Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

 11 September 2024

 

Post No. 369

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life

• Coming in Autumn 2024: The 85th Issue of FACS which Will Be Titled as Pension Fund Management and Poverty Reduction by African Charities

• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 11/09/2024: Household Investment Planning

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life

 

Back to school is a challenging time for many families and parents, especially for those on low-income brackets or those living in poverty.  It is even harder for many of them as they are trying to strike a delicate balance between building forward educational life for children and still dealing with the lingering effects of the polycrises, particularly of the cost-of-living crisis.  It is deeply demanding for them during this painful time of the enduring cost-of-living crisis as the expenses of sending back their children to school are fiercely competing with high living costs.  Amongst these challenges, the greatest one for these families is back-to-school poverty, which has to be reduced and ended.  

 

• • Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty

 

Back-to-school poverty is what we are trying to help reduce or eradicate within our back-to-relief programme and campaign this Autumn 2024, if one wants to lay down the foundations for improving the quality of life.  In our latest posts, we explained what we mean by back-to-school poverty.  In this post, we shall go beyond the reduction of this type of poverty.

Indeed, the reduction of back-to-school poverty should not be the end of road or an end itself.  We need to go far in our way of working with the back-to-school poor so that they can improve the quality of their life.  But, what do we mean by improving the quality of life for the back-to-school poor?

 

• • Meaning of Improving Quality of Life

 

To express improving quality of life, let us first explain the term ‘quality of life’.  Our explanation of ‘quality of life’ comes from the World Health Organisation (WHO) quoted by Sarah Sperber on the website ‘berkeleywellbeing.com’ (1).  The WHO’s explanation is

“The quality of life refers to an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns”.

As one can notice that the concept of ‘quality of life’ is a subjective measure of one’s wellbeing.  But, it can also be an objective measure.  It all depends on whether one sees it as an subjective or objective measure.  What is mostly interesting is that ‘quality of life’ comes with factors, namely basic factors (such as being well-nourished, free of disease and having income) and complex factors (like self-respect, dignity and community engagement).  These factors are the ones that need to be improved or ameliorated to produce a good quality of life for the back-to-school children and their families.

So, by working to reduce back-to-school poverty we are as well trying to help improve the quality of life.  However, there is no direct relationship between the reduction of back-to-school poverty and the improvement of the back-to-school quality of life, unless one shows it in the way they are tackling back-to-school poverty.

In CENFACS‘ case, we are trying to help reduce back-to-school poverty while assisting in the improvement of the quality of life of the same back-to-school poor.   We are doing it through the implementation of back-to-relief programme and services.

For more on the Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Coming in Autumn 2024: The 85th Issue of FACS which Will Be Titled as Pension Fund Management and Poverty Reduction by African Charities

 

Like their counterparts in the other regions of the world, African charities can accumulate capital in the form of pension for their employees to be paid to them in their retirement.  However, the possibility of this accumulation depends on the practices and history of pension funds management in Africa.

Historically and practically, pension assets compared to the Gross Domestic Product remains below 60% on average in most African countries.  In this regard, Bright Africa (2) notes that

“In line with global trends, most retirement income in Africa is funded by its governments, but pension coverage on the continent remains low compared to the rest of the world”.

This low pension assets can be a problem both in terms of the management of pension funds and of reducing poverty among the elderly.  Nevertheless, this weakness of pension assets sends a clear message to African charities and their pension fund managers on the area of pension fund management regarding the support in retirement plans they can provide to their employees, especially the poor ones.  This weakness also makes the focus of the 85th Issue of FACS.

The 85th Issue will deal with pension funds management carried out by Africa charities, particularly those working with CENFACS – Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs).  Essentially, it will focus on the practice of pension funds management done by ASOs.  Although it will deal with practice, it will also consider the theories of pension fund management.  In particular, it will consider both the financial theory of defined benefit pension schemes and that of defined contribution pension schemes.  It will reconcile these theories with practices since the knowledge of a particular theory can lead to better choices in terms of investment options.

The 85th Issue will mostly put emphasis on ASO-based pension schemes and defined contribution schemes while considering pension funding risks in Africa.  An example of pension funding risk could be the shortfall in contribution remittances to schemes like it happened during the coronavirus crisis.

The 85th Issue will make some proposals and explore grounds on which ASOs can affect the debate and practice over pension fund management in Africa.  For example, proposals and explorations will be on ways of improving pension fund management so that poor charity sector employees and other poor pensioners (like those from informal economy) can feel the real helpful difference in their retirement time.

Without providing specialist advice on pension fund management to African charities, the Issue No. 85 is a general advice clinic for those ASOs that would like to take pension fund management seriously to accumulate capital to be paid out as pension for their employees when they retire at the end of their careers.

To get inside scoop on the Issue No. 85 or to reserve a copy before its publication, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 11/09/2024: Household Investment Planning

 

Our 4-series of Financial Plan Updates for Households carries on this week as we are looking into the second serial of these updates, which is on Household Investment Planning.  Before going any further, let us explain the meaning of investment planning.

 

• • What Is Investment Planning?

 

According to the blog on ‘jupiter.money’ (3),

“Investment planning is the process of identifying your financial goals and devising a strategy to achieve them.  It involves aligning your goals with your financial resources and risk profile to find the best investment products that suit you”.

In simple terms, it is a strategy to make your money work for you and grow your money.  It is a component of financial planning. Rich or poor, many households may need to develop a process or a future plan to grow their money.  However, economic conditions and their own personal circumstances do change.  This change can affect their investment plans.  Because of that, they may need to update their investment planning in the light of changing conditions and circumstances.

There are financial literate households having the capacity to update their investment plans.  There are other ones not having this capacity and experiencing challenges to update their investments.  For the latter ones, they can work with CENFACS, if they want, to navigate ways of redeveloping and renewing their investment plans as well as executing them.

 

• • Working with the Community on Investment Planning

 

Working with households to get their investment planning get organised or renewed include the following:

 

σ needs assessment of their financial situation and investment plan update

σ determination and review of their financial goals and investment plan if they have one

σ assessing their risk tolerance and appetite

σ exploring different investment options or horizons according to their household financial situation

σ determination their asset allocation in relation to asset classes (e.g., equity, debt, gold, real estate, green bonds and government securities)

σ building their investment portfolio

σ dealing with investment diversification (spreading investments across asset classes)

σ monitoring and evaluation of their investment portfolios

etc.

 

Additionally, we can look at the impact of different scenarios of economic events, difficult economic situations (e.g., downturns) and the volatility of capital markets on their investment planning.  In the light of this information, we can work together to update their investment plan.

Those who may be interested in updating their Investment Plan can contact CENFACS for further details.

If you need support with your Investment Plan Updates, please do not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Brown Spaces-focused Note from Wednesday 11/09/2024: The Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards

• Summer 2024 Reporting in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics

• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3): Stocktaking Activity on COP28 and Discussion on Plans for COP29

 

 

• Brown Spaces-focused Note from Wednesday 11/09/2024: The Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards

 

The second note of the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces is about the health and safety benefits of the Redevelopment Brown Spaces.  It deals with healthier and cleaner environment relating to the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces after clean-up.

The note shows that there is a need to make sure that the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces reduce or better eliminate health or environmental threats to neighbourhoods.  Before going any further, it is better to clarify what health and safety hazards are.

 

• • What Are Health and Safety Hazards?

 

Health hazards can be explained in many ways.  One of its definitions comes from ‘publichealthontario.ca’ (4) which states that

“Health hazards are chemical, physical or biological factors in our environment that can have negative impacts on our short- or long-term health”.

As to safety hazards, Chris Park (5) explains that

“Safety is freedom from danger or risk” (p. 391)

The same Park says that

“Hazard is a source of danger or disruption” (p. 206)

So, safety hazard is freedom from source of danger or disruption or risk.  There should be any health and safety hazards in any Redevelopment of Brown Spaces.  There are benefits deriving from  Redeveloped Brown Spaces without health and safety hazards.  They can improve mood like green spaces do, as well as enhance mental health.

Additionally, there are studies about the association between depression and brownness.  These studies, like the one conducted by Nazif-Munoz et al. (6) show that a brown environment can affect cognition and mental health.  Nazif-Munoz et al. conclude that

“Greater presence of brown space in neighbourhoods embedded in desert-like environments may be associated with lower levels of depression, when controlling for individual level confounders”.

Arid pervious natural settings without vegetation (or brownness) can impact health.

After the clean-up process, there is a need to ensure that the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces does not bring injuries, liabilities or additional hazards.  It does not pose any health and safety risks to the community.  It also means working with the community so that it can be aware of any health and safety hazards, if any.

 

• • Working with the Community on Health and Safety Issues Linked to the Brown Spaces Redevelopment

 

It is about supporting our community members in the following ways:

 

> how to get involved in any redevelopment of brown  spaces that may affect their lives

> how to provide their comments and feedbacks in a sensible way on health and safety issues that may affect them

> how they can support themselves in face of the redevelopment of brown spaces

> how they can back or not back brown space projects with their favourable or unfavourable opinions

etc.

 

For those of our members who would like to work with us on health and safety issues relating to the redevelopment of brown spaces, they are welcome to work with us.  Amongst those who can work with us are those who have been consulted to give their opinion about a particular redevelopment of brown spaces near where they live.

For those members who would like to share their experience in terms of the health and safety benefits resulting from the redevelopment of brown spaces on their lives; they are also invited to share it with us.

For those who would like to further discuss with us any other matters or insights relating to the the Elimination of Health and Safety Hazards, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Summer 2024 Reporting in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics

 

Last week, we started to unlock or unpack our Summer holiday data and to prepare to tell our Summer holiday stories.  This week, we are going further in putting into practice our unlocked or unpacked data in support of Summer experiences or stories.

 

 

• • Summer 2024 Experiences Reporting as an Additional Opportunity

 

From this week until Wednesday the 25th of September 2024, we are simply asking to those who can, to share with us and others their Summer experiences; experiences about what they did during the Summer break and think that it is useful for sharing.

The 2024 Summer Experiences Reporting activity is a further opportunity for reporting, sharing, learning and development for those who have not yet informed us about the outcomes of projects; projects pending for reporting, personal experiences to be shared, lessons to learn and development trends to spot.

 

• • Sharing Development Experiences, Stories, Tales and Reports about Summer 2024

 

As we are nearing the end of Summer 2024, we would like our users. members and supporters as well as those who sympathise with CENFACS’ cause to share with us and others their experiences, stories and reports about the initiatives mentioned below.

 

a) Run, Play and Vote projects (Triple Value Initiatives 2024)

You can feedback the outcomes or Action-Results of your Run, Play and Vote projects.

 

b) Volunteering and Creation Stories

You can also share your volunteering stories with us and others if you did volunteer during the Summer break.

 

c) Summer Programmes: Happiness, Healthiness and  Wellness Projects as well as Appeal Projects

You may prefer to report on your use of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness projects and your response to our Humanitarian Relief Appeal projects.

 

d) August 2024 Trending Activities

You can as well report on your experience of following the direction of poverty reduction through Aquatic Foods.

 

e) Transitions Year’s Activities/Tasks

As we are in CENFACS’ Transitions Year, we would be more than happier to hear from you any uplifting stories related to this year’s dedication.

 

f) Journal of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness

You can share the contents of your journal of happiness, healthiness and wellness relating to happy, healthy, good and trustful Summer 2024; as well as help build a better Summer holiday experience.

 

g) Other Experiences and Memorable Stories Reporting

You can feedback on any moving experience or transitionary story you have had during Summer 2024.

 

You can report your experience via e-mail, over phone and through social media networks or channels of communication (e.g., Twitter).

Thank you for supporting us with your Summer 2024 experience, story and report in Your Own Words, Numbers, Voices and Information Graphics.

 

 

• Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level with Initial Implementation Sub-phase (Phase 3.3): Stocktaking Activity on COP28 and Discussion on Plans for COP29 

 

Under the Initial Implementation sub-phase (phase 3.3) of Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level (TCPSACI), we are continuing our preparations to follow COP29 (7) which will be convened in Baku, Azerbaijan.  The slogan for this follow-up is: Baku Implements It for Children!

In the lead-up to COP29 to be convened in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024, we are carrying two activities/exercises:

 

1) Stocktaking exercise on what was agreed at COP28 in Dubai

2) Discussion on some of the key points made at Bonn climate session (8) in June 2024.

 

• • Stocktaking of What Was Agreed or Discussed at COP28 in Dubai

 

Amongst the points to be revisited or assessed are the following ones:

 

σ Call on parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve net zero by 2050

σ The operationalisation of the work programme on just transition pathways

σ The adoption of a framework for implementing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA)

σ The establishment of a new work programme on indicators for measuring progress towards the targets defined in the GGA framework.

 

The revisit or assessment of the above-mentioned points will be about how they could contribute to our key demand of the protection of children and future generations from adverse climate change impacts.

 

• • Discussion on Some of the Key Points Made at Bonn Climate Session

 

Our discussion will deal with the following matters:

 

σ The new Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance to be decided at COP29

σ How to reduce the burden of climate debt to be passed on to future generations

σ A global climate-smart food system to reduce food insecurity and poverty

σ New Nationally Determined Contributions to be submitted by all Parties to the Paris Agreement

σ Energy transition goals agreed in Dubai.

 

The above points for discussion will be looked if they fit into our climate demand of giving a stake to children and future generations.

To join in the stocktaking and discussion activities/exercises, and to support CENFACS’ TCPSACI and its sub-phase 3.3, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• À paraître cet automne 2024: Le 85e numéro du FACS qui s’intitulera ‘Gestion des Fonds de Pension et Réduction de la Pauvreté par les Charités Africaines’

À l’instar de leurs homologues des autres régions du monde, les organisations caritatives africaines peuvent accumuler du capital sous forme de pension pour leurs employé(e)s qui leur seront versé(e)s à la retraite.  Cependant, la possibilité de cette accumulation dépend des pratiques et de l’histoire de la gestion des fonds de pension en Afrique.

Historiquement et pratiquement, les actifs des retraites par rapport au Produit Intérieur Brut restent inférieurs à 60% en moyenne dans la plupart des pays africains.  A cet égard, Bright Africa (2) note que

«Conformément aux tendances mondiales, la plupart des revenus de retraite en Afrique sont financés par les gouvernements, mais la couverture des retraites sur le continent reste faible par rapport au reste du monde».

Cette faiblesse des actifs de retraite peut être un problème à la fois de gestion des fonds de pension et de réduction de la pauvreté des personnes âgées.  Néanmoins, cette faiblesse envoie un message clair aux organisations caritatives africaines et à leurs gestionnaires de fonds de pension dans le domaine de la gestion des fonds de pension concernant le soutien dans les plans de retraite qu’elles peuvent apporter à leurs employé(e)s, en particulier les plus pauvres.  Cette faiblesse est également au centre du 85e numéro du FACS.

Le numéro 85 traitera de la gestion des fonds de pension assurée par les organisations caritatives africaines, en particulier celles qui travaillent avec le CENFACS – Organisations Sœurs  basées en Afrique (OSA).  Essentiellement, il se concentrera sur la pratique de la gestion des fonds de pension effectuée par les OSA.

Bien qu’il s’agisse de la pratique, il examinera également les théories de la gestion des fonds de pension.  En particulier, il examinera à la fois la théorie financière des régimes de retraite à prestations définies et celle des régimes de retraite à cotisations définies.  Il s’agira de réconcilier ces théories avec les pratiques puisque la connaissance d’une théorie particulière peut conduire à de meilleurs choix en termes d’options d’investissement.

Le 85e numéro mettra principalement l’accent sur les régimes de retraite basés sur les OSA et les régimes à cotisations définies, tout en examinant les risques de financement des retraites en Afrique.  Un exemple de risque de financement des retraites pourrait être l’insuffisance des versements de cotisations aux régimes, comme cela s’est produit pendant la crise du coronavirus.

Le 85e numéro présentera des propositions et explorera les raisons pour lesquelles les OSA peuvent influencer le débat et la pratique de la gestion des fonds de pension en Afrique.  Par exemple, les propositions et les explorations porteront sur les moyens d’améliorer la gestion des fonds de pension afin que les employé(e)s pauvres du secteur caritatif et d’autres retraité(e)s pauvres (comme ceux/celles du secteur informel) puissent ressentir la véritable différence utile dans leur temps de retraite.

Sans fournir de conseils spécialisés sur la gestion des fonds de pension aux organisations caritatives africaines, le numéro 85 est une clinique de conseil général pour les OSA qui souhaitent prendre au sérieux la gestion des fonds de pension afin d’accumuler un capital à verser à titre de pension pour leurs employé(e)s lorsqu’ils/elles prendront leur retraite en fin de carrière.

Pour en savoir plus sur le numéro 85 ou pour en réserver un exemplaire avant sa publication, veuillez communiquer avec le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty to Improve the Quality of Life

In order to approach back-to-school poverty and the improvement in the quality of life, the following items will be considered:

 

∝ Back-to-school Challenge

∝ Back-to-school Disrupted by the Enduring Cost-of-living Crisis

∝ Back-to-school Poverty

∝ Back-to-school Support at CENFACS with Back-to-school Clinics

∝ Back-to-school Budget Adjusted for Inflation 

∝ Extra Investment Linked to Back-to-school Preparation and Children’s Education 

∝ Back to School is NOT a One-day Event 

∝ Go Net Zero in Your Approach to Back to school

∝ Improving Quality of Life.

 

Let us summarise each of these elements explaining our way of approaching back-to-school poverty reduction.

 

• • Back-to-school Time as a Challenging Period for a Basic Human Right and a Deserving Cause

 

For some, back to school/college is a normal time to prepare and do normal purchase whether it is for school uniforms or books or even any other school items.  However, for those who are struggling to make ends meet, back-to-school time could be a very challenging moment as they may not always have enough financial resources or support to cope with the requirements of the start of the new school year.  Yet, education is a basic human right and a deserving need for children and all society.

Back to school/college for the poor is characterised by the following:

 

∝ The struggle to afford the educational costs linked to school/college

∝ The inability to meet basic life-sustaining needs (including of education, food, fuel, shelter, skills development, clothes, bedding, etc.)

∝ Deprivation of cleaning and disinfecting household items

∝ The financial inability for children to access after school clubs 

∝ The lack of resources to deal with hygiene poverty 

∝ The lack of or poor access to internet broadband

Etc.

 

This year’s back to school/college is still painful as the cost-of-living crisis is posing disruptions to many low-income or poor families and households.  Already, many of them have been struggling to come out of the legacies of the recent crises.  Now, this struggle has increased with the enduring cost-of-living crisis, which still is complicating and disrupting the back-to-school organisation as well as the start of academic year for most of these families and households.

 

• • Back to School Disrupted by the Enduring Cost-of-living Crisis

 

The rise in the prices of food, energy, water, rent and other basic necessities of life can only bring a lot of pain for those who are already struggling to make ends meet.  Back-to-school preparation and delivery are not exempted by this pain.

Back to school has been disrupted in many aspects and respects because educational life is linked to the satisfaction of other life-sustaining needs.  This is because without food, energy, water, home, hygiene, transport and health; all operation of back to school and even afterwards can be jeopardised.

If there is any help to cover some of the costs of back to school, it would be great if this help could make up the difference linked to the cost-of-living crisis.  Otherwise, the needs relating to back to school would not be met.  Failing to meet those needs could even be worse where there is a situation of back-to-school poverty.

 

• • Back-to-school Poverty

 

As we defined it in our last post (9), Back-to-school poverty is the inability to afford the educational requirements of the start of the new school year.  But how do we measure it?

 

 

• • • Indicators of back-to-school poverty

 

The following cases can indicate that there could be a situation of back-to-school poverty and hardships:

 

∝ If parents or carers of children going back to school do not have enough money or support to cover the expenses linked to back to school

∝ If households spend more than a certain percentage (let say 40 to 50 percent) of their incomes in back-to-school preparation and delivery compared to other items in their budget

∝ If households borrow money to cover expenses relating to back-to-school preparation and delivery

∝ If back-to-school expenses fiercely competing against other living expenses in household budgets.

 

Not having enough money, spending more in back-to-school expenses compared to other household expenses and borrowing money to prepare back to school for children are all indicators of back-to-school poverty and hardships.  When this type of poverty or hardship is intense and deep, it is even a serious problem.  There could be more indicators than the above mentioned.

These indicators (like household expenditure on back-to-school preparations), if they are not good, can express the inability for parents and carers to meet the basic life-sustaining needs of education for their children in terms of purchasing school items (such as uniforms, clothes, books, electronics, etc.) and providing the basic infrastructures and necessities (whether it is at home or outside) to support the education and learning of their children.

This incapacity can include other expenses that compete against or with educational materials; expenses that are school fees, living expenses to start a new school year, transport cost to travel to schools, food, a place to study at home, family relocation, adequate meal to study, a proper bed to sleep well, basic healthcare and hygiene at home, etc.

 

• • • Back to school for families and parents living in poverty

 

Families and parents living in poverty or on a tight family budget may not be able to afford these additional expenses budget.  They are forced to currently deal with two types of poverty: back-to-school poverty and hygiene poverty.

The first type of poverty is related to the start of the new school year whereas the second is caused by the lack of hygiene.

Since we have already considered back-to-school poverty, we are going to only explain hygiene poverty.

 

• • • • Explaining hygiene poverty

 

To elucidate hygiene poverty, we are referring to what ‘povertyimpactnetwork.com’ (10) argues about that which is:

“Hygiene poverty is an inability to afford everyday hygiene products, such as shampoo, toilet paper, grooming products, dish soap, etc.”

On the website ‘povertyimpactnetwork.com’, it is further stated that

“Children who grow up in hygiene poverty households can struggle to end the cycle of poverty through successful employment after starting life on rocky ground”.

There could be support for them for some of the vital educational and hygiene needs to be met; just as there is no support for others.

 

 

• • Back-to-school Support at CENFACS with Back-to-school Clinics

 

Any type of poverty needs response.  As far as CENFACS is concerned, we can support those falling into back-to-school poverty trap by providing advice through our advisory package under the back-to-relief programme and campaign.  This package includes services such as advice, advocacy, information, guidance, signposting, referrals, etc.

During the coronavirus pandemic, we enhanced health and safety aspects in this programme.  In 2022, we included in this programme the advice service for the impacted of the cost-of-living crisis.  In 2023, we set up Back-to-school Clinics.  This year, we have added Measures of Quality of Life via ‘Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life’ to our Clinics.

Although our support to fight both back-to-school poverty and the cost-of-living poverty is small and limited, it can nevertheless help beneficiaries to get something and keep moving towards of a BIG relief.

Our Back-to-school Support or Clinics can be accessed as follows:

 

√ Virtually and in-person on a one-to-one basis or as a group

√ Over phone 

√ Via e-mail 

√ and by filling the contact form on our website saying the type of support you need.

 

Where beneficiaries have access to video technology, we can arrange a meeting via a video scream.

Where in-person meeting with beneficiaries is the preferred or unavoidable option, an appointment needs to be made for this meeting to happen.  Also, extra precautionary health and safety measures will be taken before the advice can happen.

To seek advice or support regarding your back-to-school poverty or hardships, please contact CENFACS.  To enquire about Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life, please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

 

• • Back-to-school Budget Adjusted for Inflation 

 

The 2024/2025 Back-to-school Budget would include the cost-of-living crisis for many parents and families as they have to cost and integrate the rise in the costs of living into the educational budget of their children.  They are forced to do so since the costs of living are still higher despite some falls in inflation.  Their budget is also that of building forward from the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

For those parents and families who are struggling to write their back-to-school budget, we can help them to do that.  We can as well advise on some of the aspects related to the back-to-school budget preparation and delivery.  Furthermore, we can lead them to specific advice services related to back-to-school matters.

For those parents and families who are executing their back-to-school budget, but they are struggling in this execution; we can review their budget downwards or upwards depending on the case.

For those parents and families who have already executed their back-to-school budget, but they need monitoring and evaluation for learning and development purpose; we can as well help.

To seek advice or support regarding your back-to-school budget, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • Extra Investment Linked to Back-to-school Preparation and Children’s Education 

 

There are some levels of investment that parents and families may have to do to keep the education of their children to an internationally agreed standard.  They may have to proceed with the following initiatives:

 

∝ Invest in distance learning technologies (such as tablets, laptops, mobile phones, etc.)

∝ Improve their access to internet and broadband supplies

∝ Reorganise space at home to create an office-like desk environment for remote learning and video calling for the educational purpose of their children

∝ Find money and budget for children’s access to after school activities

∝ Improve or upgrade existing home infrastructures for e-education.

 

All these types of investment will create additional costs in the back-to-school plans, although some of these costs will not be at the start of the school.  Unfortunately, many poor families would struggle to meet this extra investment.

 

• • Back to School is NOT a One-day Event 

 

Back to school is not a one-day event of the day children going back to school.  Back-to-school expenses and needs can last longer until parents and carers are able to complete the expenses relating to the return of their children to school and their stay at school, until children are settled in their school.

For poor families and parents, it is even more difficult for them to keep the educational level of their children to a good standard unless they get financial support to their back-to-school budget.  Only a few of them are able to complete the requirements of back to school on time.  Many of them would not have other choice than to spread back-to-school expenses over months in order to complete the back-to-school plan and requirements.

 

• • Go Net Zero in Your Back-to-school Approach

  

Back to school in 2024 is also subject to the requirements of greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets as well as clean environment.  It means that for parents and children whether well-off or less well-off, they need to make sure they take an eco-friendly path in the back-to-school preparation and delivery.  This path will contribute to a better quality of life for their children and the rest of the society.

In climate terms, it connotes going net zero.  What is net zero?

The Institute for Government (11) argues that

“Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. There are two different routes to achieving net zero, which work in tandem: reducing existing emissions and actively removing greenhouse gases”.

In practical terms, it signifies that in parents’ and carers’ preparation and delivery of back to school, there should be a zero-waste consumption, recycling items, following the principles of circular economic model, avoiding depleting the environment, etc.  Likewise, in their approach to reduce back-to-school poverty, it is better for them to adopt nature-based solutions to back-to-school poverty; solutions that do not adversely affect the nature and environment.  These solutions will improve the quality of life and the environment.

 

 

• • Improving Quality of Life

 

As said in the Key Messages, the reduction of back-to-school poverty should not be the end of road or an end itself.  We need to go far in way of working with the back-to-school poor so that they can improve the quality of their life. 

There are many constructs relating to improving the quality of life.  To work with the back-to-school poor, we shall refer to the capability approach as theorised by Armathya Sen (12).  This approach is also found in the Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (13) in these terms:

“Capability approach suggests that the quality of life each person leads correspond to the freedom that he or she has to live one kind of life rather than another.  This is reflected in the combination of doings and beings (‘functionings’) that are possible, ranging from elementary matters such as being properly nourished and healthy, through to much more complex functionings such as having self-respect, preserving human dignity, and taking part in the life of the wider community” (p. 619)

For example, ‘verywellmind.com’ (14) explains that

“Healthy relationships, adequate sleep, and regular physical activity can all contribute to an improved quality of life.  A person can also improve life quality by finding meaning in their work, resolving energy drains, and making time for things they like to do”.

The same ‘verywellmind.com (15) adds the following in terms of building resilience and coping strategies relating to back to school:

“Transition periods can be overwhelming for parents; building resilience and adopting effective coping strategies can make a significant difference in navigating the challenges of the back-to-school period.  Practising self-care can be an effective way to reduce stress and improve quality of life”.

Sarah Sperber (op. cit.) goes further by arguing that

“The US News and World Report determined their list of the quality of life for countries based on the following categories: affordable, a good job market, economically stable family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system and well health system”.

Although US News and World Report speak about countries, countries are made and built by human beings.  Therefore, all these indicators of the quality of life are related to or represent human beings.  Improving the quality of life is thus enhancing these indicators for the back-to-school poor if one wants to go beyond back-to-school poverty reduction.

For example, ending the psychological toll of the financial difficulties that families of back-to-school poor children are facing can provide the signs of improving the quality of life, especially but not exclusively, for those families with children struggling with the cost of going back to school.

These approaches to improving the quality of life provides CENFACS the opportunity to develop its own approach and agenda in working with the back-to-school poor and families.  We shall be working with them via Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life.

 

• • • Surgeries for Improving Quality of Life

 

S4IQoL are a set time during which CENFACS can be consulted by its members and members of sister communities on issues relating to improving the quality of life.  S4IQoL will be held during CENFACS’ Back-to-school Clinics hours.  S4IQoL deal with measures relating to needs and resources of the back-to-school poor and their families.

In particular, S4IQoL cover a spectrum of measures or issues relating to health and access to healthcare, employment and working conditions, education and skills development, housing, security of life and property, environment and nature, recreation and culture, economic resources (like income, wealth, property and other assets).  These measures are designed to support the back-to-school poor families beyond the need of back-to-school poverty reduction.

The above is our message for reducing back-to-school poverty and hardships as well as improving quality of life.

To support CENFACS’ sustainable development initiative relating to back-to-school poverty reduction to improve the quality of life, please also contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/quality-of-life.html (accessed in September 2024)

(2) https://www.brightafrica.riscura.com/sources-of-capital-on-the-continent/pension-funds/africas-pension-fund-assets/# (accessed in September 2024)

(3) https://jupiter.money/blog/investment-planning (accessed in September 2024)

(4) https://publichealthontario.ca/en/Health-Topics/Environment (accessed in September 2024)

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

(6) Nazif-Munoz  H, Cedeno Laurent J G, Browning M, Spengler J, Olvera Alvarez HA. Green, Brown, and Gray: Associations between Different Measurements of Land Patterns and Depression among Nursing Students in El Paso, Texas. Int.-Environ Res Public Health.2020 No. 4; 17(21): 8146. doi: 10.3390/ijerph 17218146. PMID: 33158170; PMCID: PMC7662514 

(7) https://cop29.az (accessed in September 2024)

(8) https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-your-voice/news/baku-bonn-un-climate-change-conference-2024-06-14_en (accessed in September 2024) 

(9) cenfacs.org.uk/blog/September04, 2024 (accessed in September 2024)

(10) https://www.povertyimpactnetwork.com/blog/hygiene-poverty/what-is-hygiene-poverty# (accessed in September 2023)

(11) https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/net-zero-target (accessed in September 2023)

(12) Jacobson, T. & Chang, L. (2019), Sen’s Capabilities Approach and the Measurement of Communication Outcomes in Journal of Information Policy. 9:111-131, available at https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0111 (accessed in August 2024) 

(13) Oxford Dictionary of Sociology (2009), eds. Scott, J. & Marshall, G., Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York

(14) https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-maintain-a-high-quality-of-life-3144723# (accessed in September 2024)

(15) https://www.verywellmind.com/getting-through-back-to-school-stress-free-8702279# (accessed in September 2024)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

04 September 2024

 

Post No. 368

 

 

Welcome back Message

 

Before starting the contents of the blog and post of this first Wednesday of September 2024, we would like to welcome back all those who are returning this month.

We are welcoming back the following:

∝ Our users, project beneficiaries supporters, members, representatives of Africa-based Sister Organisations, audiences and other stakeholders who came back from Summer break and school holiday

∝ Those who are or have been working during the Summertime

∝ Those who lost touch with us for various reasons and would like to come back.

This welcoming back message also applies to those using or helping or supporting our UK and Africa Development programmes.

 

Welcome back to all of you for a happy, healthy and good return! 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Back-to-relief Programme 2024: Programme for Pre-autumn Season 2024

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty in 2024

• Activity/Task 9 of the Transitions (‘t’) Year and Project: Guide People Who Are Transitioning

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

The key message from our weekly communication and menu, which is often made of three courses, is as follows.

 

• Back-to-relief Programme 2024: Programme for Pre-autumn Season 2024

 

To smooth the understanding of this key message, let us briefly explain back-to-relief programme, September as advice- and guidance-giving month within CENFACS, the particularity of this year’s programme, the potential beneficiaries of this programme, and the possible needs of these beneficiaries.

 

• • What Is Back-to-relief Programme?

 

Back-to-relief Programme is a set of related activities and services with an aim of reducing poverty (particularly back-to-school poverty but not exclusively) amongst multi-dimensional poor children, young and families (MDPCYPFs) by working with them to meet their needs after summer break and/or school holiday so that they can start September 2024 without or with less hardship.

The programme is made of a number of supportive elements like the following:

Capacity and skills development, advice, advocacy, translation, information, guidance, support to child educational needs in Africa, signposting, etc. 

The programme is generally run around September and can be extended to October depending on the needs and demand in the community and available resources.

 

 

• • September: Advice- and Guidance-giving Month

 

We run Advice service as part of our activities throughout the year.  However, Advice is CENFACS’ main theme in September and in the back-to-school season.  Because of that, it is more pronounced in September and the back-to-school season compared to other months of the year.  In other words, we invest more resources in advice in September than at any other times of the year.

We provide generalist advice to both individuals and organisations as mentioned above.  We also give specialist advice on matters relating to the fields of poverty reduction and Africa’s development.

Where both individuals and organisations need specialist advice in other matters than poverty reduction or Africa’s development, we guide them.  We can as well signpost beneficiaries to other organisations/individuals providing specialist advice if beneficiaries’ request for advice is beyond or outside our advice capacity and resources.

Advice and Guidance can be given in the context of Back-to-Relief Programme and outside this context.  When Advice and Guidance are given in the context of Back-to-Relief Programme, they become constituent part of this programme like other elements making this programme.

The programme is particular in its kind as it targets certain types of returnees and what these returnees may need.

 

• • The Particularity of This Year’s Programme

 

The Back-to-relief 2024 programme is designed to include the needs of these returnees.  It is also conceptualised to anticipate any changes of economic situation.

Our Back-to-relief 2024 programme will be delivered in the current context of the UK economy; context in which the current bank rate is 5% (1), the consumer prices index including owner occupiers’ housing costs rose by 3.1% (2) and the rise of 10% on average (3) from 1 October 2024 for the price to be paid for gas and electricity by most households.

These three indicators (that is, the bank rate, consumer prices index and energy price) affect or will affect the real household disposable income and the cost of living.  The latter is still higher at the moment.  Besides that, we shall factorise in this programme other events (like the lingering effects of the polycrises, changing climate, etc.).  This year’s programme has been specifically designed to take account of these indicators.

 

• • Types of Returnees Who May Need This Year’s Programme

 

At the end of this Summer 2024 and during this September, we may have three types of returnees, who are:

 

√ MDPCYPFs who already planned what they want to do and how they will continue to manage the above-mentioned indicators and their other aspects of life

√ MDPCYPFs who already planned their start of September and the end of Summer 2024, but they may need some help to carry on with their plan or family project

√ MDPCYPFs who could not plan because they could be overwhelmed by the impact of these factors/indicators or poverty and may need advice or guidance in terms of coping strategies during this September

√ MDPCYPFs struggling with back-to-school transitions and change from Summer holiday to school return

√ MDPCYPFs who need transitionary skills and transitioning back-to-school programme to adjust to life cycle transition.

 

• • What These Returnees May Need

 

Because we are dealing with MDPCYPFs, who are supposed to be poor or in need, they could ask for some support in the form of information, advice and guidance to cope or manage their transition problems.

They could even require further advisory support during this September as many of them would face the pressure linked to the end of Summer and the start of Autumn, in particular those families having to deal with the financial pressure of the start of the new academic year for their children.

They need advice and guidance to cope with poverty in which they are already living, to deal with the on-going cost-of-living crisis and the financial pressure to send back to school their children for those having children at schooling age.  This is why we have assembled and blended activities and services (that is; the Back-to-relief Programme) to work with them.

For more details on CENFACS’ Back-to-relief Programme, please read the details under Main Development section of this post.

 

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Back-to-school Poverty in 2024

 

Our goal for the month of September 2024 is the reduction of back-to-school poverty.  To deliver this goal, we need to understand it and work with those who may likely experience back-to-school poverty.

 

• • What Is Back-to-school Poverty?

 

Back-to-school poverty is the inability to afford the educational requirements of the start of the new school year.  It is the incapability or incapacity for parents and carers to meet the basic life-sustaining needs of the education for their children in terms of purchasing school items (such as uniforms, clothes, books, electronics, etc.) and providing the basic infrastructures and necessities (whether it is at home or outside) to support the education of their children.

This incapacity can include other expenses that compete against or with educational materials; expenses that are school fees, living expenses to start a new school year, transport cost to travel to schools, food, a place to study at home, family relocation, adequate meal to study, a proper bed to sleep well, health costs, basic healthcare and hygiene at home, etc.

As Walden University (4) puts it,

“It [poverty] pervades multiple areas of life – and for parents whose income is below the poverty line, it often means sending their children to school hungry, along with other disadvantages, both academic and otherwise”.

For back-to-school poor children, back-to-school poverty or deprivations could be their inability to cope with changes, new routines and meeting new people.

Back-to-school poverty can be tackled.  This is why during this September we will be working with those suffering or may suffer from back-to-school poverty so that they can find the tools and means to navigate their way out of this type of poverty.

 

• • Back-to-school Clinics to Help Tackle Back-to-school Poverty

 

CENFACS does not provide money to tackle back-to-school poverty; CENFACS can however work with parents of children going back to school in sessions whereby they can have social prescription or the tools to transition or navigate their way out of the back-to-school poverty.

CENFACS can work with the community through its advice service and other services so that the members of its community can find their way out of this type of poverty.  Particularly and specifically, CENFACS’ Back-to-school Clinics can work with them to tackle back-to-school poverty or deprivations in the following ways:

 

√ Reducing the competition between living expenses and educational expenses within the household budget coverage

√ Exploring potential supporters to help them with educational costs for their children education

√ Budgeting with them their living expenses for a better start of the academic year

√ Examining together any issues relating to transport cost to travel to schools or places of education while advising them on net zero CO2 emitting means of transport

√ Discussing ways of saving on energy use, food and meals relating to educational purposes

√ Looking into school catchment area for those looking for a place to study

√ Working on a feasible and realistic plan when studying at home

√ Re-examining back-to-school spending and income budgets for households

√ Supporting family relocation matters (e.g., accommodation in the vicinity of schools and working places for parents)

√ Working with them to tackle hygiene poverty and learning poverty to keep children better engaged with their education and learning

√ Managing transitionary changes from the Summer schedule and routines to the school schedule

Etc.

 

The above is our poverty reduction goal for this month, which is part of our back-to-school campaign and which we are asking to our audiences and supporters to help or promote.

 

 

• Activity/Task 9 of the Transitions (‘t’) Year and Project: Guide People Who Are Transitioning

 

Our Transitions (‘t’) Year and Project has reached its 9th Activity/Task which is ‘Guide People Who Are Transitioning’.

 

• • What This Guidance Activity/Task Is about?

 

This Activity/Task is about guiding and supporting the people with transition problems by providing them practical tips and resources for transitions and change.  It is about leading, directing and showing the way to those who are struggling with transitions and who need help, advice or counselling.

 

• • Supporting This Activity/Task

 

Those who would like to proceed with this activity/task by themselves can go ahead.

Those who would to be part of a working group helping in the realisation of this activity/task can let CENFACS know.

For those who need some help themselves before embarking on this activity/task, they can speak to CENFACS.  To speak to CENFACS, they are required to plan in advance or prepare themselves regarding the issues they would like to raise.

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

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 04/09/2024: Household Financial Action Plan

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – It is time to share the contents of your creative activity

• Unlock Your Summer 2024 Holiday Data and Tell Your Story

 

 

• Financial Plan Updates for Households – In Focus from Wednesday 04/09/2024: Household Financial Action Plan

 

Like any couple who would like to have a baby needs to plan, households too need to plan and update their finances if they want to have a financial security and peace of mind in the future. 

As part of a 4-series of Financial Plan Updates for Households we are working with households making our community and wanting to update their financial plan.  The first serial of these updates is on Household Financial Action Plan.  Before going any further, let us explain the meaning of financial plan.

 

• • What Is a Financial Plan?

 

Financial plan can be defined in many ways.  In this first serial of our Financial Plan Updates for Households, we are referring to the definition given by ‘financestrategists.com’ (5), which argues that

“A financial plan is a written statement of your current financial condition, intended financial state, a timeline for achieving [your financial] goals, and the steps you will take to get there”.

The same ‘financestrategists.com’ explains that

“Your current financial condition is the foundation for all financial planning and the goals you hope to achieve.  It will involve adding up your income, estimating expenses, creating a budget, managing debt load, savings and investment inventory, and the like”.

Although ‘financestrategists.com’ clearly speaks about businesses in their definition of financial plan, their definition can be applied to households with some adjustments.  Indeed, households need to clarify their financial goals and roadmap in the form of plan to indicate where they want go and to be in six months, one year, two years, etc.  As ‘creditkarma.com'(6) puts it,

“With a financial plan, you can start and grow your savings, ensure you are prepared for emergencies, improve your quality of life, and set yourself up for a financially stable future”.

There are households which are skilful enough and capable of writing their own financial plan.  Likewise, there are online resources and platforms that can help in producing financial plan.  There are other households that need some help and support.  Amongst them are the household members of the CENFACS Community.

Because we are also talking about financial action plan, we need to explain what an action plan is.

 

• • What Is an Action Plan?

 

The website ‘vennage.com’ (7) states that

“An action plan is a meticulously structured strategy that pinpoints specific steps, tasks and resources vital to turning a goal into reality… It is the strategic map that outlines every step, decision and pitstop needed to reach your ultimate decision”.

From this definition of action plan, it is possible to argue that a financial action plan is a meticulously structured strategy that applies to one’s finances.  In the design of this strategy, one needs to include the above-mentioned definition of financial plan into their financial action plan.  It is this financial action plan which is the focus of our work with the community this week.

 

• • Working with the Community on Financial Action Plan

 

There are many models of financial planning or steps.  In our plan to work with the community, we are going to use the following model of eight components of financial planning as explained by ‘financestrategists.com’ (op. cit.):

 

1) Financial goals (what households hope to achieve with their money)

2) Net worth statement (a snapshot of their financial health)

3) Cash flow projections (a detailed estimate of their income and expenses)

4) Short-, medium- and long-term budget (a plan of 6 months to 2 years,  2 to 5 years, 5 to 10 years or more  on how they are going to earn and spend their money)

5) Debt management plan (a thought-out arrangement on how they are going to pay their creditors/lenders)

6) Investment plan (a strategy to make their money work for them and grow their money)

7) Insurance plan (a cover for life, health and disability)

8) Retirement plan (assurance that they will have enough money to live on during the retirement).

 

To the above eight points, we can add children’s future planning, education planning, tax planning, etc.  To be consistent with themselves, households need to monitor and review their financial plan.

So, our work with them will be about reviewing their financial plan and updating it in the light and in line with new data in their life circumstances and changing economic climate.  Financial planning will help them deal with economic variables (like inflation, interest rate), contingency emergencies, enjoy a better standard of living, increase their savings, and have a financial peace of mind.  It is finally about getting their finances organised.

Those who may be interested in updating their Financial Action Plan can contact CENFACS for further details.

If you need support with your Financial Plan Updates, please do not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – It is time to share the contents of your creative activity

 

After six weeks of journaling, it is time to start sharing the contents of your journal.  Indeed, during the last six weeks of Summer, some of you have been journaling on one of the six predictors that explain happiness and healthiness, which are: income, social support, healthy life expectancy, generosity, freedom, and trust.  They have been also journaling on the components of wellness.

As previously said, the contents of these journals could be shared with the community at the end of Summer 2024 as a Summer memory or souvenir.  Although Summer is not yet over, those who have created their Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal can start to share with the community.  However, in order to share their contents they may need a strategy and tools as well as to monitor their social performance.

 

• • Content Sharing Strategy

 

You need to plan or strategize yourself the way in which you want to share your content. In other words, you need to have a process of or planning and conducting some content sharing tasks.

 

• • Content Sharing Tools

 

You also need implements or instruments to deliver your content to us and others.

For example, if you want to share you content online you can refer to online tools to do it.  Let say you use Twitter.  You can use Twitter feed to share your content to a range of platforms.  You can go online to share your content.  You can use online tools to do it.  You can share it multiple times.  You need to have social sharing plugins on.

 

• • Monitoring Your Social Performance

 

You can monitor your performance in content sharing. 

For example, you can monitor the traffic you get to your posts relating to Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal, whether it is online or offline.

Please share with the community your experience of happy, healthy and good Summer through the contents of your journal to help build a better Summer holiday experience and memory.

 

 

• Unlock Your Summer 2024 Holiday Data and Tell Your Story

 

In our July and August 2024 communications, we asked everybody to store and keep their Summer data so that when we all return in September, we can report back or share parts of our Summer experiences that are shareable and spreadable.

Now some of you are back, we can try to feedback our poverty-reduction and development experiences of using Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness projects and of any other similar activities over the Summer period.  To feedback, you may need ways of unlocking your summer data.

 

• • Ways of Unlocking Your Summer Data

 

To unlock your Summer data, one can proceed with the following:

 

σ Have your holiday records updated, complete and accurate

σ Know where your data is stored or sitting (e.g., mobile phone camera, laptop, tablet, etc.)

σ Extract your data including images from sources where they are stored

σ Use technology or manual means to unlock them

etc.

 

• • What You Can Report Back or Story You Can Tell

 

Apart from the above-mentioned experiences, one can feedback any creations, any other experiences, any community practices and any volunteering stories, if they volunteered, they had over the last two months.

One can report back a personal Summer experience as well.

Likewise, one can combine their Summer journal (about predictors that explain happiness and healthiness) and this reporting back exercise into a single or all-in-one Summer report.

For those who managed to store their Summer data and who would like to share their experiences, this is the time to start unlocking their Summer data and preparing to tell their Summer story.

 

• •  The Good Thing about Sharing Your Experiences

 

Sharing your experiences with us helps to keep the CENFACS Community active, engaged, connected and grow together.  It also contributes in carrying out prescriptive analytics that enables to use smart data discovery capabilities to predict market developments, trends and insights to help relieve or possibly end poverty and hardships within our community and beyond.

Please share your poverty-relieving and development experiences and contents with us; parts of your experiences and contents that you think are shareable and perhaps spreadable.

Should anyone have any concern about data protection issues regarding the sharing of their information, please let CENFACS know.  We will be able to assist.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Examen de la performance financière

Ce qui suit est le récapitulatif de nos encaissements et paiements pour l’exercice se terminant le 30 juin 2024.

Du côté des paiements, les effets persistants du coût de la vie se sont poursuivis.  En raison de ces effets, nos coûts ont augmenté, sauf pour les bénévoles et les comptes de ravitaillement.  Nous avons fourni des rafraîchissements à faible coût et couvert des dépenses très raisonnables pour les bénévoles.

Trois comptes (c’est-à-dire timbres-poste, transports et voyages, et bureaux divers) ont affiché une augmentation énorme.

En ce qui concerne les comptes postaux, nous devions maintenir des moyens d’impliquer nos usagers et les bénéficiaires de projets qui étaient encore attachés au courrier imprimé et papier.  Cependant, le prix de l’affranchissement de première classe d’une lettre pesant de 0 à 100g est passé de 1,25 £ en 2023 à 2,70 £ en 2024. Cette augmentation a eu un impact sur notre compte de timbres-poste.

Concernant les transports et les déplacements, nous avons continué à travailler en mode hybride.  Nous avons continué à investir dans des moyens de travail en ligne et virtuels afin d’améliorer l’efficacité de l’ensemble du CENFACS.  Mais, cela ne nous a pas empêché d’améliorer nos contacts en personne avec les intervenants. Cependant, l’augmentation du prix des transports et des services connexes a entraîné une augmentation de nos transports et de nos déplacements en raison des réunions en personne, du réseautage et du travail de sensibilisation.

Pour ce qui est des articles divers du bureau, nous avons dépensé un montant raisonnable pour répondre aux besoins de l’administration du bureau à la suite des économies que nous avons réalisées l’année précédente sur ce compte.  Ces dépenses diverses de bureau étaient destinées à nous couvrir contre l’incertitude de l’économie.

Les autres comptes qui ont connu une augmentation sont l’impression et la photocopie (54%), la papeterie et les livres (26%), les abonnements informatiques (10%), la téléphonie mobile et l’internet (34%). En effet, pour répondre aux préférences des usagers et aux évolutions technologiques, nous avons dû maintenir un niveau de stock de papeterie relativement adéquat.  Cela nous a permis d’éviter les ruptures de stock.  De même, le prix des cartouches d’encre était plus élevé. Pourtant, les estampes étaient toujours populaires parmi nos utilisateurs.  En outre, les frais d’hébergement Web et de large bande ont été augmentés; ce qui signifie que notre abonnement informatique ne pouvait pas rester le même.

En ce qui a trait à la collecte de fonds et aux recettes, il restait à relever le défi de recueillir les fonds nécessaires pour répondre aux besoins de la communauté.  Cela pourrait s’expliquer en partie par l’effet cumulatif des effets persistants de la crise du coût de la vie et de l’incertitude économique qui a continué à susciter des hésitations ou des réticences à l’égard de nombreux donateurs et bailleurs de fonds individuels.

Nous devons admettre que nous avons encore des demandes de financement pour lesquelles nous n’avons pas encore reçu de réponses de donateurs/bailleurs de fonds/bailleurs de fonds potentiels.  Cela signifie qu’il y a des raisons de croire qu’il est encore possible d’obtenir des réponses positives de leur part ou de générer des fonds.

A propos de fonds de trésorerie, nos fonds de trésorerie ont maintenu leurs tendances ascendantes.  Au cours de l’exercice 2023/2024, nous avons enregistré la même augmentation (12%) que lors de l’exercice 2022/2023.  D’un point de vue comptable, nous avons réussi à augmenter nos recettes par rapport aux paiements, car nos recettes ont presque souligné une augmentation de 12 %.  Nous avons continué à faire des économies sur le budget à l’étranger, les frais de bénévolat, les rafraîchissements, la publicité et l’annonce, la traduction, le matériel et le mobilier de bureau, les bénéficiaires des projets, la recherche et le développement et les coûts de collecte de fonds.  Cette augmentation et les économies réalisées sur les paiements ont donné lieu à un solde net positif de notre compte des recettes et des paiements pour l’exercice.

Nous espérons que le rebond de nos fonds de trésorerie se poursuivra régulièrement et sera même perceptible au cours de l’exercice 2024/2025. Nous pouvons également nous attendre à ce que les fruits de nos efforts de collecte de fonds apparaissent pleinement au cours du nouvel exercice financier (2024/2025) et au-delà.

Nous pouvons nous attendre à ce que les nouvelles politiques gouvernementales en matière de financement des organismes de bienfaisance ouvrent une nouvelle fenêtre de possibilités pour accroître le soutien financier à notre noble et belle cause de la réduction de la pauvreté.

Nous avons hâte que la communauté fasse davantage de dons à mesure que l’économie et la situation financière s’améliorent.

Merci.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Back-to-relief Programme 2024: Programme for Pre-autumn Season 2024

 

The following covers our programme for this pre-autumnal season:

 

∝ Back-to-relief Projects

∝ Open Days under Back-to-Relief Programme

∝ Support for Crises-impacted Children in Africa 

∝ Back to the Upkeep of the Nature This September 2024

∝ Back to Advisory Support this September 2024

∝ Back to the Upkeep of the Nature with the Theme of “Brown Spaces”

∝ Brown Spaces-focused Note for Week Beginning 04/09/2024

 

Let us briefly explain these contents.

 

 

• • Back-to-relief Projects 

 

As previously mentioned, most of our projects and programmes are organised to take into account the lives and needs of our beneficiaries, supporters as well.  Some of them will be back this week after Summer break.  They are back for the New Academic Year and New Relief, year for which we have prepared projects and programmes to work with them so that they can meet their existing, challenging, changing and emerging needs – the back-to-relief projects and programmes.

Amongst the back-to-relief projects and programmes, there are these two ones:  Open Days and Support to Children.

 

• • Open Days under Back-to-Relief Programme

 

Since we set up hybrid way of delivering service as a legacy of the coronavirus, we continue to operate virtually/online and in-person.  There are reasons we operate both ways.

One of these reasons is that it is not always easy for people, especially those who have some physical handicaps and parents with small kids, to in-person move and meet service providers if this service provision cannot physically come to them even if the need is pressing.

Where we are in a position to in-person organise the service requested, users can in-person access the given service prior to arranging an appointment.

So, our open days will be both virtual and in-person.  They are virtual days to enable those in need but cannot move physically to access services.  They are in-person for those who prefer in-person open days.  For the latter ones, they need to book an appointment for in-person open day to happen.

 

• • • What are virtual and in-person open days?

 

Virtual and In-person Open Days (VIODs) are days and hours when CENFACS Community members and the members of sister communities can have real chance or taste of poverty reduction experience with CENFACS.  They are part of a back-to-relief initiative or campaign organised by CENFACS during this September 2024 to enable people in need to access our advice service and other similar services in order to reduce or end poverty linked to their situations or conditions of life.

 

• • • How VIODs work

 

Our Virtual Open Day, which will be every Fridays of September 2024, will be held from 10 am to 2 pm.

You can access VODs by contacting CENFACS.

You do not need to register with us.

Every Fridays, you can either email or phone or even text between 10 am and 2 pm.

Our In-person Open Day, which will also be every Fridays of September 2024, will be held from 10 am to 2 pm.   An appointment needs to be booked to have in-person open day.

For more on CENFACS’ Virtual and In-person Open Hours and Days as well as how they work, please contact us.

 

 

• • Support for Crisis-impacted Children in Africa 

 

Another back-to-relief initiative for this September 2024 is Support for Crisis-impacted Children in Africa, particularly the Children of Conflict-stricken and Climate Change-affected Areas of Africa in this September and beyond. The majority of these children may not start school or return to school this September because of the following events:

 

> the outbreak of fighting internally displacing them (like the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo)

> violence against them as it is happening in the Central Sahel region of Africa

> severe weather conditions (e.g., flooding in Sudan)

> severe acute malnutrition (e.g., in East Africa)

etc.

 

As a result of these events on children not starting or returning to school this September, we shall revisit the following eight humanitarian appeals, which are:

 

√ Libya-Morocco Joint Influence Appeal

√ Support Children Impacted by Crisis in Africa

√ Giving Hope for the Humanitarian Needy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024

√ Halving Children Poverty in the G5 Sahel

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

√ The New Internally Displaced Persons of Insecurity in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Need Lighting a Blaze of Hope

√ Burundi’s Flood Victims Ask for Your Aid

√ The Conflict- and Natural Disaster-related Internally Displaced Persons in Africa Need Your Influence Now!

 

These appeals were launched under the Light projects.

The people on whose behalf these appeals were made included children. Children were amongst displaced persons, the victims of conflict, the impacted of natural events and food insecure as part of appeal beneficiaries.

While one can still ask the progress made to save and rebuild these crises-impacted lives, one can also question about the support that the children affected by these crises are receiving and/or received, especially at this challenging time of the pressures of the costs of living.

This questioning is relevant as we are in September when a new school or academic year starts in many parts of the world and of Africa.  This questioning is even founded at this time when many parents will struggle to provide school uniforms and equipment to send their children back to school.

Parents and children have another battle where school infrastructures and buildings were destroyed because of events like wars and natural disasters, or simply occupied as refuges by the war and climate change victims.

These negative effects are even greater for children from poor places in developing countries (like of Africa) where educational opportunities have been denied to many of them regardless of the current global economic situation.

So, during this September we will be working on this back-to-relief initiative to explore ways of keeping education alive for these unfortunate children living in those parts of Africa in crisis.  Through this initiative, we will help get education and learning back on track for these children.

For further details about this initiative, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • Back to the Upkeep of the Nature This September 2024

 

September is also the month we resume our advocacy work on the upkeep of the nature.  Normally, this advocacy starts from the protection and care of animals in Africa from illegal killings, extinction and poaching.  In the last week of September 2024, we shall focus on saving endangered fish through our new initiative called ‘Mbisi’ (that is, Maintaining Bagrus In Situ Inhabitation).  It is an advocacy for the endangered fish species.

Mbisi is a new advocacy project planned by CENFACS to help protect critically endangered fish species and keep  them up in their natural habitat in Africa.  Fishes like Bagrus, Boyoma Falls Upside Down Catfish, the Ruwenzori Lampeye, the Line-spotted Ufipa Barb, the Arnegard Electric Fish, the Kunungu Air-Breathing Catfish, African Wedgefish (Rynchobatus Luebbert) and the Angel Squeaker are endangered species because of environmental threats and unregulated fishing activities.

The ‘Mbisi’ project, which has already kicked off, will help us to advocate for a safe life for fish species.

Another initiative featuring this September 2024 is our advocacy on lands which will be conducted under the theme of “Brown Spaces“.  Brown Spaces take stock of the advocacy on spaces which we worked on since September 2019.

In September 2019, we worked on the Protection of the Oceans (particularly the waters surrounding Africa and the rivers and lakes in Africa).  In September 2020, we carried on with the advocacy on waters through the theme of “Blue Spaces”.  In September 2021, we had a 3-week work on sea level rise as notes for the “Blue Spaces”.  In September 2022, we had three weeks and five days of advocacy work on safe, inclusive and accessible Green spaces.  In September 2023, we continued our space analysis and advocacy with the theme of “Grey Spaces” and space implications for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

This September 2024, we are advocating about Brown Spaces, the redevelopment of these spaces (that is, brown space or brownfield redevelopment).   The notes for this new advocacy which are on “the Redevelopment of Brownfields or Brown Spaces” start from the 4^th of September 2024.

To conclude the month, we will have some e-discussions on circular economy.

Briefly, Back to the Upkeep of the Nature this September 2024 will include the “Mbisi” advocacy project, access to natural spaces with the theme of “Brown Spaces” and an e-discussion on circular economy (on how to improve circularity inside your household).

 

• • Back to Advisory Support This September 2024

 

As above mentioned, Advice is CENFACS’ main theme for September.  We provide advice to both individuals and organisations.

 

 

• • • Advice Service for Individuals

 

Some of you are aware that most of CENFACS services in the UK are designed to support multi-dimensional poor children, young people and families (CYPFs).  After the summer break, many of them will come back to start their life again.  From September onward, they will go back to school for CYPs and to work and training for parents and guardians. 

They may need or ask for support to restart or look for occupational opportunity or even just resume their routine activity in September.  Their needs could include the following:

 

∝ Finding a new school or a nursery for children

∝ Registration to health services

∝ Finding accommodation or relocating

∝ Accessing training opportunity or employment

∝ Looking for a new occupation to deal with the economic effects of the costs of living 

∝ Finding help to adjust their life after Summer break or any period of inactivity

∝ Looking for direction to overcome the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis 

∝ Finding ways of resetting or changing their systems of living

Etc.

 

Besides the above main menu, we shall have Transitioning Back-to-school Programme.  This is a new experiment or experience of working with parents or families who may struggle to manage back-to-school transitions for children suffering from mobility to cope with changes, new routines and meeting new people.

We can provide advisory support to them. Where our capacity is limited, we can refer and/or signpost them to relevant specialist services and organisations to help them meet their needs.

We do it under CENFACS’ Capacity Advice Service which was established since 2004 (through CENFACS’ Capacity Advice and Development project for Croydon’s African and Minority Ethnic People) to help individuals gain various types of help.

 

The types of help we provide include:

 

√ Translation (English to French and vice versa)

√ Interpreting

√ Generalist advice

√ Guidance

√ Signposting

√ Referral

√ Advocacy

Etc.

 

As we are in a digital era, we adapted the provision of the above listed help while still retaining its essence. Three years ago, we introduced leaves in this service to make it Leaves-based Advice Service.

You can contact CENFACS for the range of issues included in this service and to find out if your problem can be dealt with.

Regarding Translation service, we would like to remind everybody that the 30th of September 2024 is the International Translation Day.  For those who need a translation service, they can contact us on the day for translation.  But, they need to let us know at least three days before so that we can include their request in our plan.

 

 

• • • Advice Service for Organisations 

 

The same advice service applies to overseas and Africa-based Sister Organisations. 

Under our international advice service, we can advise them on the following matters:

 

√ Capacity building and development

√ Project planning and development

√ Poverty reduction within the context of Africa Continental Free Trade Area

√ Not-for-profit investment and development

√ Absorption capacity development

√ Fundraising and grant-seeking leads

√ Income generation and streams

√ Sustainable development

√ Not-for-profit investment and impact investing

√ Monitoring and evaluation

Etc. 

 

Again, where our capacity to advise is limited, we can refer and or signpost them to relevant international services and organisations. This advisory support for Africa-based Sister Organisations is throughout the year and constituent part of our work with them.  However, they can take advantage of our advice-giving month to seek further advice on any of the above matters.

To access advice services, please contact CENFACS.  To register for or enquire about advice services, go to www.cenfacs.org.uk/services-activities.

 

 

• • Back to the Upkeep of the Nature with the Theme of “Brown Spaces”

  

The following will help deal with this theme: theme statement and key notes covering this theme.

 

• • • Theme statement 

 

The theme of “Brown Spaces” under the back to the upkeep of the nature (which is part of our back-to-relief programme) is about making the redevelopment of brown spaces benefit from blue and green spaces in a safe, inclusive and accessible way.   It is also about working for this redevelopment of brown spaces brings new opportunities to those in need to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

To help achieve poverty reduction and sustainable development in the redevelopment brown spaces, there could be a need to mainstream conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, to ensure biodiversity-inclusive urbanisation and to improve the health and well-being of the potential beneficiaries of this redevelopment.

Therefore, we are going to look at how the redevelopment of brown spaces can benefit the people in need.  Before looking at it, let us define brown spaces.

 

• • • What Is a Brown Space?

 

Within the literature about spaces, brown spaces or brownfields are underdeveloped green spaces found in both urban and rural areas.  There are many definitions about these spaces which have a common denominator.

According to ‘gosolve.co.uk’ (8),

“Brownfield land refers to previously developed sites that have become underutilised or abandoned, often due to changing industrial practice or contamination from former use”.

The website ‘safetyculture.com’ (9) takes even a hard line of reasoning to define brownfield as

“A piece of land or property that has been previously used for industrial or commercial purposes and is suspected to have been contaminated, such as soil contamination due to toxic waste.  Put simply, a brownfield is a piece of land that has been contaminated with dangerous substances and may pose a risk to the people who will be using it in the future when it is not properly cleaned up”.

Adversely, the website ‘eli.org’ (10) argues that there could be benefits deriving from the redevelopment of brown spaces.  In particular, ‘eli.org’ explains that

“When owners or developers clean up brownfields and put them to new uses, many people benefit.  Clean ups address environmental problems.  Redevelopment can bring new jobs and higher tax revenues.  Revitalised brownfields can breathe new life into neighbourhoods”.

It is the number of benefits deriving from the redevelopment or clean up of brownfields, in particular but not limited to the poor, which makes the substance of our work on brown spaces and their redevelopment.  To work on them, we have organised ourselves in the manner indicated below.

 

• • • Four key notes to work on Brown Spaces

 

To materialise what we have said above, we have planned four key notes or topics (as shown on the above figure relating to brown space theme) which include:

 

1) The benefits from the redevelopment of Brown Spaces to the community

2) Elimination of health and safety hazards

3) Bringing new opportunities (e.g., jobs into the community, impact investing)

4) Interaction between the redevelopment of Brown Spaces, Blue Spaces, Green Spaces and Grey Spaces in the Process of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development.

 

The notes or topics will be the vehicle by which we shall illustrate the central theme or message of the redevelopment of Brown Spaces.   Through these notes, we hope users in their journey with us to undergo change in the long term in the way they approach Brown Spaces.

Let’s now summarise the first note or topic of our September 2024 work on Brown Spaces; note which started from 04 September 2024.

 

 

• • Brown Spaces-focused Note from Wednesday 04/09/2024: The Benefits from the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces to the Community

 

Cleaning up and reusing a site which once was brown one can result in a number of benefits as the literature on brown spaces shows.  What are these benefits?

 

• • • Benefits arising from the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces

 

The literature on the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces provides a number of benefits.  Amongst the benefits, are

 

> the creation of goodwill for the community

> the reduction of the likelihood of contaminated property

> the decrease in liabilities for the environment

> addressing the challenges of growing populations

> dealing with urbanisation issue

> optimization of the use of land

etc.

 

It is this kind of benefits that we are dealing with.

 

• • • Making the redevelopment benefits reach the poor

 

It would be desirable that these benefits go to the poor (for example, a social housing development stemming from the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces benefiting the poor as long as it is safe and healthy for human occupation).  If these benefits do not trickle down to the poor, then there is a problem that needs to be addressed in terms of fair distributional effects resulting from the redevelopment of brownfields or brown spaces.

There is more to argue and prove about the benefits from the Redevelopment of Brown Spaces to the Community.

 

• • • Working with CENFACS Community members to capture the redevelopment benefits

 

What we are interested in here is whether or not these benefits go to the poor, especially our community members.  We are as well interested in the experience that our members had with the redevelopment of Brown Spaces in terms of poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Those of our members living nearby the areas of the redevelopment of brown spaces may or may not know what they can do.  They may not be aware that they could be consulted to provide their opinion about the redevelopment.  They may or may not be informed if there have been health and safety tests on the site.  

By working together with them, they can improve the way they can participate in the decision-making process relating the go-ahead about the redevelopment of brown spaces.  By working together, we can identify areas of unmet needs within our community and generate projects or activities to help satisfy those unmet needs.

So, this note will help us to work together with the community members on ways of finding the bases for self-organisation, negotiation, empowerment and providing their opinion in the decision-making process relating to the redevelopment of brown spaces, should they get consulted.

For those of our members who would like to work with us on how they can self-organise, negotiate and empower themselves, they are welcome to work with us.  Amongst those who can work with us are those who have been consulted to give their opinion about a particular redevelopment of brown spaces near where they live.

For those members who would like to share their experience in terms of the benefits resulting from the redevelopment of brown spaces regarding their safety, inclusivity and accessibility to services offered as well as effects on their lives; they are also invited to share it with us.

For those who would like to further discuss with us any other matters or insights relating to the redevelopment of Brown Spaces, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

Finally, those who have any queries and enquiries about this year’s Back-to-relief Programme and Projects 2024, they can let CENFACS know them.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy-summary-and-minutes/2024/august-2024 (accessed in September 2024)

(2) https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices (accessed in September 2024)

(3) https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-price-cap (accessed in September 2024)

(4) www.waldenu.edu/progressas/education/resource/what-is-poverty-and-what-role-does-it-play-in-our-school (accessed in September 2023)

(5) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-plan/ (accessed in September 2024)

(6) https://www.creditkarma.com/financial-planning (accessed in September 2024)

(7) https://vennage.com/blog/action-plan/# (accessed in September 2024)

(8) https://www.gosolve.co.uk/brown-grey-green-field-land-development (accessed in September 2024)

(9) https://www.safetyculture.com/topics/brownfields/ (accessed in September 2024)

(10) https://www.eli.org/brownfields-program/brownfields-basics# (accessed in September 2024)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

28 August 2024

 

Post No. 367

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• CENFACS Annual Review 2023/2024

• The Internally Displaced Persons of Kwilu Need Your Support

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods – Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 28/08/2024: Low-cost Technologies and Innovations Associated with Aquatic Foods

… And much more!

 

COMING THIS SEPTEMBER 2024:

 

Key Messages

 

• CENFACS Annual Review 2023/2024

 

CENFACS Annual Review 2023/2024 is a snapshot of what we did between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024.  As it is stated, it is neither a statutory annual report nor an annual return.

It is a summary of the year 2023/2024 in the life of CENFACS that reports back to our supporters, users, project beneficiaries, members and other stakeholders the impact we have made; impact through stories, quantitative and qualitative data.

The review highlights accomplishments made and recollects milestones for the above stated year. It uncovers trends and insights about the changes that affected our noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction.

It outlines some highlights from our 2023 Year-in-review Report while including our achievements made by the end of June 2024.

It is as well a performance review and annual review story of our finances.

It is finally the impact story of building forward better together cleaner, greener, inclusively, safer and climate-resilient in the era of system reset and change.

For more on this review, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

• The Internally Displaced Persons of Kwilu Need Your Support

 

The humanitarian situation in the health districts of Bagata and Kikongo in the province of Kwilu (Democratic Republic of Congo) is worsening as 62,000 people have been displaced because of militia and armed fighting, according to the Congolese news agency ‘actualite.cd’ (1).  Amongst these internally displaced persons are children, women and the elderly.

As said by the same ‘actualite.cd’, this crisis has affected the villages of Beno, Manzasay, Sampiere, Siemsiem and the main town of Bagata.  According to the same source of information, the number of the internally displaced persons includes the following:

 

• 4,740 men

• 14,776 women

• 9,569 girls

• 5,934 boys.

 

These numbers can grow as the crisis lasts.  These internally displaced persons need safe drinking water, food, sanitation, health and hygiene products.  As the return to school is approaching this September 2024, many of the internally displaced children may miss their school return.  Five classrooms in Manzasay have been used as accommodation by the displaced persons.

The internally displaced persons of Kwilu (IDPK) need your support.

Those who wish to support the IDPK can donate money and/or donate in kind or their influence.

Please donate or influence immediately as the needs are pressing and urgent NOW.

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

The IDPK are looking forward to your generous support to make a meaningful difference to their lives.

Thank you for your generosity.

 

 

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods – Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 28/08/2024: Low-cost Technologies and Innovations Associated with Aquatic Foods

 

The last episode of our trending series in following the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods is Low-cost Technologies and Innovations Associated with Aquatic Foods.  In this last direction of poverty reduction, we are going to briefly comment on technologies/innovations linked to aquatic foods and the way of following the direction of poverty reduction via these technologies.

 

• • Low-cost Technologies or Innovations Linked to Aquatic Foods

 

Technologies can support sustainable aquaculture intensification and expansion to meet the growing demand for aquatic foods.  It is not a surprise if the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations argues (2) that

“The consumption of whole fish provides important essential nutrients – in particular omega-3 fatty acides, minerals and vitamins – and is relatively affordable for low-income populations, ensuring their access to nutritious foods.  During processing, many parts considered not edible are often discarded.  These parts are rich in micronutrients, and adoption of simple low-cost technology such as drying, smoking, fermentation and nulling can transform them into affordable and nutritious products” (p. xxv)

Similarly, the World Fish Centre (3) explains that

“Low-cost accessible innovations ensure continuous flow of food availability and reduce chances of nutrition and economic losses throughout aquatic food supply chains.  Innovative accessible technologies and better practices cut aquatic food loss and waste, providing multiple wins across the sustainable development agenda by increasing the amounts of food available for consumption, protecting vulnerable workers from lost incomes and improving the sustainability of food systems”.

For example, in low- and middle-income countries where cold storage is limited, preservation of fish through smoking is a common technology (enhanced fish smoking technology).

Another example is the FAO-Thiaroye fish processing technique or FTT.

A further example is is the Women Business in Gillnet Project in Bangladesh (4).  The project, which enables the dissemination of low-cost gill-net technology, aims to make fish harvesting more accessible to women and increased household consumption of nutritious fish species.

So, low-cost technologies and innovations relating to aquatic foods would help increase aquatic food availability, especially for those who rely on small-scale aquatic food systems for their livelihoods.  Low-cost technologies and good practices help in the following:

 

σ cutting aquatic food loss and waste

σ increasing aquatic food availability

σ protecting vulnerable workers

σ improving the sustainability of food systems.

 

It is good to know and learn these low-cost technologies and innovations and their benefits with regard to aquatic foods.  It is as well desirable to follow the direction of poverty reduction via these technologies and innovations.

 

• • How Can You Help in Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Low-cost Technologies and Innovations Associated with Aquatic Foods?

 

Each of our members and supporters can follow the direction of poverty reduction via low-cost technologies and innovations associated with aquatic foods.

For those of our members, supporters and audiences interested in this trending topic, they can enquire, collect or find more examples of the benefits of low-cost technologies and innovations towards aquatic foods.

For those who have stories with hard evidence on this matter, they can as well add their inputs by contacting CENFACS with their stories and or data.

For example, those who may have opportunity to talk to low-income households about their experience of technologies and innovations linked to aquatic foods, they can share their findings with us.  This is the same for those who have been involved in or running any pieces of research in the form of focus discussion group, a pilot research project, a survey, etc.

To follow the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods with us, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • Concluding Note on Our Summer 2024 Trending Series

 

To conclude this Summer series of trending work, let us say that Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods has improved our understanding on the role of aquatic foods and sector in reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.

Aquatic foods have many features or properties.  They are nutritious and can be affordable and available for low-income households.  They generate low-climate impact compared to other types of foods. They can be used to reduced to poverty.  They come with low-cost technologies to produce them.  Efforts can be deployed to increase their reach to low-income households and families, especially those suffering from aquatic food poverty.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods  – Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Development and Action Plan 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – Creative Activity No. 6: Create Your Journal of Freedom to Choose and Capabilities

• Financial Plan Updates for Households

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods –

Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, Development and Action Plan 

 

Any activity or action to be successful needs impact monitoring and evaluation to know that it has been executed as planned and the changes that may happen over time as a result of this activity or action.  In order to know the progress and achievements made as well as to examine our performance against objectives, we are carrying out two exercises:

 

a) Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

b) Learning Development and Action Plan.

 

Let us explain what these two exercises are about.

 

• • Impact Monitoring and Evaluation of Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods

 

We are now carrying on with the systematic process of observation, recording, collection and analysis of information regarding our 4-week work on Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction this Summer via Aquatic Foods in order to get its impact or at least its output.  This routing process will help to examine the activities developed and identify bottlenecks during the process to see if they are in line with objectives we defined.

To monitor our Trending Activities, we have been routinely gathering information on all aspects when we have been following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods.  We are now examining what these follow-up actions have achieved or will achieve in relation to the aims and objectives we set up for them.  This monitoring has enabled us to keep an eye on the progress made so far.  In our approach to impact monitoring and evaluation, we included the four actions took or directions of poverty reduction taken in relation to Aquatic Foods.

Besides this impact monitoring activity, we are as well conducting evaluation for learning purpose.  This impact evaluation will help us to learn something from these actions.  It will also assist to check the actual outcomes against the objectives we set up for trending activities.  When this evaluation for learning is completed, we shall carry out an impact evaluation to find out how working with the community would have some influences in the long term on them regarding the aquatic foods in order to reduce poverty and or get more results on poverty reduction.

We are undertaking the sporadic activity to draw conclusion regarding the relevance and effectiveness of the four directions of poverty reduction.  This activity will contribute to the determination of the value judgement regarding the performance level and attainment of defined objectives for Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods.

The findings from this Impact Monitoring and Evaluation will help to figure out what has been achieved through this work and give us some flavour about the future direction of our trending activities.

As part of this Impact Monitoring and Evaluation exercise, we would like to ask to those who have been working with us throughout the last four weeks to share with us their feelings and thoughts about these two areas:

 

(a) The overall “Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods“

(b) Any initiative taken by you in the way of helping to Follow the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods.

 

You can share your feelings and thoughts with us by:

 

∝ Phoning

∝ Texting

∝ E-mailing

∝ Completing the contact form with your feelings and thoughts.

 

• • Learning Development and Action Plan from Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods

 

As part of keeping the culture of continuous learning and professional development within CENFACS, we are examining what the running of Trending Activities have brought and indicated to us.  We are particularly looking at the learning and development priorities and initiatives.  In this exercise, we are considering the action points and plan we may need to make in order to improve or better change the way in which we deliver our services and work with users.

For those who have been following the running of the Trending Month with us, this is the time or opportunity they can add their inputs to our learning and development experience so that we can know the knowledge gap that need to be filled up.  They can as well have their own action plans on how they would like to take forward the contents of Trending Activities month.  And if they have a plan and want us to look at it, we are willing to do so.

Have an action plan for your trending activity and want CENFACS to look at it, please do not hesitate to contact us.  To add your input to our exercise on learning, development and action plan; just contact CENFACS.

 

• • Views from Those Who Have Been Acting with Us and/or Following Us

 

One of the monitoring and evaluation indicators/tools we are using is to collect the views from those who have been acting with us and/or those who have been following us.  In this respect, we would like to ask them to tell us their feelings about the four actions taken relating to the four directions of poverty reduction as highlighted in the following simple questions.  They can provide their feelings in the form of a review or feedback or testimony.  The results of their feelings will help to improve future trending activities.

Those participating to this survey can tick one box (ranging from 0 to 10) for each trending activity.  Ticking the box will indicate to us how satisfied they are with the delivery experience about each action taken.  All the completed survey forms should be sent to CENFACS by mid-September 2024.

Those who want to provide feelings and would like to request the details about these activities prior to their response, they are free to make their request to CENFACS.

Thank you for considering our demand of feelings and for your support.

It will be good that those who would like to provide their feelings to do them by mid-September 2024.

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – Creative Activity No. 6: Create Your Journal of Freedom to Choose and Capabilities

 

The last episode of our Summer series of Journal of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness is about Freedom to Choose and Capabilities.  It is about writing on the things that have expanded your freedoms (i.e., liberty or independence) and opened more choices for you to find your own development paths according to socially acceptable values rather than being prescribed to follow a particular path.  As Armarthya Sen (5) explains in the following words:

“Freedom implies not just to do something but the capabilities to make it happen”.

Yet, personal circumstances and external factors (e.g., extreme temperatures, higher costs of living) have restricted the freedom to choose, incapacitated people, and limited the choice one can make about their happiness, healthiness and wellness over Summer 2024.

Despite these restrictions, limitations and incapabilities; one can create or write a journal of freedom or unfreedom to choose to reflect their conditions and circumstances of life brought by the lingering effects of these circumstances and factors.

Before embarking on writing this journal, it is better to get some clues about the relationships between happiness and freedom, between healthiness and freedom, between wellness and freedom.

Equally, it is better to understand the relationships between happiness and capabilities, between healthiness and capabilities, between wellness and capabilities.

 

• • Relationships between Happiness and Freedom, between Healthiness and Freedom, between Wellness and Freedom

 

• • • Relationships between Happiness and Freedom

 

There could be a link between happiness and freedom.  Ruut Veenhoven (6) explains that

“Freedom is the possibility to choose, and involves both the opportunity and capability to choose…  Freedom does not always contribute to happiness, but it does not destroy it either.  The data strongly suggest that economic freedom leads to happiness, especially for those in conditions of poverty and low capability.  The effect that political and private freedom can add to happiness has been restricted to rich and capable countries”.

One can use Veenhoven’s view or other views on the relationship between happiness and freedom to narrate their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of happiness and freedom over this Summer.

 

• • • Relationships between Healthiness and Freedom

 

The pursuit of healthiness can lead to some degree of freedom.  For some people, healthiness can facilitate freedom and be dependent on a personal orientation towards freedom.  For other ones (like the neo-liberals who value individual responsibility), they blame the health victims.  From this blame perspective, De Jong et al. (7) explain that

“Freedom is understood from an individualistic, neoliberal point of view, which is characterised by voluntarily demonstrating individual responsibility, prudence, health consciousness, health commitment and productivity regarding the construction of one’s healthiness”.

One can use the argument of De Jong et al. or other arguments regarding the relationship between healthiness and freedom to write their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of healthiness and freedom over this Summer.

 

• • • Relationships between Wellness and Freedom

 

Let us first explain wellness.  Di Martino et al. (8) quotes Prilleltenskj to define wellness in psychology as

“A positive state of affairs brought about by the simultaneous and balanced satisfaction of diverse objective and subjective needs of individuals, relationships, organisations and communities”.

This positive state of affairs can lead to freedom.  In return, freedom (e.g., freedom of movement and occupation) can contribute to well-being.

One can use the link between the positive state of affairs and freedom to journal their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of wellness and freedom over this Summer.

 

• • Relationships between Happiness and Capabilities, between Healthiness and Capabilities, between Wellness and Capabilities.

 

Capability can be related to happiness, healthiness and wellness.  But, what is capability?

According to ‘cloudassess.com’ (9),

“A capability represents a blend of personal and technical skills, knowledge and behaviours that allow an individual or an organisation to perform effectively.  For individuals, it is about the potential to apply skills and knowledge in different situations”.

Armarthya Sen goes further in its capabilities approach by pairing functionings and capabilities.  Tom Jacobson and Leanne Chang (10) refer to Sen’s capabilities approach and write this:

“Capabilities refer to real opportunities citizens have to enjoy a functioning rather than to the actual enjoyment of the functioning”.

Still for Jacobson and Chang, Sen believes that development must focus on a range of doings and beings, or functionings, which are much broader than material well-being.

One can refer to the definition of capability by ‘cloudassess.com’ and Sen’s capabilities approach or any other perspective on capabilities, and journal their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of the relationships between capability and happiness, between capability and healthiness, between capability and wellness over this Summer.

 

• • Create or Write a Journal of Freedom or Unfreedom to Choose and Capabilities for Any Life Circumstance

 

To reflect the above-mentioned restrictions or limitations or even incapabilities as well as relationships, one can create or write a journal of freedom or unfreedom for the things that have made them to feel happy, healthy, well, capable and free during this Summer 2024.  Alternatively, one can consider journaling the things that have made them unhappy, unhealthy, unwell, incapable and confined this Summer 2024.

Since, the work of CENFACS is on poverty reduction, one can as well think of writing a journal that explains the freedom and ability they have to choose solutions to reduce or end poverty and hardships.  Such a journal can include things like being able to choose items within the basic necessities of life (e.g. kinds of food, shelter, education, information, health, etc.).

For example, one can write about fostering their own or people’s competence to make their own choices to exercise their own agency or about the freedom to meet their own needs.  One can as well write on deficit in freedom to choose.

You can create your journal for any aspects of Summertime linked to freedom to choose.  You can explain your experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of happiness, healthiness and wellness about freedom to choose and capabilities over this Summer.

In short, you can create or write a journal of the following:

 

∝ Things that have made you to feel happy, healthy, well, free and capable over this Summer 2024

∝ Things that have made you unhappy, unhealthy, unwell, incapable and confined over this Summer 2024

∝ Explaining the freedom and capability you have to choose solutions to reduce or end poverty and hardships over this Summer 2024.

 

• • Impact Record and Share of Your Journal of Freedom to Choose and Capabilities

 

You can impact record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories in relation to happiness and healthiness regarding the freedom to choose and capabilities.  This can be recorded in your journal and be shared by the end of Summer 2024.

To impact share the contents of your journal of happiness, healthiness and wellnesss relating to happy, healthy, good, capable and free livelihoods during this Summer 2024 as well as to help build a better Summer holiday experience, you can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Financial Plan Updates for Households

 

Last week in the 2024 Edition of Summer Financial Updates (SFU), we said that every Summer we conduct financial updates of our work and of our users and project beneficiaries.  What do we mean by financial update?

A financial update is, according to ‘financestrategists.com’ (11),

“A regular review of your financial strategies to keep them on track and adjust them as needed to achieve your objectives.  The primary objectives of updating a financial plan are to adapt to changes in personal circumstances, respond to economic and market changes, and reassess financial goals and strategies”.

Next week, we shall start working with those who want on their financial plan update.  The following indicates the themes we shall cover from every Wednesday starting from 04/09/2024:

 

∝ 04/09/2024: Household Financial Plan

∝ 11/09/2024: Household Investment Planning

∝ 18/09/2024: Estate Planning

∝ 25/09/2024: Retirement Planning

 

The work with participants will consist of reviewing the above-planned areas of their financial plan and adjust them in the light of new information or data, and in line with  the current development landscape and near future economic realities.

Those who may be interested can contact CENFACS for further details.  If you need support with your financial plan updates, please do not hesitate to communicate with CENFACS.

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Test de connaissances sur le football africain organisé par le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS

Dites au Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS, ce que vous savez du foot africain!

1. Quelles étaient les trois équipes africaines qui ont participé à la première Coupe d’Afrique des Nations de la CAF au Soudan en 1957?

. le Cameroun, le Ghana et le Mali

. l’Algérie, le Soudan et le Maroc

. l’Égypte, le Soudan et l’Éthiopie

2. Lequel des trois joueurs a marqué un record de 9 buts lors d’une Coupe d’Afrique des Nations?

. Mohammed Zidane (Égypte)

. Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire)

. Ndaye Mulamba (RD Congo)

3. Quelle équipe africaine a remporté 7 fois et trois titres consécutifs de la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN) depuis sa création?

. l’Égypte             . le Ghana        . le Cameroun

. le Nigéria          . l’Algérie         . l’Afrique du Sud

4. Quels sont les deux pays africains qui étaient qualifiés pour la Coupe du monde féminine de football 2007?

. la Mauritanie et le Ghana          . le Niger et la Tunisie

. le Nigéria et la Sierra Leone      . le Nigéria et le Ghana

5. Qui a été le premier footballeur africain de l’année en 1973?

. Raymond Kopa        . Tshimen Bwanga          . Salif Keita

. Roger Milla               . Frédéric Kanoute          . Marcel Desailly

6. Quel a été le premier pays africain à remporter un tournoi mondial de la FIFA?

. le Cameroun           . le Ghana

. l’Égypte                    . le Nigéria

7. Lequel de ces pays africains a participé à la Coupe du monde de football en 2006 en Allemagne?

. l’Angola           . la Namibie              . la Côte d’Ivoire

. le Ghana         . l’Afrique du Sud     . le Zimbabwe

8. Quel a été le premier pays africain à participer à la coupe du monde en 1934?

. l’Afrique du Sud         . l’Égypte

. l’Éthiopie                     . le Cameroun

Vous pouvez dire au Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS ce que vous savez sur les questions mentionnées ci-dessus.

Le Forum ‘Une Afrique Meilleure’ de CENFACS est un réseau de discussion sur les questions et thèmes de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

Pour communiquer avec le CENFACS au sujet du test ci-dessus et de ses discussions, veuillez utiliser nos coordonnées habituelles sur ce site.

 

Main Development

 

• CENFACS Annual Review 2023/2024

 

This review aims at those who are interested in the work that CENFACS does to get a glimpse of what happened during the financial year 2023/2024.  It is a summary of our activities, performance, achievements and accounts for the financial year 2023/2024.

The following contents make this review:

 

∝ Theme of CENFACS’ 2023/2024 Annual Review

∝ Annual Review Summary 2023/2024.

 

Let us uncover these contents.

 

• • Theme of CENFACS’ 2023/2024 Annual Review

 

The theme for this review is building forward better together to a greener, cleaner, safer, inclusive and climate-resilient future.

 

• • Annual Review Summary 2023/2024

 

The summary of our annual review 2023/2024 is presented under the following four headings:

 

∝ Activities Review

∝ Key Produce or Achievements of the Year

∝ Financial Performance Review

∝ Thank you

 

Let us review the activities, achievements and financial performance of the year.

 

 

• • • Activities Review

 

The Activities Review highlights what we did via the following undertakings:

 

pension and the reduction of old age poverty in Africa, financial inclusion for the needy, private homeownership and secure land tenure in Africa, charity trade and investment, data and insight skills to manage your households,  system reset and change stories, grey spaces-focussed and spacing analysis, building forward better relationship with nature, self-efficacy skills, creative and innovative ideas for actions for a better Africa, matching organisation-investor programme, financial control for households, nature and nature-based solutions to poverty, financial resilience programme for households, and making influence work for humanitarian relief in Africa.

 

Let us look back each of these activities we did.

 

• • • • Key Takeaways of the Year

 

The points or facts to remember about 2023/2024 from within and around CENFACS are as follows.

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of raising awareness about private homeownership and

secure land tenure to reduce poverty in Africa

 

Many of Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) noticed that the level of poverty due to homeless and landless was high in their areas of operations in Africa.  ASOs worked with these homeless and landless people by helping them to find inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable settlements so that they could transition out of poverty linked to the lack of homeownership and secure land tenure.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of charity trade and investment

 

2023-2024 was also the year of working with poor and vulnerable beneficiaries in trying to create usable means to live off and push poverty away via trade and investment.  It was the financial year of working with ASOs that wanted to invest and make the most of their long-term funds and protect their charities’ income against economic events (such as the impact of inflation, geo-economic crisis).  It was about working with them so that they could find investment channels to generate better returns than simply holding cash with them.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of helping in reducing old age poverty

 

Many ASOs faced the issue of working with the elderly to get away from overlapping crises in Africa (including pension crisis) and protect their insurance.  Together with ASOs we worked to help reduce old age poverty in Africa, in particular by exploring ways of improving the financial inclusion of the elderly.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of financial inclusion of those in need

 

Financial inclusion of those in need can face constraints on both sides of the market (demand and supply).  By looking at the demand-side constraints on the financially excluded, together with users we worked through experimental approach and deliberative practices ways of making these excluded included.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of following the direction of poverty reduction via marine and coastal ecosystem services

 

This follow-up enabled our users to understand how marine and coastal ecosystem services could help reduce poverty, particularly through provisioning and regulating services they provide.   The majority of those who followed our trending activities with us shared their findings and data after talking to coastal poor communities about the impacts of Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services  on these communities.  This was the same for those who were involved in or running some pieces of research on these services.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of the reduction of grey spaces-induced poverty

 

The last quarter of 2023 was a great time of engaging space to deal with poverty induced or linked to grey space.  It was a time of addressing spatialisation of poverty.  We explored with grey space poor ways of reducing or ending this type of poverty.  Additionally, we deployed efforts with them navigating sustainable ways of reducing health hazards from grey spaces.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of learning and developing self-efficacy skills to refresh ways of tackling crises

 

Because the nature of crises and risks is changing, there was a need to refresh ways of tackling crises through three Self-efficacy skills – resilience, flexibility and agility.  These skills started to help beneficiaries to bounce back from the lingering effects of the polycrises of recent years (like the coronavirus and the enduring cost-of-living crisis) and to grab any job opportunities that were available.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of advocacy for the world’s smallest creatures via Niamankeke project

 

Through the ‘Niamankeke‘ project and ‘A la une‘ (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature) campaign, we tirelessly worked with the community and others outside our community to raise awareness of the upkeep of endangered insect species like Erikssonia Acraeina (Eriksson’s Copper), Adetomyrma Venatrix (Dracula Ant), Dawn Jewel (Chlorocypha Aurora), African Dung Beetle and Brenton Blue Butterfly.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of data and insight skills to manage your households

 

Using free frontline tools of poverty reduction from CENFACS‘ poverty reduction box, we conducted basic data analytics and empowered user households with data and insight skills.  Through Data and Insights Advocacy and Skills project, we came together with these households to build data collection, organisation, storing, and sharing skills.  We were as well able to develop descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive insight skills.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of system reset and change stories 

 

Amongst the stories received, we had 2 great stories of changing our mindsets, 4 remarkable stories of seeing wholes, 3 amazing stories of understanding connections, 2 moving stories of building a genuine connection and one memorable story of creating a new system of poverty reduction.

 

∝) 2023-2024 as a year of matching organisation-investor programme

 

2023-2024 will be remembered as a year of working with Africa-based Sister Charitable Organisations and Not-for-profit Investors to help them match project planning for the first and investment life cycle for the second.  In doing so, the former could find the investment they were looking for and the latter the organisation to invest in.

 

 

∝ 2023-2024 as year of making influence work for humanitarian relief in Africa 

 

Making influence support endangered and, in some circumstances, destroyed lives as war and disastrous natural events were unfolding in some places in Africa is another takeaway.  Further to these events, together with those stricken by them or their representatives we made the following appeals:

 

√ Libya-Morocco Joint Influence Appeal

√ Support Children Impacted by Crisis in Africa

√ Giving Hope for the Humanitarian Needy of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2024

√ Halving Children Poverty in the G5 Sahel

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

√ The New Internally Displaced Persons of Insecurity in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Need Lighting a Blaze of Hope

√ Burundi’s Flood Victims Ask for Your Aid

√ The Conflict- and Natural Disaster-related Internally Displaced Persons in Africa Need Your Influence Now!

 

With the support of the community in terms of data and stories from these places or areas of CENFACS‘ operation, we made together appeal so that lives and livelihoods could be saved from civil violence, attacks, gender-based violence, severe climate conditions, other life-threatening and destroying conditions (such as the coronavirus, Ebola) and the cost-of-living crisis. 

 

In total, we launched eight humanitarian relief appeals.  As a result of these appeals, there have been some support to the sufferers of these events while there is still much to be done. 

There are many good and positive results to take away from this financial year, although we limit ourselves to the above key takeaways mentioned.

 

 

• • • 2023/2024 Key Produce or Achievements

 

2023/2024 was a notable year of wins in poverty reduction produce or accomplishments.  It will be known as the year of the three key achievements below.

 

1) 2023-2024 was an unforgettable year of advocacy for the protection of small creatures through ‘Niamankeke’ project.  It is the year during which we tried to campaign for the protection of the critically endangered insects and invertebrates.

2) 2023-2024 also was a memorable matching year as we set up a new impact programme – Matching Organisation-Organisation Programme – of working with ASCOs that are looking for not-for-profit investors to invest in them and not-for-profit investors who would like to invest in such organisations.

3) The Tricennial Celebration or the Tricennium, which kicked off last March 2024, is a celebration of the remarkable journey of CENFACS as an idea for good.  It is also part of 2023/2024 achievements.

 

• • •  Financial Performance Review

 

The following is the summary of our receipts and payments for the year ending 30 June 2024.

On the payments side, the lingering effects of the costs of living continued.  As result of these effects, our costs increased except for volunteers and refreshments accounts.   We provided low-cost refreshments and covered very reasonable expenses for volunteers.

Three accounts (that is, postage stamps, transport and travel, and office miscellaneous) displayed a huge increase.

Regarding the postage accounts, we needed to maintain ways of engaging our users and project beneficiaries who were still attached to print and paper mail.  However, the price of the first class postage rate of a letter weighting 0 to 100g did dramatically move from £1.25 in 2023 to £2.70 in 2024.  This increase impacted our postage stamps account.

Concerning transport and travel, we continued to work in hybrid fashion.  We carried on investing in online and virtual means of working to deliver efficiencies across CENFACS.  But, we enhanced our in-person contacts with stakeholders.  However, the increase in the price of transport and related services meant that our transport and travel went up due to in-person meetings, networking and outreach work.

As to the office miscellaneous items, we spent a reasonable amount to meet office administration needs following the savings we made in the previous year on this account.  These office miscellaneous expenses were meant to cover ourselves against the uncertainty in the economy.

The other accounts that experienced increase were printing and photocopy (54%), stationery and books (26%), IT subscriptions (10%), tele/mobile phone and internet (34%).  Indeed, to respond to users’ preferences and technological changes, we had to maintain a relatively adequate level of stationery stock.  This enabled us to prevent items running out of stock.  Likewise, the price of ink cartridges was higher.  Yet, prints were still popular among our users.  In addition, the charge of web hosting service and broadband was increased; meaning that our IT subscription could not stay the same.

On the fundraising and receipts side, the challenge to raise the funds needed to meet the level of needs in the community remained.  This could be partly explained by the cumulative effect of the lingering impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and the economic uncertainty which continued to drive hesitations or reluctance to many individual donors/funders. 

We have to admit that we have still funding applications which we have not yet received replies from potential donors/funders/grant makers.  This means there is a reason to believe that there is still possibility for positive replies from them or to generate funds.

Concerning the cash funds account, our cash funds kept their ascending trends.  During the financial year 2023/2024, we registered the same increase (12%) like in the financial year 2022/2023.  In accounting terms, we managed to increase our receipts over payments as our receipts nearly underscored an increase of 12%.  We continued to make savings on overseas budget, volunteer costs, refreshments, publicity and advertising, translation, office equipment and furniture, project beneficiaries, research and development, and fundraising costs.  This increase and the savings made on payments resulted in a positive net balance of our receipts and payments account for the year.

We hope that the rebound of our cash funds will steadily continue and be even noticeable in the financial year 2024/2025.  We can as well expect that the fruits of our fundraising efforts will fully appear in the new financial year (2024/2025) and beyond. 

We can anticipate that the new Government Policies for charity funding will open a new window of opportunities for increasing financial support to our noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction. 

We look forward to the community to donate more as the economy and their financial situation improve.

 

• • • Thank you

 

The work of CENFACS is a collective endeavour that relies upon the voluntary contribution of others, a key to our success.  As such, there is a number of people and organisations who contributed to the realisation of our financial year 2023-2024.

We would like to indiscriminately acknowledge them.  Without their helpful and altruistic support, we would not be able to achieve the above.  We are grateful to our volunteers, users, project/programme beneficiaries, members, website/blog readers and supporters.

We would like to thank all of them for their unwavering commitment and impactful support for helping us to voice and bring once again our poverty reduction message into the world in development, especially at the very daunting time of the lingering effects of the polycrises.

Many thanks for making 2023-2024 another deservingly memorable year at CENFACS and for being there with us for those in need.

More details about CENFACS Annual Review 2023/2024 can be requested.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://actualite.cd/2024/08/21/kurlu-plus-de-62-000-nouveaux-deplaces-en-detresse-dans-les-zones-de-sante-de-bagata-et#google_vignette (accessed in August 2024)

(2) FAO. 2024. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. 2024. Blue Transformation in action. Rome 

(3) https://www.worldfishcenter.org/blog/5-innovations-reducing-loss-and-waste-aquatic-food-system (accessed in August 2024)

(4) https://www.worldfishcenter.org/blog/low-cost-technology-boosts-womens-livelihoods-amidst-pandemic-bangladesh/ (accessed in August 2024)

(5) https://asiancenturyinstitute.com/development/333-armartya-sen-on-deveptas-freedom (accessed in August 2023)

(6) Veenhoven, R. (2000). Freedom and happiness. A comparative study in forty-four nations in the early 1990s. In E. Diener & E. M. Such (Eds.), culture and subjective well-being (pp. 257-288). The MIT Press 

(7) De Jong, M., Collins, A. & Plüg (2019), “To be free”: how discourses of freedom are used to constraint healthiness among young South African adults, in International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being 2019, Vol. 14, 1603518, available at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2019.1603518 (accessed in August 2024)

(8) Di Martino, S., Scarpa, M.P. & Prilleltensky, I. (2022). Between wellness and fairness: The mediating role of autonomous human choice and social capital in OECD countries. Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 3156-3180. 10.1002/jcop. 22822, available at https://www.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9544613/ (accessed in August 2024)

(9) https://cloudassess.com/blog/skill-vs-capability-vs-competency (accessed in August 2024)

(10) Jacobson, T. & Chang, L. (2019), Sen’s Capabilities Approach and the Measurement of Communication Outcomes in Journal of Information Policy. 9:111-131, available at https://doi.org/10.5325/jinfopoli.9.2019.0111 (accessed in August 2024) 

(11) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-plan-updates (accessed in August 2024)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

21 August 2024

 

Post No. 366

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Financial Updates – In Focus for 2024 Edition: Financial Choices Made by the Poor

• End Mpox: An Influence Appeal for Health Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness and Response to the Monkey Pox Disease

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods, Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 21/08/2024: Aquatic Food Poverty Reduction

And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Financial Updates – In Focus for 2024 Edition: Financial Choices Made by the Poor

 

Every Summer, we conduct financial updates of our work and of our users and project beneficiaries.  A financial update is, according to ‘financestrategists.com’ (1),

“A regular review of your financial strategies to keep them on track and adjust them as needed to achieve your objectives.  The primary objectives of updating a financial plan are to adapt to changes in personal circumstances, respond to economic and market changes, and reassess financial goals and strategies”.

The 2024 Edition of Summer Financial Updates (SFU) is both a review and adjustment about the financial choices made by the poor.  This 2024 Edition of SFU focusses on the role of choice that can play in financial matter for those who have little or no financial choice to make because of poverty they experience.

Choice is the act of choosing between two or more possibilities.  To have financial choices, it means having financial knowledge and decision-making skills to decide on your financial matters, according to ‘consumerfinance.org’ (2).  Do poor people have financial choices?  Like rich people, they certainly have.  However, their financial choice could be very limited because of poverty and other factors beyond their control.  It is this limitation in terms of financial choice that makes this 2024 Edition of SFU.

 

• • What This Edition Is about

 

The 2024 Edition of SFU is about the following:

 

∝ understanding the process inherent in financial decision-making for the poor

∝ working with those who have little or no choice to make when it comes to financial matter

∝ helping them to make good financial choices or decisions about their finances, however little they may be

∝ supporting them in the process of making financial decisions by evaluating different options while selecting the best one based on their financial conditions and circumstances.

 

For those members of our community who may be interested in the 2024 Edition of SFU, they are welcome to enquire to CENFACS  about it.  We have provided key highlights about the 2024 Edition of SFU under the Main Development section of this post.

 

• End Mpox: An Influence Appeal for Health Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness and Response to the Monkey Pox Disease

 

As the World Heath Organisation (3) announces the highest level of alert for Mpox (monkey pox) and World Health Organisation’s Director-General declares Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, CENFACS  is launching this Influence Appeal for Health Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness and Response to the Monkey Pox Disease.

Like any major infectious and deadly disease of this kind, Mpox has already claimed its victims.  According to the World Health Organisation (4),

“Last year, reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases [of Mpox]  reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total with more than 15,600 cases [of Mpox] with 537 deaths [in the Democratic Republic of Congo].

Still regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), ReliefWeb (5) adds that

“The North Kivu province in east DRC, already facing many years of armed violence between the DRC armed forces and various armed groups, as well as an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, now faces a rapidly spreading Mpox outbreak“.

The cases of Mpox are also being found in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Central African Republic, Liberia, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, etc.

Mpox requires a global and gigantic response in terms of infrastructure, vaccines and research.  There is also the need of practical responses to stop the spread of the disease and to support its victims.  Amongst practical responses is the current influence appeal – End Mpox.

 

• • What Is End Mpox?

 

End Mpox is about exercising a positive influence to combat the forces that are leading to the outbreak of Mpox in Africa and else where.  You can use your influence on the factors holding the key to the outbreak and spread of the infectious disease caused by the monkey pox virus.

Your Positive Influence can deliver meaningful tangible and life-saving outcomes than what you may not think.

 

• • What Your Positive Influence Can Achieve for the Victims of Mpox

 

Your Positive Influence can help

 

√ back health emergency to safe lives against Mpox crisis

√ support the humanitarian response to the life-threatening and -destroying impacts of Mpox disease  

√ preparedness efforts to prevent, contain and eradicate Mpox virus

√ in the improvement of awareness-raising activities about Mpox among the population

√ prevent the socio-economic rampant ramifications of Mpox crisis to cause social and economic crises like the coronavirus did

√ establishing surveillance and early warning systems to control the spread of infection

√ setting up care facilities and information/direction points for the needy

√ protect the environment from any depletion of environmental health and resources due to the spread of Mpox or ways of tackling it

√ enhance the implementation of life-saving responses and precautionary measures

√ briefly alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable and affected by Mpox and its distributional detrimental effects.

 

• • Who Your Positive Influence Will Benefit

 

The beneficiaries of your Positive Influence or Influencing Donation will be

 

√ those who are bearing the brunt of this life-threatening and -destroying disease

√ those who lost a loved one to the disease

√ those who are already struggling without basic necessities

√ those at high risk of catching the epidemic spreading (e.g., vulnerable children, young people)

√ those who are without or with limited access to basic services such as water, sanitation, hygiene and basic infrastructure to protect themselves from the damaging effects of Mpox

√ those who could be the victims of the impacts of the disease (e.g., internally displaced persons living in camps)

√ those who are suffering from increased vulnerability and eroded livelihoods because of the Mpox strike

√ in brief, the Mpox-stricken lives, communities and areas.

 

You can donate your Positive Influence to reduce health poverty in Africa; poverty induced by Mpox disease.

To donate, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or solve the life-threatening effects from Mpox strike and make these influential persons reduce or end these damaging effects on people, communities and areas.

You can as well influence the things or factors that play in the continuity of this infectious disease or crisis in order to create lasting favourable conditions for Mpox-affected people, communities and areas.

Please also let CENFACS know about your influencing work or contribution  you are or will be making and its outcomes on behalf of the people of Africa.

To let us know, you can contact CENFACS as follows:

 

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site. 

 

On receipt of the outcome of your influencing donation, CENFACS will contact you for record and thank you for any influencing donation made.  However, should you wish your influencing support to remain anonymous; we will respect your wish.

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to give your Positive Influence to end or alleviate the suffering that Mpox is inflicting on people, communities and areas without means to successfully and completely defend against Mpox disease.

 

 

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods, Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 21/08/2024: Aquatic Food Poverty Reduction

 

This week, we are continuing to follow the direction of poverty reduction via Aquatic Foods by looking at Aquatic Food Poverty Reduction.  In order to carry out this follow up, let us first explain what we mean by Aquatic Food Poverty.

 

• • What Is Aquatic Food Poverty?

 

Let us start with food poverty.  According to ‘devinit.org’ (6),

“Food poverty is lacking the means to obtain enough food to live a healthy life.  People living in food poverty have an income or expenditure that is less than the amount needed to consistently afford a basket of food with minimum recommended nutritional intake.  The cost of this basket is called a food poverty line (FPL) – people living below the FPL are not able to afford the cost of food necessary for good health and are in danger of malnutrition, disease or ill health”.

Knowing what is food poverty, it is possible to elucidate aquatic food poverty.  Aquatic food poverty is simply the lack of means to obtain enough aquatic foods to live a healthy life.  Yet, aquatic foods are nutritious and supposed to increase food availability and affordability for low-income households.

Aquatic food poverty can be reduced.  Its reduction is any effort deployed to bring the number of people in aquatic food poverty down.  This is the direction of poverty reduction we are following this week.

 

• • Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Food Poverty Reduction

 

Aquatic food systems provide opportunities to enhance food security, improve nutrition, eradicate poverty, etc.  They play a role in addressing hunger, malnutrition and poverty.  There could be concern within these systems if there is an issue of aquatic food poverty.

Indeed, Tigchelaar et al. (7) note the following:

“Inadequate management and competing demands for aquatic foods by wealthier consumers threatens access to food for low-income consumers as well as food and income for the majority of small-scale actors in wild-caught aquatic food systems”.

These inadequacy and competition can lead to aquatic food poverty for low-income consumers.

Additionally, climate-related hazards may compromise the ability to provide the benefits linked to aquatic foods.  These are the benefits that billions of people worldwide draw from aquatic foods from marine and freshwater systems.  This is another factor for concern that can cause aquatic food poverty amongst the low-income households.

Furthermore, there could be negative impacts of aquaculture on poor people’s livelihoods.  For example, private governance through certification can be an issue as there is the possibility of excluding poorer producers from global value chains and associated implications for poverty alleviation.

For all the above-mentioned reasons, there is a need to follow the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic food poverty reduction.  Aquaculture can be used as a strategy to reduce poverty of a targeted group.   There could be conflicting views on this matter.  Some think that aquaculture exacerbates poverty while others argue it alleviates it.  By following the direction of poverty reduction one can find some answers to these competing views.

 

• • • How can you help in following the direction of poverty reduction via Aquatic Food Poverty Reduction?

 

Each of our members and supporters can follow the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic food poverty reduction.

For those of our members, supporters and audiences interested in this trending topic, they can enquire during this Summer to the people around them if there is any evidence or case of  aquatic food poverty reduction.

For those who have stories with hard evidence on this matter, they can as well add their inputs by contacting CENFACS with their stories and or data.

For example, those who may have opportunity to talk to low-income households about their experience of aquatic food poverty, they can share their findings with us.  This is the same for those who have been involved in or running any pieces of research in the form of focus discussion group, a pilot research project, a survey, etc.

To follow the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods with us, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – Creative Activity No. 5: Create Your Journal of Trust

• Summer 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes: Help, Support and Assistance are AVAILABLE!

• Summer Triple Pack Is Still Running

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal – Creative Activity No. 5: Create Your Journal of Trust

 

Polycrises of recent years may have perhaps made some people to be sceptical or lose trust in poverty reduction.  Yet, there is a need or reason to keep faith in the reduction and end of poverty.  There are grounds to believe that happiness, healthiness and wellness can always happen to those who are looking for them.

You can create your journal for any aspects of Summertime linked to trust.  You can explain your experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of happiness, healthiness and wellness about trust over this Summer.  You can use surveys, metrics and data about trust to write your journal.

Your journal of trust can cover any of the following three areas: trust in poverty reduction, trust in people/communities/institutions and initiatives that build, develop and sustain trust.  Let us give some examples of what one can include in each of these journals.  But, before that it is better to highlight the relationships between happiness and trust, between healthiness and trust, between wellness and trust.

 

• • Relationships between Happiness and Trust, between Healthiness and Trust, between Wellness and Trust

 

• • • Relationships between Happiness and Trust

 

There could be link between happiness and trust.  There is a number of resources that mention this link.  One of them is ‘happyondemand.com’ (8) that explains this:

“Studies indicate that trust is a primary prediction of relationship satisfaction and happiness.  When trust is present in a relationship, individuals feel safe, secure, and valued.  This fosters a positive emotional environment that contributes to happiness and well-being”.

From this explanation, one can explain their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of happiness about trust over this Summer.

 

• • • Relationships between Healthiness and Trust

 

There are many real life stories showing that the relationships between healthiness and trust can happen.

For example, Nguyen and Pervan (9) in the literature review and hypothesis development regarding ‘The Relationship between Food Healthiness, Trust and the Intention to Reuse Food Delivery Apps’ written by Kyung-A Sun and Joonho Moon, they explain that food healthiness (i.e., consumers’ perceptions of whether food in the market promotes health conditions) can be associated with consumer trust (that is, assessment of consumer perception of corporate social responsibility).

From the above example and other ones, one can explain their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of healthiness about trust over this Summer.

 

• • • Relationships between Wellness and Trust

 

There is evidence on the association between trust and individual well-being.  Trust plays an important role in promoting well-being.

One can provide evidence by explaining their experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of wellness about trust over this Summer.

One can go further in their journal of trust by writing on poverty reduction, people and communities they belong to, initiatives to develop trust, projects to build forward together trust, etc.

 

• • Journal of Trust in Poverty Reduction

 

You can record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories about the following:

 

promoting trust where trust is lost; dealing with disinformation and distrust about poverty reduction; struggling to cope with trust in poverty reduction, etc.

 

• • Journal of Trust in People and Communities

 

You can record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories about the following:

 

correcting inaccuracies and misinformation; stopping the spread of false information or the pollution news within your community/network; building trust with people through transparency; speaking about the most trusted person in your community; talking about faith in your social networks (e.g., family and friends), etc.

 

• • Journal of Initiatives to Develop Trust

 

You can record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories about the following:

 

building and protecting standards of trust; rebuilding trust in each other; explaining interactive initiatives you have taken to protect trust; monitoring and collecting feedbacks to track changes in trust, etc.

 

• • Journal of Projects to Build Forward Together Trust

 

You can record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories about the following:

 

not supporting a return to the endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities; transforming your relationship with nature; dismantling structures of discrimination that disadvantage poor people; and building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action, etc.

 

The above four areas are just an example of the many about trust and journals of trust.  If you have a different area of interest in trust that you would like to write on for your Summer journal, please feel free to do it.

 

• • Impact Record and Share of Your Journal of Trust

 

You can impact record your thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories in relation to happiness, healthiness and wellness about trust over this Summer.  This can be recorded in your journal and be shared by the end of Summer 2024.

To impact share the contents of your journal of happiness, healthiness and wellness relating to happy, healthy, good and trustful Summer 2024; as well as to help build a better Summer holiday experience, you can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Summer 2024 Activities, Projects and Programmes: Help, Support and Assistance are AVAILABLE!

 

We believe that everybody is enjoying their Summer break wherever they are and whatever they are doing, despite the lingering effects of the polycrises, extreme temperatures and the cost-of-living crisis.

We also hope that those who are working over this Summer are getting on well with their work while finding some space to accommodate and enjoy the good weather of Summer.

We finally trust that Summer 2024 Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects, including other Summer activities and programmes we have offered so far, are meeting the community’s need to well, happily and healthily pass this Summer.

For those who need any help, support and assistance regarding any of the aspects of the Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects or any other Summer activities or programmes which are on offer, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

We would like to reiterate our wish to all multi-dimensional Poor Children, Young People and Families of Happy, Healthy, Good, Vulnerability-free, Peaceful, Safe and Sustainable Summer Days.

 

 

• Summer Triple Pack Is Still Running

 

Our Summer Triple Pack made of Track, Trip and Trending continues this week.  The key message we would like to get across this Triple Pack is to try to help reduce poverty by undertaking any of these three activities: running, visiting projects and analysing trends.  Let us make some reminding points about each of them.

 

• • Healthy, Safe and Net Zero Track to Help Reduce Poverty

 

This activity (Transition Activity 8.1) of the pack is about Safely, Healthily and Net Zero Run 2.5 miles (nearly 4 km) with people in need to create user-generated information giving opportunity while talking to them during the run and supporting them to improve their coping strategies for their good wellness

For those who have completed their 2.5 miles of running with people, please do not hesitate to share with us your experience.  This activity is also performed under August 2024 Transition Year/Project (Activity 8.1).

For those who are deprived to physically run, they can virtually run to help reduce poverty with CENFACS.  Among them are people who may be experiencing handicap to do physical activity of running to help reduce poverty.  One could include the following in their list:

 

People or parents caring for very young children, pregnant women, elderly people, disable people, those who are not physically fit or mobile to run, those who do not have opportunity to physically run, etc. 

 

If you are organising this kind of virtual activity or event, let us know.  It is also better to advise us that the people participating in the virtual run are the physically deprived ones we have listed above or they have a serious handicap prohibiting them from undertaking any physical engagement.

 

• • Virtual or In-person Trips or Tours of 3 Influencing Projects or Activities

 

As part of Transition Year’s/Project Activities of the month and Transition Activity 8.2, we have suggested to Undertake Virtual or In-person Visits or Tours of 3 Transition projects or activities; projects or activities based on transition facts, information and skills acquired through experience or education, and which use transition methodology and tools to support people this Summer 2024.

These virtual visits are not only online recreational activities.  They are also a learning and development opportunity in terms of understanding the following:

 

√ The way in which people or communities living with the lingering effects of the polycrises, particularly those who are undertaking coping and survival strategies, are dealing with these effects as well as poverty and vulnerability induced by other crises

√ What is needed to help them transition away from the problems they have

√ What lessons that can be learnt and shared from their sensory experiences and knowledge-based projects to improve future actions, planning and decision-making processes

√ The demand in terms of policy development and response to meet similar needs in the future.

 

Furthermore, Virtual Trip as part of our Summer Triple Pack includes field work research in Africa and anywhere else in the context of poverty relief and sustainable development projects.

For those who are having or have had these experiences and results of field work research, please do not hesitate to share them.

 

• • Online Trending Activity by Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods

 

As part of CENFACS’ Transition Year and Project and Activity 8.3, we have asked to those who can to carry out online search to find 6 Trends in poverty reduction for projects that are helping people to transition out of poverty.

The above mentioned Summer Triple Pack  can be contextualised by considering the lingering impacts of the polycrises, extreme temperatures and the damaging effects of the squeeze in household expenditure.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Retours d’information tout-en-un avec impact: Rapport sur les rapports

Le mois dernier était notre mois de l’Analytique et de l’Impact.  Dans le cadre du mois de l’Analytique et de l’Impact, nous avons demandé à certain(e)s d’entre vous de nous faire part de leurs expériences concernant les projets et programmes que nous avons mis en œuvre au cours du dernier exercice financier.

Nous avons demandé deux retours d’expérience: les commentaires d’individus en tant que soutiens et utilisateurs de programmes et de projets, ainsi que les commentaires d’organisations (organisations sœurs basées en Afrique).  Certain(e)s d’entre vous ont répondu et d’autres n’ont pas répondu.  Nous tenons à remercier ceux et celles qui ont répondu.

Pour ceux et celles qui ont répondu et nous ont donné leurs coordonnées, ils/elles seront contacté(e)s et recevront une copie du rapport mentionné ci-dessus.

Nous profitons de l’occasion pour les remercier encore une fois pour leur soutien témoignant et expérientiel.

 

Main Development

 

• Financial Updates – In Focus for 2024 Edition: Financial Choices Made by the Poor

 

The 2024 Edition of Summer Financial Updates (SFU) is concerned with how users and project beneficiaries choose among the alternatives available to them.  It deals with scarcity, opportunity cost and choices made by the poor regarding their financial matter.

To enable readers extirpate the contents of this edition, we have provided below the key highlights about financial choices made by the poor.

 

• • Key Highlights of This Year’s Edition of Summer Financial Updates 

 

The following headings contain the main points highlighted in this Year’s SFU:

 

∝ What is financial choice?

∝ Financial strategic choice

∝ Working with those without or with very little financial choice

∝ Guidance, tips and hints to make a good financial choice

∝ Evaluation of financial choices/options

∝ Selection of the best financial option

∝ Relationships between happiness and financial choice, between healthiness and financial choice, between wellness and financial choice

∝ Improving the relationship between financial choice and poverty reduction

∝ Working with users to empower them with financial choice tools and achieve the goal of financial poverty reduction

 

Let us unpack the above headings.

 

• • What Is Financial Choice?

 

To explain financial choice, it is better to start with choice.

Choice theory, which was developed by the psychiatrist William Glasser quoted by ‘chopra.com’ (10), says that people have direct control over the acting and thinking components of their behaviour.

To this explanation of choice, we can add the philosophical view of choice given by ‘britannica.com’ (11), which is

“Choice, in philosophy, is the supposed ability to freely decide between alternatives.  Choice is a corollary of the tradition notion of free will, understood as the supposed power or capacity of humans to make decisions or perform actions independently of any prior event in or state the universe”.

Choice can also be financial.  Financial choice refers to the process of making decisions related to money and investments.  It involves evaluating options and selecting the best course of action based on financial goals and circumstances.

The above-mentioned definitions of choice are all summarised in the 2024 Edition of SFU.  This Edition is a resource that supports project beneficiaries as they act to decide what they want from a set of financial options.   They may want to undertake a financial strategic choice.

 

• • Financial Strategic Choice

 

To make a financial choice, one may need strategic analysis linked to their financial choice.  Financial strategic choice is thus the strategy chosen out of available alternatives for attaining users’/project beneficiaries’ objectives.

For instance, ‘kfknowledgebank.kaplan.co.uk’ (12) explains that there are 3 techniques for evaluating specific options for organisations, which are:

 

a) Generation of strategic options

b) Evaluation of the options to assess their relative merits and feasibility

c) Selection of the strategy or option that the organisation will pursue.

 

These techniques can be adapted to individuals and be applied by our users/project beneficiaries.  In this respect, CENFACS can work with them to generate financial strategic options that are suitable, acceptable and feasible for them.

 

• • Working with Those Without or With Very Little Financial Choice

 

To have financial choices, it means having financial knowledge and decision-making skills to decide on your financial matters.  Do poor people have the required financial knowledge and decision-making skills they need to decide?  This is a controversial question.  For some, they have them.  For others, they have not.  For other more, the answer is 50-50.

For the members of the CENFACS Community who have problems to make a financial choice, CENFACS can work with them so that they can acquire the skills they need to make a better financial choice or they can improve their existing financial choice skills and capacity.  This is because poverty can be also the lack of skills or capacity to make a good financial choice.

 

 

• • Guidance, Tips and Hints (GTH) to Make a Good Financial Choice

 

GTH includes help, advice, counselling, signposts, referrals and pieces of useful information that CENFACS can provide to its members/users/project beneficiaries so that they can make a good financial choice.

For example, if we refer to ways of improving people’s financial decision making given by ‘newretirement.com’ (13), GTH could be about the following:

 

σ how to choose a financial plan that suits you to make a good financial decision

σ choosing rationality

σ opting for the right algorithm for your financial decision (e.g., the New Retirement Planner that helps make a good financial choice)

σ having a system of choices before making a financial decision

σ foresight of various possible outcomes

σ considering your ‘regret’ attitude before choosing

etc.

 

GTH also includes information on decision support technologies.  These are technologies for supporting people to make decisions or choices.

For those members of our community, users and project beneficiaries who are in need of guidance, tips and pieces of information about a good financial choice, they can contact CENFACS.

For those who would like to access the GTH about their financial choice, they are welcome to communicate with CENFACS.

 

• • Evaluation of Financial Choices/Options

 

Financial choices or options need to be evaluated.  What does this evaluation involve?  According to ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (14),

“Evaluating financial choices or options involves financial data evaluation like funding sources, cash flows and investment opportunities to understand the existing financial situation”.

For example, one can refer to the tool suggested by the ‘consumerfinance.gov’ (15), the financial empowerment self-assessment tool to better understand their own financial knowledge, skills, and overall confidence.

 

• • Selection of the Best Financial Option

 

To select the best financial option, it requires knowing the financial decision-making process.  But, what is a financial decision-making process?

According to ‘financestrategists.com’ (16),

“The financial decision-making process refers to the series or steps that individuals or businesses undertake to identify, evaluate, and select among different financial alternatives or options.  Steps in the financial decision-making process include: identification of financial goals, gathering relevant financial information, analysis of financial data, development of alternative solutions, selection of the best financial strategy, implementation of the selected strategy, monitoring and evaluation of the decision”.

This process will enable individuals (here the poor) to decide what they want from a set of financial options.

 

 

• • Relationships between Happiness and Financial Choice, between Healthiness and Financial Choice, between Wellness and Financial Choice

 

Financial choices we make can leave us happy or unhappy.  They can keep us healthy or unhealthy.  They can make us feel well or unwell.  Because of the consequences of our financial choices, it is worth for us o explore the relationships between happiness and financial choice, between healthiness and financial choice, between wellness and financial choice.  In simple terms, we may try to answer the following questions:

 

Q1: How happy are we about the financial choices we have made or not made?

Q2: How healthy do we feel further to the financial choices we have made?

Q3: How well do we feel after making some financial choices?

 

If we feel happy, healthy and well after making financial choices, we could argue that there are correlations between happiness and financial choice, between healthiness and financial choice, between wellness and financial choice.  If we feel unhappy, unhealthy and unwell; there are reasons to believe there are no correlations.  However, we may need our own data to explain these three examples of correlations.

We can work with our members or users or project beneficiaries on the above-mentioned relationships.

 

• • Improving the Relationship between Financial Choice and Poverty Reduction

 

The study of the way in which people make their financial choices can help to understand or to get insights if there is any relationship between their choices and the financial difficulties they are experiencing.  In other words, it is about establishing if there is any correlation between their financial choices and efforts to reduce financial poverty they are undergoing.  In this study, the attempt is to improve the relationship between financial choices of our members and their efforts to come out financial poverty.

Through the types of financial choices they make, CENFACS will work with them to explore ways of improving this relationship between their choices and the efforts they are deploying to reduce poverty.

For example, if one is experiencing poverty as loneliness due to their financial choices, then there are ways of improving their financial choices to reduce poverty as loneliness.  Likewise, if one is has impulsive buying attitude, it is possible to improve their attitude to choose financial option away from this attitude.

 

 

• • Working with Users to Empower them with Financial Choice Tools and Achieve the Goal of Financial Poverty Reduction

 

The all purpose of SFU is not to provide theories or descriptions or even assumptions.  Instead, SFU as a resource is designed to capacitate the CENFACS Community to address challenging issues they face.  In this case, the challenging issue is how to make a good financial choice to reduce poverty.

In this exercise of addressing challenges, our members are not let alone.  CENFACS can work with them to enhance financial choice-making skills so that they can make the right and best possible choice from a wide range of options.

CENFACS can work with them to accomplish specific tasks to deal with their financial choice, in particular to accompany them in their financial decision-making journey so that they can better identify, evaluate, and select amongst the different financial alternatives or options.

CENFACS can conduct needs assessment with them and find out whether we can employ financial choice tools that can enable them to make conscious financial choices.  One of these tools is provided by ‘financialgym.com’ (17), which is the wealth nourishment pyramid.  According to ‘financialgym.com’,

“Wealth nourishment pyramid is an intuitive model or tool that helps the different areas of our lives that we want to infuse with energy.  It is about wealth viewed in four ways: our needs, our well-being, our treats and our gifts”.

We can as well utilise key performance indicators such as life happiness index, financial independence number, net worth, financial health index, etc. to support them make a consciously good financial choice in their life.

For those who need help with their financial choices, we can work together towards their financial strategic analysis and support them to choose the best financial option.

The above highlights are just a selection of some of matters raised in this year’s SFU. 

For those who need help to sort out their financial choice-making process, they are welcome to contact CENFACS. 

Likewise, those who want to read this year’s resource of SFU beyond the aforementioned highlights, they can as well contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-plan-updates (accessed in August 2024)

(2) https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/youth-financial-education/learn/financial-knowledge-decision-making-skills/ (accessed in June 2024)

(3) https://www.who.int (accessed in August 2024)

(4) https://www.who.int/news/item/14-08-2024-who-director-general-declares-mpox-outbreak-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern (accessed in August 2024)

(5) https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/irc-launches-emergency-response-mpox-outbreak-drc-spreads (accessed in August 2024) 

(6) https://devinit.org/resources/food-poverty-global-regional-and-national/ (accessed in August 2024),

(7) Tigchelaar, M., Cheung, W. W. L., Mohammed, E. Y. et al. Compound climate risks threaten aquatic food system benefits. Nat Food 2, 673-682 (2021) available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-021-00368(accessed in August 2024)

(8) https://happyondemand.com/happiness-in-relationships/ (accessed in August 2024) 

(9) https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/13/6/890 (accessed in August 2024)

(10) https://chopra.com/blogs/personal-growth/the-psychology-behind-choice-making-and-how-it-can-help-you-reach-your-goals (accessed in August 2024)

(11) https://www.britannica.com/topic/choice (accessed in August 2024)

(12) https://kfknowledgebank.kaplan.co.uk/business-strategy/strategic-choice (accessed in August 2024)

(13) https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/financial-decision-making/ (accessed in August 2024)

(14) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-decision-making/ (accessed in August 2024),

(15) https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_your-money-your-goals-_fin-empowerment_tool_2018-IT.pdf (accessed in August 2024)

(16) https://www.financestrategists.com/financial-advisor/financial-planning/financial-decision-making-process (accessed in August 2024),

(17) https://financialgym.com/blog/2020/11/18/how-to-make-conscious-financial-choices (accessed in August 2024)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

14 August 2024

 

Post No. 365

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• FACS Issue No. 84, Summer 2024: African Charities Investment Management and Poverty Reduction

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods, Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 14/08/2024: Low-climate Impact of Aquatic Foods

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal 2024, Creative Activity 4: Create Your Journal of Real Disposable Incomes

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• FACS Issue No. 84, Summer 2024: African Charities Investment Management and Poverty Reduction

 

Like any charity, Africa-based charities make investment decisions.  However, they would act within their charity power to invest and according to their governing documents (i.e., articles of association).  It is this type of investment that their investment managers are able to decide and make that the 84th Issue of FACS is concerned with.

The Issue 84 deals with strategy to manage investment risks; strategy that consists of spreading investments across asset classes and industries. In doing so, this strategy allows to balance returns on investment and concerns on the same investments.

The Issue 84 is also be a story of Africa-based charities’ care and skills in investment decisions.  In particular, emphasis is put on investment managers of these charities, on how they manage portfolio and deal with investment policies while supporting their organisations to measure risk tolerance relating to investments and reduce the impact of adverse economic change on portfolios and to continue to meet the needs of the poor.  They can advise their organisations to invest in mixed assets funds or national equity funds or global equity funds or fixed interest funds or property and cash funds or green bonds.

Because we are talking about charities, investment management is looked at in its capacity of helping these charities to achieve their charitable mission, particularly but not limited to poverty reduction.  This is so crucial in challenging times like of those systemic crises namely the health disaster (e.g., coronavirus) and other major shocks such as debt crisis in Africa.  In these exceptional times, a good investment management can provide the foundations for resilience against these systemic crises or shocks.

To achieve their mission via investment management, CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations have investment options from which they can choose.  The 84th Issue explores these options together the fund management houses in Africa, in particular how they can be helpful in responding to Africa-based Sister Organisations’ (ASOs’) investment strategic plan.

Without providing specialist advice on investment management to African charities, the Issue No. 84 is a general advice clinic for those ASOs that would like to take investment management path seriously to help them achieve their mission without having to continuously worry if they have some lump of sum kept away from present expenditure in the hope to receive a reward.

To get inside scoop on the Issue No. 84, please read under the Main Development section of this post the key summaries we have provided about them.

 

 

• Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction This Summer via Aquatic Foods, Trending Topic in Focus from Wednesday 14/08/2024: Low-climate Impact of Aquatic Foods

 

The second trending topic will be approached by briefly explaining low-climate impact and highlighting the role of aquatic foods in climate action.

 

• • Brief Explanation of Low-climate Impact

 

Climate impacts are the phenomena or events like storms, floods, extreme heat, droughts, and wildfires.  The repercussions of these events can be high, moderate and low.  Low-climate impacts provide the opportunities to avoid or reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, small pelagic fish such as anchovies, sardines and low trophic level species generate fewer greenhouse gases.  Because of the fewer greenhouse gases emission from this type of fish, particular attention can be put on fisheries and aquaculture.  Indeed, sustainable and climate-resilient fisheries and aquaculture management can help limit the impacts of climate change.  Foods coming from fisheries and aquaculture can play a role in climate action.

 

• • The Role of Aquatic Foods in Climate Action

 

Aquatic foods (foods which derived from marine animals, plants and algae) play an active role in climate action as many studies show.  Aquatic foods provide critical climate solutions.  It is important to integrate these solutions in any strategy to reduce food poverty.

Because the work of CENFACS is on poverty reduction, we are interested in the second trending topic, mostly in the aspects or attributes constituting the role of aquatic foods in climate action; aspects or attributes that relate to poverty reduction.  In particular, we are following the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods in their role in climate action or low-climate impact.

So, aquatic food sector is a key to the low-carbon transition as it has a low-climate impact.  Aquatic ecosystems offer promising solutions to the climate crisis and poverty reduction.

The above is our trending work from Wednesday 14 to 20/08/2024.

To follow with us the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal 2024, Creative Activity 4: Create Your Journal of Real Disposable Incomes

 

There are relationships between happiness and income, between healthiness and income, between wellness and income.  One can express these relationships through the production of a journal.  Before embarking on journaling, let us briefly explain these relationships.

 

• • Relationship between Happiness and Income

 

Regarding this relationship, Laura Kudrna and Kostadim Kushlev (1) explain the following:

“More income provides people with opportunities and, sometimes, capabilities to consume more and thus satisfy more of their preferences, meet their desires and obtain more of what they want and need.  These are all reasons to assume that higher income will bring greater happiness – or, at least, that low income will bring low happiness”.

Kudrna and Kushlev also argue that

“Some research challenges the assumption that earning more should lead to greater happiness”.

One can use the explanation and argument of Kudrna and Kushlev to journal their own experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of the relationship between happiness and their income.

 

• • Relationship between Healthiness and Income

 

There are many studies about the relationship between health and income.  One of them was by ‘health.org.uk’ (2) in 2021, which explained that

“44% of people on the lowest income rate their health as fair, bad or very bad (less than good).  In the middle (the fifth income decile) this figure is 25% and for people on the highest incomes the figure is 12%.  Across the income spectrum, higher incomes are associated with better self-reported health”.

Likewise, ‘healthaffairs.org’ (3) talking about the USA case argues that

“There is an extensive body of research examining the relationship between income and health, and this evidence, both correlational and causal, predominantly finds that higher income is associated with better health.  Findings from large-scale observational studies indicate that people with lower incomes have shorter lifespans and greater morbidity relative to those with higher incomes and that these health risks are greatest amongst people living in poverty”.

From the explanation of ‘health.org.uk’, ‘healthaffairs.org’ and other ones, one can write about their own experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of the relationship between their health and income.

 

• • Relationship between Wellness and Income

 

To explain this relationship, let us first define wellness.  One of its definitions comes from the Global Wellness Institute (4), which argues that

“Wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”.

There could be links between the choices we make about our lives and holistic health, between our lifestyles and holistic health, between the activities we undertake and holistic health.

Those who would like to narrate their own experiences, feelings and thoughts in terms of their wellness and income, they can journal their perspective.

When speaking about income, we mean real disposable income.  But, what is real disposable income?

 

• • Understanding Real Disposable Income to Create Your Journal of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness

 

Generally, income is any earning in the form of wages and salaries, the return of investments, pension contributions, and other receipts (such as profit, interest, dividend, rent, capital gains, royalties, etc.).  This income can be real disposable.  What is a real disposable income?

Using the definition provided by ‘tutor2u.net’ (5), real disposable income is

“The amount of money an individual or household has available to spend or save after accounting for taxes and adjusting for inflation.  It is a key measure of the purchasing power and economic well-being of individuals or households”.

One can refer to this definition of real disposable income to create their Journal of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness.

 

• • An Example of Way of Creating a Journal of Real Disposable Income

 

One can explain how with restricted or limited income they have been able to meet Summer 2024 holiday expenses or simply do the things they wanted or planned to do with happiness, healthiness ad wellness.  They can as well include in their journal any efforts they undertook to make extra income to meet their Summer living costs or improve their economic well-being.  They could finally impact share their story if they received or given any financial help.

 

• • Impact Record and Share of Your Journal of Real Disposable Income

 

They can impact record their thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories in relation to real disposable income and income-generating capacity or opportunities.  They can impact share with the community their experience of happiness, healthiness and wellness with income.  This can be recorded in their journal and be shared by the end of Summer 2024.

To impact share the contents of their happiness, healthiness and wellness journal relating to real disposable income and income-generation, to happy, healthy and good financial life via income, and help build a better Summer holiday experience; they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Online TRACK to CENFACS Zero-Waste e-charity Summer Shop for Summer Goods Donations and Buys: Turn Your Waste into Relief for Others

• Virtual and In-person Trips for Fieldwork Research

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum e-discusses Sports World Order and Poverty Reduction in Africa

 

 

• Online TRACK to CENFACS Zero-Waste e-charity Summer Shop for Summer Goods Donations and Buys: Turn Your Waste into Relief for Others

 

Every season is an opportunity to do something about the environment and poverty.

You can recycle or donate your unwanted or unused goods and presents to do something about the environment and or poverty.

You can also buy goods to meet the same ends.

This Summer you can online track CENFACS e-charity shop to help the environment and poverty relief. You can turn your waste into relief for those in need.

If you are a fun of online tracking and shopping, you can take an online course of action or online path or even course of travel to save the environment and reduce poverty with CENFACS.

Instead of you in-person going to physically shop or donate your goods, you can from the comfort of your home buy or donate goods to CENFACS e-charity shop to help the beautiful and noble cause of poverty relief and sustainable development.

To support us either by shopping or supplying us with products or goods you no longer want or use so that we can sell and raise the money for the beautiful cause of poverty relief, please go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

 

 

• Virtual and In-person Trips for Fieldwork Research

 

Trips to the local need this week include as well those travels made or to be made to conduct fieldwork research in Africa and anywhere else in the context of poverty relief and sustainable development projects.

We recommend to those who want do trips for fieldwork research to take extra care in terms of health and safety.  Where health risks are nullified or minor, people can in-person visit local projects and those running them.  These trips can also be done virtually.

When in-person visiting projects and people, it is in the interest of everybody that they should take care of the following:

 

√ They have to be fully vaccinated and or negatively tested against any diseases that may threaten them

√ They should wear appropriate personal protective equipment to protect themselves and others against the coronavirus if the latter is still a major threat to health where they go

√ They should follow local, national and international rules related to the protection against any threatening disease or epidemic symptoms.

 

These fieldwork researches or practical experiences to gain knowledge and skills could be of varying forms such as observation and collection of raw data, interviews, focus group discussions, practical activities to support overseas development projects, etc.

If you are a researcher and did or are doing some fieldwork research on sustainable development and poverty reduction, and think that your work can enhance CENFACS’ work, you could share with us your experience, research findings or outcomes.

To share the experiences and results of your fieldwork research, just contact CENFACS and CENFACS will get back to you.

 

 

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum e-discusses Sports World Order and Poverty Reduction in Africa

 

Sports World Order can provide opportunities and openings for Africa, in particular to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  In our programme of the discussion for the August 2024, we are dealing with the impacts of the World Order in sports on Africa, specifically on the reduction of poverty in Africa.

To tackle this e-discussion, one may need to know the meaning of sports world order.

 

• • What Is Sports World Order?

 

A way of explaining this is to start with the understanding of world order.  The website ‘pesd.princeton.edu’ (6) states that world order is both analytical and prescriptive concept.  According to ‘pesd.princeton.edu’,

“Analytically, world order refers to the arrangement of power and authority that provides the framework for the conduct of diplomacy and world politics on a global scale.  Prescriptively, world order refers to a preferred arrangement of power and authority that is associated with the realisation of such values as peace, economic growth and equity, human rights, and environmental quality and sustainability”.

From these definitions of world order, it is possible to argue that sports world order is prescriptively an arrangement of power and authority that is associated with the realisation of the values of peace, poverty reduction, friendship and equity in sports.  We have included poverty reduction as we believe that sports is also the vehicle to reduce poverty.  If this is the case, what can the sports world order do for the poor?

 

• • Sports World Order and Poverty Reduction

 

Sports World Order can work with Africa to further reduce poverty in Africa.  In other words, the arrangement of power and authority in terms of sports need to accompany the poor in Africa so that a big number of them can be lifted out of poverty.  The geopolitics and geo-economics of sports need to further integrate the needs and demands of the poor.  The organisation of sports systems and programmes should not limit itself to cultural and sport values.  It needs to cross the boundaries to be embodied by poverty reduction goals and targets without loosing its nature or essence.

The above is the terms of reference for our discussion.  Those who may be interested in this discussion of August 2024 can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

To communicate with CENFACS regarding this discussion, please use our usual contact details on this website.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

FACS Numéro 84, Été 2024: Gestion des investissements des organisations caritatives africaines et réduction de la pauvreté

Comme toute organisation caritative, les organisations caritatives basées en Afrique prennent des décisions d’investissement.  Cependant, elles agiraient dans le cadre de leur pouvoir d’investir et conformément à leurs documents constitutifs (c’est-à-dire les statuts de l’association).  C’est ce type d’investissement que leurs gestionnaires d’investissement sont en mesure de décider et de faire qui fait l’objet de la 84e édition de la FACS.

Le numéro 84 traite de la stratégie de gestion des risques d’investissement; stratégie qui consiste à répartir les investissements entre les classes d’actifs et les secteurs. Ce faisant, cette stratégie permet d’équilibrer les retours sur investissement et les préoccupations sur les mêmes investissements.

Le numéro 84 est également une histoire sur le soin et les compétences des organisations caritatives basées en Afrique dans les décisions d’investissement.  En particulier, l’accent est mis sur les gestionnaires d’investissement de ces organisations caritatives, sur la façon dont ils gèrent les portefeuilles et gèrent les politiques d’investissement, tout en aidant leurs organisations à mesurer la tolérance au risque liée aux investissements et à réduire l’impact des changements économiques négatifs sur les portefeuilles et à continuer à répondre aux besoins des pauvres.

Ils peuvent conseiller à leurs organisations d’investir dans des fonds d’actifs mixtes, des fonds d’actions nationales, des fonds d’actions mondiales, des fonds à intérêt fixe, des fonds immobiliers et de trésorerie ou des obligations vertes.

Comme il s’agit d’organismes de bienfaisance, la gestion des placements est considérée dans sa capacité d’aider ces organismes à réaliser leur mission de bienfaisance, en particulier, mais sans s’y limiter, la réduction de la pauvreté.  C’est tellement crucial en période difficile comme celle des crises systémiques, à savoir la catastrophe sanitaire (par exemple, le coronavirus) et d’autres chocs majeurs tels que la crise de la dette en Afrique.  En ces temps exceptionnels, une bonne gestion des investissements peut jeter les bases de la résilience face à ces crises ou chocs systémiques.

Pour réaliser leur mission par le biais de la gestion d’investissements, les organisations sœurs de CENFACS basées en Afrique disposent d’options d’investissement parmi lesquelles elles peuvent choisir.  Le numéro 84 explore ces options avec les sociétés de gestion de fonds en Afrique, en particulier comment elles peuvent être utiles pour répondre au plan stratégique d’investissement des organisations sœurs basées en Afrique (OSA).

Sans fournir de conseils spécialisés sur la gestion des investissements aux organisations caritatives africaines, le numéro 84 est une clinique de conseil général pour les OSA qui souhaitent prendre au sérieux la voie de la gestion des investissements pour les aider à réaliser leur mission sans avoir à s’inquiéter continuellement de savoir si elles ont une somme importante conservée à l’écart des dépenses actuelles dans l’espoir de recevoir une récompense.

Pour en savoir plus sur le numéro 84, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

Pour soutenir, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Main Development

 

• FACS Issue No. 84, Summer 2024: African Charities Investment Management and Poverty Reduction

 

The contents and key summaries of the 84th Issue of FACS are given below.

 

• • Contents and Pages

 

I. Key Terms Relating to the 84th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

II. Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and Advice on Investment Management (Page 2)

III. ASOs and Infrastructure Investment Management (Page 3)

IV. ASOs and Investment Policy Statement (Page 3)

V. ASOs and the Quantification of Their Investment Aims (Page 3)

VI. ASOs and Investment Priorities (Page 4)

VII. ASOs and Diversified Portfolio (Page 4)

VIII. Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique (OSA) et évaluation des risques d’investissement (Page 5)

IX. Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leurs objectifs d’investissement (Page 5)

X. Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leur sélection d’investissements (Page 6)

XI. Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et le suivi de leurs investissements (Page 6)

XII. Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Charity Investment Management (Page 7)

XIII. Support, Tool and Metrics, Information and Guidance on Investment Management (Page 8)

XIV. Workshop, Focus Group and Booster Activity about Charity Investment Management and Poverty Reduction  (Page 9)

XV. Giving and Project (Page 10)

 

• • Key Summaries

 

Please find below the key summaries of the 84th Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10.

 

• • • Key Terms Relating to the 84th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

 

There are five terms used in the context of this Issue of FACS.  These terms are financial investment, African charity investment management, risk tolerance, investment manager and poverty reduction.  Let us briefly explain these key terms.

 

• • • • Financial Investment

 

The 84th Issue of FACS deals with financial investment.  Financial investment is about investing with the ultimate objective of making money by one or both of the following: generating income from an investment and increasing the value of an investment (capital growth).

Like their counterparts in the other regions of the world, African charities can undertake the following financial investments: renting out a building or property, buying shares, and placing cash on deposit.  All depends on the legislation of the African countries where they operate or they want to undertake investment management.

 

• • • • African Charity Investment Management

 

Let us first start by explaining investment management.  To explain it, let us refer to what ‘nerdwallet.com’ (7) says about it, which is

“Investment management is the maintenance of an investment portfolio, or a collection of financial assets.  It can include purchasing and selling assets, creating short – or long-term investment strategies, overseeing a portfolio’s asset allocation and developing a tax strategy.  Portfolio management and asset management are other terms that also broadly refer to services that provide oversight of a client’s investments”.

From this definition of investment management, we can argue that African charity investment management is simply investment management that applies to or carried out by African charities.  However, let us emphasis that charity investment decisions in the UK are undertaken to further charity’s purposes, according to the UK Government (8).  In the UK Government’s spirit, it means that trustees are required to do what will best help their charity to carry out its purposes, both now and for the future.  African charities, particularly CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations, can do the same depending on what the rules of the African government where they operate say.

 

 

• • • • Risk tolerance

 

Investment comes with risk that investor may or may not tolerate.  Risk tolerance is defined by ‘corporatefinanceinstitute.com’ (9) as

“The amount of loss an investor is prepared to handle while making an investment decision”.

The website ‘forbes.com’ (10) goes further by arguing that

“Risk tolerance is a measure of your comfort in assuming risk.  The more comfortable you are with risk, the less likely you are to be risk averse in investment decision-making and lower investment returns”.

Those who deal with investments (e.g., trustees or investment managers) in charity will be required to make a good judgement on the level of risk that the charity can tolerate.  They can as well use online risk tolerance calculator to guide them.

 

• • • • Investment manager

 

Investment management can be done independently or with an investment manager’s help or expertise.  Those Africa-based Organisations that will choose to have an investment manager, they need to be aware about what an investment manager can do for them (that is, investment manager’s job description and person specification).  They are required to know what an investment manager is.

According to ‘dbs.com’ (11),

“An investment manager is an individual or organisation who invests in security, portfolio on behalf their clients.  Also known as fund or asset managers”.

Investment managers for funds are broadly classified into three types: a) personal fund managers b) business fund managers c) corporate fund managers.

Investment managers in the context of the 84th Issue are charity fund managers.  They can give advice about planning and managing charity’s investments (advisory management).  They can as well have some powers to make investment decisions on charity’s behalf (discretionary management).

ASOs that can afford would employ an investment manger as part of their staff or hire outside investment manager.

 

• • • • Poverty reduction

 

Poverty reduction is any measure or effort to decrease this state in which resources are lacking.  It can be viewed from various angles.  Looking at poverty reduction from the monetary perspective, Y. A. Bununu (12) thinks that

“Poverty reduction can be considered as the improvement of an individual’s or group’s monetary expenditure to an amount above the poverty line while improving access to education, healthcare, information, economic opportunities, security of land-tenure, all the other deprivations associated with it”.

Taking a historical and intertemporal view of poverty reduction, the website ‘borgenproject.org’ (13) argues that poverty reduction is evolving concept.  It evolves from a simple to complex concept throughout the time to mean the following:

 

σ financial contributions to governments of poverty-stricken nations

σ achieving the goal of lifting as many people above the poverty line as possible

σ the extended relief programmes and education programmes focusing on sustainability in target communities.

 

The goalposts of poverty reduction keep moving depending on the types of hardship people face at a particular time of the history.

 

The above-named definitions shape the contents of the 84th Issue of FACS.  

 

• • • Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) and Advice on Investment Management (Page 2)

 

ASOs can manage their investments by themselves (through their trustees or in-house investment managers) or seek advice on investment management from a third party (outside investment managers).

If they choose to hire outside investment managers, the latter will provide them with advice including advice on investment risk tolerance.  There are a number of organisations in Africa that are specialised in providing advice on investment management.  African Capital Alliance (14) is one of them.

Within CENFACS we can as well source advisory support for those ASOs looking for advice on how to manage investments.  This can done under CENFACS’ International Advice Service.  For those ASOs that are needing this sort of advice, they should hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • • ASOs and Infrastructure Investment Management (Page 3)

 

For those ASOs that would like to get involved in infrastructure investment management activities, they can invest in private equity infrastructure funds and long-term institutional unlisted equity.

There are sectors in Africa in which they can hopefully invest in infrastructure projects.  These promising sectors include digital revolution (e.g., smart phone and mobile internet, cloud and fibre technologies), urbanisation (with many people moving to cities in Africa and looking for accommodation and other infrastructures to meet their needs), energy transition (with the need to electrify Africa’s huge population without electricity).

There are African infrastructure investment organisations working on these sectors and issues.  ASOs can approach these organisations to explore the possibility of investing.  Among them is African Infrastructure Investment Managers (15).

 

• • • ASOs and Investment Policy Statement (Page 3)

 

To invest, ASOs could be required to set up an investment policy statement if they do not have one or to revisit it if they have it.  Their investment policy statement needs to indicate where they want to go in terms of investments.  If ASOs can craft this policy by themselves is OK.  If they cannot, they can seek support from investment managers working with charities.

The policy and investment arrangements need to state the position of ASOs with regard to risk tolerance.  They are also required to indicate the suitability of investments in line with their strategy and income/capital return targets.  As ‘rathbones.com’ (16) puts it:

“An investment policy statement sets out a charity’s investment objectives and how it intends to achieve them, which in turn enables the trustees to demonstrate they have complied with their duties.  It also provides investment managers with a framework to make informed investment decisions within the charity’s parameters”.

 

• • • ASOs and the Quantification of Their Investment Aims (Page 3)

 

It is worth for ASOs to have quantified aims.  Whether ASOs work independently on investment management or use external investment managers, they need to set up the following:

 

∝ annual investment income

∝ a quantified risk budget

∝ meaningful targets to track and measure progress

∝ expected average total return over the long-term period

∝ the volatility of return to be experienced or the level of volatility tolerance

etc.

 

The above-mentioned quantified aims will equip them to monitor the performance of their investment management drive.

 

• • • ASOs and Investment Priorities (Page 4)

 

ASOs need to decide what they want to prioritise when investing or dealing with investment management.  They can choose between the different options.  They can prioritise income (how much income they would like to achieve), total return (the amount of yearly return they can expect from their investments) and relative risk (how much risk they are willing to take for the level of investment they are prepared to commit themselves).

So, prioritisation in terms of investing or investment management will enable those working on investment management for ASOs to better focus on what to work on and facilitate ASOs to accomplish their mission.  It means they will put in place a schedule for immediate investments which they can focus upon.

 

• • • ASOs and Diversified Portfolio (Page 4)

 

With a sound investment management, ASOs that have not already done so can build a diversified collection of financial securities comprising of short, medium and long term earnings.  The choice of portfolio will depend on the mix of income and capital growth that ASOs expect.  This will enable them to spread the risk associated to portfolio.  Such portfolio will provide to them the possibility of bearing a minimum amount of risk for a certain level of investment return.  No matter the size of ASOs, it is good for ASOs that have not diversified their portfolio to start doing it.

So, regardless of their size, ASOs can build and diversify their financial portfolio to meet their objectives, values and in line with their risk profile.  They can do it by themselves if they have the competency and capacity in portfolio management or they can appoint an portfolio/asset class specialist.

 

• • •  Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique (OSA) et évaluation des risques d’investissement (Page 5)

 

Tout investissement comporte des risques.  Il est bon d’évaluer ce risque avant de se lancer dans l’investissement.  Les ASO peuvent utiliser le cycle d’évaluation des risques pour gérer leur investissement.  Il peut s’agir de différents types.

Par exemple, au Royaume-Uni, le gouvernement (17) a adopté le modèle d’évaluation des risques suivant pour les organismes de bienfaisance, qui consiste en

 

∝ Identifier, évaluer et hiérarchiser les risques

∝  Concevoir des systèmes et des procédures pour atténuer les risques

∝  Former le personnel et mettre en œuvre des systèmes et des procédures

∝  Surveiller et examiner les performances.

 

En fonction de l’endroit où chaque ASO intervient en Afrique et de ses compétences, elles peuvent appliquer le modèle d’identification, de quantification, d’évaluation et de gestion des risques et incertitudes potentiels qui leur convient et qui répond aux besoins locaux.

 

• • • Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leurs objectifs d’investissement (Page 5)

 

Pour investir, les ASO peuvent définir clairement leurs objectifs d’investissement.  Les objectifs d’investissement définissent la direction que ces organisations souhaitent prendre.  Comme le dit ‘bestrategicplanning.com’ (18)

“Les objectifs d’investissement font référence aux objectifs ou aspirations financières spécifiques que les individus, les entreprises et les investisseurs se fixent tous pour leurs entreprises d’investissement.  Ces objectifs aident à établir un sentiment d’orientation et de but dans le domaine de l’investissement, en guidant les décisions sur où et comment investir de l’argent”.

Ainsi, les ASO qui ont besoin d’investir ou de maintenir leurs investissements, elles doivent également développer des objectifs d’investissement clairs et essayer d’adapter ces objectifs à la réalité du marché et du monde de la réduction de la pauvreté.

 

• • • Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leur sélection d’investissements (Page 6)

 

Comme toute organisation, les ASO ont leur vision, leur mission, leurs buts et objectifs.  Lorsqu’il s’agit d’identifier et de choisir les types d’investissements qu’elles aimeraient entreprendre, il est préférable pour elles de sélectionner ceux qui correspondent à leur vision, à leur mission, à leurs buts et à leurs objectifs.

Cette sélection minutieuse permettra d’éviter les conflits entre la sélection de leurs investissements et leur vision, leur mission, leurs buts et objectifs.  Cela les aidera également dans la manière dont elles s’engagent avec les différentes parties prenantes impliquées dans leur campagne d’investissement.  Cette sélection inclura également le niveau de tolérance qu’elles ont pour un risque donné.

 

• • • Les Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et le suivi de leurs investissements (Page 6)

 

Le suivi de la performance d’un investissement au fil du temps est crucial pour les ASO.  Ce suivi doit être un processus continu.  C’est aussi le processus d’évaluation de la performance du portefeuille d’investissement.  Cependant, ce processus n’aura de valeur que s’il s’aligne sur la mission, les objectifs financiers et la tolérance au risque des ASO.

Le suivi collectera et enregistrera régulièrement des informations sur les investissements en fonction du temps que les ASO fixent pour suivre leurs investissements.

Il y a des organismes de surveillance des investissements qui sont familiers avec ce type d’exercice de surveillance ou de suivi des investissements, en particulier ceux qui ont mis en place un système à cet effet.  Pour ceux qui ne sont pas familiers avec le suivi des investissements, il n’est pas tard pour demander de l’aide.

 

 

• • •  Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Charity Investment Management (Page 7)

 

• • • • Survey on investment and their substitution effect

 

Charity investment can be a viable option for African charities to generate extra income or grow their capital from financial investment to achieve their mission.

The purpose of this survey is to collect information from a sample of our Africa-based Sister Organisations and community members regarding their perception on charity investment and their substitution effect compared to other ways of raising funds.

Participation to this survey is voluntary.

As part of the survey, we are running a questionnaire which contains some questions.  One of these questions is:

 

Q: Is investment management the best option for African charities looking to maintain a financial portfolio and collection of financial assets that align with their poverty reduction goals?

 

You can respond and directly send your answer to CENFACS.

 

 

• • • • Testing hypotheses about charity investments to poverty reduction

 

According to the Scottish Charity Regular (19),

“Charity’s investments can involve a range of assets, such as a building from which you receive rental income, cash placed on deposit which generated interest, a portfolio of stocks, shares and other assets, or a right to income from other asset, for example royalty income arising from owning the copyright to a book”.

Considering this spectrum of investments, one can conduct the following test:

 

∝ Null Hypothesis (Ho): There is a correlation between charity’s return on investments and its contribution to its cause.

∝ Alternative Hypothesis (H1): There is not a correlation between charity’s return on investments and its contribution to its cause.

 

The above test is for those of our members who would like to dive deep into charity’s investments and their impact on its cause.  In order to conduct these tests, one needs data on charity’s return on investments and to know the charity cause they are talking about.

 

• • • • E-question on your view about charity financial investment

 

Financial investment is about investing with the ultimate objective of making money.  Any money made via this way is called a financial return.  This can raise the following question:

Q: Is charity financial investment helpful in furthering charity’s purposes or simply moving charities away from their founding mission?

Any of our readers and users can answer the above-mentioned question.  You can provide your answer directly to CENFACS.

For those answering any of this question and needing first to discuss charity investment management, they can contact CENFACS.

 

• • • • E-discussion on risk tolerance

 

The e-discussion is about one’s ability to endure savings in investment returns and stock market fluctuations.  This is because many of our members have their own view about risk tolerance.  Some of them can assume high risk to invest.  Others are risk averse no matter the level of investments.  Others more can take average risk depending on circumstances.

For those who may have any views or thoughts or even experience to share with regard to this matter, they can join our e-discussion to exchange their views or thoughts or experience with others.

To e-discuss with us and others, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • • Support, Tool and Metrics, Information and Guidance on Investment Management (Page 8)

 

• • • • Ask CENFACS for Guidance regarding the reduction of poverty via investment management

 

An investment management, that is aligned with a charity’s mission and goal of poverty reduction, can help to narrow the wealth gap and build generational wealth to escape from intergenerational poverty.

For those ASOs who would like find out how they can align their investment management with their goals of poverty reduction, they can contact CENFACS.

CENFACS can work with them to explore ways of aligning their investment management strategy with their mission.

We can work with them under our International Advice-, Guidance- and Information-giving Service.  We can as well signpost them to organisations working on charity investment management matter.

Need advice, guidance and information; please contact CENFACS for support.

 

• • • • Tools and metrics of the 84th Issue of FACS

 

The 84th Issue of FACS is concerned with four types of tools or metrics which are: return on investment, surplus margin, earned income and poverty gap ratio.

Let us briefly explain these tools or metrics.

 

 

• • • • • Investment tool and metrics: Return on Investment

 

The 84th Issue utilises as tool Return on Investment. This return on investment (ROI) does not necessarily to be financial (income).  It can be capital growth, social or environmental return, happiness and so on.

If one chooses financial ROI, then they need to explain what it means and how to measure it.  Definitions of ROI tend to overlap.

For example, ‘corporatefinanceinstitute.com’ (20) defines ROI as

“A performance measure used to evaluate the returns of an investment or to compare the relative efficiency of different investments”.

Another definition comes from ‘forbes.com’ (21) that states

“ROI is a metric used to understand the profitability of an investment”.

There is also online ROI calculator for those who will be interested in it.

Because charities exist to delivery public benefit not profit, the 84th Issue is also interested in non-financial ROI.  Furthermore, the 84th Issue considers the impact of your investments on poverty reduction.  In other words, it deals with impact investing.  According to ‘renewcapital.com’ (22),

“Impact investing allows you to invest in Africa in a way that makes a positive social or environmental difference while seeking a financial return on investment”.

 

• • • • • Surplus margin

 

The second metrics that the 84th Issue uses is Surplus Margin.  What is it?

It is the following measure:

 

(Net income/Total income) x 100

 

The website ‘cranfieldtrust.org’ (23) explains that

“Generating a surplus allows a charity to invest in the improvement/expansion of charitable activities.  If the surplus marginal overall is positive, you have made a surplus and your reserves will be boosted”.

For example, this measure can be used to find out the surplus margin of ASO investors and their investment portfolios.

Additionally, one could consider the number of charitable organisations that are investors and the types of their investments.

Alternatively, one could try to find answers to the following questions:

 

Q1: Do they invest in mixed assets funds or national equity funds or global equity funds or fixed interest funds or property and cash funds or green bonds?

Q2: What do their investment portfolios look like?

Q3: Do they achieve a surplus margin?

Q4: What is the profile of their margins?

 

• • • • • Earned to unearned income ratio

 

The 84th Issue also employs the ratio of earned to unearned income.  This ratio can be written as follows:

 

Earned Income / Unearned Income

 

The website ‘cranfieldtrust.org’ (op. cit.) argues that

“The ratio of earned to unearned income helps to show that the charity has developed diversified income as it has evolved.  It is useful for donors and funders”.

For example, our ASOs that would like to invest can utilise this ratio to compare income earn from investments to incomes from unearned sources.

 

• • • • • Poverty gap ratio

 

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

The online ‘marketbusinessnews.com’ (24) explains that

“The poverty gap ratio or poverty gap index is the average of the ratio of the poverty gap to the poverty line.  Economists and statisticians express it as a percentage of the poverty line for a region or whole country…The poverty gap ratio considers how far, on the average, poor people are from poverty line”.

 

The above tools and metrics can be used in dealing with charity investment and poverty reduction in Africa.  For example, one can use the poverty gap ratio to measure the average shortfall of the income of the poor women and youth in Africa from the poverty line.

 

 

• • • • Information and guidance on charity investment management and poverty reduction

 

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

 

a) Information and guidance on charity investment management and poverty reduction

b) Signposts to improve Users’ Experience about impact investing and poverty reduction.

 

• • • • • Information and guidance on charity investment management and poverty reduction

 

Those Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) that are looking for information and guidance on charity investment management and that do not know what to do, CENFACS can work with them (via needs assessment conducted under CENFACS’ International Advice Service) or provide them with leads about other organisations, institutions and services that can help them.

 

• • • • • Signposts to improve Users’ Experience about impact investing and poverty reduction

 

For those who are looking for whereabout to find help about impact investing queries, we can direct them to the relevant services and organisations.

More tips and hints relating to the matter can be obtained from CENFACS‘ Advice-giving Service and Sessions.

Additionally, you can request from CENFACS a list of organisations and services providing help and support in the area of charity investment management, although the Issue 84 does not list them.  Before making any request, one needs to specify the kind of organisations they are looking for.

To make your request, just contact CENFACS with your name and contact details.

 

 

• • • Workshop, Focus Group and Booster Activity about Charity Investment Management and Poverty Reduction  (Page 9)

 

 

 

• • • • Mini themed workshop on investment management skills to reduce poverty 

 

Boost your knowledge and skills about the reduction of poverty via investment management skills with CENFACS.

The workshop aims at supporting those without or with less information and knowledge about investment management skills and knowledge while improving the quality of their lives.  The workshop will provide recommendations for actions with options and opportunities for the participants.

To enquire about the boost, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • • • Focus group on impact investing

 

The focus group will deal with how to invest not only to realise a good return on your investment, but also to create a lasting impact.  Impact investing will be approached from the perspective of win-win.

To take part in the focus group, group that will use deliberative practice strategies, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • • Summer activity: Consulting Investment Managers

 

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

 

Q1: Do you consult an investment manager or fund/asset manager for your investment decisions? 

Q2: Do you have an investment account with an investment manager? 

 

Those who would like to answer these two questions and participate to our Consulting Investment Managers Activity, they are welcome.

To take part in this activity, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • Giving and Project (Page 10)

 

• • • • Readers’ giving

 

You can support FACS, CENFACS bilingual newsletter, which explains what is happening within and around CENFACS.

FACS also provides a wealth of information, tips, tricks and hacks on how to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

You can help to continue its publication and to reward efforts made in producing it.

To support, just contact CENFACS on this site.

 

• • • • African Charities Investment Management Project (ACIMP)

 

ACIMP is an advisory management project designed by CENFACS to work together with Africa-based Sister Organisations looking to plan and manage their investments so that they can realise their mission with peace of mind without to worry to much about investment issues.  The project will help to avoid investment mistakes while tolerating risk at fairly acceptable level.

Through this project, organisations will build generational investment management capacity and wealth that will help them and their beneficiaries to escape from intergenerational poverty.

To support or contribute to ACIMP, please contact CENFACS.

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

The full copy of the 84th Issue of FACS is available on request.

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

_________

 

• References

 

(1) Kudrna, L. & Kushlev, K. (2022), Money Does Not Always Buy Happiness, but Are Richer People Less Happy in Their Daily Lives?  It Depends on How You Analyse Income, available at https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.883137/full (accessed in August 2024)

(2) https://www.health.org.uk/evidence-hub/money-and-resources/income/relationship-between-income-and-health (accessed in August 2024)

(3) https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00846 (accessed in August 2024)

(4) https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/what-is-wellness/ (accessed in July 2024)

(5) https://www.tutor2u.net/economics/reference/what-is-disposable-income (accessed in August 2023)

(6) https://pesd.princeton.edu/node/696 (accessed in August 2024)

(7) https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/what-is-investment-management (accessed in August 2024)

(8) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charities-and-investment-matters-a-guide-for-trustees-cc14/charities-and-investment-matter-a-guide-for-trustees#:~:text=Trustee%20oversightYou (accessed in August 2024)

(9) https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/wealth-management/risk-tolerance/ (accessed in August 2024)

(10) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/what-is-your-risk-tolerance/ (accessed in August 2024)

(11) https://www.dbs.com/in/treasures/investment-manager (accessed in August 2024)

(12) Bununu, Y. A. (2020). Poverty Reduction: Concept, Approaches, and Case Studies. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A., Brandli, L., Özuyar, P., Wall, T. (eds) Decent Work and Economic Growth. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer. Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71058-7_31-1 (accessed in April 2024)

(13) https://borgenproject.org/what-is-poverty-reduction/ (accessed in April 2024)

(14) https://acagp.com (accessed in August 2024)

(15) https://aiimafrica.com (accessed in August 2024)

(16) https://www.rathbones.com/sites/rathbones.com/files/imce/final_what_to_include_in_an_Investment_policy_statement.pdf (accessed in August 2024)

(17) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550688/Tool_1.pdf (accessed in August 2024)

(18) https://bestrategicplanning.com/investment-goals (accessed in August 2024)

(19) https://www.oscr.org.uk/guidance-and-forms/charity-investments-guidance-and-good-practice/2-what-is-an-investment/# (accessed in April 2024)

(20) https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accouting/what-is-return-on-investment-roi/ (accessed in April 2024)

(21) https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/roi-on-investment/ (accessed in April 2024)

(22) https://renewcapital.com/newsroom/charitable-investment-options-for-benevolent-investors (accessed in August 2024)

(23) https://www.cranfieldtrust.org/articles/top-10-financial-ratios-forcharities (accessed in April 2024)

(24) https://marketbusinessnews.com/information-on-credit/gap-ratio–definition-meaning (accessed in August 2023)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

07 August 2024

 

Post No. 364

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Trend Analysis Month with Summer 2024 Triple Pack Made of Track, Trending and Trip 

• Activity/Task 8 of the Transition (‘t’) Year and Project: Run or Walk with or Visit the People in Need Making Transition

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Mineral Poverty

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Trend Analysis Month with Summer 2024 Triple Pack Made of Track, Trending and Trip 

 

Last month, we carried out the historical analysis of the programmes, projects and activities we ran during the financial year 2023-2024.  Having this historical analysis in our mind set, we can now start looking at patterns and highlights.  To do that, we are going to approach August month as a Trend Analysis Month with a focus on Triple Pack Made of Track, Trending and Trip.

 

• • August as a Trend Analysis Month

 

After dealing with the Impact Analytics and Data Insights for the 2023-2024 Programmes, Projects and Activities in July 2024; we are now undertaking Trend Analysis this August 2024.  This is because August is the month we conduct trend analysis on our work.  In other words,  we are now using and will be using the results of the 2023-2024 Impact Analytics and Data Insights to carry out Trend Analysis.

Trend analysis has to be understood and defined in a technical way.  Trend analysis can be approached in many ways.  One of its approaches comes from ‘ideascale.com’ (1) which defines it as

“A statistical and analytical technique used to evaluate and identify patterns, trends, or changes in data over time.  It involves the examination of historical data to uncover insights into the direction or tendencies of a particular phenomenon”.

By referring to this definition, we are going to systematically examine historical data to identify patterns, tendencies, or changes over 2023-2024 and the previous financial years.  Using the key performance indicators or metrics, CENFACS trend analysts are going to capture the essence of the trends they are investigating.

 

• • August as the Month of Focus on Track, Trending and Trip

 

August is also the month we focus on CENFACS’ Track, Trending and Trip.  What do we mean by that?  We mean that we are on the track of poverty reduction, we walk to meet those in need and we follow the direction of poverty reduction.  Let us briefly explain these key concepts or activities of the month making our triple pack (i.e., track, trending and trip).

 

• • • On the Track of Poverty Reduction

 

We are on the Track of poverty reduction as we are looking for relief for ourselves and other people.  We do Track at CENFACS as we think that every one of us can undertake basic physical activity of running or racing to help reduce poverty.  In this process of tracking, we also try to reduce or eliminate poverty due to being on the wrong side of the tracks.

To basically run or race, one does not need to be part of field event.  For those who cannot in-person run, they can do it virtually or online.  Our project known as Run to Reduce Poverty is designed to meet that end.

This Summer, we are going to do Tracking while taking into account the treble context of lingering impacts of the cost of living crisis, extreme temperatures and the damaging effects of the other polycrises.

 

• • • Trips or Walks to CENFACS’ Projects

 

August is also the month during which we carry out some Trips to our projects.  We visit our projects all over the year, but August is the time we highlight this.  We do a short journey to one of the places in need.  It is the month of the year we walk again and reach out to the need, to the people, communities, organisations and livelihoods in need.

This Summer, we are going to undertake both Virtual or In-person Trips depending on the circumstances prone to the rising costs of living, changing climate and lingering effects of the other polycrises.  We can work alone or use our social network or social wayfinding or even social trail.

 

• • • Trendy Development

 

We thirdly deal with Trending in August as we spend time looking at what is popular at CENFACS in the context of poverty reduction as well as what is the current general movement or tendency in poverty reduction.  This is what we can call Trendy Development; that is a development process following the latest fashions in terms of poverty reduction.

Trending in Poverty Reduction helps us to follow the direction of poverty reduction. This August we are going to follow this direction or tendency of poverty (or poverty reduction) via aquatic foods.  In other words, we are going to find out how aquatic food systems and sector are helping in lifting people out of poverty.

What are aquatics foods? According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (2),

“Aquatic foods are all foods for human consumption grown in, or harvested from, water.  They include foods from all types of algae and aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals, with the exception of aquatic mammals and reptiles)” (p. 220)

Aquatic foods help to reduce poverty and can even lift more people out of poverty.  We are interested in the specific benefits of Aquatic Foods to poverty reduction.  We are going to follow this direction in-person.  Where we have problem to follow it in-person, we shall do it via online, video, phone, screen and digital technological means of communication and on papers (print).

More details about Trend Analysis Month and CENFACS’ Track, Trending and Trips for this year are given under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Activity/Task 8 of the Transition (‘t’) Year and Project: Run or Walk with or Visit the People in Need Making Transition

 

As part of CENFACS’ Transition Year and Project, the activity or task to be carried out for this month is to undertake the physical activity of running or walking with the people in need.  In the process of running and/or walking, one can try to positively support their transition strategies as they are transitioning out of poverty.

Alternatively, one can in-person visit the people in need and try to discover the barriers to transition they are facing and discuss with them the types of solutions they would like to be put in place.

Briefly, one can Run or Walk with or Visit the people in need while these people are undergoing or navigating the 3 stages of transition through change, which are accept the ending, live in the neutral zone and reach your new beginning.

The following examples can help illustrate these activities.

 

 

• • Examples of August 2024 Transition Activities

 

To put into practice CENFACS’ Transitions Year and Project and of the month of Track, Trip and Trending; one can proceed with either of the following Transition Activities:

 

• • • Transition Activity 8.1: Safely and Healthily Run 2.5 miles (nearly 4 km) with people in need to create user-generated information giving opportunity while talking to them during the run and supporting them to improve their coping strategies for their good wellness

 

• • • Transition Activity 8.2: Undertake Virtual or In-person Visits or Tours of 3 Transition projects or activities; projects or activities based on transition facts, information and skills acquired through experience or education, and which use transition methodology and tools to support people this Summer 2024

 

• • • Transition Activity 8.3: Carry out online search to find 6 Trends in poverty reduction for projects that are helping people to transition out of poverty.

 

The above three examples of Transition-based Activities are our way of linking our ‘t’ Year/Project and the month of Trend Analysis as well as of Track, Trip and Trending together.

These run, walk and visit can also be done virtually if there are problems to conduct them in-person.

The above if the activity or task for the ‘t’ Year/Project for those who are interested in carrying it out.  For those who want any clarification of any aspects of the activity or task, they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Goal of the Month: Reduction of Mineral Poverty

 

This month, we are also interested in mineral poverty and how to reduce it.  What is mineral poverty?

 

• • Basic Understanding of Mineral Poverty

 

Mineral poverty is understood from the definition of D. M. Frank et al. (3) as

“A state of mineral insecurity associated with poverty.  Mineral poverty may limit access to vital infrastructure and services such as housing, transport and energy, and is interconnected with the other material dimensions of poverty”.

The same D. M. Frank et al. explain that

“Mineral security exists when all people have sufficient and affordable access to the minerals necessary for human development, including for shelter, mobility, communication, energy and sustenance.  Mineral security also implies access to the beneficiation and transformation necessary to turn minerals into usable commodities”.

These understandings of mineral and mineral security can have some implications for our work on poverty reduction in the month of Trend Analysis and the Season of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness.

 

• • Reduction of Mineral Poverty in the Month of Trend Analysis and the Season of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness

 

If we consider the loose definition of mineral, not its geological meaning (that is a solid naturally occurring inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition), it is possible to argue that those who struggle to have access to substance obtained by mining such as fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas and petroleum) may experience some difficulties to reduce poverty if this substance is the only means they have available, affordable and accessible.  They can experience poverty linked to the inaccessibility to this substance, even though the global climate community would like them to transition away from fossil fuels.

So, providing security to mineral or any substance obtained by mining can help to reduce poverty.  However, for this reduction to happen the benefits of this security have to be directed to the poor or those in need.

The above is our poverty reduction goal for this month, which we are asking to our audiences and supporters to help or promote.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal 2024, Creative Activity No. 3: Create Your Journal of Happy, Healthy and Good Life Expectancy

• Impact Capture and Record Your Summer Telling Moments to Report Back and Build Forward 

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses This Question: Are Energy Transition Minerals the Keys to Poverty Reduction in Africa?

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal 2024, Creative Activity No. 3: Create Your Journal of Happy, Healthy and Good Life Expectancy

 

To create a Summer Journal of Happy, Healthy and Good Life Expectancy, one may need to understand what is a happy, healthy and good life expectancy.

 

• • Understanding Happy, Healthy and Good Life Expectancy

 

Happiness can be associated with longer life.  According to the psychologist and epidemiologist Andrew Steptoe quoted by Helen Fields (4),

“The research shows that good moods are correlated with long life, but it is not proof that happiness makes people live longer… People’s life circumstances are also relevant”.

One can use the association that Steptoe made between happiness and longer life to create their journal of Happy Life Expectancy.

As to healthy life expectancy, the website ‘verywellhealth.com’ (5) explains that

“Healthy life expectancy is indicative of years of wellness, not total years of life.  Health-adjusted life expectancy is the average number of years that a person can expect to live in full health – that is, not hampered by disability illnesses or injuries.  Commonly referred to as healthy life expectancy, it is a measurement used by the World Health Organisation in assessing the health and well-being of a country”.

One can refer to the definition of healthy life expectancy to write a journal of healthy life expectancy (or disability-free life expectancy).

Regarding a good life expectancy, the website ‘britannica.com’ (6) states that

“It is the average number of years a person is expected to live in good health or without disability, given current age-specific mortality rates and disease and disability prevalence rates”.

One can apply the view of ‘britannica.com’ on good life expectancy and create a journal of good life expectancy.

In one’s journal, one can write things like the types of steps they can take to increase their years in good health, such as carrying out regular physical exercise, eating more plant-based foods, keeping routine doctor appointments, etc.  They can as well use reliable statistics to check their life expectancy calculation (e.g., via life expectancy calculator).

One can even go further in combining happiness, healthiness and wellness to create an all-in-one journal about them. To do that one needs to understand factors determining life expectancy.

 

• • Factors Determining Life Expectancy

 

Amongst these factors are socio-economic status, lifestyle, ethnicity, migrant status and education.  One can use one or a combination of these factors and write a journal on how the selected factor(s) is/are contributing to their happiness, healthiness and wellness, therefore to their life expectancy this Summer 2024.

So, as part of Summer of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness, one can create a journal for the things that and people who are bringing or have brought expectation of living a happy, healthy and good life during this Summer 2024.

 

• • Impact Capturing and Reporting Your Thoughts, Feelings, Souvenirs and Memories about Life Expectancy

 

They can impact capture and record their thoughts, feelings, experiences, souvenirs and memories in relation to their life expectancy or the expectation of it.  They can share with the community their experience of happy, healthy and good life expectancy.  This can be recorded in their journal and be shared by the end of Summer 2024.

To share the contents of their happiness, healthiness and wellness journal relating to happy, healthy and good life expectancy, and help build a better Summer holiday experience, they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Impact Capture and Record Your Summer Telling Moments to Report Back and Build Forward 

 

Whether one has a Summer break or is working over this Summer, it is always a good idea to impact capture and record your memorable moments or just what you are doing.

 

• • Impact Capture and Record Your Summer Telling Moments as They Happen

 

Capture and record Summer activities (e.g., engagement activities where the people in your experience are engaged) that can lead to impact.  You can look for impact when capturing and recording your Summer moments.

However, impact can be difficult to track, in particular for those who do not have experience for impact capturing and recording.  You can keep track of the people who are participating in your Summer experiences. 

For those who are not familiar with impact capturing and recording, they can take these basic actions:

 

∝ Look for different types of impact

∝ Use various leads and mediums of finding and mapping impact

∝ Appeal to indicators for impact

∝ Refer to impact capturing and recording tools

∝ Decide what you need to track for your impact

etc.

 

These basic actions will enable them to create an impact record.

After Summer, we often ask our project beneficiaries or the community to impact report their Summer experience back.  If you impact record what you are doing this Summer, after Summer it will be easier to share what you may judge is a shareable part of your Summer experience or story.

 

• • Do not Forget to Take Photos and Pictures, Make a Video, Record Your Voice, Podcast, etc.!

 

If you decide to impact capture and record your Summer activities or experiences, please do not forget to take photos and pictures, make a video, record your voice, podcast, etc.    It is also useful to write down dates, places and names of people involved in your Summer projects or experiences.  You can plan the way you want to impact report back, whether you want to use words or numbers or voices or information graphics (e.g. tables or graphs, figures, etc.).

Before including people around you in your recorded experience, please take care of General Data Protection Regulations.  This extra care will help to protect yourself and others.  If necessary, please check the policy on handling people’s information and data, including update on this policy.

 

• • Impact Reporting Back Your Summer Experiences to Build Forward Better Together

 

Impact reporting back your experiences can sometimes inspire others, especially if your experiences contain poverty-relieving features or outcomes.  Sometimes what you may think is not important in your life experience could be very useful or even life-saving for others in the community.  Your experiences could help to build forward better together cleaner, greener, inclusively, safer and climate-resilience.

We hope you will seriously take our message of impact capturing and recording to impact report back and build forward better together.

Thank you!

 

 

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Forum E-discusses This Question: Are Energy Transition Minerals the Keys to Poverty Reduction in Africa?

 

This e-discussion is the continuation of the one we had in April 2024, which was on Energy Transition Minerals and Poverty in Africa.  We are dealing with energy transition minerals since they are needed for energy transition to happen. 

Indeed, the narratives that shape the role of minerals in development and poverty reduction are that energy transition are needed to move to net zero world and to reduce poverty in Africa.  If these minerals are required for transition, are they also the keys to poverty reduction in Africa.  To discuss if they are keys or not to poverty reduction in Africa, it is better to understand them.

 

• • Brief Understanding of Energy Transition Minerals

 

The United Nations Environment Programme (7) explains that

“Energy transition minerals are naturally occurring substances, often found in rocks, that are ideal for use in renewable technology… Lithium, nickel and cobalt are components of batteries, like those that power electric vehicles”.

These minerals of energy transition can fasten energy transition.  They are technological innovations developed to support energy transition.  They include cobalt, copper, lanthanum, lithium, for electric vehicles; platinum, palladium, rhodium for fuel cells; copper, neodymium, terbium for wind energy transitions, etc.

They are found in many countries including Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  However, if these minerals are important for energy transition, does this also mean they are the keys to poverty reduction in Africa?

 

• • Energy Transition Minerals as Keys to Poverty Reduction in Africa

 

The word ‘key’ here has to be understood as something that provides an answer or solution, a means of achievement, according to Chambers’ Combined Dictionary Thesaurus (8).  In other words, these minerals can be an answer to the success of poverty reduction in Africa.  However, for minerals to be an answer, there are other conditions that need to be put in place for energy transitions play their role of poverty reduction in Africa.

During our e-discussion, we shall try to answer to the above made question while exploring the enabling conditions and circumstances that will enable energy transition minerals to play their role in poverty reduction.  There is a need to investigate and discuss the conditions and circumstances that make or will make energy transition minerals as the keys to poverty reduction in Africa.

Those who may be interested in this discussion can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters and themes of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.  They can contact us at our usual address on this site.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Projets de l’Appel Humanitaire de l’Été 2024

Les projets d’appel humanitaire de l’été 2024 résument les besoins de tous les pauvres, des enfants pauvres, des jeunes aidants et des familles qui ont besoin de votre don, de votre financement ou même de votre influence.

Tous les enfants pauvres et sans protection, les jeunes aidants sous-évalués et les pauvres souffrant du manque d’opportunités en matière de développement du sport et de développement durable; ils demandent tous de l’aide pour réduire ou mettre fin au type de pauvreté qu’ils vivent.

Leurs demandes sont résumées dans l’édition 2024 des Projets d’Appel Humanitaire d’Été duCENFACS.

Les projets à l’origine de cet appel sont les suivants:

√ Couvrir les dépenses de base pour les enfants en détresse en Afrique

√ Tous les dons pour tous les pauvres

√ Réseautage et protection international contre les crises

√ Jeune aidant emblématique

√ ELCLASSICO International ou le projet de responsable du développement sportif.

Les cinq projets ci-dessus nécessitent des dons, des financements ou de l’influence.

Ceux/celles qui souhaitent soutenir les bénéficiaires mentionnés ci-dessus peuvent donner de l’argent et/ou donner en nature ou leur influence.

N’oubliez pas que cette campagne de collecte de fonds et d’influence pour eux se terminera le 22 septembre 2024.

Le CENFACS acceptera tout soutien apporté pendant et au-delà de la durée de cette campagne.

S’il vous plaît, n’attendez pas pour faire un don ou influencer car les besoins sont pressants et urgents MAINTENANT.

Pour soutenir ou vous renseigner sur ces projets d’appel humanitaire, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Nous nous réjouissons de votre généreux soutien pour faire une différence utile pour tous les pauvres, les enfants pauvres, les jeunes aidants et les familles dans le besoin en Afrique.

Merci de votre générosité.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Trend Analysis Month with Summer 2024 Triple Pack Made of Track, Trending and Trip 

 

Our systematic examination of historical data that shaped our 2023-2024 programmes, projects and activities is taking place as we are trying to identify patterns, tendencies, or changes from them.  While we are doing this, we are focussing on our thematic model of Summer of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness through the three activities of…

 

1) TRACK to help reduce poverty

2) Virtual or In-person TRIPS to projects and locals

3) TRENDING in poverty reduction by following the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods.

 

The following headings provide the contents summaries of the Trend Analysis and the above-mentioned activities of the month making our triple pack (i.e., track, trending and trip):

 

∝ Trend Analysis Month 2024

∝ Track, Trip and Trending 2024 Activities

∝ August 2024 Trending Activities/Programme

∝ In Focus from Wednesday 07/08/2024: Aquatic Foods and Their Affordability for Low-income Households.

 

Let us uncover what is inside these headings.

 

• • Trend Analysis Month 2024

 

Our August 2024 trend analysis consists of tracking data for the services we provided during the financial year 2023-2024 to identify seasonal trends or changes in project beneficiaries’ preferences.  It is also about examining historical poverty reduction rates where our Africa-based Sister Organisations operate to discover trends and understand the improvement made in the conditions of those living in poverty there.

During this analysis, we shall use metrics (like performance against mission, growth of our services, opt-in growth, user happiness, impact, giving methods of donors, business basics, etc.).  We will look at trends from supporters, users and beneficiaries.  We will measure services, project beneficiaries’ and users’ perception.  We will check that we are meeting our targets, programme outcomes and stakeholder/volunteer engagement.  We shall examine that we are keeping supporters, beneficiaries and users informed and engaged in CENFACS‘ work.

Based on the 2023-2024 and past performance or behaviour of our charitable work, we can make informed decisions and predictions.

 

• • Track, Trip and Trending 2024 Activities

 

• • • Track to Help Reduce Poverty 

 

This is delivered through the project Run to Reduce Poverty, Gaming to Reduce Poverty and Vote Your African Manager of Poverty Reduction. These are All Year-Round Projects or Triple Value Initiatives.

However, because of the weather conditions (sunshine) and nature of August (holiday time for many of our project beneficiaries and supporters) we put a particular emphasis on the Run aspects of these all year-round projects, over this month.  One can do physical run out and indoor while bearing in mind the lingering effects of the health risk and rising temperatures.

We expect those who sign up to the Run element to take actions and run it by themselves while following to letter any health and safety rules (e.g. Protection against the lingering effects of any health risk) relating to this element.  After summer or at any convenient time before the end of the year, they can all report back our individual Run activity and achievements.

 

• • • Virtual or In-person TRIPS to Projects and Locals 

 

This is the second aspect of our Summer 2024 Triple Pack or part of work over the month of August at CENFACS.  We expect and advise our supporters to visit some of our projects and initiatives whether in the UK or in Africa during and around the month of August.

For those who cannot in-person or physically visit projects on the grounds, arrangements can be made between the prospective visitors and the organisations to be visited so that they can organise a virtual trip, tour or viewing.

This requires that the visitors and visiting organisations have the technology that enables this virtual tour to happen.  If this is possible, we expect and advise our supporters to virtually visit some of projects and initiatives whether in the UK or in Africa during and around the month of August.

 

a) Visits to Projects/Initiatives within the UK

 

Trip to the needs or Visit this year will help to see how events such as extreme temperatures, the polycrises and the high costs of living have affected local people and local needs.  During the Visit, we shall have the opportunity to see in real life how these people are strategically coping to manage these events.

 

b) Trips to Projects/Initiatives in Africa

 

Trip to the need and project includes some of the experiences undertaken by CENFACS’ All-in-Development Volunteers through field work involvements and project visits, to reach out to unreached, underserved and unserved people and communities, particularly those living in remote areas of Africa.  It is the kind of experiences or expeditions or study tours that we recommend to future invertebrate and vertebrate volunteers to have and report back in September or after.  When reporting back, they can evaluate and assess the effectiveness of field trips.

These trip activities, which can be in-person or virtual, also help us to check if we are on the right track at helping to reduce poverty and at tracking our records for the work on the ground.

Because the theme of trending for this Summer is about Aquatic Foods, we are going to link Trip to the need on the ground in terms of what services aquatic foods and sector provide to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

 

• • • TRENDING in Poverty Reduction by Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods

 

Sustainable development does not need to be trendy, but we can follow the latest fashions in sustainable development and poverty reduction.

This August, we are dealing with Trending in poverty reduction by following the direction of poverty reduction via Aquatic Foods and Sector and their capacity in lifting people out poverty. We mean by that we are following the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods.

In order to make sense of our trending activity, let us briefly explain aquatic foods and their relationship with poverty reduction.

 

• • • • Basic Understanding of Aquatic Foods

 

What are aquatics foods?

Aquatic foods are defined by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (op. cit.) as

“All foods for human consumption grown in, or harvested from, water.  They include foods from all types of algae and aquatic animals (fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic animals, with the exception of aquatic mammals and reptiles)” (p. 220)

This understanding will help to study the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods and sector, including the relationship of aquatic foods to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

 

• • • • Relationship between Aquatic Foods and food poverty reduction

 

There is a relationship between aquatic foods and poverty reduction.  Indeed, poverty which is defined by ‘worldpopulationreview.com’ (9) as “a state of being in which a person lacks the income (or other means of support) to reliably meet their basic personal needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing” can be reduced by aquatic foods.

To be more precise, let us use the definition of food poverty.  According to the ‘commonslibrary.parliament.uk’ (10),

“A household can broadly be defined as experiencing food poverty or household food insecurity if they cannot (or are uncertain about whether they can) acquire an adequate quality or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways”.

Aquatic foods can help bring down the number or percentage of the population or households living below the food poverty line.

For example, in Africa there are millions of people who rely on aquatic foods for their daily meal and diet.  If these peoples are poor, then one could argue that aquatic foods help them to move away from food poverty.

 

 

• • August 2024 Trending Activities or Programme

 

August 2024 Trending Activities or Programme will be about following the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods by focussing on four variables as follows:

 

1) The price (affordability of aquatic foods)

2) The environment (low-climate impact of aquatic foods)

3) The consumption (aquatic food and consumption poverty reduction)

4) The technology/production (low-cost technology to produce aquatic foods).

 

The above four variables are also the four directions we would like to take to follow poverty reduction.

To follow them, we need a plan.

 

 

• • • August 2024 Working Plan about Aquatic Foods

 

The above-crafted table summarises our August 2024 plan of work from every Wednesday of August 2024.  The focus for the first direction of poverty reduction which starts from today Wednesday 07/08/2024 is given below.

 

 

• • In Focus from Wednesday 07/08/2024: Aquatic Foods and Their Affordability for Low-income Households

 

The first focus of 2024 Summer trending activities is about following the direction of poverty reduction via the price of aquatic foods.  In other words, we are going to follow the price of aquatic foods and their affordability for low-income households.  To do that, we are going to deal with fisheries and aquaculture prices and the properties of aquatic foods in terms of their affordability, availability and accessibility for the same households.

 

• • • Fisheries and aquaculture prices

 

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (op. cit.),

“Fisheries and aquaculture prices declined in 2023 and are expected to continue falling slightly in both nominal and real terms until 2025-2027 before then increasing” (p. 215 & p. 217)

The outcomes from the same Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations’ projections are:

“Prices are expected to grow moderately in nominal terms from 2022 to 2032, driven on the demand side by improved income, population growth and higher meat prices.  Prices of farmed aquatic species will increase owing to higher fish meal and fish oil prices” (p. 217)

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations further concludes that prices are expected to decline in real terms, even thought they will increase in nominal terms.

It is possible to find more information about aquatic foods and see if they are affordable for low-income households.

 

• • • Affordability, availability and accessibility of aquatic foods

 

Many people cannot afford a healthy diet.  However, because of the properties of aquatic foods of being affordable, available and accessible; they can be alternative to rely on.

If one takes the affordability feature of aquatic foods, it is a matter of fact that fish is relatively affordable for low-income households, especially for those of them looking for affordable healthy diets.  Canned tunas are affordable proteins that are convenient for preparation and storage.

If aquatic foods are affordable, they need to be available (that is, ready to be obtained or used) and accessible (i.e., able to be reached easily) for those low-income households that have made them their staples of choice.  If they are not, this could be an area of interest in following the direction of poverty reduction.

 

• • • Following the Direction of Poverty Reduction via Aquatic Foods and Their Affordability for Low-income Households

 

From the price history and projections of aquatic foods, one can follow the evolution or trends of a particular area and of a specific aquatic food product for a certain period.   They can as well check whether or  not this product is affordable, available and accessible for low-income households.

Equally, one can follow the direction of the two other properties of aquatic foods to find out if they are available and accessible.  There are many ways of finding out this information which include:

 

√ Visiting projects

√ Speaking to households in the community

√ Researching information online

√ Participating in research on this matter

etc.

 

Briefly, it is possible to observe or follow the journey of prices of aquatic foods and check how they are affordable and helping to reduce poverty.  In this observation and journey, it is better to consider aquatic products as they come from the water.  This way, one can better seize their impact on poverty reduction and on the food poor people.

The above is our trending work from Wednesday 07 to 13/08/2024; work which has already started.

To follow with us the direction of poverty reduction via aquatic foods, please contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

(1) https://ideascale.com/blog/what-is-trend-analysis/ (accessed in August 2024)

(2) FAO. 2024. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. 2024. Blue Transformation in action. Rome 

(3) Frank, D. M., Keenan, J. & Hailu, D. Mineral security essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Nat Sustain 6, 21-27 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00967-9 (accessed in August 2024)

(4) https://www.science.org/content/article/happiness-associated-longer-life (accessed in August 2024)

(5) https://www.verywellhealth.com/understanding-healthy-life-expectancy-2223919 (accessed in August 2024)

(6) https://www.britannica.com/science/life-expectncy (accessed in August 2024)

(7) https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/what-are-energy-transition-minerals-and-how-can-they-unlock-clean-energy-age (accessed in April 2024)

(8) Chambers’ Combined Dictionary Thesaurus, edited by Manser, M. & Thomson, M., Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd 1999

(9) https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/poverty-rate-by-country (accessed in August 2024)

(10) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9209/ (accessed in August 2024)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

31 July 2024

 

Post No. 363

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All Poor, Poor Children, Young Carers and Families Would Greatly Appreciate Your Help

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal, Creative Activity No. 2: Create Your Journal of Summer Generosity

• Completion of Work on Data Analytics and Impact for Programmes, Projects and Activities for Financial Year 2023-2024

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All Poor, Poor Children, Young Carers and Families Would Greatly Appreciate Your Help

 

All poor, children who need networking to protect them, undervalued young carers and poor families with children trying to tackle poverty via sports in Africa; they all need your donations and gifts.  They are calling for your assistance as the following data and facts speak for them.

 

• • Data and Facts Speaking for All poor, Unprotected Children, Undervalued Young Carers and Those Lacking Opportunity to Practise Sports

 

According to a press release on 1 July 2024 by ‘unicef.org’ (1),

“1 in 3 children in Africa live in severe child food poverty due to inequity, conflict, and climate crises.  Children experiencing this level of food poverty are up to 50 per cent more likely to suffer from life-threatening malnutrition, new analysis finds”.

Likewise, the jointly report produced by the African Union, African Development Bank, United Nations Development and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (2) indicates that

“The indicator 5.3.4 of Africa’s Agenda 2063 requires a percent increase of youth and women participating in integrated agricultural value chains; and to empower youth for entrepreneurship and create jobs for them in a climate adaptation and resilience”.

Yet, many of the impoverished youth and women in Africa are unable to participate in these chains.

Moreover, there are young carers (aged under 18) in Africa who take all sorts of caring responsibilities and roles such as collecting wood for energy to warm homes and cook a meal, looking after their family members and communities, cooking, cleaning, etc.  They provide this support at their own expenses as they miss opportunities of education and learning.  Their substantial, regular and unpaid care is not properly valued.

These young unpaid carers are struggling to combine caring responsibilities with the demands of their education.  They care for under 5 years and old aged 50 and over and work over exorbitant hours each day.  They do it where there is no Young Carers Covenant (that is a commitment to ensure a fair future for young carers).

Furthermore, there are poor families in Africa seeking for sports to make a difference in the life of their children.  Yet, there are costs (including those of specialist equipment and sportswear) that are prohibiting these poor to play the sports that will help them escape from poverty.  These poor children and youth have no access to sports and sustainable development opportunities to help them escape from poverty.  There is a need to help and invest in poor children and youngsters (aged between 5 and 18 ) to take the opportunities of the sports sector to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development in Africa.

All poor, unprotected children, undervalued young carers and those poor suffering from the lack of opportunities in sport development and sustainable development; they all are asking for support to reduce and or end the type of poverty they are experiencing.

 

• • Supporting All poor, Unprotected Children, Undervalued Young Carers and Those Lacking Opportunity to Practise Sports

 

∝ You can help

– reduce the trends, inequities and drivers of food poverty in early childhood in Africa

– provide sufficient dietary intake of essential nutrients to these children

– children and families trapped in a cycle of poverty and deprivation in Africa this Summer.

∝ You can support these poorest children and adolescents, who are looking to get physically active, to live a happier, healthier and well fulfilling lives through sports.  You can help these children and adolescents to reduce poverty due to the lack of sports development and improve their physical and emotional well-being.

∝ You can back the young unpaid carers of Africa to meet their needs of education, social care, health, wellbeing and pensions.  In doing so, your support will help improve their living conditions while eradicating poverty amongst them.

 

To support them, one may need to know what they are exactly requesting.

 

• • Summaries of the Requests from All poor, Unprotected Children, Undervalued Young Carers and Those Lacking Opportunity to Practise Sports

 

Their requests are summarised inside the 2024 Edition of CENFACS’ Summer Humanitarian Appeal Projects.

The projects making this appeal include the following:

 

√ Cover Basic Spending for the Distressed Children in Africa

√ All Gifts for All Poor 

√ International Networking and Protection against Crises

√ Iconic Young Carer 

√ ELCLASSICO International.

 

Except CENFACS’ Cover Basic Spending for the Distressed Children in Africa, the other four projects have been highlighted under the Main Development section of this post.  The highlight about CENFACS’ Cover Basic Spending for the Distressed Children in Africa can be found at cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

The above five projects require donation or funding or influence.

The fundraising and influencing campaign for them will end by 22 September 2024.

To support and or enquire about these humanitarian relief appeal projects, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal, Creative Activity No. 2: Create Your Journal of Summer Generosity

 

Generosity is one of the six predictors of happiness and healthiness.  One can create a journal about what they are giving (or gave) or are receiving (or received) unselfishly.

Like last Summer, this Summer is tough for many ordinary people and families since higher costs of living can only make things difficult for them.  Many of these poor people and families are looking for unselfish help and support.

For those who would manage to receive this generous support; they can create a journal for the things, organisations and people who have been unselfishly supportive to their happiness, healthiness and wellness during this Summer 2024.  For those who would give to others; they can as well journal their experience of giving to others.

Both receivers and givers can record their thoughts, feelings and experiences in relation to the generous support they have received or given.  They can share with the community their experience of happy and healthy generous support.  This can be recorded in their journal and be shared by the end of Summer 2024.

To share the contents of their happiness, healthiness and wellness journal relating to philanthropic support, and help build a better Summer holiday experience; they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Completion of Work on Data Analytics and Impact for Programmes, Projects and Activities for Financial Year 2023-2024

 

As planned, our 2023-2024 Data Analytics and Impact Work will end today the 31st of July 2024.  For those who have not yet told us what they think about the 2023-2024 Programmes, Projects and Activities they can say it by the end of the day.

We would very much appreciate if they could provide us their feedback…

 

(a) via e-mail, text, phone, web comments or reviews

(b) in their own words, numbers, voices and information graphics (info-graphics).

 

They can briefly explain the way in which the 2023-2024 programmes, projects and activities have affected them or the people they recommended to use them or their organisation or sister organisation.

We would very much appreciate if their feedback could be specific, timely, respectful and aligned with CENFACS‘ mission, goals and values.

They could rate (by using numbers or percentages or ratios) these programmes/projects/activities or provide a statement (by using words) or even give a chart or table (as information graphics). They can as well record their voice and run a video or short film.   This is aptly up to them.

Please remember, we can only help reduce poverty and do the changes we all want if you tell us what you think; not us only telling you what we do.

Please consider our request for an independent feedback and for your testimonial support.

Please use the end of July 2024 to reach us with your say if you have not done it so far.  Thank you!

 

Extra Messages

 

• Half-year Actions and Results about 2024 Run, Play and Vote to Reduce Poverty

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store during Summer Season

• Advice on Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Budgets for Families

 

 

• Half-year Actions and Results about 2024 Run, Play and Vote to Reduce Poverty

 

Our Triple Value Initiatives (Run, Play and Vote) for this year are now beyond six months.  Through e-workshops, we have provided some guidance and help about them.  And we are still available to work together with those who need some help.  Those who started them in January 2024 should be half-way through with them or have completed them.

These activities can be run in hybrid manner; that is in-person or virtual depending on the circumstances of participants.  Last week, we suggested to those who wanted to wash the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and figure out how these centennial global games could inspire them in the development and implementation of their own Triple Value Initiatives (Run, Play and Vote), they could do so.

Since we have already crossed the middle of the year, half-year actions and results about these recreational activities are now seeking from those who are practising them.  If anyone has some results or stories of their actions, it will be good to start sharing them now.

Please do not hesitate to report on your actions, progress and results to CENFACS.  Contacting CENFACS to report is a further opportunity to spot any problems with them or to start to celebrate your hard work with them before their deadline of 23 December 2024.

 

 

• Shop at CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store during Summer Season

 

CENFACS e-Store is opened for your Summer goods donations and goods purchases.

At this time, many people have been affected by the lingering impact of the high cost of living mostly driven by the hikes in prices of basic life-sustaining needs (e.g., food, transport, housing, council tax, phone, hygienic products, etc.).

The impacted of the high cost of living needs help and support as prices and bills are significantly above real household disposable incomes for many of those living in poverty.

Every season, every month is an opportunity to do something against poverty and hardships.  This Summer too is a good and great season of the year to do it.

You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods to CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store, the shop built to help alleviate poverty, lift people out of poverty and prevent poverty and hardships to happen.

Donating or recycling goods will not only help to reduce poverty.  It will also improve your household circularity and circular transition indicators while creating spaces.

You can as well buy second hand goods and bargain priced new items and much more at CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store.

CENFACS’ Zero-Waste e-Store needs your support for SHOPPING and GOODS DONATIONS to reduce poverty with measurable impact.

You can do something different this Season of Goods Donations by SHOPPING or DONATING GOODS at CENFACS Zero-Waste e-Store.

You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:

√ DONATE unwanted GOODS, GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Zero-Waste e-Store this Summer.

√ SHOP at CENFACS Zero-Waste e-Store to support the noble and beautiful cause of poverty reduction with measurable impact this Summer.

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships with measurable impact; poverty and hardships exacerbated or brought by the higher cost of living.

This is what the Season of Giving or Summer of Giving is all about.

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

Many lives have been threatened and destroyed by the higher cost of living. 

We need help to help them come out poverty and hardships caused by the higher cost of living.

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

 

 

• Advice on Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Budgets for Families

 

This area of support to families continue for those who are looking for it.  The support covers both expenses/expenditures (outgoings) and income/receipts (incomings).  The advice also includes economic factors such as inflation, currency exchange rate, interest rate, changes in statutory policies, etc.  It further considers climate mitigation factors.  It finally puts emphasis on areas of happiness, healthiness and wellness to care for when building budgets for holidaying.

There are online tools and accounting platforms that provide lessons and examples about family budgets.  However, many of them do not provide specific advice on happiness, healthiness and wellness budgets.  For those who are familiar with tools and platforms, they can use their contents.

However, for those who are unfamiliar with these free available online resources and/or looking for specific information about happiness, healthiness and wellness budgets;  they can refer to CENFACS’ line of financial advisory support.

To learn or seek support on how to create and sustainably manage holiday budget that includes Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness; please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Fin des travaux sur l’analytique et l’impact des données des programmes, projets et activités de l’année financière 2023-2024

Comme prévu, notre travail d’analytique et d’impact des données 2023-2024 se terminera aujourd’hui.  Pour ceux ou celles qui nous n’ont pas encore dit ce qu’ils/elles pensent des programmes, projets et activités 2023-2024, ils/elles peuvent le dire.

Nous vous serions très reconnaissants de nous faire part de vos commentaires…

(a) par courriel, texte (SMS), téléphone, commentaires ou critiques sur le Web

(b) dans vos propres mots, chiffres, voix et graphiques d’information (infographies).

S’il vous plaît, faites-le en disant comment les programmes, projets et activités de l’année financière 2023-2024 vous ont affectés, vous ou les personnes que vous avez recommandées pour les utiliser, ou votre organisation ou organisation sœur.

Nous vous serions très reconnaissants si vos commentaires pouvaient être précis, opportuns, respectueux et alignés avec la mission, les objectifs et les valeurs de CENFACS.

Vous pouvez évaluer (en utilisant des chiffres, des pourcentages ou des ratios) ces programmes/projets/activités ou fournir une déclaration (en utilisant des mots) ou même donner un graphique ou un tableau (sous forme de graphiques d’information).  Vous pouvez également enregistrer votre voix et diffuser une vidéo ou un court métrage.   C’est à vous de décider.

N’oubliez pas que nous ne pouvons aider à réduire la pauvreté et à faire les changements que nous voulons tous/toutes que si vous nous dites ce que vous pensez; pas seulement nous vous disons ce que nous faisons.

Veuillez prendre en compte notre demande de commentaires indépendants et de soutien à partir de votre témoignage.

Veuillez utiliser la fin du mois de juillet 2024 pour nous faire part de votre avis si vous ne l’avez pas fait jusqu’à présent.  Merci!

 

 

Main Development

 

• • All Poor, Poor Children, Young Carers and Families Would Greatly Appreciate Your Help

 

The following Summer 2024 Humanitarian Appeal Projects summarise the needs of All Poor, Poor Children, Young Carers and Families who need your donation or funding or even influence:

 

∝ All Gifts for All Poor 

∝ International Networking and Protection against Crises

∝ Iconic Young Carer 

∝ ELCLASSICO International.

 

Let us briefly summarise these projects and the request of each potential beneficiaries relating to them.

 

• • Summer 2024 Humanitarian Appeal Projects

 

They are as highlighted below.

 

 

• • • All Gifts for All Poor  (AG4AP)

 

AG4AP, which stands for All Gifts for All Poor, is the holiday makers’ and travellers’ free and voluntary contribution to poverty relief in Africa via CENFACS.  It is a noble cause which consists of appealing to indiscriminately give a gift to the poor people in Africa, who are currently affected by multiple overlapping crises (such as the lingering effects of the conflicts, changing climate and the cost-of-living crisis).

The feature of this appeal is that donations or funding are done without making any distinctions between the poor.

 

• • • • How you can support AG4AP

 

Donors or funders can support this project by giving a holiday gift or treat in kind or money to support those poor people suffering from these crises (e.g., the lingering effects of the conflicts, changing climate and the cost-of-living crisis).  A holiday treat is a perfect way to add a layer of happiness, healthiness and wellness to the poor.

For example, a donor or funder holidaying (or will be holidaying) in coastal areas of Africa can donate £7 or any amount of money they can afford to urban and peri-urban coastal poor who are dependent on ecosystem services and who are exposed to health risks resulting from inadequate sanitation and pollution. 

This amount can contribute to the improvement of their sanitation and help fight against polluting agents.

 

• • • • Who and what your support will help

 

Their gift will enable an urban and peri-urban coastal poor family to reduce the probability of catching diseases linked to poor sanitation; in doing so the family will improve its health and hygiene while surviving against the above mentioned effects.

 

 

• • • International Networking and Protection against Crises (INPC)

 

INPC is designed to help and support vulnerably poor children to escape from HARMS, THREATS, ATTACKS, EXTREMISM, RADICALISATION and RISKS of any forms of exploitation, neglect and abuse in all contexts in Africa.  At this time of the polycrises, threats and risks are higher than ever before.  These threats and risks are even life-threatening and destroying in places of war like in the African Sahel or the north-eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  One can think of the human rights violations against children and women in the conflicting north-eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

To win the fight against the forces of exploitation and destruction of children and over the dangers children in Africa and elsewhere are facing, it requires winning the battle of communication via a reliable flow of information and connections.

Likewise, the fight against the polycrises requires an international collaboration and exchange of information between all those who are working on poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Furthermore, if defence against harms, danger and threats from COVID-19 was done globally; the fight against the polycrises can also be conducted worldwide.

 

• • • • How you can support INPC

 

You can support this appeal by helping in networking and protection equipment or gift of communication to enable Africa-based Sister Organisations to speak loud and better access information about the polycrises to protect people and communities. particularly vulnerably poor and unprotected children.

For example, a donor or funder can give £10 to contribute to the cost of running internet and mobile solutions to work remotely and collaborate with Africa-based Sister Organisations as way of exchange life-saving information and tools on child protection. 

 

• • • • Who and what your support will help

 

It will help to raise awareness and take action against the forces of exploitation and destruction of children and young generation.  It can as well help children who need social protection, particularly those who receive no child or family cash or tax credit benefits and those who are forced to live on or below £3.65 a day (at 2017 purchasing parity power).

 

 

• • • Iconic Young Carer  (IYC)

 

IYC, which is a deserving cause that supports poor children and young people who prematurely become Africa’s unpaid caregivers and labourers because of poverty, aims at improving the quality of life of young caregivers and labourers by responding to their basic needs and human rights.

In times of the lingering effects of conflicts, extreme weather and the polycrises; young carers have been forced to take caregiving and labouring role side by side with adults.  They are often doing it for free and without any financial help.  These young carers deserve support as well.

So, supporting these young carers could mean mitigating the lingering effects of conflicts, changing climate and polycrises on them.  Your support can help preserve the lives of future generations.

 

• • • • How you can support IYC

 

You can donate whatever you can to support these iconic young carers to end these effects.

For example, a donor or funder can provide material or £5 to buy distance learning materials to help these young carers to access e-reading and digital books or to buy new books (including the cost of shipping) to support these young carers in need and suffering from digital divide.

 

• • • • Who and what your support will help

 

Your donation will help to pay for the educational and development costs of these poor children who miss school opportunities and prematurely become young caregivers and labourers.  It will also assist in tackling any health issues (like emotional issue) they experience due to their premature caregiving roles and responsibilities.

 

 

• • • ELCLASSICO International (EI)

 

ELCLASSICO (which stands for Elevating Local Community Lives and Achievements through Sports, Sustainability and Inclusion to Common Objectives) is a CENFACS combined Sports Development, Child Protection and Sustainable Development initiative that aims at reducing child and youth poverty, while protecting children and bringing a better change to impoverished people, communities, children, young people and future generations in Africa.  It is international as it involves more than one nation in Africa.

ELCLASSICO is also the Sports Development Manager’s Project, which focuses on the function and role of the Sports Development and International Managers, local elements of sustainability and aspects of Sports Development to deliver the poverty reduction outcomes in the African context and within the framework of reference of the future world of sustainable development we all want.

To organise any sports development activity and sustainability activity for children, these activities must be safe and child protected.  It means that in the preparation of these activities, some health (e.g. COVID-19 secure) and child protection tests and checks must be conducted.  They also need to be sustainable, that is meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  So, integrating health and safety rules as well as various dimensions of sustainable development will help to protect these activities and everybody involves in them.

 

• • • • How you can support EI

 

You can support EI to reduce poverty for families whose children would like to engage with sports and sustainable development activities.  You support will enable the three aspects of this project to stick together; aspects which are: child protection, physical and sustainability aspects.

For example, a donor or funder can give less than £10 to help provide food packages to feed a family of five to seven.  The food package will enable any of children benefiting from it to take part in sports development as ELCLASSICO International helps to tackle child poverty through sports development, child protection and sustainable development activities.

 

• • • • Who and what your support will help

 

Your giving will have a triple effect:

 

√ Protection of children, young people and their families

√ Sensitisation about climate change and environmental issues

√ Support of their development through sporting activities and other events.

 

• • Donation or Giving in Kind or Your Influence Regarding These Four Summer 2024 Humanitarian Relief Appeal Projects

 

Those who would like to support the above mentioned beneficiaries can donate money and / or give in kind or their influence.

 

• • • Money donation

 

There is no limit in terms of minimum and maximum amount to donate, despite the examples of amount we have given above.

You can donate and or support the way it suits you and your affordability.

CENFACS will accept any amount to be given or donated.

 

• • • Giving in kind

 

For those who would like to make a donation in kind, it will be a good idea to check with us that what they are giving will help to meet the above stated needs.  This will help to save time, money and the environment for both sides.  Also, any donation in kind must be safe and health proof.

 

• • • Donating your influence

 

You can donate your influence to reduce or end poverty in Africa in the context of this Summer humanitarian relief campaign.

To donate influence, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or end poverty experienced by all poor, children in need of protection, unpaid young carers and poor families with children trying to tackle poverty via sports in Africa.

You can as well influence the things or factors that determine poverty and hardships experienced by the above-mentioned poor.

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to make helpful difference to All Poor, Unprotected Poor children, Unpaid Young Carers and Families Tackling Poverty via Sports at this challenging time of the lingering effects of the polycrises, changing climate and the cost-of-living crisis.

For more details about ways of supporting the above initiatives and other ones, please contact CENFACS.

Please remember, the fundraising campaign about the above mentioned projects will end by 22 September 2024.

CENFACS will accept any support given during and beyond the duration of this campaign.

Please do not wait to donate as the needs are pressing and urgent NOW.

We look forward to your generous support to make helpful difference for the All Poor, Poor Children, Young Carers and Families in need in Africa

Thank you for your generosity.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.unicef.org/esa/press-releases/1-3-children-africa-live-severe-child-food-poverty-due-inequity-conflict-and-climate (accessed in July 2024)

(2) https://www.undp.org/africa/publications/2024-africa-sustainable-development-report (accessed in July 2024)

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

24 July 2024

 

Post No. 362

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• An Outline of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024 

• July 2024 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Level 3):  Impact Feedback of XX236.3 F Programme

• 2023-2024 Data Analytics and Insight Activities from 24 to 31/07/2024

 

… And much more! 

 

 

Key Messages

 

• An Outline of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024

 

Our summer 2024 campaign about finding health relief, happy fulfilment and good wellbeing continues this week with the brief explanation of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024.  It is an explanation about projects to keep children, young people and families happy, healthy and well over Summer 2024.

As we highlighted in the last week’s post, there are three features about this year’s Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects.  These features are as follows:

 

1) the link between CENFACS‘ services and life satisfaction of CENFACS‘ members

2) the distribution of life satisfaction amongst CENFACS‘ members

3) social media and trackers in CENFACS‘ community happiness, healthiness and wellness.

 

These blended particulars will be apparent as Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects get fully unveiled and implemented.

The above-mentioned outline can be found under the Main Development section of this post.  The full details of these projects are also available on request from CENFACS, including ways of accessing and using them.

To access and or support them, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• July 2024 All-in-one Impact Feedback and Assessment (Level 3):  Impact Feedback of XX236.3 F Programme

 

Our 3-tier impact feedback has reached its third level or tier.  Unlike Impact Feedback of our 2023-2024 Programmes and Projects given by Users and Stakeholders, Impact Feedback of XX236.3 F Programme is provided by CENFACS to inform its audience (including users and stakeholders) about the progress it is making in terms of this programme.

 

• • What Is This Impact Feedback from CENFACS about?

 

CENFACS’ Impact Feedback of XX236.3 F (2020 to 2030 to 2063 Follow up) Programme is about the observation on the following five key components of this follow-up programme:

 

(a) The Paris Treaty

(b) The Istanbul Declaration

(c) The Maputo Treaty

(d) The United Nations 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals

(e) Africa’s Agenda 2063.

 

This feedback provides our feelings and what we would like (if we could) to be different regarding these five frameworks or pieces of work.

Our observation, feelings and need of difference will be in terms of progress made so far concerning these frameworks.  Our observation, feelings and need of difference are indeed in relation to the kind of work of poverty reduction we do since these global and international frameworks/initiatives greatly impact us.  Our feedback is not an evaluation of these frameworks of work.  What observation do we make about them?

 

• • Observation about the Five Pillars of XX236.3 F Programme

 

The following statement is what we would like to make about the five pillars.

Concerning the Paris Treaty, our observation is on the tracking of the progress of this treaty through the metric of Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).  According to the ‘unfccc.int’ (1),

“Under ETF, starting in 2024, countries will report transparently on actions taken and progress in climate change mitigation, adaptation measures and support provided or received.  It also provides for international procedures for the review of the submitted reports”.

As part of reporting exercise, we can share information on carbon neutrality targets and zero-carbon solutions realised by organisations (e.g., Africa-based Sister Organisations) working on climate change issues.

Regarding the Istanbul Declaration, we can observe the application of this declaration by looking at the hits and misses relating to the metrics of human rights violation against women.  Particularly, we can notice the progress made on a gender approach to violence and the criminalization of the four offenses (that is, physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence).

With reference to the Maputo Treaty, we are studying the metrics of sexual and reproductive rights which protect the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls.  We are as well going to watch child marriage and female genital cutting, particularly whether there has been a decline or not about them.  Briefly, we are contemplating the progress made on the right to health of women.

As to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals, many studies (e.g., Sustainable Development Goals Trackers which measure and monitor progress made so far) are warning about the impossibility of meeting these goals by their deadline of 2030.  In particular, many of these studies speak about the impact of the poly-crises on the realisation of these goals.  Amongst this body of works includes the Special Edition of the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 from the United Nations Department of Economic Social Affairs (2) which points to the same direction of missing targets.

Let us hope that the upturn and return of the global economy will help the developing regions of the world, in particular Africa, to better navigate their way towards the realisation of the above-mentioned goals.

As regards Africa’s Agenda 2063, we are keeping an eye on the key transformational outcomes of this Agenda 2063, which are: improved standards of living; transformed inclusive and sustainable economies; integration; empowered women, youth and children; well-governed, peaceful and cultural centric Africa in a global context.  We are tracking progress on these outcomes.

The above is just an observation we wanted to make about these pillars.  Some elements of this observation do not come from us as many people have the same feeling or view like ours.  This observation is not complete. 

For those who would like to know more about our observation, feelings and need of difference regarding these pieces of framework of work, they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

• 2023-2024 Data Analytics and Insight Activities from 24 to 31/07/2024

 

The two tasks or activities (i.e., data analytics and data insight of the programmes and projects we ran in the last financial year) are being carried out and will finish by the 31st of July 2024.  Although these data activities are jointly conducting, let us briefly highlight each of them.

 

• • 2023-2024 Data Analytics Activity from 24 to 31/07/2024 

 

To highlight Data Analytics Activity, it is better to mention what needs to be said concerning this activity and its usefulness.

 

• • • What this Data Analytics Activity is about

 

It is about continuing to collect, transform and organise 2023-2024 data.  To do that, we are using descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive data analytics.  Data analytics skills such as data management, probability, statistics and others are also engaged in this analytics and insight process.

Once this work is completed, we shall draw conclusions, make predictions and drive informed decision-making process about our poverty reduction work.  In other words, we will be using data findings to theorise and forecast poverty reduction as well as build data systems.

For example, we shall look at what fundraising data, humanitarian appeals data and so on will tell us.  We can also consider data from the campaign on financial controls in 2024 and determine to continue or redesign or close this campaign.

 

• • • How this Data Analytics Activity is useful

 

This Data Analytics Activity will help to track projects (like All-year Round Projects or Triple Value Initiatives) as well as to make informed decision for the new financial year.  We can look at data about services we provide and decide which ones to continue, update or close.  We can further check the community members’ data or beneficiaries’ data to decide if the needs have been met or unmet within the community.  This data analytics will help to drive CENFACS‘ strategy in the new financial year.

 

• • 2023-2024 Data Insights Generation from 24 to 31/07/2024 

 

To draw attention to Data Insights Generation we are conducting, we are going to narrate what relates to it and its helpfulness.

 

• • • What this Data Insight Generation is about

 

It is about collecting, organising and curating data about the 2023-2024 programmes and projects.  We are as well extracting knowledge from 2023-2024 data while analysing the extracted knowledge.  Once this knowledge extraction is completed, we shall hypothesize action plans for each insight and apply the insight/action plan.

 

• • • How this Data Insight Generation is helpful

 

Gleaned data-driven insights will help in a number of ways.  For example, they can assist in the following:

 

√ identifying, categorising and crafting individualised messages to prospective donors for marketing purpose

√ customising messages to Africa-based Sister Organisations

√ finding out new members for targeted marketing in terms of their preferences

√ detecting users’ needs in times of high demand induced by natural catastrophes or crises (like the cost-of-living crisis, geo-economic crisis) or war events in Africa

√ determining popular contents within the CENFACS Community

√ improving CENFACS reporting and analytics capabilities

√ boosting CENFACS poverty reduction work

√ enhancing CENFACS‘ work on sustainable development

etc.

 

 

• • Data Analytics and Insight Experiences from the Perspective of Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs)

 

This week, we are as well looking at the way in which our Africa-based Sister Organisations perceive data analytics and insight.  We are inviting ASOs that have impact stories or case studies or experiences about their own data analytics and insight processes to share with us.

Likewise, we are asking to those ASOs that need advisory support in the area of data analytics and insight to let us know.  This is an opportunity to learn and develop best practices and policies in this area.

Need to share your work or experience in terms of data analytics and insight for the programmes and projects you are running, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

The above is the summary of 2023-2024 Data Analytics and Insight activities. 

For those who would like to know more about these activities, they can contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal: Summer Creative Activity No. 1: Create Your Journal of Happy, Healthy and Social Support/Wellness

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Budgets 2024 – Holiday Budget Surplus

• Triple Value Initiatives (All-Year Round Projects) and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Journal: Summer Creative Activity No. 1: Create Your Journal of Happy, Healthy and Social Support/Wellness

 

Social support is one of the six predictors of happiness and healthiness.  But, what is social support?   Social support can be defined in many ways.  According to ‘verywellmind.com’ (3),

“Social support involves having a network of family and friends that you can turn to in times of need”.

The website ‘verywellmind.com’ adds by arguing this:

“Social support refers to the psychological and material resources provided by a social network to help individuals cope with stress”.

One can refer to the above definition and create a journal for having someone to count on in time of trouble like of any crisis or any other social network matter over this Summer.  They can do more within this first creative activity.  One can as well include in this journal social wellness, that is the development of positive relationships or connections with other people.

 

• • What else They Can Do as Part of This Summer Creative Activity no.1

 

They can create a journal for the things and people who have been socially supportive to their enjoyment and good conditions of life during this Summer 2024.  They can as well include in the same journal any development of positive relationships with people or social connections they had as part of social wellness.

They can record their thoughts, feelings and experiences in relation to the social support they have received or given.

They can share with the community their experience of happy and healthy social support/wellness as recorded in their journal by the end of Summer 2024.

 

• • Sharing the Content of Your Journal

 

One of the objectives of this journal is to share one’s Summer holiday experience.  Thus, sharing your Summer holiday experience via the records from your journal could be helpful and useful for others who are looking for social support and inspiration.  You can share the content of your journal via CENFACS by submitting it.

To submit the contents of your happiness, healthiness and wellness journal relating to social support and wellness, and help build a better Summer holiday experience within the community, please contact CENFACS. 

When submitting the content of your journal to us, please do not forget to give us permission to share it.

 

 

• Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Budgets 2024 – Holiday Budget Surplus

 

We are continuing our hacks, hints and tips to help in budgeting Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness by looking at holiday budget surplus.

 

• • What Is a Budget Surplus?

 

A surplus is generally defined as the amount by which income is greater than expenditures.  The website ‘bill.com’ (4) explains that

“A surplus occurs when you have more money than what you need”.

In terms of holiday budget surplus, it simply means that one’s holiday expenditure is less than holiday income.  It is a positive balance which indicates money left over that can be saved or spent.

Yet, speaking about holiday budget surplus may not the prospect one can expect from poor people or those in need.  These are the people who often struggle to make ends meet.   They are the ones who often are short of money to tie the knots of the two ends of the month.  They are the ones we are targeting so that they can create surplus in their holiday budget to enjoy happiness, healthiness and wellness. Despite that, any sensible humans should do some budgeting, here holiday budgeting.

 

 

• • What to Do with a Holiday Budget Surplus

 

A holiday budget surplus can be used in many ways.  The website ‘bill.com’ (op. cit.) suggests two possible allocations, which are savings (putting money into savings account for emergencies and unexpected increases of the cost of living) and spending to service debt or reinvest.

However, for the people in need they have limited option if they manage to create a holiday budget surplus, except to refinance their basic life-sustaining needs.  Yet, this limitation does not stop them from budgeting their holiday.

 

• • What Is Good about Budgeting Your Holiday

 

Budgeting your holiday or household is forward thinking process that can help to coordinate the different areas of household life while defining responsibility and delegating powers within the same household.  It is indeed an instrument for household control as well as a basis for decision making process and changing plans where there is a need to do so.

For those households making our community who are familiar with budgeting process, they know they need to budget their holiday incomings and outgoings.  For those ones who are unfamiliar with this process, CENFACS is available for help and support.

 

• • Working with the Community on Holiday Budget

 

We are available to work on the budgeting process with those who are struggling to make ends meet and those who are interested in budgeting their holiday expenses and incomes.  We will be working on how to create holiday budget surplus and sustainably manage holiday budget this Summer 2024.

For those who are familiar with online tools, they can find countless examples of family or household budgets sometimes in the form of Microsoft Application Spread sheets or accounting software. 

For those who are unfamiliar with these free available online resources, they can use CENFACS’ line of financial advisory support.

In the construction of this Summer Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Budget, it is better to include numbers relating to all economic and non-economic contexts and factors (e.g., global IT outage).

So, we will be checking with them on how these contexts and factors can impact their holiday or household budget.  This exercise enables to take into consideration the way in which these contexts and factors are affecting their holiday budget in what they eat, drink, cover or uncover their body, entertain, shelter, etc.

To learn or seek support on how to create and sustainably manage holiday budget surplus or positive budget balance this Summer 2024; please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Triple Value Initiatives (All-Year Round Projects) and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

 

Paris 2024 Olympic Games will begin on Friday the 26th of July 2024 and will end on Sunday the 11th of August 2024.  These Global Games provide a further opportunity for those who are looking for the following bests:

 

√ The Best African Country or Countries of 2024 which will best reduce poverty

√ The Best African Global Games Runners of 2024

√ The Best African Development Managers of 2024.

 

One can use the centennial opportunity to be provided by these Games to enhance their ideas of the Triple Value Initiatives (All Year-round Projects) as suggested below.

 

• • The Best African Global Games Runners of 2024 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

 

There are ways of making your Run Project or event meaningful by watching the Paris 2024 Olympic Runners and selecting by yourself who could be the Best African Global Games Runners of 2024.

 

• • The Best African Country or Countries of 2024 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

 

Global games like Paris 2024 Olympics can create a tremendous opportunity to reduce poverty.  One can explore ways of establishing the links between their Play Project (CENFACS Poverty Relief League) and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.  In particular, they can look at how African countries will do to best and further reduce poverty via these games.

 

• • The Best African Development Managers of 2024 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games

 

There could be some relationships between 2024 Olympic Managers involved in these Global Games and the games themselves.  Through the Vote Project, an all-year-round project user can try to vote or find their 2024 International Development Manager.

So, whether you are undertaking a play or run or vote project to reduce poverty, you can find answer to your project by following or watching the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Please remember the deadline to tell us your bests or stars of 2024 Edition of All Year-round Projects is 23 December 2024.

For more information about these projects, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Initiatives à triple valeur (Projets tout au long de l’année) et les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024

Les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024 débuteront le vendredi 26 juillet 2024 et se termineront le dimanche 11 août 2024.  Ces Jeux Olympiques offrent une opportunité supplémentaire à ceux ou celles qui recherchent les meilleurs suivants:

√ Le ou les meilleurs pays africains de 2024 qui réduiront le mieux la pauvreté

√ Les meilleurs coureurs africains ou meilleures coureuses africaines des Jeux Olympiques de 2024

√ Les meilleurs responsables du développement africain de 2024.

On peut profiter de l’occasion offerte par ces Jeux pour améliorer ses idées sur les initiatives à triple valeur (projets annuels) comme suggéré ci-dessous.

• • Les meilleur(e)s coureurs/ses africain(e)s des Jeux Mondiaux de 2024 et les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024

Il existe des moyens de donner du sens à votre projet de course ou à votre événement en regardant les coureurs/ses olympiques de Paris 2024 et en sélectionnant vous-même qui pourraient être les meilleurs coureurs africains ou meilleures coureuses africaines des Jeux mondiaux de 2024.

• • Le ou les meilleurs pays africains de 2024 et les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024

Les jeux mondiaux comme les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024 peuvent créer une formidable opportunité de réduire la pauvreté.  On peut explorer les moyens d’établir les liens entre votre projet Jouer (La Ligue de Réduction de la Pauvreté de CENFACS) et les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024.  En particulier, vous pouvez examiner comment les pays africains réussiront à réduire davantage la pauvreté grâce à ces jeux.

• • Les meilleurs responsables du développement afriain et les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024

Il pourrait y avoir des relations entre les responsables olympiques de 2024 impliqués dans ces Jeux Mondiaux et les jeux eux-mêmes.  Grâce au projet Voter, un(e) utilisateur(trice) de projet tout au long de l’année peut essayer de voter ou de trouver son responsable du développement international 2024.

Ainsi, que vous entrepreniez un projet de jeu, de course ou de vote pour réduire la pauvreté, vous povez trouver une réponse à votre projet en suivant ou en regardant les Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024.

N’oubliez pas que la date limite pour nous faire part de vos meilleurs ou vedettes de l’édition 2024 de projets tout au long de l’année est le 23 décembre 2024.

Pour plus d’informations sur ces projets, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

Main Development

 

• An Outline of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024 

 

The following headings will help to summarise Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024:

 

∝ 2024 Edition of Summer of Happiness, Healthiness, Wellness, Peace, Vulnerability-free, Protection and Sustainability

∝ Essential Summaries of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects

∝ Other Summer Projects around Me.

 

Let us briefly uncover these headings.

 

• • 2024 Edition of Summer of Happiness, Healthiness, Wellness, Peace, Vulnerability-free, Protection and Sustainability

 

This 2024 Edition is out now and trending.  It covers the main initiatives and activities planned for this summer.  In this edition, the 2024 Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects may have kept the same names for some of these projects like in the previous Summers, but their contents reflect this year’s themes of happiness, healthiness and wellness in the treble context of lingering impacts of polycrises, extreme temperatures and the damaging effects of the squeeze on household basic spending.

These projects are as follows:

 

1) ‘Holiday with Relief’ Resource (this year’s focus is on Holiday with Restricted Budget)

2) Narrowing Gaps in Happiness Inequalities

3) Summer Harmony with Nature

4) True Balance in Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness

5) Networking for Protection, Safeguarding and Security 

6) Community Care, Health Responsibility and Wellness Enhancing Activities.

 

They are the combination of skills, knowledge, resources, tools, fixers, enhancements, boosters and tasters for poverty relief.  They consist of:

 

√ Two resource projects (Family Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Mini-Guide, and Holiday Information Manager)

√ One communication-protection project (Networking Platform for Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness)

√ One climate and environmental campaign (Summer Harmony with Nature)

√ One interactive (interaction between people and their community) project (True Balance in Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness)

√ One set of initiatives to stay well  (Wellness Enhancing Activities).

 

They are the projects to build forward together better summer holiday in cleaner, greener, inclusive, safer and climate-resilient way.

In their design, we have considered the effects of climate change all over our Summer 2024 Programme.  In other words, all the six Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects will have green, sustainable, and climate changing and resilient contents.  They will be aligned with greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and targets.  The consideration of the effects of climate change and resilience all across is what makes Summer 2024 of a zero or neutral carbon one.

This is done to help improve life evaluation while taking actions to enhance the same life in a changing climate.  In this way, Summer can be a season of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness NOT of Misery for un-served and under-served children, young people and families who are at the same time the victims of the adverse effects of climate change, particularly but not exclusively extreme temperatures.

They are the victims of adverse effects of climate change because climate change affects the way they dress, eat, house, educate, entertain, care for their health, and above all the way they pass Summer holiday.

We can briefly present these projects one by one as follows.

 

 

• • Essential Summaries of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects 2024

  

Here are the essential summaries of the Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects making the 2024 Summer Programme Part II.  As said previously, these projects can help in achieving some happy, helpful, healthful and hopeful Summer plans, goals and outcomes. 

 

• • • 1) ‘Holiday with Relief’ Resource with a focus on Holiday with Restricted Budget

 

Holiday with Relief is one of CENFACS useful and helpful ICDP (Individual Capacity Development Programme) resources for holiday makers and travellers.  The resource, which is published during Spring of every year, can also be used during Summer holiday or any holiday.

The current Issue of our ICDP Resource entitled as ‘Holiday with Relief’ focuses on Holiday with Restricted Budget.  The Issue deals with limited spending for holiday, with a family’s or household’s immediate needs rather than wants during holiday.

This year, ‘Holiday with Relief’ provides wealthy advice, tips and hints to overcome these challenges and find opportunities to finance your holiday.  Through this wealth of information, we will try to tackle holiday poverty or poverty linked to restricted or limited means to enjoy a decent holiday whether at home or away from home.

This resource is packed with seasonal relieving ideas about how to reduce holiday poverty.

To build forward a happy, healthy and well Summer break, and or get this Family Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Mini-Guide, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • 2) Narrowing Gaps in Happiness Inequalities 

 

Narrowing Gaps in Happiness Inequalities (‘NAGAHAIN’) Project is our Information Manager for this year’s summer.  The goal of the ‘NAGAHAIN’ Project is to help make the distribution of subjective well-being even or equal within the community.  What is really about?

It is about…

 

√ Improving the psychological equality or happiness quality or even subjective well-being

√ Enhancing happiness levels amongst the members of CENFACS Community to avoid high levels of happiness differences

√ Increasing the community trust, that is the belief in the integrity of other members of our community.

 

One of the concerns for many people and families is how to pass this Summer happy and healthy under the constraints of rising costs of living, changing climate and lingering effects of the polycrises.

The NAGAHAIN Project/Resource as Holiday Information Manager is the awareness, preparedness and solutions-focused Resource to Manage Information to turn summer of constraints and worries into that of happiness, healthiness and wellness.  It contains a set of tips and tricks to help and enable vulnerable unaware people to plan their holiday or break with confidence to achieve the goal of increasing happiness.

For further details about this Holiday Information Manager or Narrowing Gaps in Happiness Inequalities, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • 3) Summer Harmony with Nature 

 

Summer of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness is also of accord with nature with its creatures.  Keeping a harmonious relationship with leaves, plants, animals, landscapes and surrounding natural species (like trees, plants, fungi, waters, parks, etc.) and resources adds a great value to our happiness, healthiness and wellness. In other words, it is about equating our needs of happiness, healthiness and wellness to those of the nature.

Living in harmony with nature means that to pass a good summer we do not need to upset the nature with its creatures.  Humans can pre-emptively take the lead by keeping their relationships as harmonious as possible to avoid the degradation and depletion of nature.

Need to keep harmony with nature, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS’ Summer Campaign over Nature.

 

• • • 4) True Balance in Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness

 

Through this initiative, we shall work with users to address some forms of imbalance in happiness; imbalance between happiness as an individual experience and happiness as a collective endeavour.  In other words, we shall support the community members to achieve their own happiness without compromising the ability of the other members of the community they belong to to have their own happiness.

Balance is also about giving each part of our life the correct amount of care and attention as suggested by ‘mindfulmovement.me’ (5).  The same ‘mindfulmovement.me’ argues that balance means we have to learn how to embrace life’s dualities.

By finding your personal balance, this can help to discover the true balance in happiness, healthiness and wellness.

It is in the interaction in happiness of each of our members and the CENFACS Community that the true balance in happiness, healthiness and wellness can be found.

To find out further about this Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Project, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • 5) Networking for Protection, Safeguarding and Security 

 

Networking for Protection, Safeguarding and Security (N4PSS) is a CENFACS Social Media Platform to facilitate the flows of information and communication in order to keep local children, young people and families (CYPFs) out of the threats, troubles, attacks and challenges of everyday life and during the Summertime of changing climate, rising costs of living and lingering effects of the polycrises.

N4PSS is about improving the Flow of Information over the Summertime amongst us and other stakeholders by gaining access to mutual support, facilities, services and resources in order to protect and safeguard multi-dimensional deprived CYPFs.  It is also about applying the five main areas of safeguarding which are: recognize, respond, report, record and refer.

It is not enough to carry out our individual actions against any crisis unless we sum up them by coming together in the form of social connections as human chains.  Such connections or networks will help to exchange information and data for the mutual interest and collective defence or security.

N4PSS can even go further by forming a network security to protect the usability and integrity of our network and data.  This type of network will help to undertake behavioural analytics and react to questionable activities that can pose a threat to the CENFACS Community members.  It can as well keep us safe, identify security issues while setting up a firewall around us and encrypting any data we try to transmit.  This is important since protection and security are also about data that run our individual and community lives.

N4PSS against any Crisis or Summer Social Media Platform is a means to access and facilitate the flows of information about the protection, safeguarding and security against any crisis.  It is our capacity to help protect our members from threats, risks and attacks.  Through this means, one can receive and pass on protective, safeguarding and security information about any threats and risks from the rising costs of living, changing climate and lingering effects of the polycrises within a networked community.

To network for protection, safeguarding and security against any crisis, please let CENFACS know.

 

• • • 6) Community Care, Health Responsibility and Wellness Enhancing Activities

  

Community Care, Health Responsibility and Wellness Enhancing Activities are a combination of the physical, emotional and social support to people/our community members to live with care, control and dignity in our community on the one hand; and our shared responsibility for the public health on the other.

Health responsibility means that our community members fulfil their duties to maintain their physical, mental and social well-being.

Wellness activities describe anything (like meditation, walking, gardening, DIY, physical exercise, etc.) being done to help achieve the overall health goal.

Through this Personal/Family Healthcare Plan, we will try to reduce lifestyle-induced diseases for ourselves and others while promoting our own health without adversely impacting the health of others and future generations.  Community care and responsibility imply as well whatever we do we must comply with the rule of the community, society in which we live.

We can use this Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness initiative to create a safe Wellness or Healthcare Plan.  Such a plan will include the following: health vision and goals, lifestyles habits, follow-up tips and checks.

For further details about Community Care, Health Responsibility and Wellness Enhancing Activities, please contact CENFACS.

The above six interlinked themed ways/projects of creating and sustaining Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness in a Summer of rising costs of living, changing climate and lingering effects of the polycrises do not replace any good advice and practice (like the ones produced by statutory bodies).  They just add value to what it is already in place.  They are to be used in conjunction with the existing other measures to bring happiness as well as health and safety measures.

For further details about any of these projects, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

• • Other Summer Projects around Me

 

So far, we have highlighted what CENFACS can do to help build a Summer of Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness.  Besides CENFACS, there are countless projects and programmes that can help anyone to meet their Summer goals or plans.  Depending on where one lives and which online platforms one uses, there are projects and programmes that can bring happiness, healthiness and wellness.  Put it simply, there is something that one can do over Summer in-person or virtual to stay happy, healthy and well this Summer.

For example, if you live in the Broadgreen ward of Croydon, there is Handcroft, Eastney and Tamworth ‘Summer Fun‘.  This is a two-week period of fun for 8 plus years (and under 8’s with parents), which includes sports, games, arts and craft, music and much more.  You can access this initiative by contacting the organisers as follows:

 

e: info@playplaces.org

w: www.playplace.org

 

For those of our members who are looking for Summer activities other than CENFACS‘ Happiness, Healthiness and Wellness Projects; and they do not know where to find them, CENFACS can work with them to guide them.  They can contact CENFACS for guidance and support.

We would like to wish all multi-dimensionally Poor Children, Young People and Families Happy, Healthy, Well, Vulnerability-free, Peaceful, Safe and Sustainable Summer Days.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement#:~text=With%20the%20Paris%20Agreement (accessed in July 2024),

(2) https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf (accessed in July 2023)

(3) https://www.verywellmind.com/social-support-for-psychological-health-4119970 (accessed in July 2023)

(4) https://bill.com/learning/budget-surplus (accessed in July 2024)

(5) https://mindfulmovement.me/blog-eng/why-balance-is-key-to-live-a-happy-and-successful-life (accessed in July 2024)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS Keep the Poverty Relief Work Going This Year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

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

With many thanks.