction works by classifying them between essential and non-essential activities, between healthy and unhealthy ones.  Together we can to look at those areas of their work that need restructuration, externalisation, delocalisation, re-localisation, etc.

In this process, the underlying value of restructuring is centred on the concepts of poverty reduction and sustainable development.  The PCPRRPs will help them to further focus on their core activities while mitigating the adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and side effects of lockdowns.

Under the PEPDPs, CENFACS will try to work with the CENFACS Community in the areas of sustenance by helping them to meet the basic life-sustaining human needs of food, health, education, housing, digital, information, protection, etc. services so that they can reduce levels of poverty associated with them.  CENFACS will as well work with them on matter of self-esteem as human beings and of freedom to choose in order to reduce poverty and hardships linked to the lack of respect and lack of choice.

 

• • PCPRRPs and PEPDPs in the context of the coronavirus pandemic

 

Both PCPRRPs and PEPDPs will respectively help keep organisations and people healthier and safer as well as having good quality sanitation facilities. 

The two types of projects will help in the following:

√ Keeping beneficiaries educated and informed about poverty restructuring and people’s development as we have been doing it through our COVID-19 Campaign

√ Working with them so that they can develop solutions and receive the support and/or service they need in order to survive in the new context of coronavirus and intermittent lockdowns

√ Helping them to take actionable steps in the processes of poverty reduction restructuring and their own development

 

• • Steps we shall take to implement PCPRRPs and PEPDPs

 

To implement both initiatives, we will take the following steps:

√ Identify the problem areas

√ Create objectives to deal with the problems

√ Estimate and secure funding sources for restructuring and people’s development

√ Restructure activities for organisations

√ Help people meet the basic life-sustaining needs

√ Monitor and evaluate results

√ Report and review the entire poverty reduction restructuring and people’s development projects.

 

The above key highlights give some basic information about PCPRRPs and PEPDPs and the way in which they can help beneficiaries (organisations for PCPRRPs and individuals for PEPDPs). 

For those who would like to learn more about these “Post Projects” or just to enquire, they are free to contact CENFACS. 

 

__________

 

References

 

(1) Witold Kowalski, The Process of Organisational Restructuring for Large Corporations at https://expert360.com/resources/articles/process-of-organisationalrestructuring (accessed April 2021)

(2) P. Todaro & S. C. Smith (2006), Economic Development, 9^th Ed., Pearson Education Limited, USA

 

________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

31 March 2021

 

Post No. 189

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Coming in April 2021: Protection against Enduring Coronavirus  

• Climate Protection and Stake for African Children – Phase 3 and Protection against Covid-19

• Advisory Support and Spring Project to Build Back Better from the Coronavirus

 

… and much more!

 

Key Messages

 

• Coming in April 2021: Protection against Enduring Coronavirus

 

This April, we will continue the protection work against the coronavirus pandemic since the coronavirus pandemic is still life-threatening and destroying despite the amount of efforts that have been deployed to reduce its far-reaching impacts. 

We are doing it in the context of building back and forward better programmes which we recently set up.  All this exercise is about saving, rebuilding and sustaining lives, infrastructures and institutions.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have expanded a bit more about the month of protection for this year.

 

 

• Climate Protection and Stake for African Children – Phase 3 and Protection against Covid-19

 

Our initiative about Climate Protection and Stake for African Children – Phase 3 (CPSAC – P.3) with the sub-theme of ‘Glasgow Steps It Up’ has also been affected by the on-going global health crisis brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

During this month of protection, we will continue to virtually discuss the preparation of CPSAC – P.3 while exploring ways of improving the measures against Covid-19 we so far integrated into our climate protection campaign.

In this virtual exercise, both climate protection and COVID-19 protection need to be understood although they are now colloquial.

 

• •  Meaning of Climate Protection and COVID-19 Protection

 

By climate protection, we mean the following definition as given by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (1), which is

‘the protection of climate and the ozone layer are measures to control the emissions of greenhouse gases and gases that adversely affect the stratospheric ozone layer (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons and halons)’.

As to COVID-19 protection (2), it is about

‘preventing and slowing down transmission of the coronavirus pandemic by being well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.  It is further about protecting yourself and others from COVID-19 infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face’. 

In the light of the above definitions, we are going to carry on our work by combining both climate protection (on the one hand) and health and economic protection measures against Covid-19 (on the other hand) in order to figure out how we can best protect future generations against the continuing life-threatening and -destroying impacts of both climate change and the coronavirus pandemic.  

To find out more about this simultaneous protection against the adverse impacts of climate change and Covid-19, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Advisory Support and Spring Project to Build Back Better from the Coronavirus

 

Due to the special character of Spring 2020, we set up two coronavirus-related relief and protection initiatives (i.e. poverty-relief and protection initiatives related to the coronavirus pandemic crisis) which were: Virtual Support during the Coronavirus Pandemic Crisis (VSCP) and The Coronavirus Spring Project (CSP)

The VSCP is a non-physical and contactless relief support designed to help those in emergency challenge in the UK while the CSP is a health-enhancing and humanitarian effort that is meant to assist people in need in Africa during the continuing threats of the coronavirus pandemic.

Both initiatives, which are a charitable fight against the coronavirus pandemic, were set up to ease the difficulties that poor people and communities have been facing, as well as to support the rebuilding or recovery processes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

This March 2021, we have reviewed the two coronavirus-related relief and protection initiatives in the light of the situation of the coronavirus and the state of lockdowns.  As a result of this review, we have come out with the improved versions of each of these initiatives. 

The review of VSCP has led to Advisory Support to Build Back Better from the Coronavirus (ASBBBC).  The ASBBBC has retained some aspects of the VSCP that can be useful for users; aspects such as needs assessment, advocacy, signposting, referrals, etc.  It also contains social mobility tips and hints, resilience recipes, climate-related capacity building and built-in green alignment features to CO2 emission goals and targets.

The review of CSP has resulted in Spring Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus (SPBBBC).  This upgraded version of CSP includes many poverty relief fixers, zero-carbon solutions/carbon neutrality targets and climate smart tools to build back better greener and cleaner.

These two coronavirus-related relief and protection initiatives (that is VSCP and CSP) take our coronavirus-related work on poverty relief and sustainable development with users to the next level, the level within the current contexts of the coronavirus, lockdowns and economic rebuilding.

To enquire about the above two protection initiatives, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

•  Coronavirus and Build Back Better Donations Needed!

 

At the beginning of this Spring Relief season, we would like to take this opportunity to communicate to you our need of donations which is now greater than ever before.  The coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns have put serious pressure on the finances and other areas of operations of many organisations including ourselves.

We have reset up two Coronavirus-related Relief and Protection Initiatives (i.e. Advisory Support and Spring Project to Build Back Better from the Coronavirus) to help in this difficult time of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns. 

We need donations to help those affected by both health crisis and lockdowns so that they can properly start the work of building back better.

We know that some of you have their income dropped because of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures.  However, for those who can, please do not hesitate to support as the need is still pressing and the stakes are still higher at this time.

You could be a life-saver or changer this Spring.

We look forward to your support.  Many thanks!

 

 

 

•  End of March 2021 Take Away from Climate Action Working Days

 

CENFACS remains determined in campaigning to keep climate change on the agenda during the coronavirus crisis and beyond.  Our Climate Action Working Days which have come to an end are part of this determination. 

During these working days, we focused on four key climate actions from every Wednesdays of this month as follows:

 

√ STOPPING jumps in greenhouse gas emissions during and after the full reopening of economies and societies after lockdowns (Action no. 1 held from 03/03/2021 to 09/03/2021)

√ REDUCING pollution and COVID-19 induced climate issues (Action no. 2 held from 10/03/2021 to 16/03/2021)

√ PREVENTING financial de-prioritisation of climate change (Action no. 3 held from 17/03/2021 to 23/03/2021)

√ ENDING any inaction of climate change actions (Action no. 4 held from 24/03/2021 to 30/03/2021)

 

The following are the takeaways from March 2021 Climate Action.

1^st take away

To stay on track with climate action and stop COVID-19 to become a severe drain for work on climate change, both COVID-19 induced poverty and climate-led poverty need to be tackled.

2^nd take away

Climate action is about translating words into concrete actions to reduce pollution (particularly but not exclusively plastic pollution) as a long term sustainable development goal.

3^rd take away

The fight against the coronavirus pandemic should not be opposed to the need to prioritise the climate change issues.

4^th take away

To make climate action inclusive and end climate inaction, there is a need to stop digital, information and communication poverty that COVID-19 and inappropriate lockdown measures may have exacerbated. 

For more details about the outcomes of CENFACS’ March Climate Action Working Days 2021, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and COVID-19 Financial Protection and Support

 

This week, we are as well working on financial protection or support for our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs).  Like any organisation suffering from the financial effects of the coronavirus and associated lockdowns, many of our ASOs have appealed for financial help and support to continue their not-for-profit activities. 

However, only a tiny of their appeals have been listened to and responded.  One can understand both national and international climate we are in as many non-essential economic activities have been closed and many private donors and funders are themselves experiencing difficulties during this challenging time of the coronavirus and lockdowns.  At the same time, there were many financial pledges to support their activities. 

So, following on these appeals and financial pledges, we are looking at how many of these ASOs have succeeded in raising funds and how many of these pledges have been converted into financial help. 

As the coronavirus endures, it is worth to know that funding is reaching those organisations that are striving to make Africa a better place for those in most need through deserving causes.  Basically our work on this matter is about how many valuable and credible appeals were made and how many responses to those appeals from donors and funders (be it national or international or public or private) were converted into real financial help.

This is because in time of serious global crisis like the current coronavirus pandemic, there could be a tendency to have countless financial schemes on the market that are allegedly designed to help.  But, in reality only few of them are available and especially can reach those organisations and people who are really in need. 

This week’s work raises the debate or discrepancy between supply and demand of finance in the not-for-profit sector, especially in time of stiff crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.  Many worthy causes run by these organisations are struggling to get the funding they need.

For those ASOs that may be interested in this topic of COVID-19 financial protection and support, they can let CENFACS know.

 

 

 

 

Main Development

 

• Protection against Enduring Coronavirus

 

As the coronavirus endures, there is still a growing need of protection for both the community in the UK and other communities in Africa.  In this context of enduring COVID-19, there is a mixed picture of responses.  In some places, the coronavirus does not show any signs of abating while in others economies and societies are emerging from it in the rockiest manner despite some words of encouragement and consolation. Because of the above conflicting pictures of realities and reactions, our Month of Protection will be again about the coronavirus pandemic, about its continuing health, economic, environmental and community impacts. 

However, since CENFACS is specialised in poverty reduction and sustainable development, the kind of protection (against or from the coronavirus reality) on which we shall focus on in this month will be that relates to poor people and natural species.  In this respect, we will consider the following in our protection work during the Month of Protection:

√ Those who need protection the most during the time of enduring coronavirus and lockdowns

√ Protective equipment

√ Our systems, infrastructures and structures of network of protection and support for the CENFACS Community

√ The next context and frontiers in terms of life threats and risks despite the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines

√ Protection lessons for learning and development since we embarked on protection against the coronavirus

√ Our experience about protecting CENFACS’ services, activities and the entire CENFACS’ machinery

 

Let us briefly look at one by one those areas of our protection work for the April Month of Protection.

 

• Areas of focus for April 2021 of Protection

 

(a) Those who need protection the most during the time of enduring coronavirus and lockdowns

 

During the month of April 2021, we are going to work on coronavirus-related poverty issues and emerging challenges that people and the community are still facing despite the rolling out of vaccines.  Amongst these people, there are:

√ Low income families

√ Refugees and asylum seekers

√ Those who are suffering from isolation

√ Other unprotected people experiencing sanitary and food poverty

√ Digital, information and communication poor

√ Those who simply do not fit within the punitive financial bailout criteria

√ Those suffering from any kind of poverty related to the coronavirus and lockdowns

Etc. 

 

We will be working with them through the two Coronavirus-related Relief and Protection Initiatives (i.e. Advisory Support and Spring Project to Build Back Better from the Coronavirus) we have just set up to help in this challenging time of enduring coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns. 

 

(b) Personal Protective equipment

 

We are as well going to reconsider protective equipment, tools, systems, infrastructures and creative measures in order to shield ourselves and those around us from the coronavirus pandemic and its endangered conditions and impacts.  It is also about the protective equipment we need to build back better from the coronavirus and lockdowns.

 

(c) Our systems, infrastructures and structures of network of protection and support for the CENFACS Community

 

We are going to rethink our social systems, our community network of protection and support (such as the CENFACS Community) as well as our structures and infrastructures of protection in the light of the new type of enduring coronavirus and lockdowns.

 

(d) The next context and frontiers in terms of life threats and risks despite the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines

 

The current context in which we are in is of enduring coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns that require us to review the boundaries of our protection system.  This has brought as well a new opportunity for our protection month to explore creative and innovative ways as well as new dimensions for enhancing our protection strategy.  We can only do this if we think about the kind of new knowledge, skills, capabilities and know-how suitable for the current challenge.

 

(e) Protection lessons for learning and development since we embarked on protection against the coronavirus

 

This month, we will as well try to draw some protection lessons for learning and development in terms of our health, safety and well-being policy and practice, particularly but not especially, in terms of our members and service users.

 

(f) Our experience about protecting CENFACS’ services, activities and the entire CENFACS’ machinery

 

In the light of the coronavirus crisis and what we have so far done to protect our work, we will try to find out what we can further learn about ways of protecting our services, activities (e.g. between essential and non-essential ones) and the entire machinery of CENFACS as an organisation in the future. 

For example, we learnt from this health crisis how we can try to find alternative ways of delivering services and meeting people needs in times of crisis. We can now think of way of improving this sort of service delivery as reference for future threats and crisis. 

As part of this protection process, we can rethink of way of reshaping the function of health and safety in CENFACS to make it even ready and capable for future threats, risks and crisis.

To deliver on the above protection focus, we have arranged the following protection notes.

 

• Key notes for April Month of Protection 2021

 

We have selected four key notes to make up our April theme of protection against the enduring coronavirus pandemic.  They are as follows:

 

These notes will be developed starting every Mondays of April 2021 as scheduled above.  

Besides that we have organised our other works and campaigns around the coronavirus issue as well as around the things that matter for those in need in times of health crisis like this current one, as previously highlighted in CENFACS’ Spring Relief 2021 planner.    One of these areas of interest in protection is the protection of natural species (like the African elephants).

 

• Protection of African Elephants

 

During April 2021, we are going to reactivate our BIG BEASTS Campaign through the protection of the African Forest Elephant species which is now in serious danger and growing risk of extinction.  The BIBG BEASTS Campaign is about reducing losses and risks towards fauna while maintaining basic natural conditions and values for their survival.

Indeed, both the African Forest Elephant and the African Savannah Elephant are endangered as their population continues to decline.  There are several reasons that can explain this decline.  Amongst them, the majority of research highlights poaching for ivory and loss of habitat to be the two main reasons.  In these circumstances, there is a need to reinforce the application and monitoring of the measures set up within the framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.  

For any enquiries and or queries about our work on the BIG BEASTS, particularly on the protection of African elephants, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

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

 

_________

References

(1) Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (2001), Glossary of Environment Statistics, Studies in Methods Series F, No. 67, United Nations, New York, 1997 (https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/details.asp?ID=2183)

(2) https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1

 

________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

24 March 2021

 

Post No. 188

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Climate Action no. 4: END Climate Inaction (24 to 30/03/2021)

• Tigray Peace Re-appeal

• Coming This Spring 2021: FACS Issue no. 71 to be entitled as African Not-for-profit Organisations and African Continental Free Trade Area

 

… And much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Climate Action no. 4: END Climate Inaction (From Wednesday 24/03/2021)

 

One thing is to be aware about a situation; another thing is doing something to resolve the situation; that is taking effective action to deal with a situation that is the cause of concern.  As the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1) puts the following statement on their website when talking about the consequences of climate change inaction:

“Doing nothing will cost more than acting”

Acting will help biodiversity in reducing threats on habitats and lives; reduce weather events (such as rising temperatures, rainfall variation, cyclones, etc.); crops to yield, etc.

In the context of the fourth notes relating to our climate action working days, we are not dealing with the consequences of climate change inaction.  We are instead focusing on what can be done to end climate inaction that the challenging context of the coronavirus may have brought.

Under the Main Development section of this post, there is more explanation about the fourth climate action.

 

 

 

• Tigray Peace Re-appeal

 

Due to the continuing violence in the northern region of Tigray, CENFACS would like to re-appeal to the international community so that poverty linked to the violent situation in Tigray can be reduced and or ended.  According to local sources, more than 521,200 people have been displaced so far.  This is let alone the tragedies in this insecurity, instability and ethnic violence.   

This re-appeal is also about helping to prevent the Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis to create further poverty and humanitarian crisis for the innocent civilian people in the areas at this already challenging time of the coronavirus pandemic and difficult economic situation. Working with those who are suffering from this continuing violence will not only contribute to peace but also to prevent further damage they have already incurred and start build back from the violence and effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

We know that at this challenging time, it is not easy to support many causes even deserving ones.  However, what one can do is to create a magic by providing Peace-Giving Gift to the victims of this insecurity without giving money.  They can do it by undertaking the following little remote actions that can have a BIG impact on the ground.

 

What you can do to provide a Peace-Giving Gift to the peoples of Tigray:

 

√ Talking to someone who has influence on what is happening on the ground can change life

√ Networking, campaigning, responding to a petition, and so on can make a significant impact

√ A phone call or a mobile phone text message or even a tweet or a video conference can save millions of lives

√ Raising your voice about the crisis in Tigray at a peace talks or rallies

√ Spreading the news in your social networks and contacts about the issue and the potential threat this may bring to the Horn of Africa 

√ Having some thoughts about what is happening in Tigray and on practical ways of helping, as part of coronavirus lockdown activity

 

Although physical gatherings are restricted or banned because of the COVID-19 lockdowns, most of the above actions can be done online and remotely.

CENFACS hopes you will act upon this humanitarian peace re-appeal and create the magic of Peace-Giving Gift without giving money so that the sufferers in Ethiopia’s Tigray can navigate their way to sustainable and inclusive peace. 

 

 

 

 

• Coming This Spring 2021: FACS Issue no. 71 to be entitled as …

African Not-for-profit Organisations and African Continental Free Trade Area –

How the African not-for-profit Organisations can get the best out of the game of a free trade area

 

By definition, a free trade area is primarily designed to enable participant countries to freely export and import goods and services between them without restrictions like tariffs and quotas.  Yet, the African not-for-profit organisations, especially those that do not export and import goods as part of their aims and objectives, are going to live within the economic borders of a free trade area – the African Continental Free Trade Area.  If so, how can they make the game of a free trade area benefit to them or at least have less harmful impacts on their poverty reduction work and sustainable development?

The 71^st Issue of FACS Newsletter will investigate ways in which the African Not-for-profit Organisations (AN4POs) can successfully engage with the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA).  The Issue will look at what the AN4POs can gain by taking active part in the ACFTA.  It is indeed about what the not-for-profit development can extract from the hypothetical economies of scale that may result from the ACFTA in the era of the coronavirus pandemic.

A free trade area has advantages and disadvantages that the AN4POs can find in it.  Without only selling the benefits of a free trade area, it is possible for the AN4POs to grab the hypothetical opportunities that the ACFTA can offer to reverse the health and economic adverse impacts of COVID-19 into asset to manage change.  They can use the leverage from the ACFTA to further reduce and end poverty and hardships.

The Issue goes further in aligning the AN4POs ambition with the scope to build forward better in a greener and cleaner way as the ACFTA develops and becomes established as an economic continental integration model.

The Issue will finally explain ways in which CENFACS will try to work with its Africa-based Sister Organisations in order for them to find their place as well as way of surviving and sustaining as the ACFTA grows and develops.

To read more about this new Issue, please keep checking on CENFACS incoming posts this Spring 2021.  To reserve a paper copy of this 71^st Issue of FACS, please contact CENFACS with your mailing details.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• ReLive Issue No. 13: Spring Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus (SPBBBC)

 

The 13^th Issue of our ReLive Spring fundraising campaign resource is the next step after the Coronavirus Spring Project we set up last Spring in order to help mitigate the damage of COVID-19 on poor people.  In this respect, SPBBBC takes stock of the Coronavirus Spring Project 2020 and is the next step since the coronavirus pandemic is still there and many places of the world are repeating lockdowns in order to control the pandemic. 

This next step is about going beyond the life-saving coping strategies (relating to anti-COVID-19 measures such as self-isolation, confinement, human barriers, social distancing, etc.) to build back better from the life-threatening and destroying impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.  This current step is still within the process of Saving, Rebuilding and Sustaining Lives of the victims from the Coronavirus shock, disaster and destruction.  

SPBBBC, which is in fact a fundraising appeal, is about adding value to other similar works and efforts which have been already undertaken so that the poorest people can start the process of rebuilding and reclaiming their lives while the world is still embattled by the coronavirus pandemic.

You can find more details about the Spring Project of Building Back Better from the Coronavirus under the page support causes at   http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

To support and get further information about this project, just contact CENFACS. 

 

 

 

• ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) Resource, Holiday with Relief – In Focus for Spring 2021 Issue: Restricted Holiday

 

The next Issue of our ICDP Resource entitled as ‘Holiday with Relief’ will focus on restrictions put on people including the CENFACS Community in order to pass holiday at home or away during this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

As the coronavirus lasts, the current Issue, which takes stock of the tips and hints we developed last Spring to help protect the community as holiday makers, goes further in reminding us COVID-19 restrictions in our holiday (whether at home or away) while updating and upgrading these holiday-making tips and hints to reflect the current context of COVID-19 new variants and vaccine environment. 

In this COVID-19 dominated world, the way in which everybody passes their holiday has been restricted by a number of the following factors:

# the coronavirus pandemic and its adverse impacts

# the lockdown measures to control the coronavirus

# the fact that whether or not one is vaccinated against the coronavirus

# the economic downturn brought by the coronavirus

# the climate change requirements in order to meet the climate goals and targets (e.g. net zero CO2 emissions by 2050)

# the need to reduce our mounting pressure on the nature through our excessive demands on it which perhaps has led to the coronavirus crisis

Etc.

So, our way of passing holiday is being today restricted by all the above named COVID-19 induced factors.  This year’s Spring Issue of ICDP resource on “Holiday with Relief” will give some advice, tips and hints on better way of managing our holiday under the above named restrictions or put it simply in a COVID-19 induced and restricted world.

To enquire about the next Issue of Holiday with Relief, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• The Goal of Empowering Digitally, Information and Communication Poor People and Communities

 

This week, we are as well revisiting CENFACS’ 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme, particularly its Goal No. 6 of Empowering Digitally, Information and Communication Poor People and Communities.  We are doing it as part of climate action working days, particularly the action that needs to be taken to end climate inaction that the conditions of the coronavirus crisis may have led or exacerbated.

Since the majority of activities has been moved to online and digital worlds during this coronavirus crisis, there is a need to empower the digitally, information and communication poor so that they can effectively participate in the climate action.  This implies making sure that they are part of the interactive digital and IC (information and communication) worlds rather than they being only at the receiving end.

Although we are approaching the sixth goal of our 2020s Development Agenda and Poverty Reduction Programme in the context of climate action month, there is more people and communities can do when they are empowered with digital, information and communication capabilities.  They can reduce and or end poverty linked to digital, information and communication needs. 

For those who may be interested in this Goal no. 6 and its implementation process, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

When we talk about actions, one must basically distinguish two types of action: physical and non-physical actions.  The actions we are going to deal with are in the current context of the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns which literally forced the postponement and cancellation of many climate actions.

 

• Physical climate actions during the COVID-19 lockdowns

 

Since the conditions of COVID-19 and lockdowns prevent people to physically meet, any physical gatherings of a certain significant number of people are not allowed in many parts of the world as way of controlling the coronavirus pandemic.  In addition to physical gathering prohibition, there are bans or restrictions on travel and transport except for COVID-19 permitted reasons; let alone social distancing measures put in place to control the coronavirus pandemic.

It is understandable and wise to take such measures in the interest of the public health and to protect everybody from the coronavirus pandemic.  However, the context of COVID-19 hinders the possibility of effective physical climate actions, leaving many climate campaigners and enthusiasts with the only non-physical action as an option.

 

• Non-physical climate actions during the COVID-19 lockdowns

 

We are going to distinguish paper actions from paperless ones.

 

• • Climate action through print/papers

 

Due to the environmental need to save papers and the planet, there has been a decrease in the circulation of quantity of printed information while we have witnessed an increase of the quantity of online information and data.  This trend dramatically increased during the first wave or shock of the coronavirus pandemic; meaning that the amount of papers that every household could have received through their letter box dropped. 

Although papers are still coming through letter boxes, there has been a decrease in their quantity due to the coronavirus pandemic and the continuing ascending trend of the digital economy.  This is let alone the need to quarantine mails before reading them (at least 3 days) if one wants to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. 

To conduct climate action via print or papers has become problematic in these circumstances, especially for poor people.  Many of these poor people are experiencing stiff challenge to make ends meet during this unprecedented time.  It would be difficult for many of them to take proactive action to write mail and send them as way of taking climate action.

The above shows that the scope of climate action and campaign via papers (e.g. letters, leaflets, magazines, print newsletters, etc.) has been curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns. 

 

• • Climate action via digital, information and communication technologies

 

These are any activities carried out via social media platforms, online, TV, over phone, video conferences, etc.  However, because of the destructive impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, many people have lost their earning capacity to such an extent that a large section of the population cannot afford to pay for basic communication services such as internet subscription (or broadband subscription), mobile phone paid call plans, TV licence, etc. 

Some of them can only receive calls and make calls to free phone lines, but they cannot use their phones to access paid call services.  Since they cannot top up their phones and or honour their phone payment plans, they are not in position to effectively contribute to climate action.

To the above, one must add the cost of running information and communication technologies such as personal computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, etc.  Many of these devices have attached paid services linked to them like antivirus software, Microsoft Office applications, insurance policy, etc.  Many of these attached services are paid monthly or annually.  In this addition, there is as well the cost of utilities (such as electricity) to run these technologies.

Literally and technically, this large section of the population cannot afford their communication bills or services, because of the COVID-19 lockdowns and the eligibility criteria contain in many financial bailout schemes.  This situation limits or stops those who have been incapacitated by the coronavirus to effectively engage in any digital, information and communication climate actions.

The punitive terms of certain financial bailout schemes do not help many citizens to access the basic support they need to pay for the basic life-sustaining services (such as making a paid call for medical reason). 

In these circumstances, non-physical climate actions have been left to those who can only afford to run these digital, information and communication technologies since many aspects of life have moved to online world.

However, one can still argue that climate action is not only about sending and receiving information.  It is more about changing your attitude in terms of production, consumption and distribution of goods and services (for example, use less plastic, consume less meat, save papers, etc.).  This change of attitude and or behaviour remains to be seen during lockdowns since many of those in need may not have been given the necessary means, let alone the opportunity,  to improve their attitude towards the nature during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

 

• Actions to end climate inaction

 

It is possible to stop and end climate inaction forced by the punitive circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn.  To stop climate inaction led by the coronavirus and lockdowns, the following needs to be done:

√ Stop digital, information and communication poverty that COVID-19 and inappropriate lockdown measures have forced upon a large section of the population so that they can effectively be reached and or proactively participate in the climate action

√ Make coronavirus financial bailout inclusive not punitive and asymmetrical

√ Enable poor people to participate to climate action through a good internet connection and supply of digital, information and communication technologies

√ Work with them to cover the cost of running and maintaining these technologies 

√ Eliminate the increase of digital, information and communication poverty that COVID-19 and inappropriate lockdowns have exacerbated

Etc.

All these actions are relevant to end climate inaction.  For the sake of these climate notes, we are going to expand a bite on digital, information and communication poverty.

 

• Eliminate digital, information and communication poverty to end the COVID-19 induced climate inaction

 

The coronavirus pandemic has further weakened the poor’s capabilities for ownership and use of economic assets.  Although the COVID-19 lockdowns are life-saving, some lockdown measures are nevertheless negatively and structurally restrictive to the extent that they have forced poor people to stay not only home but also in further poverty.  One of the features of this extension of poverty is it has forced them to be in or exacerbated digital, information and communication poverty.

 

• • What is digital poverty?

 

There are many approaches to digital poverty, just as there are many types of digitally poor people.  In the context of these climate action notes, we are going to refer to the definition of Roxana Barrantes (2) who argues that digitally poor individuals are

“those who lack the information and communication enabled by digital technologies due to a lack of knowledge on how they are used, or a lack of income – demand considerations”.  (p. 33)

In the context of the adverse effects of coronavirus and inappropriate lockdowns, the worst scenario will be when people have no service available at all.  In this kind of circumstances, it is difficult to see how they are going to take climate action without information and communication enabled by digital technologies.

 

• • What is information and communication poverty?

 

There are many definitions of information and communication poverty.  In the context of this post, we have selected the definition given by Gover Borja and Björn-Sören Gigler (3).  In their paper about ‘the Concept of Information Poverty and How to Measure it in the Latin American Context’, the two authors argue that

“The communication and information poverty is a lack of the basic capabilities needed to participate in the information society” (p. 16)

They also think that “the creation of the information society should be complemented by a pro-poor approach to avoid the increase in inequalities and social exclusion”.

According to them, the information and communication poverty is measured in terms of poverty line implying the minimum capability required to participate in the information society, which has a three-component set of minimum capabilities to own assets and exchange information and communication.

From the above definition, one can argue that the harsh conditions of accessing information and communicating via contactless technologies can be the transmission channels to climate inaction during the coronavirus crisis. 

 

• • Information and communication poverty as a contributing factor to COVID-19 induced climate inaction

 

Since the coronavirus pandemic has weakened the poor’s capacity to participate in information society (because many of them cannot afford their communication bills or services); it prevents them from effectively engaging in climate action via digital and contactless means of communication. 

Let us assume that the non-physical means are the only ones allowed within the context of the coronavirus environment in order to take climate action.  So, strengthening the poor’s capabilities for ownership of physical assets (like information and communication technology assets) and use of economic assets (such as the productive use of information and communication technology) can help to reduce, even end the climate inaction experienced by COVID-19 impoverished people.

To conclude, climate action should not be a privilege for those who can afford to pay for the digital, information and communication services and technologies.  If one really wants the goal of 1.5 ᵒ C Paris Climate Change Agreement to be met, then a large section of the population must be involved.  To get involved they need to have the same means of communication like others.  By empowering more people and communities with digital and online access and reach, they can effectively contribute to the digital climate action while the battle against the coronavirus goes on.    

For further details about this Climate Action no. 3 and to support CENFACS’ Climate Action Working Days, please contact CENFACS.

 

_________

References

(1) https://www.oecd.org/fr/envionnement/climate-change-consequences-of-inaction.htm (accessed March 2021)

(2) https://dirsi.net/sites/default/files/dirsi_07_DP02_en.pdf (accessed March 2021), Roxana Barrantes, Analysis of ICT Demand: What Is Digital Poverty and How to Measure It?

(3) https://dirsi.net/sites/default/files/dirsi_07_DP01_en_pdf (accessed March 2021), Gover Barja and Björn-Sören Ggler (2007), The Concept of Information Poverty and How to Measure it in the Latin American Context

_________

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

17 March 2021

 

Post No. 187

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Arrangements and Support during the Gradual Economic Reopening and Lockdown Easing

• Spring Relief 2021: Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner

• Climate Action no. 3: PREVENT Financial De-prioritisation of Climate Change

 

… and much more!

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Arrangements and Support during the Gradual Economic Reopening and Lockdown Easing

 

The coronavirus effects have not exempted anybody in our community since it began last year.  We hope that everybody has so far managed to overcome these effects.  CENFACS is on the side of every of its members who continues to experience the pain at this time or who are in trouble because of the coronavirus and lockdown effects.

We know experiences and situations differ on how everybody in our community is coping with life under the constraints of COVID-19 and lockdowns.  We may have the following situations or conditions amongst our members:

# People who are back to work because they are essential or key workers

# Those who are working from home and/or online/remotely

# Those who are still shielding because of the impacts of COVID-19 and lockdown

# Those who have been ordered to stay home and/or who lost their jobs

# Those who are looking after a family member or a friend to mitigate the COVID-19 adverse impacts

Etc.

In all these situations, we all share one thing in common which is navigating our way out of this health crisis.  To navigate our way out, we need preparations or arrangements and support where we are unable to solve by ourselves the problems that COVID-19 and lockdowns have posed to our lives.

 

• • An Assorted Arrangement of Essential COVID-19 Services

 

CENFACS is open (as the above health dashboard showing) during this phase of gradual reopening of economies and societies to provide essential services, but online only.  We have arranged that the essential mix of services (like advice-giving) keep running during this challenging time. 

Anyone who needs advice to cope with COVID-19 induced issues at this difficult time, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.  This arrangement is for individuals in the UK and Africa-based Sister Organisations in Africa needing advice at this unprecedented time.  Both individuals and organisations can text, phone, e-mail and use the contact form to communicate with us.

 

• • Essential Support for Basic Needs

 

Since the coronavirus started last year, we have been remotely working and we shall continue to do so until such a time the situation returns as it was in the pre-coronavirus time.  For those who need support, they can contact CENFACS via the above mentioned means of communication.   

CENFACS’ COVID-19 Hub for Poverty Reduction, which brings most of our services relating to coronavirus under the same roof, is still open for those in need of support.  We encourage those in need to use the services it provides and not to stay silent and or isolated if they have any problems.  This is even the best moment to fight isolation and silence that COVID-19 and lockdown have pushed many people in.  In this respect, poverty is also the lack of support, of useful contact and of someone to count on at this exceptional time.

To fight this type of poverty, we need to come together, to build forward better together this Spring 2021.  We can do it by keeping our networking for protection alive despite the test it has undergone with the COVID-19 impacts.  We may not shake hands or each other’s hands, but we can still reinvent the wheels of our networking system of protection so that we can build forward better together as we step into Spring 2021. 

CENFACS’ Build Back Better and Build Forward Better Together Programmes can help to move to the right direction as we are trying to fight to come out the coronavirus or health or sanitation crisis.  We can better come out it if we build forward together greener and cleaner.

For any query or enquiry about these arrangements and support, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Spring Relief 2021: Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner

 

• • General Spring theme

 

Generally, the key theme for Spring at CENFACS is Rebuilding or Renewing Lives, Infrastructures and Institutions.  In other words, Spring Relief is the season of rebuilding from what has been destroyed by wars, natural disasters, bad economic management, mistakes of the past, other disasters (like health crisis of Ebola or Covid-19), etc.  We need to rebuild in order to reduce poverty, stop its re-appearance and avoid the emergence of new types of poverty and new generations of poor people. 

The Winter Season of Light, which is ending in three days, gives us an opportunity to bring some lights and hopes to those in most need so that they can find the reasons to believe in life again.  The Season of Light tackles poverty as a lack of hope and expectations.  However, our work does not stop there. 

In Spring, we take the challenge of working with those in need to rebuild their lives, infrastructures, buildings, development of relationships, communities, etc. from the damage, loss and worse change experienced or caused.

So, the key words for the Spring Season are rebuilding and renewing.  We shall come back on these words at different occasions as we step into Spring and progress towards its end; especially with our advocacy project about Rebuilding Africa. 

 

• • Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner this Spring Relief 2021

 

This Spring 2021 is still dominated by the health or sanitary crisis brought by the coronavirus pandemic.  Because of the COVID-19 dominance, we are going to help reduce poverty over this Spring within the context of life-threatening impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic as we did it last year’s Spring.  This is the current context of our work.  It is a context of rebuilding and sustaining lives, infrastructures and institutions in the world of health or sanitary crisis.

We started to rebuild and sustain lives, infrastructures and institutions within this contextual framework since last year when the coronavirus began.  We are now trying to build forward better together.  We are doing it with the green and clean economies in our mind set.  However, to build forward better together we need to build back better. 

So, the theme for this Spring Relief 2021 is “Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner”.   The announcement of Spring Relief’s theme comes with that of projects and programmes making it or the notes composing this theme.  We have provided under the Main Development section of this post a selection of projects and programmes which will make this Spring – Spring Relief season. 

As said above, it is a selection.  Therefore, one should expect the introduction of new activities and the continuation of on-going initiatives like our All-year Round (or Triple Value) projects.  That is also to say, there will be additional projects and programmes as we progress throughout this Spring season.

 

 

 

• Climate Action no. 3: PREVENT Financial De-prioritisation of Climate Change (from Wednesday 17/03/2021)

 

There are some concerns that because of the large scale and deepness of the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there could be less appetite to finance climate change programmes and projects.  This is despite recently there have been some pledges from leaders around the world to keep the momentum with the work on climate change.  Pledges are great; however they need to be translated into concrete actions.  Before saying further anything about these actions, let us give a brief about climate finance.

 

• • What is climate finance?

 

This is what the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1) says:

“Climate finance refers to local, national or transnational financing – drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing – that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change”.

As part of the climate action, the goal of jointly mobilising US $100 billion per year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries was set up within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030.  With the coronavirus disruption and disturbance, many of the financial mobilisation actions for climate finance were stopped or simply postponed.  It is now expected that there will be a new collective quantified goal from a floor of USD 100 billion per year as a result of COVID-19 and lockdown effects. 

Clearly, the above is showing that climate finance is not a priority within the context of the fighting against the coronavirus.  This is despite the fact many actors are still trying to defensively calm the mood by arguing that climate change finance is still on the agenda.  Because of that, actions need to be taken to prevent the financial de-prioritisation of climate change while financially reprioritising it.    

 

• • Actions to prevent financial de-prioritisation of climate change

 

The fight against the coronavirus pandemic should not be opposed to the need to prioritise the climate change issues.  In fact, the world may have perhaps got into trouble with the coronavirus pandemic since the importance of preserving climate was ignored by human made behaviour.  Perhaps, if humans were more kind with the nature and putting less pressure on it with their demands, the world could avoid this kind of zoonotic crisis to happen again and be a better place.  The fight against adverse climate change should be given the same priority as the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.  They are complimentary.

There are a number of initiatives that can be taken to keep the financial prioritisation of climate change on track while the fight against the coronavirus is being carried out.  These actions could include the following:

√ Flag climate finance as a legitimate priority amongst other 2021 priorities

√ Keep the mobilisation and scaling up of long-term climate finance

√ Get donors to uphold pre-COVID-19 commitments to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction

√ Re-prioritise climate finance during the post-pandemic area by making the revised or new post-2020 global climate finance target to be effective soon as possible

√ Promote the availability, accessibility, mobility and execution finance relating to climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction

√ Improve the participation of poor people in international climate forums via a better internet connection

√ Stop climate change budget cuts through financial de-prioritisation model that undermines climate change issues without evidence-based spending decisions because of COVID-19 resource requirements

√ Keep investments in net-zero emissions climate solutions

√ Set or reset climate change re-prioritisation programme

√ Keep a fair interplay between climate finance priority and COVID-19 finance precedence

√ Reignite climate finance priorities in such areas as biodiversity protection, sustainable landscapes, renewable energy and adaptation

√ Reinvigorate the private donor development for climate finance

√ Respect the commitments made for and improve the green climate fund

√ Fulfil the previous pledges made

√ Keep the financial contributions of climate institutions

√ Integrate climate finance and development funding

√ Encourage climate finance funders and donors to align with the Paris 1.5 C Climate Target and Agreement

√ Keep the climate change as a priority in the poverty reduction and development agendas

√ Include climate change approach in any post-coronavirus disaster reconstruction budget

√ Complement post-coronavirus reconstruction work and climate change work

√ Align the budget for COVID-19 reconstruction work with that of greenhouse gas emission goals and targets

Etc.

CENFACS’ Africa-based Sister Organisations will be involved in some of these climate actions; leaving others to individuals, organisations and institutions that can afford them.

For further details about this Climate Action no. 3 and to support CENFACS’ Climate Action Working Days, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• End-of-season Reminder!

Only 3 Days to Go for Halving Poverty for Children in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger before stepping into Spring 2021

 

Our fundraising campaign about Halving Poverty in Africa’s Central Sahel will be closed in three days.  We are again appealing to those who can to donate or pledge or make a gift aid declaration for this deserving cause.  

We know this is an extremely difficult time for everybody including donors/funders.  However, in places like Africa’s Central Sahel where poverty was already acute, it is even harder to survive as a child without any help at this time of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Your support can make helpful difference to those children in need in Central Sahel of Africa at this challenging time of the coronavirus pandemic.

To support and or enquire about this Africa’s Central Sahel fundraising campaign/appeal, please contact CENFACS. 

To find out further details about this campaign, please go to: http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

 

 

• Climate Action Budget for Household/Family

 

An ordinary household or family can work out how much of their earning can be allocated to spending for climate action.  The given household or family can plan for a certain period how much to spend in order to reduce for example its greenhouse gas emissions. 

In their climate action spending budget, the household or family can plan the amount they need in order to encourage lower indoor greenhouse emissions, to adopt green and clean energy (for cooking and heating), to utilise efficient electric appliances, to compare fossil fuels to sustainable energy in terms of saving, etc.  For effectiveness, all these small initiatives will be summarised in a climate action budget.

So, to enrich our Climate Action Days, we will be working on the items of household/family budget relating to climate and where actions can be taken at the level of household/family in order to reduce climate issues (such as indoor air pollution).

For those who would like to work with CENFACS on their household budget in order to take action in favour of the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, they welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Climate Prediction and Action in Africa

 

This week, we are adding to our climate action climate prediction.  Often, we hear climate predictions about what is going to happen.  For example, in their Africa Hazards Outlook of 11 to 17 March 2021, the Climate Prediction Centre and National Centres for Environmental Protection and National Oceanic and Atmospheric in the US (2) predicted climate change in Africa.  They notably argued the following for Madagascar:

“Abnormal dryness is in place over the east coastal area of Madagascar.  Drought persists in the South with greatly impacted vegetation and planting delays.  Expected crop losses are estimated at 40%”.

If this prediction seems to be credible and true, then climate action can be taken to mitigate or avert the negative impacts of these hazards. 

CENFACS’ Africa-based Sister Organisations in those areas of Africa (like the Madagascar) subject to treacherous weather conditions can take action with locals to prevent any further damage to locals.  Likewise, these hazards give some good reason to financially prioritise climate change in order to limit its adversity on most in need and vulnerable at this time of the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

For those who would to dip into climate prediction and action with CENFACS, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.  

 

 

Main Development

 

• Spring Relief 2021: Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner

 

• • What is in focus for Spring Relief 2021?

 

The focus is on Build Forward Better Together Greener and Cleaner.

Indeed, the coronavirus pandemic is and remains a sanitation crisis that has reverberated with sanitation poverty.  If we are going to build back and forward together, we need to build a greener and cleaner world so that future generations will not have the fulfilment of their needs compromises.  In other words, we need to adopt green and clean pathways for poverty reduction and low carbon emissions development.

So, during this Spring Relief 2021 CENFACS is going to work with the community in the UK and in Africa to start the work of building forward better together from the collateral damages left by the coronavirus disaster and some of the inappropriate lockdown measures.  We have said inappropriate lockdown measures, because not all these measures have equally or symmetrically treated or affected everybody.  No matter the good intention they had in order to control the coronavirus spread and protect the public health.  There have been uneven distributional effects as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns for example.

Building forward better is also about correcting the asymmetrical legacies of these measures since many of our community members have been unevenly hurt during this current crisis compared to other economic crisis such as the global recession of 2008/9. 

In order to build forward better, one needs a programme or a strategy or a post-COVID-19 build forward better strategy.  This is why we have developed a Build Forward Better Together programme.  To deliver this programme, one needs as well a set of projects and activities.

 

• • Preview of Projects and Programmes for Spring Relief 2021

 

CENFACS is pleased to present its new season’s (Spring) collection of selected projects and programmes with a choice of relief and climate smart services.  For each of these projects and programmes, you will find climate resilient development ambition as well as user-friendly and –centred relief.

These are the projects and programmes to rebuild lives, infrastructures and institutions as we move forward better together greener and cleaner.  They are free but we do not mind donations.  The more you donate, the more we can relieve. 

Please find below the selection of Spring Relief 2021 projects and programmes.

   

April: Protection Month

 

There will be two key words to add to our protection this Month: Ring-fence and Alignment.  The two key terms will lead to two ways of delivering protection to the community which are as follows.

 

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

 

Reflection on Ring-fencing Protection for Women and Children to Become more Resilient to Future Shocks and Crisis (Protection project)

 

Our Reflection Day will be about thinking of the best possible way of improving resilience and vigilance from women and children to better sustain future shocks, disasters and crisis.

As part of the Reflection Day, we shall look at the early warning signals of future threats to and models of protection.  In this respect, we shall refer to theories, measures and models of protection and prediction.

Additionally, we shall reflect on the effects of COVID-19 threats on our network of protection in the process of building forward better together greener and cleaner.

 

• • • Green and Sustainable Alignment of Protection to Long-term Emission Goals and Targets (Protection and Green project)

 

Self-protection or protecting people and communities should not be done at the expense of long-term carbon-free world.  Any kind of protection to be sustainable has to be aligned with emission goals and targets if one wants a world within the framework of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

 

May: Stories Telling Month

 

Entries for Stories on Poverty Relief and Development for May 2021 (May Stories) are now open. To tell your story of change for change to CENFACS, please contact CENFACS for story telling terms and conditions.

 

• • • All in Development Stories: Tell your Story of Building Back Better from the COVID-19 Disaster – Tell it! (Volunteer’s & Stories Telling project)

 

This year’s All in Development Stories will be about how people and communities are trying or have tried to build back better from the coronavirus disaster and lockdowns.

This year’s stories are those of recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction from the shock and disaster caused by the coronavirus pandemic and associated lockdowns.  They are the tales of physical, social, environmental and economic building back better.

 

• • • Rebuilding Africa: Build Back and Forward Better with Communities and Africa-based Organisations (Advocacy programme)

 

There will two areas in our advocacy to rebuild Africa, which are as follows.

 

# Building Back Better with Communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) will be based on wellbeing economy, inclusiveness and safety against the coronavirus pandemic.

# Building Forward Together with Communities and ASOs will be about navigating their ways to improve in those areas where COVID-19 has brought a new window of opportunities and scope to learn.

 

June: Creation & Innovation Month

 

In order to come out any crisis of the magnitude of COVID-19, creation and innovation could provide answers.  Likewise, to build back and forward better, creation and innovation should be the response.  This June, we shall deal with creations and innovations that help cure the crisis as well as those that help prevent future shocks and disasters to be harmful or destructive for people and communities.     

 

• • • Creations and Innovations during the Process of Building Forward Better (Creation and Innovation project)

 

Forming from nothing ideas or introducing changes to move forward together will be the main activity during the month of June 2021.  These creative ideas and innovative ways of working will enable to find the means to meet the level of ambition we have for the kind of sustainable development and future we want.

 

• • • Creations and Innovations that Counteract Future Shocks and Disasters (Creation and Innovation project)

 

Using our skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with the currently pressing and immediate crisis may not be enough unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate future crisis.  It means there could be another need to bring into existence ideas and introduce changes and new methods to address the future crisis if they happen when they happen. 

To request further information about Spring Relief 2021 projects and programmes, please contact CENFACS. 

 

Note: 

The above initiatives are only a selection of what we have planned for Spring Relief season.  We may introduce new initiatives and or upgrade the existing ones depending on the circumstances as we have from time to time to respond to emergencies and urgent humanitarian issues like we have done with the current sanitary crisis, COVID-19.  In which case, we shall let you know. 

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

 

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References

(1) https://unfccc.int/topics/climate-finance/the-big-picture/introduction-to-climate-finance (accessed March 2021)

(2) https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/international/africa/africa_hazard.pdf (accessed March 2021)

 

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 consider a recurring donation to CENFACS in the future.

Donate to support CENFACS!

FOR ONLY £1, YOU CAN SUPPORT CENFACS AND CENFACS’ PROJECTS, JUST GO TO http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

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 2021 and beyond.

With many thanks.