Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

23 October 2019

Post No. 114

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• FACS, Issue No. 65, Autumn 2019 – Key Summaries

• “A la une” Campaign, Note No. 3 (between 23 and 29/10/2019) – In Focus: Biofuel Crops and New Forests

• Coming soon: Making Memorable Difference project, In Focus: African Health History

 

… and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ FACS, Issue No. 65, Autumn 2019 – Key Summaries

 

The 65^th Issue of FACS, CENFACS’ Bilingual Newsletter, is ready and available for request. The Issue is about the Development of Micro-Industrial Activities by Africa-based Sister Organisations to Integrate Voluntary Economy into Regional Value Chains.

The key message of this Issue is the outputs created by Africa-based Sister Organisations from the voluntary sector can help create a not-for-profit value that can, in return, help in a series of connected values at regional level; values able to reduce poverty and hardships.

An abstract regarding this Issue was already given at the beginning of this Autumn.  Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided summaries making this Issue.

 

 

~ “A  la une” Campaign, Note No. 3 (between 23 and 29/10/2019) – In Focus: Biofuel Crops and New Forests

 

Our third note of the “A la une” campaign is on Biofuel Crops and New Forests.  Let’s see these two pitches the third note.

 

Biofuel Crops

Biofuel is defined from dictionary (1) as an alternative fuel that is produced from biological materials including crops (especially trees) and animal (waste), (p. 48).  Biofuels are fuels directly or indirectly produced from organic material and can be primary or secondary.  They can as well be in the forms of bioalcohol or biodiesel.  They are a way of reducing consumption of fossil fuels.  Biofuel crops are simply fuels made from plants and crops (such as corn, soybeans and sugarcane).

In relation to “A la une” campaign, we will be exploring further biofuel crops as an alternative fuel in terms of its advantages and disadvantages, costs and benefits, affordability for the poor and those in most incomes. This is despite the problem of competition they pose with food crops for land and their prices.

We shall as well work for its relatively measured impact on the Upkeep of the Nature, the theme of this third note.  It is understood that biofuels burn cleaner than fossil fuels, releasing pollutants and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

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

 

New Forests

This is our second pitch of coordinated activities in order to achieve the theme of the Upkeep of the Nature.  Our operation in this pitch is to support and campaign for afforestation (forestation or reforestation), the creation of new habitats for wildlife and the general upkeep of the nature. 

The campaign will go further in dealing with the following:

√ The development of new forest skills

√ The restoration of lost habitats

√ The celebration of forest culture

√ Techniques for inspiration of the current and future generations about the soundness of forests, etc

To find out more and or support “A la une“ Campaign, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

~ Making Memorable Difference project: African Health History

 

A celebration of African Abilities, Talents, Skills and Gifts to Africa and the world

This year’s dedicated two days (27 and 28 October 2019) are of historical study, analysis and skill recognition and celebration of the legacies left by Africans in the Health History in Africa.  We will search on the African Health History during these two days in the following ways. 

27 October 2019 will be an Understanding Day of African Health History in relation to epidemics and viruses

The first day is about learning more about the kinds of epidemics and viruses that Africa went through in pre-colonial and post-colonial times.  This health history will be done in scale and scope.  References will be given about the places where these epidemics and viruses happened, knowing that there were not enough health facilities at that time.  This understanding will also be expanded to the health knowledge at that time while making some incursions about poverty linked to poor health situation.

 

28 October 2019 will be the Legacies and Gifts Day of African Epidemics and Virus Healers

This second will therefore help us to find out how good or bad Africans were in healing epidemics and viruses.  It is as well the day of learning the coping strategies in terms of healing these deadly diseases.  In doing so, we will try extirpate their legacies and gifts as healers and doctors on their own ways against deadly epidemics and viruses.  Finally, the day will help to draw historical parallel with what is happening now in places like the DRC and others in terms of deadly diseases. 

To engage with this year’s MMD theme and or support this project, please contact CENFACS on this site. 

 

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ “Quadranscentennial” Historicité: History Evaluation of CENFACS – Overseas Development Non Governmental Organisations

 

We are continuing our investigation about the links between CENFACS and other development organisations.  Last week, we scrutinised the links between CENFACS and African Diaspora Organisations, particularly with African Diaspora Voices for Africa’s Development.

This week, we are assessing the worth of the membership of CENFACS with Non Governmental Organisations, particularly with BOND, in terms of the relevancy of CENFACS’ needs during the membership period and thereafter.  We are more carefully looking at to consider the merits and legacies of this membership.

In this history evaluative process, we shall for example try to respond to the following questions:

What did motivate CENFACS to become member of NGOs?

What were the legacies of this membership?

Did this relation strengthen or weaken CENFACS?

What did CENFACS bring to these organisations?

Did this relation advance CENFACS’ networking platform?

What historical lessons can be learnt for CENFACS’ future and future membership development policy at CENFACS?

 

~ Art and Design for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development

 

As part of Art and Design Project for poverty relief and sustainable development, we are asking supporters to illustrate their ideas of Africa’s Health History into artwork.  You can post your artwork related to Africa’s Health History to CENFACS to share and make memorable difference in your own way.

 

~ Micro-Volunteer doing Smart Tasks with Smart Tools

 

We have started to use micro-volunteering by doing smart tasks with smart tools and techs (such as smart phones, tablets, development of gadgets, tech fixes, etc.) to re-engage with our supporters. 

Smart tasks are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound tasks and activities to generate and increase support towards our good and deserving causes.

These tasks briefly include the following: prospecting potential supporters, running questionnaires, recruiting new supporters, engaging with supporters, sending and receiving messages from supporter, following the leads etc.

To enable us to continue our work, we are asking to those who can, both individuals and organisations, to support us with smart tools to enhance our micro-voluntary work.

To support CENFACS with Smart Tools and techs to Micro Volunteer doing Smart tasks, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Development

 

What the 65^th Issue is about

What we are interested in is the outputs created by voluntary organisations through the manufacturing or construction of goods (using small manufacturing facilities) from no direct inputs of natural resources.  The literature on manufacturing says that manufacturing is a proven development model for job creation, poverty reduction, income generation and sustained prosperity.

We are arguing about processes or activities carried out by Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) undertaking micro-industrial activities and belonging to the voluntary economy; processes and activities that create value for their beneficiaries and members.  They add value to an article at all stages of production, marketing and after delivery.

The notion of value often refers to business models that create profit margin between value created and captured on one hand and the cost of creating that that value on the other (with profit margin).  In the model depicts in this Issue, this difference does not create profit; it creates social impact (with zero margin).  If there is a positive margin; this will be reinvested without being redistributed amongst board members and other stakeholders.

The most important in this mechanism is that the development of these activities by ASOs enables them to make up their local voluntary economy and integrate it into regional value chains.  In doing so, this will make job creation, poverty reduction and other benefits even bigger.      

The following summary pages making this Issue expand on what we have just described.

 

 

Micro-industrial development and its impacts on poverty reduction in Africa (Page 2)

Industry as a particular way of organising production and a constant process of technical and social change can increase society’s capacity to produce a wide range of goods (p. 6), as argued by these three editors: Hewitt, Johnson and Wield (2).  It can as well enhance society’s capacity to reduce poverty.  This can happen whether it is about micro or meso or even macro-industry.  This impact can happen in any place of the world. 

Because we are dealing with Africa, this process of social and technical change can happen there at the level of small scale industrial activities run and developed by individuals, families, communities and organisations to come out poverty.  This is possible despite the limits of such approach to eradicate local or national poverty. 

For example, a small clothes maker can help reduce clothing poverty as it may be closer to the poor although a garment making factory can employ a hundred of thousands people may have more or a significant impact as a clothing industry.

(2) Hewitt, T., Johnson, H. & Wield, D. (1992), Introduction in Industrialisation and Development, edited by them for an Open University Course Team, Oxford University Press, Oxford in association with The Open University, Milton Keynes

 

Identification of micro-industrial activities of voluntary Africa-based Organisations (Page 3)

Often, when reference is made to the voluntary or not-for-profit organisations, activities that portray them are those of advice, aid provision, training, education, skills development, humanitarian relief, etc.  This reference suggests that there is not a process of transformation or manufacturing going on in these organisations.  This reference is often related to service sector because of the not-for-profit nature and status of these organisations.  Only few references are made about their industrial capacity and credentials.

The identification of micro-industrial activities by voluntary organisations shows that voluntary Africa-based Organisations (VASOs) are engaging in a number of activities that manufacture or construct goods in areas such as textiles, clothing making, wood, metal products etc.  They can process textile; make clothes; produce wood-based products, etc like some of VASOs in CENFACS areas of operation in Africa. 

 

Relationships between the voluntary economy and domestic value chains via micro-industrial activities by Africa-based Sister Organisations (Page 4)

The voluntary economy is this part of the economy that is represented by volunteer-involving organisations.  Value chain is a set of activities that an organisation can undertake to create value for its clients according to Michael Porter in book published in 1985 and titled ‘Competitive Advantage’.  If we follow Porter’s framework of analysis, we would have primary activities (i.e. inbound and outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales, service) and support activities (procurement, human resource management, technological development and infrastructure). 

Because we are talking about voluntary organisations, we would rather say the value created for beneficiaries.  The voluntary economy is based on not-for-profit value.  Value chains theory or analysis as described above is about value creation.  If the not-for-profit value created by voluntary Africa-based Sister Organisations making the voluntary economy can be part of domestic value chains, then there could be a relationship between the voluntary economy and domestic value chains via micro-industrial activities by Africa-based Sister Organisations.  However, the direction and the level may depend on the quality of this relationship.

 

Relations between micro-industrial activities and voluntary economy in the African context (Page 4)

The reading of economics literature and the experiences found on the grounds tell us that voluntary economy is a system which attempts to solve the basic economic problem of the allocation of scarce economic resources (e.g. natural resources, labour, capital, etc.) amongst infinite human wants with no expectations of financial reward.  This type of economy is made with unpaid workers but supported by freely given donations and tends to be labour-intense.  This type of economy can be found anywhere in the world including in Africa. 

Micro-industrial activities are any specific actions taken to manufacture or construct goods.  If these actions are carried out without any expectations of financial rewards by unpaid workers, then one can argue that there is a link between micro-industrial activities and the voluntary economy like we have seen in some of the voluntary African-based Sister Organisations.

 

 

 

L’intégration de l’économie volontaire dans des chaînes des valeurs (Page 5)

L’essentiel des rapports de nos collègues africains sur le terrain en Afrique suggère que l’une des questions à résoudre porte sur la mesure dans laquelle une bonne intégration de cette fraction de l’économie représentée par des organisations du secteur volontaire ou associatif dans des chaînes de valeur régionales et locales.  Car, ils jugent que cette intégration peut améliorer ou contribuer à la réduction de la pauvreté, sans oublier la possibilité d’un rehaussement de la qualité de la vie.

Puisqu’on parle des activités micro-industrielles, cette intégration sera, bien sûr, sur la capacité d’utiliser ce genre d’activités pour réaliser plus de résultats sur la plan de réduction de la pauvreté.  Des exemples avec des organisations combattant la désertification, la déforestation et la sécheresse démontrent que cette économie volontaire, si elle est bien poursuivie, peut avoir un effet déclencheur ou multiplicateur sur des chaînes de valeur entre des organisations et économies de ayant les mêmes objectifs qui sont ceux de combattre la désertification, la déforestation et la sécheresse. 

 

Réduire la faiblesse du tissu micro-industriel africain pour créer la valeur ‘réduction de la pauvreté’ (Page 6)

La réduction de la pauvreté passe par plusieurs moyens.  Dans le cadre de cet article, nous abordons cette réduction à travers le développement du micro-industriel tissu.

En effet, point n’est besoin de souligner que l’industrie en général a des effets sur l’agriculture et le service secteurs.  Plus le secteur industriel est fort et dynamique, plus ses effets seront considérables.  Plus ce secteur et son tissu sont faibles, plus leurs effets seront peu déterminants et donc peu influents pour réduire la pauvreté. S’il y a encouragement ou incitation de petits industriels du secteur associatif de produire plus, on peut s’attendre à des effets accrus sur la réduction de la pauvreté.  Car, ce secteur et ses produits (biens et services) sont proches de ceux qui vivent dans la pauvreté.

En restant dans le cadre de notre travail avec les organisations africaines du secteur associatif, particulièrement celles qui sont investies dans les activités micro-industrielles, on peut dire qu’il y a lieu de continuer à embrasser la micro-industrie pour résoudre la pauvreté d’aujourd’hui et de demain.  De notre part, nous allons les encourager sur ce chemin.

 

 

 

The industrial capacity of the voluntary economy through its powers and limitations to integrate regional value chains (Page 7)

The voluntary economy is this part of the economy related to the voluntary sector represented by organisations whose key aim is to create social impact rather than profit making.  Generally, they provide services which are part of the service sector and can be the lifeline of the economy.

In this Issue, we are talking about micro-industrial activities or manufacturing of products (goods) in small quantities using small manufacturing facilities.  These activities are run by voluntary Africa-based Sister Organisations (VASOs) although profit making organisations can also set up a voluntary arm.

The VASOs we are dealing with are those that produce small scale goods in the voluntary or third sector.  They try to change inputs into outputs to create poverty reduction value.  Due to the size of the VASOs, the volume of their activities as well as what they can produce (sometimes sale at concessional charges); there are limitations in integrating local and regional value chains. 

 

African women in micro-industrial activities and the voluntary economy (Page 8)

There are numbers of African women involved in income generating and micro-industrial activities in Africa.  These activities are in many areas of life-sustaining needs such as food production, clothes making, house building or construction, etc.  An example is the transformation of cassava or manioc roots into flour using local methods and basic industrial equipment.

Through their activities they create value to feed their families and communities; value that can be added to make local value chains.  Investing in micro-industrial activities run and developed by these women in Africa can even create more value chain effects and help to reduce poverty further.

 

Basic Survey about CENFACS’ Advice Service (page 8)

September is CENFACS’ month of advice for individuals and organisations.  In order to help us improve the way in which advice is organised and delivered, particularly our Virtual Advice Open Days and Hours, it will be good to tell us what you think about the way in which advice service is run by CENFACS. 

You can comment on our advice service via email and or by filling the comment box on our website.

Thank you for your support!

 

Skills for micro-industrial development and integration (Page 9)

To run micro-industrial activities and to integrate any value chains, it requires the development and upgrade of skills and capacities.  Particularly, this is even important for low- and medium-skilled workers as well as for skill-deprived organisations and areas. It is also relevant to meet changing demand of skills.

Amongst the skills to be developed, there are:

Cognitive, basic computer literacy, vocational, creative, trade, light manufacturing skills; as well as skills for various stages of goods production and to promote regional development etc.

 

Industrial skills auditing (Page 9)

This is a systematic examination and assessment of the quality and effectiveness of the skills of voluntary Africa-based Sister Organisations (VASOs) with the aim of finding out their appropriateness to the need of delivering micro-industrial development.  It is indeed an inspection of skills, knowledge and capacity to conduct micro-industrial activities.

To develop micro-industrial activities, VASOs need to have a certain level of skills (both in quantity and quality) which they may already have and need improvement if they do not possess them.  Then, these skills need to be developed or upgraded amongst their work force. 

To be able to know the skills they have and the ones they do not have, some skills auditing need to be undertaken.  Skills auditing will determine the skills gap they need to bridge in terms of skills set or base they require.  This audit will provide the necessary information and leads about the kinds of training on industrial skills development they need.

 

Environmental-friendly Micro-industrial Project, e-f m-i Project (Page 10)

This is an income generating project that aims at reducing poverty and hardships through the production of life-sustaining light micro-industrial goods from no direct inputs of natural resources while having a small environmental impact (by using renewable materials and consuming green items) and bringing a BIG impact on poverty reduction.  It is a volunteer-involving project that will create value that can be added to make up local value chains.

For further details (proposals) about this project and to support, please contact CENFACS.

For a paper copy of the 65th of FACS, please contact CENFACS.

 

Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going 

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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

16 October 2019

Post No. 113

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Campaign, Note No. 2 – In Focus (between 16 and 22/10/2019): Balanced Diets

• Autumn Humanitarian Appeal 2019 Launched!

• All-year round Projects, Edition 2019: Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

… and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Campaign, Note No. 2

In Focus (between 16 and 22/10/2019): Balanced Diets

 

The second note of our theme of Upkeep of the Nature is Balanced Diets.  A balanced diet is mostly talked or discussed in the context of healthy life for the body, the mind and happiness.

From the perspective of our theme of Upkeep of the Nature, Balanced Diets will be approached from the view on how we can keep healthy life for our body and mind while reducing pressure on the nature through the foods and drinks we consume.

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have provided further information about this second note.

 

 

 

~ Autumn Humanitarian Appeal 2019 Launched!

 

Our Autumn Humanitarian Appeal (AHA) 2019 was launched last week and can be found at http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

It covers the following five projects: Skills for Value Chains, Save Flora and Fauna projects, Inequalities Reducer, Righters of financial deprivations and Hardship After Summer Holidays.

CENFACS is appealing to you to donate £2 to create 2 benefits (1 for humans and 1 for living things) as you wish to achieve one last benefit/relief. 

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have provided further information about this Appeal.

 

 ~ All-year round Projects: Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

The three components of our all-year round projects (that is Run, Play and Vote) are back this Autumn.  As we are heading towards the end of the year 2019, one can hope progress has been made for these projects; records have been taken since these projects started in January 2019.

Under the Main Developments of this post, we have summarised what needs to be done for those engaged with these projects.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Micro-Volunteer doing Smart Tasks with Smart Tools

 

Last week, we provided you with some of the new ways we would like to add to our traditional ways of getting support.  This addition to our usual way of getting support we have called it as no direct cash donations support. 

Taking the same path in embracing the changes that are happening in the way charities get support, especially as we are increasingly in a mobile society, we will be using mobile technology and campaign to reach out to our supporters.  As a result, we have started to use micro-volunteering by doing smart tasks with smart tools (such as smart phones, tablets, etc.) to re-engage with our supporters. 

Smart tasks are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound tasks and activities to generate and increase support towards our good and deserving causes.

These tasks briefly include the following: prospecting potential supporters, running questionnaires, recruiting new supporters, engaging with supporters, sending and receiving messages from supporter, following the leads etc.

To enable us to continue our work, we are asking to those who can, both individuals and organisations, to support us with smart tools to enhance our micro-voluntary work.

To support CENFACS with Smart Tools to Micro Volunteer doing Smart tasks, please contact CENFACS.

 

~ Burkina Faso Appeal Review: Feedback –

A Call for the Restoration of Life Normality

 

After reviewing the lack of peace and insecurity situation in Burkina Faso last week, it has been resolved to continue to follow the situation and development on the grounds as well as the peace initiative run by the G5 and the Burkinabe people themselves. 

Depending on the outcomes and evolutions on the grounds, we will make a judgement as to whether or not to launch a fresh humanitarian appeal.  The data we got so far does indicate that the insecurity situation is severe, but it has not reached a critical level there.

We are not waiting for the situation to reach a critical level to act nor are we wishing any humanitarian crisis to happen.  We are instead calling for the prevention of any further escalation of the situation that could lead to humanitarian crisis.  We are calling for peace, security and support for the displaced persons, amongst them women and children.  Our call is a call for the restoration of life normality for them.

We hope that our readers will take our message or call seriously while expanding their voices so that poor and vulnerable people in the displaced areas can find peace, return to their places and run their normal lives.

For any more elements about this call, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

~ “Quadranscentennial” (“Q”) Historicité: History of CENFACS-African Diaspora Organisations

 

This week, we are scrutinising through “Q” Historicité the links between CENFACS and the African Diaspora Organisations.  In particular, we are conducting some research in order to find out the answers to the following questions:

Why CENFACS got involved in the work and the shaping of African Diaspora Voices for Africa’s Development?

What were the outcomes and impacts on CENFACS and on these organisations?

Was a link with these organisations of convenience or a genuine model of working together to advance African matters? 

Would have been better for CENFACS to stay away from them?

Did this link strengthen or weaken CENFACS?

For any query regarding “Q” Historicité and any reactions about the history of CENFACS in its links with African Diaspora Organisations, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Developments

 

• “A la une” Campaign, Note No. 2 – In Focus (between 16 and 22/10/2019): Balanced Diets

 

In the context of “A la une” campaign, we are refereeing to balanced diets to deal with adverse impacts of climate change.  The message through our second note is about how we can help to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change through our diet. 

It is about adding to the classical model of balanced diet (which is of 50 per cent of carbohydrates, 20 per cent protein, 15 per cent or less fat, and 15 per cent fibre) a climate dimension.  Therefore, balanced diets will be approached from environmental and climate perspectives.  It is a diet that is environment-friendly as well.

 

~ What is an environment-friendly balanced diet?

 

We will be working on the right balance between for example plant-based products and meat consumption, between plant-based and sustainably-produced animal-sourced food.  This note is about improving our diet so that we can reduce the pressure on the environment regarding the foods (nutrients) and drinks (fluids) we consume. 

An environment-friendly balanced diet can contribute to our minds, bodies and happiness.  This is despite the fact that one can raise the issue of the cost of balanced diet.  Yet, the cost of destroying the nature through human diet could be higher than the cost of having a balanced diet, let one the catastrophe on the humanity.

 

~ What is finally a balanced diet within the context of climate change?

 

It is diet programme that enhances health while helping to reduce the life threatening impacts of climate change. 

It is about having a diet that does not upset the natural balance or balanced state of living things. 

It is diet that reduces pressure on the environment (for example reducing the killings of animals for meat consumption). 

It is a diet that can help to meet our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own consumption needs.

For more on this note, please contact CENFACS.

 

• Autumn Humanitarian Appeal 2019

 

~ What AHA2019 is about

 

It is about supporting life-sustaining needs of poor people, flora, fauna, communities and organisations in the context of life-threatening impacts of climate change in Africa.

We would like those who can to support this appeal which tackles both life threat and sustenance.

 

~ Why to support it?

 

Apart from our own findings and reports from colleagues and Africa-based Sister Organisations on the grounds in Africa, there is a number of data and facts that provide the reasons for one to support the above beneficiaries. 

One of these reports has been provided by UNICEF (1) which argues that

“Special attention is needed for sub-Saharan Africa, where child mortality rates are the highest in the world while population growth continues at a rapid pace (p.24)”.

UNICEF continues by saying that

“In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 2.8 (2.6, 3.1) million children under age 5 died – 52 per cent of all under-five deaths” (p.12)

To materialise this special attention and help reduce the uneven burden of child mortality in SSA, CENFACS is asking those who can to do something about this, particularly to donate £2.

The two pounds will be allocated to humans (£1) and to living things (£1).  The one pound for living things will help to reduce the threats of extinction to flora and fauna.

 

~ What your donation can do in the case of child mortality

 

£1 can help achieve any of these three outcomes:

√ Reduce a risk of death of children

√ Reduce the disparities or differences in rates of under-five mortality rate in Africa

√ Achieve an improved outlook of child sustainable development goals indicators

On the support page of this website (at http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/), we are provided more supporting evidence and data for potential donors and funders to act and make the data change the life of the above stated beneficiaries.

Please visit this page at  http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/ and take action

 

~ How to take action about AHA2019

 

You could carry out one of the following actions:

√ Visit CENFACS’ e-Store at  http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

√ Donate £2 for this appeal

√ Take our AHA 2019 campaign forward

√ Recommend a friend to support this campaign

√ Talk around you about CENFACS’ AHA 2019, products and services

√ Put into practice the 8 Non Direct Cash Giving Options listed in our last post on this website

(1) UNICEF (2019), Levels and Trends in Child Mortality – Report.  Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation

    

• All-year round Projects: Best Country, Best Runner and Best Manager of 2019!

 

The three components of our All-year Round Projects – which are Play, Run and Vote – continue to be active during this Autumn.  One can hope that progress has been and every step has been taken to undertake actions and get the results or outcomes at the end of the year 2019.

To refresh memories, we would like to repeat the following.

If you are Playing the CENFACS Poverty Relief League (the World’s League without relegation) and its sub-project Le Dernier Carrẻ, there are 16 team countries in this African Nations Poverty Relief and Development League playing each 32 matches/games each against the other.  Around this time of the year, there should be only eight countries remaining or qualifying in the games.

If you are Running for Poverty Relief and Development, you can do it alone or as a group.  Whether you are doing it alone or as a group, make sure you have in place a reliable system to record and monitor what you are doing. 

If you are casting your Vote for an International Development and Poverty Relief Manager of 2019, there are two and half months remaining until the end of the year.  Again, do have in place a reliable system to record and monitor what you are doing.   

Whether you are Gaming or Running or even Voting for Poverty Relief and Development, please keep a track record (including the facts, data, videos, reviews and images) of your Autumn activities to make and share your story with us and others.    

To keep your track record, you do not need sophisticated technologies or a specialist third party.  With your mobile phone only – if you have one – you can text, record voices, make a video, take pictures, make a short film, phone etc. to capture and communicate the impacts in your own words and numbers of any event or activity you are doing or taking part in this Autumn. 

Also remember, the final results or outcomes of any activities and actions from the All-year round projects, which are a summary of what would have happened during the entire year (meaning from January to the end of the year).   

At the end of this process and of the year, one should be ready to announce the 2019 Action-Results for either of the project: Run or Play or Vote.

The final Action-Results consist of finding out the following:

 

√ The Best African Countries of 2019 which best reduced poverty

√ The Best African Global Games Runners of 2019

√ The Best African Development and Poverty Relief Managers of 2019

 

If you have not yet thought about it, start thinking now and have your say about it!

 

Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going 

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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

09 October 2019

Post No. 112

 

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Giving no direct cash donations

• A la une (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) Themed Activities

• Making Zero Hunger Africa

 

… and much more!

 

 

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ 8 No Direct Cash Donations: You can support CENFACS without directly giving cash

 

Ways of supporting charities have changed.  We too at CENFACS have been implementing these new ways of giving and generating incomes.   There are many ways that one can use to support CENFACS without directly given cash.  One can unlock barriers to no direct cash donations for CENFACS. 

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have listed eight ways of giving no direct cash donations.    However, if you choose to donate cash, CENFACS will still accept your cash donations. 

 

~ “A la une” Themed Areas of Work

 

Our environmental campaign “A la une” has already started.  The selected composed notes or themed areas of work that would work together to shape the central topic or theme of “A la une” (theme which is Upkeep of the Nature) this Autumn have been given under the Main Developments section of this post. 

The first themed area of work is Sustainable Trajectories for the Nature (STN); themed area which kicks off from today the 09^th of October 2019. 

STN, which is our advocacy for nature’s rights, is a sustainable development initiative rooted in a deep need of the upkeep of the nature.  It helps us not only to advocate but also to put into action measures to keep the trajectory of rising temperatures below the goal of 1.5 degrees C in accordance to the Paris Climate Change Treaty.

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have provided the periods and titles of composed notes or themed areas of work on “A la une” campaign.

 

~ Making Zero Hunger Africa in the Context of Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change  and of Armed Conflicts

 

Making Zero Hunger Africa (MZHA) is one the CENFACS XI Starting Projects for this Autumn.  MZHA has to be placed in the context of the United Nations’ seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, Zero Hunger being Goal number two (i.e. Achieve Zero Hunger target by 2030) among them.  MZHA is also in line with similar global projects working to eliminate hunger across the world and Africa. 

We had to keep advocating against hunger in Africa as hunger is on the rise there.  In a joint report published this year by the FAO and other agencies (1), they state that

“Hunger is on the rise in almost all sub-regions of Africa, where the prevalence of undernourishment has reached levels of 22.8 percent in sub-Saharan Africa (p. XVI).

The number of undernourished population reached almost 260 million people in 2018, with more than 90 percent living in Sub-Saharan Africa (p.XIX)”.

As we are operating in the context of life-threatening impacts of climate change, we will include in the MZHA the needs of people and communities sensitive to weather events (such as drought) and those affected by armed conflicts. 

The same joint report points out the following:

“Drought-sensitive countries in sub-Saharan Africa in sub-Saharan Africa have seen the prevalence of undernourishment increased from 17.4 to 21.8 percent over the last six years (p.7)”.

“In conflict-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of undernourished people increased by 23.4 million between 2015 and 2018 (p.8)”  

For more about the MZHA, please contact CENFACS. 

(1) FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2019: The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019 – Safeguarding against economic slowdowns and downturns, Rome, FAO.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Feedback about Climate Action Summit Follow up

 

After following up the Climate Action Summit held last September by the United Nations, we have looked at the list of announcements and commitments made at the end of this Summit.  Particularly, we have examined the extent to which they will affect the people and organisations we work with.  We have identified three key areas of interest which include the following:

√ New climate investment platform that will mobilise US$1 trillion in clean energy investment by 2025 in 20 least developed countries

√ Transition from brown to green energy and its implications for the poor and poor people budget

√ Transition from the grey to green economy and its consequences for poverty reduction

These three key areas will be included in our future advocacy work while we are keeping an eye on future discussions and developments on the two transitions and investment platform.

To add your inputs and or find out more, please contact CENFACS.   

 

~ Burkina Faso Appeal: Review & Discussion

 

This year, we made an appeal regarding the insecurity situation in Burkina Faso.  Some efforts and initiatives were made through various platforms including the G5 to secure a peace deal in Burkina Faso and the region surrounding it.

Since the insecurity is continuing, insecurity expressed by an increase in attacks by armed groups and self-defending militia, we are reviewing and discussing the insecurity situation in Burkina Faso this week.

According to the local source, nearly 300,000 people have been so far displaced.  People are fleeing violence and civil attacks, and amongst them are women and children who are trapped in this insecurity.

There is a threat of State collapse with possible damaging ramifications and contagion in the neighbouring countries. 

We are therefore reviewing and discussing our previous appeal on Burkina Faso in the light of the current difficult moments that ordinary and civilian defenceless people in Burkina Faso are undergoing in face of this insecurity and daily threat or attacks.  

To enquiry about this appeal review and discussion, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

~ “Quadranscentennial” (“Q”) Historicité: CENFACS in History

 

Our history month continues with the “Q” Historité, which is the study of historical character of CENFACS as a “Q” organisation.  This week, we are still unfolding the history of CENFACS by looking at the timeline of CENFACS and trying to analyse the key features, moments and the types of organisations CENFACS worked with throughout the last 25 years..

To engage to the above work, contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Developments

 

• A la une Composed Notes or Themed Areas of Work

 

During the following periods within this Autumn and “A la une” season, CENFACS’ advocacy on environment will focus on the following areas from the beginning of every Wednesdays (starting from 9 October 2019) to the rest of November 2019.

 

Periods                                 Titles of notes or themed areas of work

09/10 to 15/10/2019              Sustainable trajectories for the nature

16/10 to 22/10/2019              Balanced diets

23/10 to 29/11/2019              Biofuel crops and new forests

30/10 to 05/11/2019             Reduction of coastal extreme events

06/11 to 12/11/2019               Options to adapt to changes and change habits

13/11 to 19/11/2019               Extra protection from wildlife extinction

20/11 to 26/11/2019               Land use, food system & climate needs

27/11 to 30/11/2019             “A la une” monitoring and evaluation

 

In total, there are seven themed areas of work starting from the 9^th of October 2019 and thereafter every Wednesdays until the end of November.  These activities will help us to re-communicate our environmental message for the upkeep of the nature in existence as well as triggering changes with our leaves of action.  At the end of these notes, we shall carry out monitoring and evaluation.

To engage with “A la une”, contact CENFACS. 

 

• Eight No Direct Cash Donations: Other Ways of Supporting CENFACS this Autumn and Beyond

 

Ways of donating to charities have changed.  We too at CENFACS have embraced this change or evolution in our way and pace of getting support.

Those who would like to support CENFACS by using other means than directly giving cash, they can consider the following.

Eight ways of donating to consider this Autumn and in the lead up to the end of the year

1/ Giving unwanted goods and items to CENFACS e-charity store at  http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

2/ Sign up for a Gift Aid declaration from which CENFACS can earn an extra 25p for every £1 you give

3/ Nominate CENFACS for a donation at charity fundraising and donation events

4/ Select CENFACS as your preferred charity for donation from advertising revenue

5/ Raise free funds for CENFACS with your online shopping or choose CENFACS as a donation recipient of some of the profits raised from online shopping

6/ Donate your unwanted and unused points and cashback to CENFACS as your chosen charity from your loyalty shopping rewards or good causes gift cards

7/ Name CENFACS as your favourite deserving cause if it happens that you have the opportunity to click the online option “donate cashback to charities”

8/ Donate any unwanted excess points of your loyalty card from apps that may give support to good causes

The above is just the few examples of ways of helping that one can think of or come across with to support CENFACS without having to directly give cash.

 

Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going 

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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

02 October 2019

Post No. 111

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• History Month with Making Memorable Difference Project 

• “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature)

• Autumn Humanitarian Appeal 

 

… and much more!

 

 

 

 

Key Messages

  

~ History Month with Making Memorable Difference

 

The lead story line of poverty relief and sustainable development at CENFACS this week is about Making Memorable Difference in October.  October is the History month in CENFACS development calendar.  We normally remember the African history through Making Memorable Difference (MMD) project. 

This year’s MMD is about Health History, in particularly about the ways in which  Africans managed to deal with epidemics and viruses in the past time (both in pre-colonial and post-colonial areas).  MMD 2019 is about acknowledging African Legacies in terms of healing people and communities to avoid widespread contagion that can lead to humanitarian catastrophe or disaster that some kinds of diseases can cause.

For further information on this acknowledgement, read below under the Main Development section of this post.  

Besides the main history theme of October, we are also running our environmental campaign “A la une” as planned. 

 

 

~ “A la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep the Nature in Existence)  

 

“A la une” campaign has already started with our work on the BIG BEASTS and the Protection of the Oceans.   During these October and November 2019, we shall continue these two areas of advocacy while taking our advocacy about the nature to the next level.  This next level is of advocating for Sustainable Trajectories for the Nature.  We already spoke about this new initiative during last Summer.  We will be dealing with it now while adding more contents to “A la une” campaign.  

Since this year we are in a situation of the urgency of taking a bold climate action to keep under control the trajectories of rising temperature, our work on the nature will also include this dilemma about how to help meet life-sustaining needs while handling life-threatening impacts of climate change.  So, “A la une” campaign will integrate life-sustenance and life-treat.    

Below you will find an outline of the main areas of work that will make this year’s “A la une” campaign.

For more information about this year’s “A la une” campaign, please contact CENFACS and or continue to read our posts over this Autumn season.

What’s more, our usual Autumn Humanitarian Appeal will be re-launched soon. 

Just to let you know, the environmental campaign known as “A la une” and humanitarian appeal are part of our Autumn programme.  

 

 

~ Autumn Humanitarian Relief Appeal

 

Our humanitarian appeal for Autumn 2019 will be launched this October 2019 and will be live on the Support Us page of this website:  cenfacs.org.uk/support-us/

This appeal is about supporting needy people, flora, fauna, communities and organisations in Africa.  It will include the following five selected projects: 

 

1/ Skills for Value Chains

2/ Inequalities Reducer

3/ Righters of financial deprivations

4/ Hardship After Summer Holidays

5/ Save Flora and Fauna projects. 

 

A brief summary of these projects will be given on the page Support Us of this website. 

Donors and funders can directly and respectively donate or fund these projects. 

A message about this appeal can also be passed on to a person who is in a position and willing to support.  Many thanks for passing this message!

You can donate £2 to create 2 benefits (1 benefit for humans and 1 benefit for other natural livings) or any amount starting from £2 or more as you wish, gift aid your giving and support these projects in a way that is the most suitable and related to your situation, capacity and willingness.

To donate, gift aid and support otherwise; please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ September Recaps

 

~~ Virtual Open Day and Hours (VODHs)

 

Our September VODHs for advice is now closed.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank those who contacted us for advice and or made enquiries about our other services.  We would like to particularly thank The Big Local Broad Green for providing us space to work in our last VODH.

VODHs event is closed, but our advice work is still on.  For those who need advice and who could not contact us on the day (every Fridays of last September) and hours (between 10am and 2pm), they can still seek advice online, 24 hours and 7 days a week.

Need advice; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

~~ Protection of the Oceans

 

The other final repetition of September themes is the protection of the oceans. So, September was also the month of the oceans.  Our back-to-the upkeep of the nature with the protection of the oceans enabled us to take stock, exchange ideas and look forward to a better protection of the oceans and coastal areas, particularly of small island countries of Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

~ “Quadranscentennial Historicité”

 

As we are still in the “Quadranscentennial” (“Q”) year and the history month, we are continuing to learn a bit more about the history of CENFACS as a “Quadranscentennial” organisation.  We are doing it through a small initiative or activity called “Q” Historicité.  “Q” Historicité is about finding out and learning about the historical character of CENFACS.  It is the authenticity of CENFACS.

To learn the history of CENFACS as a “Q” organisation and or to support the “Q” Historicité small initiave, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development  

 

• Making Memorable Difference (MMD) – In focus: African Health History

 

What is MMD? 

 

MMD is

∼ a two-day event of Awareness, Thought and Recognition set up by CENFACS in 2009 to celebrate the Black History Month in our own way and feeling while preserving the tradition linked to this remembrance and standing on the shoulders of similar celebrations

∼ a historic project of collective memory about works carried out, heritage and legacies left by Africans

∼ all about collectively telling, acknowledging, studying and learning that every day Africans wherever they are (in Africa) or elsewhere (in the UK-Croydon and the world) are striving to improve the quality of their lives and of others. Through their historically valuable works, they are making memorable difference and the world a better place for everybody, including the generations to come.

∼ a celebration of African Abilities, Talents, Skills and Gifts to Africa and the world.

This year’s dedicated two days (27 and 28 October 2019) are the days of historical study, analysis and skill recognition and celebration of the legacies left by Africans in the Health History in Africa.  We will search on the African Health History.

So, our sharing and engaging content this October is on how the skills, abilities and knowledge of Africans helped in healing epidemics and viruses in the past time, while reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.

This topic has been chosen in the light of what is happening in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, which almost had 2,000 people and tragedies due to the Ebola virus.  In this topic, we will try to understand the past epidemics and viruses in Africa and how Africans managed to cope or eradicate them.  One could hope that both the understanding and coping strategies of the past epidemics and viruses can help to understand or draw a parallel with what is happening now.

 

Two days of African Health History:

 

27 October 2019 (Understanding of African Health History in relation to epidemics and viruses: Understanding Day)

The first day is about learning more about the kinds of epidemics and viruses that Africa went through in pre-colonial and post-colonial times.  This health history will be done in scale and scope.  References will be given about the places where these epidemics and viruses happened, knowing that there were not enough health facilities at that time.  This understanding will also be expanded to the health knowledge at that time while making some incursions about poverty linked to poor health situation.

28 October 2019 (African Epidemics and Virus Healers: Legacies & Gifts Day):

Although Africa may have received some support to cope with its epidemics and viruses in its history, we would like however to investigate the contributions made by Africans to heal them.  This second day will therefore help us to find out how good or bad Africans were in healing epidemics and viruses.  It is as well the day of learning the coping strategies in terms of healing these deadly diseases.  In doing so, we will try extirpate their legacies and gifts as healers and doctors on their own ways against deadly epidemics and viruses.  Finally, the day will help to draw historical and analytical parallel with what is happening now in places like the DRC and others.

 

To engage with this year’s MMD theme and or support this project, please contact CENFACS on this site. 

 

• Making Memorable Difference Timeline

 

2009: CENFACS recognised environmental sustainability.

2010: We acknowledged and honoured sports contributions and history in relieving collective poverty and improving community lives beyond fitness and beyond individualistic achievements.

2011: We recollected, remembered and revered caregiving talents and legacies of young carers in enhancing human development (their own development and other people’s development) by reducing the burden of poverty.

2012: We dedicated our historical recognition to Africa’s Global Game Runners and the Science of Running.

2013: Our two days were about the Memorable Difference Made and brought by Working Poor (Miners & Factory Workers) in relieving poverty. We consecrated them to the historical study of The Role of Working Poor Miners and Factory Workers of Natural Resources and Extractive Industries in the Poverty Relief in Africa since the Berlin Conference (1884-5).

2014: We celebrated the place of the African Music and Dance in the pre– and post-colonial eras, the late 1950s and the early 1960s. This celebration focused on the African History of Singing and Dancing and their Impacts on Liberation and Freedoms.

2015: Making Memorable Difference focused on African Negotiators of the History. 

2016: We remembered the Protectors and Guardians of the African History and Heritage. 

2017: We acknowledged the Communicators of the African History 

2018: We learnt about African Communications and Oral History

 

For further details about these past MMD events, please contact CENFACS. 

 

Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going 

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.

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

 

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

25 September 2019

Post No. 110

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Autumn Fresh Start Help in the Context of Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change

• Save Fauna and Flora Advocacy

• Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature with the Protection of the Oceans, In Focus for Week Beginning 23/09/2019: Conservation and Sustainable Use of Oceans

 

… and much more! 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ Autumn Fresh Start Help and Resources

 

Autumn Fresh Start Help strikes or kicks off our Autumn programme.  It is our Autumn project striker.  Autumn Fresh Start Help and Resources are made of fresh start skills, tips, hints, tweaks, hacks, etc; help and resources designed to overcome poverty and hardships. 

Our advice-giving month of September continues as planned and will end next month.  Advice-giving is also part of our Autumn Fresh Start Help and Resources.  Although we put particular emphasis on advice-giving activity in our September engagement, other aspects of Autumn Fresh Start or striker are also important and will continue beyond September.

Autumn Fresh Start Help comes with Fresh Autumn Start (FAS) resources.  The highlights of the 2019 Edition of FAS is within the context of life-threatening impacts of climate change. 

Our keywords for this Autumn are fresh start and freshness.  The context in which we will be using these key words is of life-threatening impacts of climate change.

Further details about these key words and contextual framework are given below under the Main Development section of this post.

To ask for Fresh Start Help and or access Fresh Start Resources, just contact CENFACS.

 

 ~ Save Flora and Fauna (SFF) Advocacy

 

We are advocating for the protection of animals in Africa and elsewhere in developing world whereby animals get killed, traded and extinct to such extent that some species are at the brink of disappearing. 

Our fauna advocacy aims at dealing with ways of tackling the threats to survival in the wild facing by the world’s big cats (such as lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, snow leopard, puma, clouded leopard etc), the world’s majestic animals and symbols of power and courage.

Animals such as jaguars, tigers, elephants, snakes, alligators, rhinoceroses etc are under threat.  There are several reasons about it which include: hunting, illicit and illegal trade, over-harvesting, habitat loss, climate change, poaching etc.

CENFACS’ Save Animals or Fauna advocacy is to advocate for the enhancement of protection of endangered, threatened and vulnerable species. 

In this process, we are as well interested in efforts made to protect animals from diseases.  For example, there was a recent case of tuberculosis elephants in South Africa. 

We are as well extending our advocacy to other species in danger like trees, plans and flowers (flora).  It is a two scopes campaign of Saving Fauna and Flora.  

Save Fauna and Flora is only an iceberg of the wide natural creature protection campaign. 

CENFACS’ Save Fauna and Flora is run this last week of September 2019 and will be soon after followed by our Autumn environmental umbrella campaign, A la une (Autumn Leaves of Action to Upkeep the Nature in Existence) project. 

A la une takes our Save Fauna and Flora advocacy to the next level of environmental communications.  It goes further about protection of endangered species to include rainforests, water and air pollution, climate change in order to help meet Global Goals such Sustainable Development Goals linked to the upkeep of the nature alive.

To advocate and raise your voice to save endangered species, contact CENFACS.

 

 

~ Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature with the Protection of the Oceans, In Focus for Week Beginning 23/09/2019: Conservation and Sustainable Use of Oceans

   

This is the last note of our ocean theme.  In this last note, we are dealing with the following:

. Maintenance, management and restoration of oceanic resources

. Prevention of any activity that can destroy oceanic habitat

In this note, there are two aspects which are conservation and sustainable use of oceans.

 

⇒ Conservation of oceans and poverty relief argument

 

In order to help conserve the oceans, we are using the poverty relief argument while taking into account utilitarian, aesthetic and environmental perspectives. 

Our poverty relief argument is that ocean resources, assets and wealth (in terms of fish, plants, water, etc.) help to reduce poverty and hardships.  However, for oceans continue to play their poverty-relieving role, they need better conservation (that is maintenance, management and restoration).

Our poverty relief argument will be fitted into various conservation activities.

 

⇒ Sustainable use of oceans

 

Briefly, sustainable use of the oceans is about the use their reserves and resources without damaging their capacity for renewal.  It is all about saving oceans, using them sustainably and preserving their resources while reducing waste into them.

The two aspects of this last note are not treated in a vacuum.  They are applying to the case of small island developing states and least developed countries of Africa (such as Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius, Cape Verde and Madagascar).

To support this note and/or the all ocean theme or to get information about it, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Fresh Start Capacity Development

 

Some people can easily restart life after a break (e.g. holiday, maternity or paternity leave, recovery from illness, etc.).   

Others can manage their working life and take new initiatives at the start of a new season.

Other more may struggle or find it difficult to resume their activity or simply may take such a long time to restart.

So, as part of back-to-relief programme, we are looking forward to working with people in need to redevelop their fresh start capacity.  This is a set of Autumn support made of fresh start essentials.  It is a process through which their capacity (that is their ability to perform functions of fresh start life is re-established or redeveloped) is recreated.  This process includes fresh start skills, knowledge and resources.  

To enquire about Fresh Start Capacity Development, please contact CENFACS.

 

~ Coming soon: Autumn 2019 Appeal

 

As our Summer 2019 Humanitarian Appeal has come to an end, we will be soon launching the Autumn Appeal.  The latter is a regular seasonal compassionate sustenance which will deal with people, flora, fauna, communities and organisations in need in Africa.

As we explained in our last post about ways of engaging with CENFACS in the new season, supporting this coming appeal is one of the means of materialising this engagement.  Those who are looking for alternative way of philanthropic engagement, they can start to think and prepare themselves how they can engage with this appeal.  When this appeal will be out, they can then decide whether or not to support it or recommend it to others.

In meantime, if there is a query about any of our appeals (both previous and the incoming ones), please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

~ Happiness survey and questionnaire

 

As part of our Summer Reporting and Sharing of experiences and stories, we are running a Happiness survey. 

The survey, which is mostly about hearing your Summer experiences and stories, is also about improving on planning and delivery of summer projects and of enhancing the outcome of our advice on summer break and season.

For those who may be interested in this survey, there is a questionnaire to complete and return to CENFACS.  This questionnaire is also found in our Fresh Autumn Start resource. You can request the questionnaire as well.

To request and or complete the questionnaire, contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Development 

 

• Making Autumn Start & Season Easier 

           

⇒ What is Fresh Autumn Start (FAS)

 

FAS is a continuation of our Summer Support projects into the Autumn season.  It is a building block or additional back up of useful survival tips and hints to embrace Autumn as smoothly and trouble-freely as possible. 

It includes real life situations that users may face when and as they return from their Summer Break or season on one hand, and possible leads to proffer solutions to their arising Autumn needs on the other hand.

This FAS resource is not exhaustive or an end itself.  It has to be completed with other resources.  It is a good basic insight into a Fresh Start as it provides helpful advisory tools for a Fresh Start and confidence building for the rest of the Autumn season.  It could also be used as a reference for users to engineer their own idea of Fresh Start and the sustained management of autumn needs. 

At the end of this resource, there are some websites addresses/directories for help and support.  These sources of help and support are not exhaustive.  We have mainly considered third sector organisations and service providers as well as social enterprises. 

For further or extended list of service providers for your Autumn needs, people can  contact their local authorities and service directories (both online and print).

 

⇒ Fresh Autumn Start in the context of Life-threatening Impacts of Climate Change (2019 Edition)

 

This Autumn, we are approaching Fresh Start Help from the perspective and context of life-threatening impacts of climate change.  It is the context of urgency to take climate action.  This approach is about responding to users to their needs in those terms: how to help meet basic life-sustaining needs under the conditions of life-threatening impacts of climate change?  The answer to this question is our work together with users to respond to their individual needs and requests.  So, Fresh Start Help will deal with the needs arising from life-sustenance and life-threat; threat caused by the adverse impacts of climate change.

 

⇒ Brief summaries of the contents of FAS 2019 Edition

 

The contents of 2019 Edition of Fresh Autumn Start (FAS) include: Autumn situations and what to do, People needs and Autumn leads, What you can get from CENFACS, and Autumn online and digital resources.

 

Possible Autumn Situations & Possible What to Do

 

When returning from Summer Break and/or season, people can find themselves in a variety of situations depending on their own individual circumstances and life experiences.  This variety of situations may require or be expected to be matched with a diversity of responses in order to meet people’s Autumn needs.  These variable circumstances and diverse responses or a course of actions can take the different shapes as well as can be framed in order to take into account the adverse impacts of climate change.

 

Examples of Summer Break Expenses Track Record and Autumn Start Budget

 

Tracking down and reassessing summer break/season expenses is a positive step to put one through a positive start for the Autumn season.  As part of this positive step, FAS is packed with an example of Summer Break Expenses Track Record.

Budgeting autumn items and needs is also good for a Fresh Start and for overall control over the start and rest of autumn season expenses.  To support this financial control, FAS contains an example of Autumn start budget (fresh start budget) or budgeted expenses.   

 

People’s Needs and Autumn Leads 

               

Variable circumstances can obviously result in multiple needs.  To meet those needs, we may have to gather resources, tools and institutions to guide us.  The 2019 Edition of FAS provides a table that gives an idea of the likely leads to satisfy people’s needs.

 

Integrating the treats from the adverse impacts of climate change into FAS

 

The particularity of FAS 2019 edition is it integrates the probable adverse impacts of climate change in terms of life-treat.  This integration is at the levels of possible Autumn situations, Autumn budget and arising needs.  It is the integration of both life-sustaining needs and life-threatening impacts of climate change. 

 

What You Can Get From CENFACS in Autumn Under Autumn Start Help

 

The set of help provided in the FAS 2019 is part of CENFACS’ UK arm of services.  Besides that it also takes into account specific needs of people that may require specialist organisations and or institutions to deal with them.  In which case CENFACS can signpost or refer the applicants to those third parties.

We hope that the basic tips and hints making the contents FAS 2019 Edition will help you in some aspects of your Autumn needs.

Have a Good Fresh Start and Autumn season!

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

18 September 2019

Post No. 109

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

  

• Autumn of Freshness 

• Autumn 2019 Programme: Starting XI Projects 

• Autumn Involvement with CENFACS

 

… and much more!

 

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ Autumn of Freshness

 

Autumn is the time of natural recycling process of plants and trees.  Leaves change colour and fall.  Without reinventing the wheels, we can say that Autumn of Freshness at CENFACS is the season after the long sunny weather and break of Summer during which our body and mind naturally recycle and engage in renewed energy, strength and thoughts.  

Autumn of Freshness is the season of

⇒ making fresh start after returning back from Summer to resume our life routine, work, education and voluntary action, particularly poverty relief work

⇒ restarting after having some life and/or work experience (e.g. volunteer experience over the Summer, project visits, holiday trips, tourism, travel/expeditions of all kinds etc.)

⇒ beginning to apply or introduce and share those new experiences, ideas and discoveries we had during the Summer break or holidays

⇒ novelty, creativity and innovation to try to resolve the old, new, challenging and emerging issues of poverty and hardships

So, the keywords for our sharing and engaging contents over the Autumn are Freshness and Fresh Start which will underpin all our works over this period.

 

 

~ Autumn Programme with Starting XI Projects

 

Report, Refresh, Renew, Develop and Thrive  with Fresh Start Projects from the Autumn Programme

Autumn of Freshness is about working together with our users and stakeholders through helpful collection of Fresh Start projects blended together to give a new seasoned leaf of relief during Autumn 2019. 

 

The Autumn programme is made of 

1/ Fresh Start Skills, Tips, Hints, Tweaks and Hacks 

2/ Transformative experiences  

3/ The Season’s appeal to stand up again against poverty and hardships  

4/ A slice of Africa’s history 

5/ Fresh Start thoughts and inspirations for a better climate protection and sustainable development agenda. 

All this is flavoured with hopes, dreams and reasons to believe in the future; a poverty-free, sustainable and carbon-free world. 

So, the line up for CENFACS’ Starting XI Projects (or Fresh Start Projects) for this Autumn is as follows:

(1) Women, Children and Economic Sustainability

(2) Climate Protection and Stake for African Children (Phase 3) with Santiago Makes It Work as our working theme

(3) Capacity Development for Absorbing Climate Adaptation Investment – NEW

(4) Inequalities Reducer project

(5) Save flora and fauna

(6) Making Memorable Difference

(7) A la Une (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence)

(8) Skills for Value Chains project

(9) Fresh Start Help 

(10) Making Zero Hunger Africa 

(11) Autumn Appeal

For more on these projects, read below under the Main Developments section of this post.

 

 

~ Starting or Renewing your Involvement with CENFACS’ Work

 

The beginning of every season is an opportunity either to continue to do the things we always do as they work or to think of taking on new initiatives in the new season or to do both.  There are many ways in which we can freshly start this Autumn.

For example, one can rethink on the types of organisations and projects they support.  One may find appropriate to start or increase or even reduce their support to a particular development cause.  One could also think of getting involved in CENFACS’ work or renewing their commitment to it if they have ever got involved in it before.  The decision is theirs.

Below we have spelled out various ways in which you can enhance CENFACS’ cause and make a useful impact on poverty alleviation with us.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

  

~ Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature

 

~~ The Protection of the Oceans – Week beginning 16/09/2019, In Focus: Ocean Health and Technology Sharing

 

This second note of our work on the protection of oceans covers issues such as ocean pollution (both direct and indirect), dumping (the disposal of hazardous wastes and other substances), protection of fish stocks, etc.   

Ocean technology sharing includes a two-way transfer of scientific processes, methods and knowledge to keep the ocean and its resources in good conditions.  This sharing concerns coastal and water management skills, fieldwork and research work as well. 

In this protection process, we are working on coastal areas and islands of Africa (such as Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles and Cape Verde) on how those places are striving to keep the oceans in good health while making their ends meet; on where they need support to keep coastal ecosystems and the oceans healthy and productive. 

Our work is about taking stock, exchanging knowledge and looking forward in the process of conserving the ocean health and sharing technologies (and good practices) related to oceans. 

To add your input and or enquire about this second note, please contact CENFACS.     

  

~~ Climate Action Summit Follow-up: 23 September 2019

 

As part of our Climate Talks Follow-up project, we will be following the Climate Action Summit to be held by the United Nations on 23 September 2019 to meet the climate challenge.

You will be informed on any developments or outcomes resulting from this follow-up.  However, should you wish to share with us your own resources or materials about it, please feel free to do so.

 

~ Add-on relief for this September: Summer 2019 Humanitarian Relief and DRC Happiness Re-appeals

 

~~ Summer 2019 Humanitarian Relief Re-appeal

 

Summer 2019 Humanitarian Relief Appeal is still running and will end on the 22^nd of this September 2019.  You can DONATE £4 to Create a 1 World of 9 Reliefs.   

To donate or support otherwise, please go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

For further details and to support this project, contact CENFACS.

 

~~ On the DRC Happiness Re-appeal

 

It is a great news to read an article written by Twomey (1) from the South London Press; article  about the bravery of two nurses (Jess Joyce and Kirsty Metz) who work at the Royal Free Hospital in Camden.  These two nurses will be embarking on a voluntary mission for six weeks to help the Ebola patients in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the City of Goma. 

One could only hope that their life-saving mission goes well as planned, and they could return safely and healthily.

All our support and best wishes for their courage, bravery and special gift to the Ebola victims in the DRC.

 

(1) Twomey J.: Nurses take unpaid leave to treat Ebola patients in Congo in South London Press, Friday, 13 September 2019, p. 3  (james@slpmedia.co.uk)

 

 

~ Data Analytics about All-Year Round Projects (Play, Run and Vote projects)

 

Generally these projects are run separately.  In this Autumn, as part of tracking data we would like to look at if there is any relationship between the three of them.  To do that, we will be tracking data about them, especially from those who managed to undertake the three of them.  So, the aim of this data tracking exercise is to combine data about them to generate an increased relief against poverty and hardships.  In doing so, we will be able to discover if there are some interactions or correlations between them.

For further details about this tracking data and or to communicate your actions-results about them, please contact CENFACS. 

 

 

 

 

 Main Developments

 

• Autumn Programme with Starting XI Projects (Fresh Start projects)

 

Please find below the projects making CENFACS’ Autumn of Freshness 2019.

11 FRESH START PROJECTS: 11 WAYS OF HELPING TO REDUCE AND END POVERTY THIS AUTUMN 2019

 

September 

~ Save Flora and Fauna projects, including the Big Beasts sub-advocacy (advocacy)

~ A la Une (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence), which will includes our new sub-advocacy work which is Sustainable Trajectories for the Nature (Campaign)

~ Autumn Fresh Start Help (Resource)

 

October

~ Autumn Appeal to Support projects (Humanitarian appeal)

~ Making Memorable Difference (History project): Health History with How Africans Managed to Eradicate the Deadly Epidemics and Diseases of the Past Times (Learning and Development)

~ Making Zero Hunger Africa (Campaign) – A continuous campaign to support Africa feed Africa, to make the decision between buying food and paying energy bills easier, and to reduce food poverty while making the zero hunger goal becomes a reality not only a dream  

 

November 

~ Climate Protection and Stake for African Children (Phase 2): with “Santiago Makes It Work” as our working theme (Child Protection and Climate Advocacy project)

~ Women & Children FIRST Development Day (Thoughts): Women, Children and Economic Sustainability

~ Inequalities Reducer Project: – A sustainable development initiative aiming at reducing the difference in levels of poverty reduction by working with local poor people in parts of Africa where there is uneven poverty reduction in order to establish equal right and address the roots and causes of this type of inequality in a sustainable way. (Equality project)

 

November/December 

~ Skills for Value Chains project – A project that helps to reduce poverty linked to poor or incomplete skills, knowledge, information and capacities amongst African organisations and those who are running these organisations living in deprived areas and anxious improve their skills in order to enable them to meet the poverty relief challenges of their users and beneficiaries while developing themselves.  (Skills Development project)

~ Capacity Development for Absorbing Climate Change Adaptation Investment, which aims at enhancing people’s ability and capacity of African organisations to absorb any incoming investment for climate change adaptation.

Note: Although the above is scheduled for Autumn 2019, we may slightly alter our initial plan and or introduce occasional initiatives to cope with the reality of the unpredictability and complexity of development situations (e.g. humanitarian and emergency situations), in which case we shall let you know as early as we can.

 

• Getting the Most of your Involvement with CENFACS into Poverty Alleviation Work from Autumn 2019 and Beyond

 

Where to start: Sign up!

√ Register with us and or update us with your contact details

√ Respond to our communications and communicate with us when occasion arises

 

Stay in touch with our…

√ Newsletter, and other paper and free-paper communication materials

√ Regular updated and upgraded resources and supporting information

 

Involving us in raising awareness of the poverty relief issue

√ Advertise with us for helpful good causes

√ Pass our relief messages on to interested third parties 

 

Share your transformative experience

√ Tell us what you think and or your development story

√ Help us improve with your voices, comments, reports & feedbacks 

 

Boost your support

√ Support us according to your means and limits as every support counts

√ Add value to your support, if you can, by improving your support to us to support you and or others

 

Get noticed to go further with your involvement

√ Register and keep up to date with information about your event, project, activity etc

√ Join up our network of poverty relief and development work 

 

Stay ahead of the game with us

√ Communicate with us before hands and when the needs arise

√ Often read our news alerts, tweets and switch to our new developments 

 

Deliver on your promises 

√ If you promise to do something for or with CENFACS and others, please do it

√ If you can’t do it, please let us know.  Don’t just stay silent!

 

Make our communications with you to be a two-way process and multi-channel approach

√ Talk to CENFACS and CENFACS will talk to you as well and vice versa

√ Help us improve the flow of information on poverty relief and development using a variety of channels and platforms 

 

Be contactable and present via

√ E-mail, (tele or mobile) phones, physical address and social media platforms

√ Word-of-mouth recommendations, outreach and other means of contact

 

Get the word out on your communication channels

√ Spread the word about CENFACS’ work on your social media links

√ Promote CENFACS’ work in what and where you think we can fit in

 

Keep your involvement with CENFACS digital and on papers

√ Up-to-date information on to your mobile by our free text alerts and messages

√ Check CENFACS’ website and make enquiries online 24 hours 7 days a week

 

Act upon information received from us

√ Don’t just read or hear them and do nothing about them.  Please react!

√ If they are irrelevant to you, please pass them onto an interested and committed party

 

Continue the legacy of CENFACS’ work

√ It is now 17 years and two months that CENFACS has been working on poverty relief and sustainable development since it was registered in 2002.  You can continue this legacy with us.

√ You can be the face of CENFACS to those looking for a lifeline of support from us.

 

The above ways of getting involved in CENFACS’ work may not be exhaustive.  Should you have any other way, please let us know.

 

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

11 September 2019

Post No. 108

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Summer 2019 Reports

• Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature with the Protection of the Oceans

• Coming in Autumn 2019: The 65^th Issue of FACS Newsletter, Autumn 2019 Issue

 

… and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

  

~ Summer 2019 Reports

 

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. 

From this week until Friday the 20^th of September 2019, we are simply asking 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. 

For further details on the kinds of experiences or stories you can share or give, please read under the Main Developments section of this post. 

 

 

~ Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature with the Protection of the Oceans

 

This September, we are taking up again our work on the upkeep of the nature with the protection of the oceans.  We are doing it before our “a la une” (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) campaign gets running in full swing this Autumn. 

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have provided further information about this week’s thematic working areas regarding the Protection of the Oceans.

 

 

 ~ FACS Newsletter, Autumn Issue, No. 65

 

The Autumn Issue for our bilingual newsletter FACS will be entitled as follows

“Development of micro-industrial activities by Africa-based organisations to integrate voluntary economy into the regional value chains”

We have chosen this topic because the issue of industrial policies has resurfaced in Africa since African countries had experienced high growth rates with the bonanza from the sale of raw material and primary commodities in the last 10 years. 

Indeed, high growth rates with high prices of oil, gas and minerals from extractive industries did not translate in high rates of poverty reduction in Africa.  With low direct dividend transfers from the revenues of these minerals to everybody have meant that poverty is still a challenging issue in Africa.  The commodity bonanza is still failing to lift many out of poverty.

The 65^th Issue of FACS will look at the extent to which the development of micro-industrial policies and activities by voluntary Africa-based organisations as well as the integration of the voluntary economy into regional value chains can provide a further avenue for poverty reduction.

Our focus will be on poverty reduction (mostly in our areas of intervention) in Africa with Africa-based Sister Organisations. 

We have provided an abstract about this Issue and the kinds of contents that will make it, under the Main Developments section of this post. 

For further details about the Issue, contact CENFACS.  

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ 2019 September Advice service continues…

 

as planned for both UK and Africa projects. We have provided below basic activities making the contents of advice services.  While this Advice-giving support is running, we are conducting Summer 2019 Reports as well.

The following are the areas covered by CENFACS‘ September 2019 Advice-giving Activities. 

 

⇒ Areas of Advice for Individuals we cover

We can provide advisory support on a wide range of issues which includes:

post-regional economic integration and economic transition skills, financial literacy and information, consumption and buying information, conversion of technical skills, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS awareness, education and training, educational development of children, cultural barriers, knowledge and respect of the British rule of law, opportunities for enterprises and credit access, social integration and behaviour, self-help development projects, etc. 

 

⇒ Areas of Advice for Organisations we cover 

We can provide advisory support on the following areas:

project planning and development, investment in capacity building and development, resource mobilisation for African Sister Organisations for the Post-REI (Regional Economic Integration) times, sources of international fundraising, climate finance and digital finance, online fundraising strategies, etc.

You can request advice online by just filling an advice form at www.cenfacs.org.uk/services-activities and by posting it to CENFACS and CENFACS will get back to you.

  

~ Virtual Open Day and Hours (VODHs): How They Work

 

Our Virtual Open Day, which is every Fridays of September 2019, is held from 10 am to 2 pm.

You can access VOHs 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.

 

 

 

~ Back-to-school poverty

 

Back-to-school poverty is what we are trying to help reduce or eradicate within our back-to-relief programme this Autumn.  We are discussing it while carrying on back-to-relief programme.  Our discussion revolves around the following matters: back-to-school challenge, poverty and support.

 

⇒ Back-to-school time as a challenging period for a basic human right and a deserving cause

For some, back-to-school is a normal time to prepare and do normal purchase whether 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 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 the all society.  Some of those parents and families who do not have enough for their children can find themselves in a back-to-school poverty with them.

 

⇒ Back-to-school poverty

This is the inability to afford the educational requirements of the start of the new school year.  It is 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, etc.).  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, etc.  There could be support for some of the vital needs to be met; just as there is no support for others.

 

⇒ Back-to-school support at CENFACS

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.  This package includes activities such as advice, advocacy, information, guidance, signposting, etc. 

Our support can be accessed physically on a one to one basis or as a group, over phone, via e-mail and by filing the comment box on our website saying the type of support you need. 

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

 

 

 

 

Main Developments

  

• Abstract for the 65^th Issue of FACS

 

The title of the 65^th Issue of FACS will be:

“Development of micro-industrial activities by Africa-based organisations to integrate voluntary economy into the regional value chains”

The abstract for the 65^th Issue is as follows.

There are many ways of reducing poverty. In this Issue, we will be approaching the question of poverty reduction through the angle of realistic and applicable micro-industrial policies and activities at the level of Africa-based organisations, particularly those from the voluntary sector or economy. 

Micro-industrial activities are activities carried out at the micro level to promote industrial efficiency and competitiveness, regeneration, expansion and the creation of opportunities in employment.  Micro-industrial development requires minimal investments and appropriate technologies while valuing local skills and knowledge.

Micro-industrial activities can include the following: micro-processing and manufacturing initiatives, metal-crafts, tools and equipment fabrication needed in farming, agriculture and others areas. 

These activities could create local employment and wealth accessible by everybody including the poor people, although there are limits to their extension.  They can provide output or affordable produce for poor households; produce like processed and dried food and fruits, basic tools, small crafts, restored and recycled items etc.    

In the context of this Issue, these activities are carried out at the level of Africa-based organisations to bring change to the reduction in poverty.  Proactively developing these activities to integrate the voluntary economy or sector into the regional development (such as regional value chains) can bring change for poverty reduction.

The 65^th Issue will look at industrial policies and activities from the angle of the voluntary economy (or charitable perspective) in integrating this economy into regional value chains.

Micro-industrial policies and activities are not treated for the sake of their own, but in the view or for the purpose of achieving tangible outcomes and goals in terms of the reduction or end of poverty.

The Issue will focus on Africa-based organisations from the voluntary and community sector engaged in industrial activities while serving as a pilot project or example for those wishing to engage in.

A case will be made if there is or not any relationship between the three elements in the fight against poverty and hardships:  industrial activity, voluntary economy and regional value chains.  

The 65^th Issue will engage poverty relief supporters and readers with the following contents:

Micro-industrial development and its impacts on poverty reduction in Africa; Identification of micro-industrial activities of Africa-based organisations; Relations between (if any) micro-industrial activities and the voluntary economy; The capacity of the voluntary economy through its powers and limitations to integrate regional value chains; Relationships between the voluntary economy and regional value chains; reduction of the weakness of industrial fabric to help reduce poverty in Africa; The weight of the voluntary economy in the process of its integration into the regional value chains, Skills for micro-industrial development and integration; Industrial skills auditing; an example of micro-industrial and ecological project that addresses both integration of voluntary economy into regional value chains while helping to reduce poverty, etc.  

The above engaging contents will help to shade some lights about the 65^th Issue while leading Africa-based organisations in a new path to address the question of poverty and hardships by bringing into play the three developments or forces: micro-industrial development, the voluntary economy and regional development.

To reserve a copy or to get further details about the Issue no. 65, please contact CENFACS.

  

• Summer 2019 Reporting In Your Own Words and Numbers

 

The 2019 Summer Reporting activity is a further experience of reporting, sharing, learning and development opportunity for those who have not yet informed us about the outcomes of projects pending for reporting, personal experiences to be shared, lessons to learn and development trends to spot.

 

~ Giving Development Experiences, Stories & Reports about Summer 2019

 

As we are nearly reaching the end of Summer 2019, we would like our users and supporters as well as those who sympathise with CENFACS’ cause to share with us and others their experiences, stories and reports about the following.

 

⇒ Run, Play and Vote projects 

You can feedback the outcomes or Action-Results of your Run, Play and Vote projects if you ran for poverty relief during Summer 2019 (or organised a Run activity/event), played the CENFACS League For Poverty Relief and or have already voted your 2019 African and International Poverty Relief Manager.

 

⇒ Volunteering and Creation Stories 

You can also share your volunteering stories with us and others if you did volunteer during the Summer break.  Likewise, if you had any creation adventure you can tell us about it.

 

⇒ Summer programmes: Happiness and Appeal projects

Summer programmes are another area of feedback.  You may prefer to report on your use of Happiness projects and your response to our Humanitarian Relief Appeal during Summer 2019.  If this is the case, then report your experiences on these areas.

 

⇒ Other Experiences and Stories Reporting

Additionally, you can report or feedback on any moving experience or transformative story you have had during Summer 2019; experience or story you think may be of help to us and others.

For example: if you did Trending in Poverty Reduction (i.e. following the direction of poverty reduction) through Clothes with us or alone, you can report this as well.

Finally, as we are in CENFACS’ “Quadranscentennial” Year, we would be more than happier to hear any stories related to this year’s dedication.

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

Using less papers but e-mails or even online technologies when responding to us is in line with our sustainability policy and practice on saving the environment, which is part of our Environment and Conservation activity.  

Thank you for supporting us with your Summer 2019 experience, story and report In Your Own Words and Numbers.

 

• Back-to-the Upkeep of the Nature with the Protection of the Oceans

 

We have scheduled three thematic working areas around the theme of the protection of oceans, which are as follows: the impacts of ocean acidification on poverty reduction, ocean health and technology sharing between Africa and the rest of the world, and the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and coastal areas around Africa. 

Although the ocean acidification is a global issue, we will limit ourselves in our work on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans as well as the Mediterranean and Red seas.  The following islands will come into play in our upkeep of the nature: Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Comoros, Cap Verde and Canary Islands.

 

~ Week beginning 09/09/2019: The Impacts of ocean acidification on poverty reduction

 

As said above the first working area will be about the impacts of ocean acidification on poverty reduction.  In this first working area we will consider two points as follows: an understanding of acidification and the study of its impacts on poverty reduction.

 

⇒ Understanding acidification

The UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme (1) argues that “ocean acidification is used to describe the ongoing decrease in ocean potential hydrogen caused by human carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions such as the burning of fossil fuels”.

As many research works suggest ocean acidification can have serious impacts on the ocean chemistry.  This can lead to other effects.  As we are concerned here with its impacts on poverty reduction, our focus will be on its effects on poverty reduction. 

 

⇒ Impacts of ocean acidification on poverty reduction

Without entering the technical jargon of ocean chemistry, let simply refer to what many studies argue about ocean acidification.  They argue that ocean acidification can affect the food supply by affecting fish, particularly small creatures like shellfish, coral and other organisms.  It can affect as well health through toxic species which can end up in the food chain.  It can further threaten the fishing job on which the livelihoods of poor people depend upon.  Land ecosystems can as well be disrupted with the decline of fish population. 

Oceans are scientifically known as the biggest carbon sink in the world.  If this carbon sink is adversely affected by continuing climate change, this can enormously affect the poorest regions of the world making the reduction in poverty the ongoing challenge of our time.  So, to keep track on the reduction in poverty, there is a need to reduce ocean acidification.   

For any enquiry about this first note of the work on the protection of the oceans or to add your input, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

(1) www.oceanacidification.org.uk

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

04 September 2019

Post No. 107

 

 

 

The week beginning 02 September 2019 is our welcoming week.  Before starting the contents of this blog and post, we would like to welcome all those who return. 

We are welcoming our users, supporters and other stakeholders who came back from Summer break and holiday. 

We are also welcoming back those who are or have been working during the Summer time. 

We are finally welcoming back those who lost touch with us for various reasons and would like to come back again.  

This welcoming message applies to both our UK and Africa Development programmes. 

Welcome back to all of you and happy return! 

 

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

  

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

• Unlock your Summer Holiday Data and Tell your Story

• September: Advice-giving Month

 

… 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: Programme for Pre-autumn Season

  

Back-to-relief programme is a set of related activities with an aim of reducing poverty amongst multi-dimensionally poor children, young and families (MDPCYPFs) by working with them to meet their needs after a long summer break so that they can start September without or with less hardship.   

The programme is made of a number of supportive elements such as 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 need in the community

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

 

 

~ Unlock your Summer Holiday Data and Tell your Story

 

Throughout our July and August communications, we have been asking everybody to store and keep their Summer data so that when we all return we can report back or share parts of our Summer experiences that are shareable.

Now some of you are back, we can try to feedback our poverty-relieving and development experiences of using Happiness projects, of any creations we made, of any community experiences and any volunteering stories, if we volunteered, over the last two months.  One can report back a personal Summer experience as well. 

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

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

Please share your poverty-relieving and development experiences with us; experiences that you think are shareable.

 

 

 

~ September: Advice-giving month

 

Advice is CENFACS’ main theme for September.  We provide advice to both individuals and organisations as mentioned above.  Although advice is part of our Back-to-Relief Programme, we will treat it separately.

Under the Main Development section of this post, there is much more information about this year’s advisory support.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

  

~ Add-on relief for this September: Humanitarian Relief and Happiness Re-appeals

  

Summer 2019 Humanitarian Relief Appeal is still running and will end this September.  You can DONATE £4 to Create a 1 World of 9 Reliefs.  

To donate or support otherwise, please go to:   http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

Likewise, we are still re-appealing to bring happiness for the peoples of the North-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the Ebola epidemic struck and where there is still insecurity. 

Recently, it has been reported by the United Nations Children’s Fund that almost 600 of around 850 children who have caught the virus died.  Just as the local source has reported the same epidemic claimed more than 2,000 lives so far.

You can support this re-appeal to help the victims of the insecurity and ongoing health crisis in this part of the DRC.  To support, just contact CENFACS.

  

~ Back-to-relief activities in a changing climate 

 

Our theme of changing climate continues this September.  After a long summer break or just after August, many people would think the weather would be different in the part of the world they are living and would return to normal. 

However, the continuing effects of climate change could prove things different.  There are still possibilities of unpredictable and extreme climatic conditions with droughts, torrential rains, high temperatures and forest fires etc.

This week, we would like to raise awareness of this changeability and unpredictability issues linked to the weather or climate.  We are doing it so that they can keep in their minds set the strategy to adapt and mitigate these issues in their back-to-relief activities.

For further discussions on back-to-relief activities in a changing climate, please contact CENFACS.

 

~ All-year Round Projects in a Changing Climate

  

Our Summer serial of changing climate can be applied to the three components of our All-year Round Projects which are: Play, Run and Vote.  What does it mean?

It means that it is possible to take into account the adverse effects of climate change when undertaking any of these projects.  In particular, it is likely probable to include climate variability or changeability factor into them.

For those using or participating in these projects, we recommend you to factorise changing climate in them.  If there is any problem to carry out this factorisation, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Development

 

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

 

• • 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.  They are now back for the New Academic Year and New Relief, year for which we have prepared projects and programmes to 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:  Virtual Open Days  and Support to Children 

 

1/ Virtual Open Days under Back-to-Relief Programme

 

It is not always easy for people, especially those who are not feeling well and parents with small kids, to physically move and meet service providers if this service provision cannot come to them even if the need is pressing.  This is why besides our outreach service; we are organising these virtual days to enable those in need to virtually access services. 

Virtual Open Days are a back-to-relief initiative organised by CENFACS during this September 2019 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.

For more on CENFACS’ Virtual Open Days and how they work, contact us.

 

2/ Support for Children of Conflict- and Climate Change-affected Areas in Africa in the New School Year

 

Another back-to-relief initiative for this September 2019 is Support for the Children of Conflict- and Climate Change-affected Areas of Africa in the New School Year.  This initiative comes about the humanitarian relief appeals we launched this year for the following countries and regions:  the Lake Chad Basin, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Central African Republic and Region of Africa (CARRA), Burkina Faso and Algeria.  All these appeals were launched under the Light projects.   

The appeals were related to countries with displaced persons and victims of conflict (e.g. Lake Chad Basin); undergoing peace and rebuilding after elections (e.g. DRC); children victims of conflict (e.g. CARRA); under armed attacks (e.g. Burkina Faso); in peaceful transition to political democratisation processes (e.g. Algeria).

While one can still ask the progress made to save and rebuild lives in these stricken countries and areas, one can also question about the support that the children of the affected areas within these countries are receiving and/or received.  This questioning is relevant as we are in September when a new school or academic year starts. 

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 stricken areas or places.

For further details about this initiative, contact CENFACS.  

 

• • Back to the Upkeep of the Nature this September 2019

 

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 2019, we will focus on saving endangered animal species through our “Big Beasts” advocacy; the Gorilla, Elephant and the BIG CATS projects being part of that advocacy.

As the month of September is also of the Protection of the Oceans in terms of the environmental calendar, we will be doing some advocacy work around the Protection of the Oceans (particularly the waters surrounding Africa and the rivers and lakes in Africa) as well.

This September is as well of the Climate Summit which will be held between 21 and 23 September 2019 by the United Nations.  As part of our Climate Talks Follow-up project, we will be following this summit.

Briefly, Back to the Upkeep of the Nature this September 2019 will include the Big Beasts advocacy, the Protection of the Oceans, and the following up of the Climate Summit.

 

• • Back to Advisory Support this September 2019

 

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

 

# Advice service for Individuals

 

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

They may need support to restart or look for occupational opportunity or even just resume their routine activity in September. Their needs could include things such as finding a new school for children, registration to health services, finding accommodation, accessing training opportunity or employment etc.

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 2003 (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, interpreting, advice, guidance, signposting, referral and advocacy. As we are in a digital era, we adapted the provision of this help while still retaining its essence.  You can contact CENFACS for the range of issues included in this service and to find out if your problem can be dealt with.

 

# 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 things such as capacity building and development, project planning, fundraising and grant-seeking leads, income-generation, sustainable development, monitoring and evaluation.  Since we have set up a CENFACS Analytics Dashboard, it is even better to deal with problems.

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

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

28 August 2019

Post No. 106

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• CENFACS Annual Review 2018/2019

• Trending in Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate, In Focus from 26/08/2019: Clothes Donation as Poverty Reducer

• All-in-one Feedback (users’ and Supporters’ Experience): Report on Reports

 

…. and much more!

 

 

 

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ CENFACS Annual Review 2018/2019

 

CENFACS Annual Review 2018/2019 is a snapshot of what we did between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019.  As it is stated, it is neither a statutory annual report nor an annual return.

It is a summary of the year 2018/2019 in the life of CENFACS that reports back to our supporters, users and other stakeholders the impact we have made; impact through stories, quantitative and qualitative data.  It is as well a performance review and annual review story of our finances.

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

 

~ Trending in Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate, In Focus from 26/08/2019: Clothes Donation as Poverty Reducer

 

The last episode in our trending series in poverty reduction in a changing climate is about the impacts that clothes donation can make on poverty reduction.

This trending activity, which is part of our Summer triple pack, deals with unwanted and unneeded clothes donated to good and deserving causes to reduce clothing poverty and other types of poverty related to clothes.

Under the Main Developments section of this post, we have given further details about this serial trending analysis.

 

~ All-in-one Feedback (users’ and Supporters’ Experience): Report on Reports

 

Last month was our Analytics month.  As part of the Analytics month, we asked some of you to report or give some feedback in your words and numbers on the experiences you had about the projects and programmes we delivered in the last financial year.  Some of you responded and others did not.  We would like to thank those who responded.  

After analysing the information you provided and looking back what happened in the last financial year, we would like to share with you some key information from the preliminary findings about your say and our look at last year’s poverty relief work.

The key news we want to share with you are as follows:

<> There will be some changes in our projects starting from Autumn 2019. 

<> We will reinforce our contact and networking platforms

<> Some of the projects will disappear as they have been completed or the need has been met or even they are not any more required. 

<> We will progressively introduce new projects to meet emerging and or unmet needs and demand of the community.  One of them will be a new advocacy which will be about Sustainable Trajectories for the Nature.

<> We will also follow the global trade rounds to support small African traders 

When these changes come into force, we shall let you know. 

However, the main household brand projects making the poverty-relieving pitch at CENFACS will remain.

Please note that the above preliminary news is not the full project and programme reports neither an annual report.

 

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Summer Triple Pack

 

This pack is made of Track, Trip and Trending.  While we are doing trending the other two elements (Track and Trip) of this pack continue this week.  If you are engaged with the other two, please do not forget to record what you are doing. 

We would like you to share if you can the shareable parts of your track and trip activities in the form of feedback. 

If you have any concern about sharing, please let us know.

 

~ “Quandranscentennial” (Q) Challenge with 25 Life-changing projects to find

 

Our investigative work to find the 25 Life-changing projects within CENFACS continues this week through the Q Challenge; projects that provide the cartography of CENFACS’ poverty reduction work.

All we are asking in this Q Challenge is to search and find 25 Projects that change people’s lives.  Beware, most projects can deliver good outcomes but not all of them do transform or change lives for better ones. 

To take part in this CENFACS Q Challenge, please contact CENFACS.

 

~ Lake Chad Basin Appeal: One Year On, What Happened?

 

Since we launched the Lake Chad Basin Appeal last year, we are reviewing this week the progress that has been made on the grounds regarding this Basin.  Our appeal was about supporting the displaced people around the Lake Chad region as a result of ongoing deadly conflict between armed militancy and predatory armies of the region.

The appeal was not an awareness-raising campaign about poverty, but it was an appeal to do something against poverty and hardships in the Lake Chad Basin.

This week, we are looking at how much has been done so far.

To discuss or share your views about the Lake Chad basin, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

Main Developments

 

• Annual Review 2018/2019

 

• • Activities Review – What Start, What Activities and What End

 

~ What Start

 

This summary covers CENFACS’ financial year 2018-2019, which we started with a July 2018 consultation of our supporters and users about what we did in the last 11 months and two weeks preceding the above financial year. 

While July 2018 consultation was going on, we also held our 7 Days of Development Festival of Thoughts and Actions in July with a focus on the Effects of Trade Tariffs on Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development.  The days provided us the opportunity to think that it was possible to capture the share of gain from tariff to reduce poverty and improve the state of sustainable development.

 

~ What Relief Activities

 

Every year, we dedicate the civil year to a particular theme.  Since 2018 was devoted as a CENFACS’ Local People Year, we ran a Local Year campaign to that effect and most of projects and activities were framed to reflect this feature.

As most of you are aware, CENFACS’ development calendar is made of four seasons:  Summer of Happiness, Autumn Fresh Start, Winter Lights and Spring Relief. 

During the Summer season of Happiness, we normally run Summer programmes which are comprised of two parts: Happiness projects (Part I) and Humanitarian Relief Appeal projects (Part II) for Africa.  We did the same for Summer 2018 as we appealed to the generosity of funders to relieve human suffering in Africa in four areas of children’s needs: child care giving, children’s sustainable development through sport, child poverty, child’s health and well-being, and child protection. 

As to Happiness projects, we provided resources, tools, boosters, and tasters for poverty relief to help multi-dimensionally poor children, young people and families (CYPFs) build the holiday they wanted and enjoy together.  To build on happiness theme, we raised the issue of climate finance and insurance for African children through what we called the financial odyssey.

The issue of happiness concerns not only children.  This is why we launched an appeal to help those who lacked peace, food and water in the region of Lake Chad Basin in Africa.  Since then, displaced persons and the victims of the conflicts in this basin got some peace, and access to food and water.

The end of Summer of Happiness takes us to Autumn of Freshness.  Autumn give us the first act of tracking of our records related to what our users and we did during last Summer.  In Autumn of Freshness 2018, we asked to our users, supporters and ourselves to report on Summer 2019 activities. 

Still in Autumn 2018, we also carried out another appeal to support projects for needy people and organisations.  This second type of appeal covered the following five areas of poverty relief and human development provisioning: infrastructure project, fauna and flora, people and market, hardships after summer holidays, and financial justice.   

What we do as an organisation depends not only on us but also on what happens around us and in the world.  In recent years, mobile money has become a common currency for some people living in poverty in Africa.  Because of that, we raised awareness on the possibility of making the impacts of mobile money and financial digital inclusion on poverty reduction in Africa clearer.  As a result, some our Africa-based organisations working on mobile money schemes started to produce tangible outcomes from these schemes.

As the issue of the adverse effects of climate change continued to be a matter of concern for everybody including our users, we framed our November 2018 Women and Children First Development Day to reflect this. Our development day was dedicated to women, children and the circular economy. 

Without reinventing the wheels, one can agree that there are many ways of relieving poverty and one of them could be through oral tradition.  To test the validity of this way of relieving poverty, we used the universal October Black History Month to research oral history of Africa.  Hence, our theme for 2018 Making Memorable Difference, CENFACS’ October history project, was on Oral History.  It was about how oral history helped to preserve local values, creations, dialects, cultures and customs.  In doing so, alleviating local poverty and enhancing local sustainable development.

As the issue of climate change has always been at the heart of what we do as an organisation and an area of concern for us regarding its impacts on African Children, we continued to follow the global climate talks through our Climate Talks Follow-up project.  In October 2018, we kept advocating a climate stake for the African children through the project CPSAC (Climate Protection and Stake for African Children), Phase 2, with Katowice Implements Paris being our climate advocacy theme. 

Because of the change of the regulatory framework about data protection, we updated the Data Bank of Skills for the CENFACS Community in line with the new General Data Protection Regulations.  The data bank is CENFACS’ repository of information containing the skills of the CENFACS Community. 

We then ended Autumn of Freshness 2018 with the integration of financial literacy skills and digital literacy skills to tackle poverty induced by the lack of these skills and banking eligibility criteria.

Generally, we end the civil year (here 2018) with two types of projects: a project of celebration to end the civil year (2018) and a planning project to prepare the new civil year (2019).  Our project of preparation for the start of 2018 was Winter e-discussion on Volunteering in a New Climate Economy.

To celebrate the end of year 2018, we took our skills project further miles to acknowledge CENFACS as a charitable organisation that is a community of skilled people as well.  As such, we acknowledged our known and hidden individual skills to reduce poverty.  Our individual skills put together become a Community of Skilled People – the CENFACS Community.  We celebrated this distinctive feature of in our project of celebration at the end of 2018. 

These preparation and celebration initiatives helped us to enter Winter Lights season. 

Being an advice-giving organisation, this puts us in a position to know the community’s needs.  We provide advisory help to our project beneficiaries on ways of building and boosting income to reduce income poverty.  This is what we did at the start of Winter Lights. 

Additionally, sharing skills and knowledge on ways of consuming sustainably, responsibly and economically to save the environment and money as well as reducing poverty linked to bad consumption decisions and induced by climate change was part of our work around December 2018 and January 2019 Festive seasons.  The focus was then on anti-pollution consumption.

To highlight the issue of sustainable consumption, the 62^nd Issue of CENFACS’ newsletter (FACS) focused on ways of creating and sustaining agricultural markets for African small scale farmers and farm produce in 2019 and beyond.  While we were trying to deal with agricultural markets, we did not stop to use our new media programme the IT and online security issues to reduce poverty as part our digital and social media campaign.

To mark the Winter Lights season in full swing, we brought and lighted a Blaze of Hope for the Children Victims of Conflicts in the Central African Republic and Region of Africa.  The appeal was aiming at making the Central African Republic a normal place for children to live, grow and stay.

Rebuilding Africa is another area of operation.  As 2019 has been the year of unprecedented elections and democratic transitions we set up a new transitional development programme to work with our Africa-based Sister Organisations in places moving from instability (abnormality) to stability (normality).  As a result, we launched another DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) appeal for sustainable peace, rebuilding infrastructures and lives.

Having seen what was happening in the Central African Republic with children suffering, we advocated for the Halving of Child Poverty by Halving the Number of Children War Victims through the Halving Poverty campaign.  The history of CENFACS’ work for the protection, well-being and welfare of African Children and other children is a long standing one.  You also know that CENFACS is a resilient advocate of the causes of CYPFs in various programmes, projects, processes and settings of development and poverty relief. 

As we saw the pain that children were having in places of war and climate change (like the Central African Republic), we started to search for new forms of data to understand what was happening.  Our ACCSDGs (African Children, Climate and Sustainable Development Goals) or 3G project focused on finding new forms of data to see if the children living in those places were meeting these goals.

The crisis in North Africa continued to make the lives of ordinary North Africans difficult even impossible whilst the pressing needs to reduce poverty were become self-evident, it appeared self-explanatory for us to make a special Spring 2018 appeal for peace in Algeria with hope for a peaceful transition to political democratisation processes.

Since 2019 is the year end of our Twenty-tens Programme (2009-2019), it did make sense to review it and start the conversations about a new programme (that is, the Twenty-twenties programme) for the coming decade.     

April 2019 was dedicated at CENFACS as the Month of Protections as usual.  In this respect, our April 2019 Reflection Day reflected on this dedication by focusing on the Protection of Women and Children in Places of War-torn Zones and Natural Disaster-stricken Areas.  

To keep momentum with our rebuilding work, the theme for our May 2019 project of Development Stories Telling – All in Development Volunteers’ Stories – was about Life-renewing Stories.  Likewise, we kept recalling for the rebuilding of forest protection in the DRC.

 

~ What end

 

Like any other organisation, we create.  We do it all over the year but June is the month we acknowledge our Creations and activities around them.  To put this into practice and perspectives, we ran activities about creation and innovation in the context of economic uncertainty.  Our project of Art and Design for poverty reduction and sustainable development also added value to the creation month.  Centre staging climate issues in our mobilisation campaign – the World Anti-Poverty System or the International System for Poverty Relief – was another addition. 

June 2019 was once more about CENFACS as a sustainable creation together with people making and thriving our community.   Together we thought about ways of Preserving Sustainable Creations.  This last act concluded our financial year 2018-2019.  All in all, we launched four major seasonal fundraising campaigns (in Summer and Autumn 2018, and in Winter and Spring 2019), six humanitarian relief appeals; and we requested two reports (an overall Summer-of-Happiness report covering the first season of CENFACS’ development calendar and an All-in-One feedback covering the entire preceding financial year).   

 

• • Achievements

 

We would be indebted if we end this review without mentioning or adding to the above work carried out these three achievements (historical, digital and analytical):

 

1/ Historical achievement: the celebration of the 25 years of the idea of CENFACS since it was created in 1994; celebration done through the “Quadranscentennial” Project.  The five “Quadranscentennial” Acts that we presented in our previous online communications or posts clearly explain this historical achievement.

 

2/ Digital achievement: Setting up an Online e-charity Store for people to donate goods and shop to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  Although, there is still much to be done to make this e-store fully functioning, it is nevertheless an opportunity to change poor lives for a better one.

 

3/ Analytical achievement: CENFACS’ Analytics Dashboard is a real management tool to help Africa-based organisations to improve on the way they are trying to help reduce poverty.  It is also a supportive control panel that can help them to boost their skills, increase awareness of their work, and win more and better support from funders and grant makers. 

 

• • Performance review

 

In terms of our performance this year, we would like to let you know that our cash funds continue their positive trend.  This year, there has been a decrease in both our receipts and payments reflecting the uncertainty and transition in the economy.  This decrease did not stop us to increase our cash by 22%.  This upwards trend of cash means that we are continuing to meet our key performance targets and indicators.  In this respect, we can point out that our performance is getting better.

 

• • 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 2018-2019. 

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

Furthermore, we would like to acknowledge those who posted their comments and responded to our advocacy appeals and other development campaigns. 

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.

Many thanks for making 2018-2019 another deservingly memorable year at CENFACS.

 

• Trending in Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate, In Focus from 26/08/2019: Clothes Donation as Poverty Reducer

 

Clothes donation goes far beyond the simple giving of clothes which can be given to those in clothing need or to be sold to raise money to reduce poverty and hardships.  Clothes donation can have some implication for other types of poverty as follows.

 

~ Clothes donation and types of poverty

 

Clothes donation can have connotations with

<> Poverty linked to deforestation induced by the production of cotton for the textile industries

<> Poverty created by factories using poor cheap labour and exploiting poor people while paying low wages

<> Clothes poverty gap featured by the seemly extra supply of clothes over their demand, which needs to be resolved through the redistribution of this extra

<> Poverty related to the adverse impacts of climate change  

However, clothes donation should not be seen as an end to poverty reduction.  It is just a way amongst the many ones to help reduce poverty and hardships.

Going beyond the simple relationships between clothes donation and poverty reducer can mean as well considering the changing climate.

 

~ Clothes donation as poverty reducer in a changing climate

 

Our theme of changing climate can apply to clothes donation in its relationship with poverty reduction.  As explained above, clothes donation can help reduce poverty (by giving donated and or selling clothes donated). 

Clothes donation can as well deal with the issue of changing climate.  A changing climate can force humans to cloth differently to suit the weather and health; but also to reduce pressure on the environment by using more raw materials such as cotton.

To follow this trend with CENFACS, please let us know.

 

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2019.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

21 August 2019

Post No. 105

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• TRENDING in Poverty Relief in a Changing Climate: Clothes Donation as Contributor to the Circular Economy 

• “Quadranscentennial” (Q) Challenge with Virtual 4 km RUN to Reduce Poverty in a Changing Climate

• Summer Volunteering TRIPS to the Need in a Changing Climate

 

  …   and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

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.

 

~ Trending in Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate

 

In Focus from 19/08/2019: Clothes donation as contributor to the circular economy

Our serial trend in poverty reduction in a changing climate is now in its third week.  We are following the direction of poverty reduction by looking at the contribution of clothes donation to the circular economy.

In this follow-up process, we are as well considering the adverse effects of climate change through what we call a changing climate.  Climate change can impact on the donation of clothes made and the contribution of clothes to the circular economy.

More on this element of our Triple Pack, the trend element, can be found in the Main Developments section of this post.

 

~ Q Challenge with Virtual 4 km Run to Reduce Poverty in a Changing Climate

 

CENFACS’ Q Challenge with Virtual 4Km Run continues this week.  You can virtually run or walk from any location you choose.  You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on the trail, on the treadmill, at the gym or on the track (or even at another race).  You can run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself.

Virtual Run broadens the scope of our physical activity project of running to reduce poverty.  It brings into our project the running activities carried out in the virtual world or digital and computer worlds or other worlds; activities that may contribute to our efforts in helping to reduce poverty. 

Our focus on physical aspect of the Run project still remains the same including its key spirit, which is of undertaking a basic physical activity of running to help reduce poverty.  However, in real world there are people who would like to do things physically, but for various reasons they may not be able to do so.  Because of that, there is an alternative to do it virtually with CENFACS. 

All we are asking in this Q Challenge is to complete 4 Km Run wherever you want to do them.  Before doing it, please let CENFACS know.

For further details and to inform us about your virtual Run, refer to the notes under the Main Development section of this post.

 

~ Summer TRIPS to volunteer for needy people and communities

 

These are the kinds of experiences we expect people to do over the Summer period especially for those who want to spend their Summer time differently, particularly but not exclusively, by doing something about poverty.  These experiences include field service activities carried out when visiting a project and which people can report their findings. 

We recommend this type of experiences under our volunteering scheme known as All in Development Volunteers Scheme(AiDVS).   Under CENFACS’ AiDV Scheme, one can take seasonal opportunities like of Summer to volunteer or do some internship on poverty relief and sustainable development. 

Where the person decides to go far away to visit needy communities or volunteer to our Africa-based projects, CENFACS would facilitate and liaise with its Africa-based Sister Organisations where the projects are based to smooth the volunteering process or visits to the projects under mutually agreed arrangements and conditions.

For details about AiDVS, contact CENFACS.  If you have visited or volunteered for projects recently and would like to share with us your experience, please contact us as well.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ “Quandranscentennial” (Q) Challenge with 25 Trends to Identify

 

Our investigative work to find the 25 trends of CENFACS continues this week through the Q Challenge; trends that provide the cartography of CENFACS’ poverty reduction work.

All we are asking in this Q Challenge is to complete to search and find 25 Trends that made CENFACS an organisation it is today.  To take part in this CENEFACS Q Challenge, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

~ 2019 Climate Talks Follow-up with Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation level: Santiago Makes It Work

 

TCPSACI (Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation level) or Climate Protection and Stake for African Children (CPSAC) – Phase 3 has already started by our preparation to follow the Climate Talks to be held in Santiago (Chile) at the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is expected to take place from 11 to 22 November 2019.  Therefore, our next climate talks follow up is Santiago Makes It Work.

Santiago Makes It Work will look at how previously agreed measures will help to protect children especially when reporting and verifying emissions-cutting efforts. 

Our position is explained by the fact that there is still a missing element which is stepping up targets on child protection in relation to cutting emissions.

One can hope that when the United Nations will meet in Santiago (Chile) in November 2019, this will be an opportunity to sort out the final elements of the Paris rule book and begin work on future emissions targets.  In doing so, this will provide us some clarity about climate protection and stake for children.

TCPSACI or CPSAC – Phase 3 will also help us to prepare for the United Nations Climate Summit, which is scheduled for 23 September 2019.

As the agendas for COP25 and the UN Climate Summit will become clear, we shall release further information about our advocacy work on both events; work which includes TCPSACI or CPSAC – Phase 3 and the Follow up of the Climate Summit.  In meantime, we are doing our preparation for these follow ups.

 

 

 

 

~ The Great Beasts Campaign

 

As the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is currently evaluating regulations and species protection listings at its Summit in Geneva, we are resuming our campaign work to protect endangered species while keeping an eye on this Summit of the Sixth Mass Extinction. 

We are doing it through the Great Beasts campaign (GBC) which extends of Big Cats campaign, cats being part of beasts. The GBC campaign aims at helping to protect endangered species such as African elephants, rhinoceros form extinction and exploitation.   Although the GBC will last until the end of the CITES Summit (on 29/08/2019), it will not stop at this date.  It will be resumed when we start our a la une (Autumn Leaves of Action for the Upkeep of the Nature in Existence) campaign this coming Autumn.

For further about the Great Beasts campaign, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

 

 

Main Developments

 

• Trending in Poverty Reduction in a Changing Climate

 

In Focus from 19/08/2019: Clothes donation as contributor to the circular economy

 

Clothes donation can have a good effect on the circular economy in many ways.  However, what do we mean by circular economy?

 

~ What is a circular economy?

 

There are many circular economy schools of thought and definitions of circular economy.  For the purpose of our development day, we are going to borrow the definition of circular economy from Ellen McArthur Foundation (1) which defines it in these following terms.

‘Looking beyond the current take-make-dispose extractive industrial model, a circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. It is based on three principles: a) Design out waste and pollution b) Keep products and materials in use c) Regenerate natural systems.’

This definition can be extended to family life and framework where those making this family use clothes or garment and textiles.  Because our trend analysis is about people and among them women/mothers and children, let’s say where women or mothers and children are concerned;  their involvement is in their handling or customizing the above three principles.  In other words, in terms of family settings, we/they will be trying to think how they can design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use such as clothes, and help regenerate natural systems in their ways of dealing with natural resources. 

Our preliminary interest is on these people and their adaption to the principles of the circular economic model and their transition to this model.  Our main interest is on the contribution of clothes donation to the circular economy. 

 

~ How clothes donation can contribute to the circular economy

 

The donation of clothes to good and deserving causes can contribute not only to the maintenance of these causes, but also to the circular economic model.  There are many works that demonstrate this contributing or causal relationship between clothes donation and circular economy.

Here below are some of the contributions we found:

 

√ Prolong the life of clothes and materials made of

√ Reduce consumption of clothes

√ Help the circular textiles value chains

√ Promote circularity generally

√ Reduce the consumption of raw materials

√ Extend life cycles of clothes

√ Create revenue stream

√ Decrease waste

√ Maintain the value of fibre materials in circular

Etc

 

From the above, it is worthwhile mention the role of clothes donors, collectors and sorters in making this contribution happens.  It is as well useful it insert the climate change dimension in the it affects the use clothes are stocked, used and recycled.

 

~ Clothes donation in a changing climate

 

In recent years, there has been continuous change in the climate with repeated high temperatures in many places of the world.  This changing pattern of climate can affect the stock and use of clothes that one can keep to meet their clothing and climate needs.

This could mean destocking and donating unneeded clothes in a particular climate where one’s is located.  It could also suggest the same clothes are needed for all weathers and seasons.  Clothes can be sent to places that are mostly needed for a typical weather variation.

As stock costs to run, unneeded clothes can be donated to be recycled or reused in the current situation since the world is undergoing a situation of clothes supply is greater than their demand.

So, donating clothes can help to deal with clothes supply and demand in a changing climate.

To follow this trend with CENFACS or to discuss it, please contact CENFACS

 

(1) https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy/concept (accessed on 09/11/2018)

 

• Q Challenge with Virtual 4 km Run to Reduce Poverty in a Changing Climate

 

CENFACS’ Run to Reduce Poverty is a physical activity project that aims at improving physical activity and mental health and well-being of the participants while helping to reduce poverty.   However, for various reasons they are people who would like to support the relief efforts about poverty through run, but they may not be able to do it if the only way of doing it is through physical activity. 

These people who may be experiencing handicap to do physical activity of running to help reduce poverty could include the following:

√ People/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

 

Under certain conditions and circumstances, we can also consider those who use outdoor and indoor fitness equipment to virtually run.

For these deprived-to-physically-run people, they can virtually run to help reduce poverty with CENFACS.  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 listed above or they have a serious handicap prohibiting them to undertake any physical engagement.  

Whether it is physical or virtual, Run to Reduce Poverty should be done by considering climate change factor.  There is a need to take into account the changing pattern of climate which may or may not influence where one chooses to carry out their running activity.

Rising temperatures and sea levels, forest fires, disproportionate floods, repetitive droughts, cyclones etc remind us that everywhere we do our run activity, we should include climate factor.  Climate change is not any more an exceptional phenomena, but it has become a common living pattern within the human system of living and working.

So, running to reduce poverty could be well done when a climate change dimension is part of it.  It is in this way the runners of poverty reduction will be also aware of changing climate and be climate advocates.  They can make sure that their run activity does not adversely the health of the environment (such as not to increase carbon foot print through running activity).

All we are asking in this Q Challenge is to complete 4 Km Run wherever you want to do them.  Before doing it, please let CENFACS knows.

 

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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 2019.

With many thanks.