Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

06 March 2019

Post No. 81

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• The Twenty-tens  Programme (2009-2019): Review & Prospects, Towards The Twenty-twenties Development Programme 

• Climate Action Month and Weeks 

• Light Appeal: Algeria Peace Appeal

 

… and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ The 2010s Programme (2009-2019): Review & Prospects, Towards The 2020s Development Programme

2019 is the year end of CENFACS’ 2010s Poverty Relief Programme, which has been our 10 year work plan that began on 1 January 2010 and will end on 31 December 2019.  In 2017, we conducted an evaluation, review, survey of this programme.  As a result, we upgraded it.

As we will be moving into a new decade in 2020, we are starting some rounds of reflections and conversions about the next programme of our poverty relief work.

From this March 2019, we shall conduct another review and discussion on the 2010s’ record and look at prospects.  These rounds of discussions, thoughts and consultations with CENFACS’ stakeholders will enable to shape up the future of our poverty relief work.

We hope that after these processes of evaluation, review, closing up and conversation have been completed, we will be able set up another programme, the Twenty-twenties (2020s), by the end of this year.

A monitoring and evaluative process of this nature and magnitude will require us to ask stakeholders their opinions and suggestions on regular basis.  In which case, we shall contact them/you for this purpose.

 

 

~ Climate Action Month and Weeks

For those who are familiar with CENFACS’ development calendar, they can remember that March is the Climate Action month at CENFACS.  This year’s Climate Action Month will be about supporting the Paris Agreement in our own way and means while working within the contents of this Agreement and in line with similar actions undertaken by other organisations across the world.

The Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2015, was an essential step to address climate change. As we all know, this Agreement has the central goal of keeping global average temperature rise this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to as close as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius.  Supporting it makes sense.

However, the world has to make it work.  As part of making it work, CENFACS will hold four weeks of climate action this March as follows.

⇒ 04/03/2019: Energy Transition (from fossil fuels to renewable energy)

⇒ 11/03/2019: Climate Finance and Insurance (mobilisation of sources of finance and cover/protection to reduce adverse effects of climate change)

⇒ 18/03/2019: Nature-based Solutions (to reduce carbon emissions)

⇒ 25/03/2019: Resilience, Adaptation and Mitigation (human efforts to reduce and manage the impacts and risks of climate change)

To support and or enquire about CENFACS’ Climate Action Month and Weeks, contact CENFACS.

Under the Main Developments section of this post, you will find the Key Actions about energy transition for this week.

 

~ Light Appeal: Algeria Peace Appeal

Our Season of Light continues and will end with the end of Winter this month.  We are continuing it with Peaceful Poverty Relief Movements in North Africa, particularly with what is happening in Algeria now.  What is currently taking place in Algeria occurred in the North Africa in 2010 and 2011.  It was termed as Arab Spring in 2011.  CENFACS called it Poverty Relief Movements.

Because of what is happening in Algeria now, we are launching this appeal (the Algeria Peace Appeal) to support Algeria to keep peace on track as the country is disputing its democratic transitional process.

For further details about CENFACS’ work on Poverty Relief Movements in North Africa, contact CENFACS.  The 31^st Issue of CENFACS’ FACS Newsletter, which was published in Spring 2011, dealt with Poverty Relief Movements in North Africa.  To request a copy of this Issue, contact CENFACS.

For further details on the Algeria Peace Appeal, please read under the Main Developments section of this post.

 

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Climate Protection and Stake for African Children (CPSAC) – Phase 3

At the end of 2018, we informed you that there was a consensus within CENFACS so that our Climate Talks Follow-up project got to the next level from 2019.

The next follow-up is Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level.  It is the Phase 3 of our Climate Talks Follow-up project.  Phase 1 was the First African Children Generation of the Millennium Development Goals and the Climate State, while Phase 2 was Climate Protection and Stake for African Children.

~~ 2019 Climate Talks Follow-up with Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation level.

TCPSACI (Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation level) or Climate Protection and Stake for African Children (CPSAC) – Phase 3 starts by following 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 follow up is Santiago Makes It Work.

~~ TCPSACI or CPSAC – Phase 3: 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.

 

~ African Children, Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (ACCSDGs): New Forms of Data

Preliminary Facts –

Our campaign related to ACCSDGs continue as well.  We are still working on the new forms of data (both qualitative and quantitative).  The preliminary facts or findings have shown that in natural disaster-stricken areas (like the Lake Chad region) and war-affected zones (such as in the North East of the Democratic Republic of Congo), children victims of these two (natural and war) events are still failing to meet sustainable development goals.  In particular, they are off track for meeting the goals and targets related to health, safe drinking water, education, sanitation, shelter, protection, environment etc.  Meeting life-sustaining needs for them is everyday’s incredible challenge.

To support and or enquire about new forms of data for ACCSDGs, contact CENFACS.

 

~ Quadranscentennial (Q) Year and Project

Our Q Year and Project are underway as we are trying to work out what has been as climate action legacies in our Q years of development.  At the moment, we are engaging in the process of looking at how our climate action and month find expression in CENFACS’ Quadranscentennial development.  

To support and or enquire about the Q Year and Project, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

Main Developments

 

• • Energy Transition Actions Week (beginning 04/03/2019)

 

What is about?

To pass from fossil fuels (i.e. non-renewable resources such as coal, oil and natural gas) to renewable energy (that is, materials and energy sources that can be used over and over again), it requires a preparation to avoid both cultural and psychological chocks, or even social and civil conflicts like the ones we are seeing in France every Saturdays with the yellow vests.

This week, it is about actions to prepare our mindsets to embrace the move from pollutant to non pollutant sources of energy.  Our energy transition actions week will revolve around the following Key Actions.

 

Key Actions on Energy Transition this Week

√ Education and training on the need of energy transition

√ Techniques to prepare our mindsets for a shift or transition in energy consumption in adopting sustainable and renewable energy (e.g. wind, solar, plant, animal, wave and water powers)

√ Energy saving acts

√ Meeting both life-sustaining energy needs and poverty reduction goals

This week’s actions are also about making sure that energy transition actions do not hamper our already made efforts to reduce and end poverty.  It means as well referring to the model of circular economy that tells us to satisfy human needs (e.g. energy needs), there is no need to over-exploit natural resources.  From this standpoint, it is about working together with local people to develop energy transition initiatives (or actions) that are compatible with their needs of poverty reduction.

In brief, this week is about taking little actions (for energy transition) at individual and community levels; actions that can have a BIG impact on the ending of burning fuel and causes of pollution.

To support and or enquire about CENFACS’ Climate Action Month and Energy Transition Week, contact CENFACS.

 

• • Light Appeal: Algeria Peace Appeal

Before dealing with the Algeria Peace Appeal, let us talk about the preceding Poverty Relief Movements in North Africa and what CENFACS did to support the victims of these movements.

⇒ The 2010-2011 Poverty Relief Movements in North Africa

In December 2010, North Africa embraced what CENFACS defined as Poverty Relief Movements (PRMs).  Some called it the Arab Spring which is referred in the literature of political democratisation to the democratic uprisings that rose independently and spread across the Arab World in 2011.  The movement originated from Tunisia in December 2010 and quickly took hold in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.  Algeria did not go through that democratic transition like other North African countries of Maghreb like Tunisia and Egypt, let alone Libya whose democratic experience went into anarchy. The Algerian leadership was skilful enough to control the 2010-2011 democratic storms.

When the PRMs of the 2010-2011 happened, CENFACS launched the North Africa Appeal (NARA) in Spring 2011.

⇒ North Africa Appeal (NARA) in Spring and Autumn 2011

The NARA was a CENFACS poverty relief and peaceful drive to support the poor and innocent victims of the humanitarian crisis that occurred in the North Africa in the light of the instable and conflicting situation of the time in the region as the people there voiced their demands for freedom against poverty and inequality.

The NARA Initiative was followed by a re-appeal in Autumn 2011 (NARRA) from CENFACS.

As part of CENFACS Life-rebuilding Stories May 2016 project and of CENFACS’ Year of Protections, we re-advocated to the international development community to step up the process of rebuilding North Africa given that it was more than 5 years since North Africa embraced political democratisation processes.

We thanked those who responded to these appeals

⇒ The 2019 or current Peaceful Poverty Relief Movement in Algeria

The history may repeat itself this Spring 2019 in Algeria, but differently.  This repetition is happening as young Algerians are demanding freedom from poverty; poverty induced by a lack of true democratic transition.  They are not only asking for more and better sanitation, water and electricity, but also for democratic and political change.  Whatever the nature of claims or demands each side may have, one could hope the process that Algerians may go through should be via peaceful and democratic means.

⇒ The Algeria Peace Appeal

As far as CENFACS is concerned, we can only appeal to the Algerian peoples to resolve their difference peacefully and democratically.  As we always argue our advocacy work is charitable and a-political.  We do not interfere in people’s problems.  We respect people’s rights to agree and disagree on the way they want to run their internal affairs, countries, towns, regions, communities etc.

Our Light Appeal to Algeria (the Algeria Peace Appeal) is only to demand to the disagreeing or conflicting sides on the democratic process to restrain from the use of forces and violence.  So far, demonstrations against poverty and hardships in Algeria have been peaceful.  We can expect that human rights, especially but not exclusively of the poor and most vulnerable will be protected as this process, which has just started, is going through.

Additionally, we are asking to the development communities from within and outside Algeria to do what they can to avoid this democratic crisis to get out control and make sure to be resolved peacefully and democratically.

This is our way of lighting and bringing a blaze of hope to the ordinary Algerian people who are going through a delicate and disputable governing process.

What you can do to help

There are many ways of helping which include the following.

• You could INFLUENCE people both around and not around you to help Algeria to go through a peaceful transitional process
• You could CHOOSE your own way of helping and let CENFACS facilitates your help reaches out to the peoples of Algeria who need peace and democracy
• You could SUPPORT CENFACS to support the people and Africa-based Sister Organisations in need on the grounds and working on peace initiatives in Algeria

What CENFACS want you to do

CENFACS would like to appeal to you to undertake any of the following actions by supporting

• The Overseas development charities campaigning and working on peace in North Africa, particularly for peace in Algeria
• CENFACS’ Appeal for peace in Algeria
• CENFACS to support its Africa-based sister organisations and other organisations working on the grounds in Algeria for making peace and democracy
• A comprehensive strategy for preserving peace and democracy in North Africa to prevent future conflicts between people, between communities
• CENFACS’ New Transitional Development Programme that moves Africa-based Sister Organisations from being subject to emergency relief programme to become organisations enjoying a normal sustainable development programme
• CENFACS’ Humanitarian Relief efforts under the programme of Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives in Africa

How we can communicate to deliver this Appeal

For support relating to

• Overseas development charities and non-governmental organisations, contact them individually
• CENFACS’ sister organisations, speak to CENFACS
• CENFACS, contact us and/or send your support to CENFACS.

To enquire about CENFACS’ current Algeria Peace Appeal, contact CENFACS.

Thank you for supporting this appeal and the peoples of Algeria!

 

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!

27 February 2019

Post No. 80

The Week’s Contents

• Q Project

• Sustainable Development Month

• Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign

 

…   and much more!

Key Messages

 

~ Q Project

The learning of CENFACS and Q Project continue this week with additional contents about this project.  Particularly, we are working on what this project will be about and what it will cover including its aim, objectives, activities, implementation plan, fundraising request, outcomes and monitoring and evaluation.  

While we are working on the above project components, we have provided further details about the “Q” Year under the Main Development section of this post.

 

~ Sustainable Development Month: Images and Infographics

This week is the last one for our Sustainable Development Month.  For these last days, we are working on the representation of information, data and knowledge about sustainable development.  In particular, we are looking at how imaging of sustainable development and the use of infographics can enhance our cognition system in understanding data patterns or trends and relationships as well as monitor changes in sustainable development variables over time.  Likewise, we are measuring the extent to which infographic images can contribute in the better use of sustainable development goals and targets.

To support and or add something before the sustainable development month ends, contact CENFACS.

~ Making Zero Hunger Africa To Happen

This week we are stepping up our campaign to eradicate hunger in Africa.  This is due to the fact that hunger is on the rise in Africa again.

According to the United Nations report (1),

“Africa is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2 (of Zero Hunger). The prevalence of undernourishment continues to rise and now affects 20 per cent of the population on the continent, more than in any other region.  In sub-Saharan Africa,… now 23 percent of the population is undernourished. …The rise in the prevalence of undernourishment has been highest in Western Africa, followed by Central Africa.  There are today 821 million undernourished people in the world, 36.4 million more than in 2015. Of these 257 million are in Africa, of whom 237 million in sub-Saharan Africa and 20 million in Northern Africa. Compared to 2015 there are 34.5 million more undernourished in Africa, 32.6 million more in sub-Saharan Africa, and 1.9 million more in Northern Africa. Nearly half of the increase is due to the rise in undernourished people in Western Africa, while another third is from Eastern Africa” (p. XII).

The above data tell us that something needs to be done for Africa to be on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2.  This can be done by working together with all the stakeholders to help to reduce and eradicate hunger in Africa.   Under the Main Development section of this post, we have highlighted what Making Zero Hunger Africa covers.

(1) United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and Economic Commission for Africa: Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition.  Addressing the threat from climate variability and extremes for food security and nutrition, 2018

Extra Messages

~ African Children Climate and Sustainable Development Goals (ACCSDGs) and the New Forms of Data

We are carrying on finding the new forms of data for this project.  We are adding to the data from war and natural disasters data about children international migrants as well.  It is about finding out what data (both qualitative and quantitative) tell us how these migrant children are meeting or not meeting sustainable development goals and targets.

 

~ Support Africa Feed Africa with Agriculture (AFAA) Project

Because of the recent rise of hunger in Africa as said above, you can support AFAA project.

The AFAA project is a sustainable initiative aiming at reducing food poverty and related issues (malnutrition, undernourishment, sanitation etc.), related to the lack of food and its fair distribution in Africa.  The project is designed to achieve its aims via agriculture and farming.

Agriculture has always been said to be the mother of priorities when it comes to feeding people and providing for other needs and demands in society in Africa.   Especially for rural populations, agriculture and farming are vital. 

Given the potentials that Africa has in agriculture, it is possible for agriculture to feed Africa and leave no one hungry or without agricultural food.  And most of Africa’s economies are agriculture-based ones.  Agriculture can reverse the rising trend of hungry people in Africa.

To support and or enquire about AFAA, please contact CENFACS.

 

Main Developments

 

• • 2019 as Quadranscentennial Year for CENFACS

 

⇒ What is a “Q” Year?

For the purpose of clarity, we are going to provide the following meanings.

Q Year is the dedication of 2019 as the year of celebration of 25 years of CENFACS since it was established in 1994.

Q Project or Project 25 is a set of activities and events planned and to be organised to mark the 25 years of CENFACS since established in 1994.  It is also called Project 25 and is going to deliver the “Q” Year. 

Q Development is a process of bringing better change in the lives of those in most needs.  This process is designed with the aim of reducing poverty and hardships while enhancing sustainable development through the 25 years experience of CENFACS.

Q Creation is the conceptualisation of CENFACS as an organisation which came into existence and which lasts 25 years.

 

⇒ Overview about the learning of CENFACS

We started this Quadranscentennial Year of CENFACS (or celebration of the 25 years of CENFACS) by learning at bit about CENFACS.  In that learning process, we had three phases in the life (timeline) of CENFACS: 1994 to 2002, 2002 to 2012, and 2013 to 2018.

First Phase (1994-2002) covered CENFACS’ background and CENFACS as an informal organisation but a forum for discussion on economic issues faced by Francophone Africa

Second Phase (2002-2012) dealt with the first growth and decade of CENFACS as a formal organisation.

Third Phase (2013-2018) focussed on international advocacy work of CENFACS to reflect the changing international and African landscapes in our work.

For details about the brief overview, please contact CENFACS.

⇒ 2019 as a Quadranscentennial Year

Our learning of CENFACS as a quadranscentennial model will continue next June 2019.  June is the month of creation for CENFACS.  CENFACS as a quadranscentennial creation will be dealt in depth in June. 

 

⇒ Q project or Project 25

It is a series of activities and events organised by CENFACS throughout 2019 to remember what has been achieved in the last 25 years of CENFACS, to learn from this past and spot the future trends for poverty relief in an ever changing development landscape. 

Project 25 is a smart (i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) project that takes stock of the strengths of CENFACS in what happened in the last 25 years as well as looks ahead challenges, opportunities, risks and threats that CENFACS may face.  It is about re-engaging with stakeholders in a renewed future.

⇒ Implications “Q” celebration for CENFACS

Most of our work this year will be underpinned by quadranscentennial feature. It means they will command and enhance the values of freedom and capacities as quadranscentennial legacies of CENFACS.

⇒ “Q” Event days

Five days and themes to mark the “Q” Year as follows

19/04/2019: Historical Survey of CENFACS’ Protection Work

09/05/2019: Volunteering Story of CENFACS since creation

04/06/2019: CENFACS as a Quadranscentennial Creation

20/07/2019: Analysis of CENFACS’ Advocacy Work

19/08/2019: Outreach, Empowerment & 25 Years Trend of CENFACS

To support and or enquire about the Q Project and Q Year, contact CENFACS.

• • Making Zero Hunger Africa Campaign (MZHAC)

The aim of MZHAC is to raise awareness on sustainable food consumption and production in order to end hunger and malnutrition amongst those who are food deprived, particularly in Africa where the number of hungry people and families is on the rise again.  It is as well a campaigning response to the challenge of rise in hunger that Africa is facing today.

The following is making the contents of MZHAC.  

End Hunger & Malnutrition Goal

√ Achievable through 

√ Safe food

√ Nutritious food

√ Sufficient food

√ Life-sustaining nutrition

Support Small-Scale Food Producers in Africa

E.g

√ Family Farmers

√ Pastoralists

√ Fishers

√ Africa-based Sister Organisations working in food and nutrition projects etc.

Actions to Support the Food Industry in Africa

√ Promotion of sustainable agricultural practices

√ Supporting small scale farmers

√ Investing in agricultural infrastructure and technologies

√ Improving agricultural activities

Meeting Vulnerable People’s Nutritional Needs

E.g

√ Adolescent girls

√ Pregnant and lactating women

√ Older persons

Actions for Sustainable Food Production Systems

√ Help maintain ecosystems

√ Strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters

√ Improve land and soil quality

To support and or enquire about MZHAC, contact 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!

20 February 2019

Post No. 79

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• CENFACS “Q” Year (Q Project or Project 25)

• Burkina Faso Appeal

• Sustainable Development Month: What colours mean

 

…  and much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

~ CENFACS “Q” Year (Q Project or Project 25): Timeline continues…

Our timeline continues with International Advocacy Years from 2013 to 2018.

Global, regional and technological events had made us to reshape our way of working together with local people to develop sustainable initiatives.  These events included the following: the transition of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, Africa’s Agenda 2063, the UK Vote deciding to exit from the European Regional Economic Integration model, the International Treaty on Climate Change, the rise of the digital and online technologies, the continuing effects of climate change and the rise of social media platforms.

This collection of events had made us to carry on in helping to reduce poverty and hardships but in a different way and setting of new development landscape.   This new development world order had meant for CENFACS to find a new market niche while still keeping its mission, aim and objectives the same.  It led us to raise our voice in advocating for more to be done for the most vulnerable and poorest in Africa and in the UK as well.

As a result, we developed together with our development partners advocacy initiatives to respond to the needs of the time and of the future for our beneficiaries.  You will find under the Main Development section of this post a selection of these initiatives making CENFACS’ International Advocacy Years from 2013 to 2018.  We have regrouped them under our timeline from 2013 to 2018.

 

~ Burkina Faso Appeal: Reactions & Expectations

We would like to thank those who generously responded to the Burkina Faso Appeal and those who spread our message about it.  One can expect that truce and mostly lasting peace and hopefully future will materialise in the lives of the peoples of Burkina Faso.  Sustainable peace and the willingness to a constructive dialogue will prevail in the mindsets of all those engaged in the security crisis in Burkina Faso.

One can as well hope that the G5 (made of Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Mali) will continue with its initiative to help end the security crisis in Burkina Faso. 

The viable solution to this crisis should go hand in hand with real work on poverty relief and sustainable development if one wants to prevent future crisis of this kind in Burkina Faso and its neighbourhood.  It is only in this way that the peoples of Burkina Faso will not be left halfway.

As far as CENFACS is concerned, we shall continue to advocate on behalf and with the peaceful development communities from within and outside Burkina Faso for sustainable peace and poverty reduction in Burkina Faso and its neighbourhood to become everyday reality. 

We will carry on in bringing and lighting a blaze of hope for the victims of armed attacks there for as long as the crisis lasts.  Many thanks!

~ Sustainable Development Month: What colours mean

⇒ Last week’s work on sustainable development

Last week, we worked on the theories of sustainable development and of collapsology.  The following points were raised about the theories of collapsology

<> There will not be a global collapse.

<> A widespread education for sustainable development together with responsible practice of the principles of sustainable development will help avoid the humanity (within it Africa) to overcome the problems posed by the consumption of fossil fuels.

<> Endless advocacy on raising awareness about the adverse effects of global warming and climate change as well as the application of climate adaptation and mitigation measures without forgetting climate finance and insurance will help to stop the so-called collapse of the humanity.

<> Today, humans are becoming more and more aware about the dangers of the misuse of fossil economy than many years ago.

<> In the last century (the 20^th Century), there were similar religious prophecies and predictions run by various religious leaders and prophets saying the same that in the year 2000 there would be the end of the world and the humanity would collapse.  No one of these predictions happened.

⇒ This week’s work on sustainable development

This week, we are pursuing our study and practice on sustainable development.  This time we are doing it by looking at the colours of sustainable development.

Do colours matter in what we do?  Do colours count for sustainable development and poverty relief?

Colours can symbolise sustainable development and poverty relief.  We are going to use the colour theory and practice to visualise poverty and sustainable development.

For example, CENFACS uses the blue colour to represent and visualise peace.  We also employ grey colour to signify originality.  We finally apply green as the colour of nature, environment and sustainability. 

So, we are going to look at the colour theory to continue our study of sustainability.

 

Extra Messages 

 

~ Halving Poverty for the Children Victims of War in the Central African Republic (CAR)

 

Our campaign to halve poverty in CAR is still running.  You can help to halve poverty in CAR by donating £5 or more. 

To donate or enquire about Halving Child Poverty in CAR, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

Thank you!

 

~ Supporting CENFACS in 2019 with a silver donation, a great relief and a product booster

 

Free for Supporters: Silver Status

Support our projects as you can or as you choose if you visit them or if you happen to be within the area of our projects. This will boost your support and help you to win a silver status as CENFACS’ Supporter in a CENFACS Silver Year or the Quadranscentennial Year of CENFACS.  Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Silver year to win the same status.

Want to provide Great Relief as a Supporter

You can provide great relief by becoming a regular giver or supporter, adding value to you support and boosting your support.

Please contact CENFACS for details about becoming great reliever.

Need to boost your support

You can choose a particular sustainable initiative or programme or even CENFACS as your boost product.

You can support 3 projects or 2 projects and CENFACS

You can support 3 programmes or 2 programmes and CENFACS.

This will elevate your position as a project or programme donor/funder.

For further details about boosting your support, contact CENFACS.    

 

 

Main Developments

 

CENFACS “Q” Year (Q Project or Project 25)

2013-2018 as International Advocacy Years

The period between 2013 and 2018 is the years of international advocacy for CENFACS.  We had the first growth of CENFACS as a charity model between 2002 and 2012; a period during which we run projects in the UK and directly supported projects in Africa.

While we are still doing the same work here in the UK and there in Africa; we further raised our voice to speak on behalf of and with our project beneficiaries and Africa-based Sister Organisations on international matters that affect or could affect them.  This was to such an extent that their voices can be heard and their needs got better served.  These five years of voice raising and advocacy are included in the CENFACS “Q” Year (or the Q Project or Project 25).

Various developments made this possible for CENFACS which are:  the digital revolution, the transition of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals, Africa’s Agenda 2063, the growing effects of climate change and the likely change of the UK‘s relationships with the EU.

The above named factors made CENFACS to advocate on issues such as child protection against the effects of climate change, paperless way of working with our Africa-based Sister Organisations, the need to set up an international system for poverty reduction, the necessity to monitor the global goals and their impacts on children and local life etc.

These factors had a probable effect on our work and the people or organisations we try to help and work with.  These events gave us a new window of opportunities to innovate and organise our poverty relief in a different way and setting as the following timeline shows.

 

CENFACS timeline continues from 2013 to 2018

 

2013

Perspectives for the Post-2015 Poverty Relief Project, a project of reflection for the post-2015 development world, which led to a CENFACS Argument for the Post-2015 Development as part of the global conversation on the transition from the United Nations Millennium Development Goals to the current 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets

3W Go Ten! (2003 – 2013), a celebration of CENFACS’ way of supporting poor women, mothers and families through Odyssey of Empowerment and the launch of newsletter “GOSSIPING”

2014

Working with Africa-based Sister Organisations for the integration of sports development projects and sustainable development initiatives to achieve poverty relief goals (through ELCLASSICO International project)

Vicennial project dealt with the work of CENFACS between 1994 and 2014

2015

CENFACS’ Argument for an International System for Poverty Reduction became effective campaign as advocated in 2013

Networked for international poverty relief and development as CENFACS’ links and integration to reduce poverty and build better change with unserved and underserved people and communities

Basic Community Support project that includes general advice, information, help, guidance, digital support and signposting in Croydon

2016

Year of protections for work and achievements made between 2006 and 2016

CENFACS’ process of advocating that climate and global goals work for the African children was done through Climate Talks Follow-up project (and its sub-project Climate Protection and Stake for African Children) and Global Goals project (and its sub-project African Children and Sustainable Development Goals)

Set up in Croydon a Consume to Reduce Poverty project that explores sustainable ways of meeting buying needs and consumption goals in order to reduce poverty and hardships

2017

African Organisations in the Post-Regional Economic Development

Set up New Media and Digital Programmes as part of CENFACS’ communications; programmes which took over Communication for Better Change

Introduced in Croydon a project to Bridge Financial Information Gap as a financial advocacy initiative of support to financially unaware users

2018

Poverty reduction in the transitional period of the post-regional economic integration

Sedecim project (or 16.4 project) was CENFACS 16 years of service and commitment to poverty relief and poor people’s well-being and welfare

Advocacy on the Odyssey of Climate Finance and Insurance for African Children as all the pain the victims of adverse climate change have to endure in their journey to win the mindsets of people to accept climate finance and insurance as some recognition of human responsibility and the price to pay for man-made behaviour against the nature and the victims from the forced change of the nature.

Run Digital and Social Media campaigns in Croydon for digitally unaware and poor users as well for those having problems to set up and confidently manage their social media accounts

For further and or enquiry about this timeline or any activity or project within the above timeline, contact 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!

13 February 2019

Post No. 78

The Week’s Contents

• Burkina Faso Appeal

• CENFACS  “Q” Year

• Sustainability & Collapsology

… and much more!

Key Messages

~ Burkina Faso Appeal

Our Light Season and Projects continue with an appeal to support the victims of armed attacks in Burkina Faso and its neighbourhood.   The Burkina Faso is part of our second wave of appeals (or In-life Blaze of Hope) making our Light Projects.

It is about Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Victims of Armed Attacks and Conflicts in Burkina Faso and its Neighbourhood.

We always advocate for preventive development and we do not seek for destructive events to happen.  However, when events like in Burkina Faso happen, CENFACS can advocate to help reduce any adverse effects and impacts erupting from events like this. 

CENFACS is looking forward to your support to deliver this Wintry Appeal.  Thank you!

Under the Main Development section of this post, you will find further details about this appeal.

~ CENFACS Quadranscentennial Year

This week, we are continuing with our journey in learning about CENFACS as quadranscentennial creation.  Last week, we learnt about CENFACS’ origin and background.  This week, the emphasis is on CENFACS as a formal organisation.  We are focussing on CENFACS from 2002 (year of its registration) to 2012.  2002 to 2012 is a decade of building CENFACS as a formal organisation   In marketing jargon, it is the decade of the first growth of the idea of CENFACS as a charity model. 

The 2002-2012 timeline provides readers the opportunity to get grips with key highlights of activities and initiatives that shaped that first growth of CENFACS.   You can find this timeline under the Main Development section of this post.

 

~ African Children, Climate & Sustainable Development Goals (ACCSDGs), Generation Global Goals (3G project): In Search of New Forms of Data

Finding new forms of data particularly in areas affected by wars and natural disasters continues to be our focus about the ACCSDGs campaign.  We are interested in both primary and secondary data in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

In the context of this process of getting new data, we are working on data collection techniques and methods applicable to those kinds of situation as well as the reliability of data.  Likewise, we are dealing with the issue of data protection and regulations when handling international data such as those related to the conditions of children in war zones and areas affected by environmental disasters.

The above interest is meant to help the process of the implementation of SDGs for children.

Extra Messages

~ Sustainable Development and Collapsology

This week, we are as well carrying on our month of Sustainable Development by looking at the theories of collapsibility or collapsus theories.  The protagonists of these theories believe that our current civilisation based on fossil energies will disappear or collapse in the 2030s.  Their catastrophist argument is that there will be inevitability of the world’s catastrophe.

This week we are working on both sets of theories (sustainable development theories and collapsologist/catastrophist discourse).  The purpose of this week’s work is to find out how a good use of sustainable development principles can help avoid the so-called collapse or catastrophe of the human civilisation as the prophets of collapsology or catastrophism continue to argue.  Particularly, we shall work on how in Africa poor people and communities are finding out alternative energy to deal with fossil fuels and reshape their way of living.

~ Supporting CENFACS in 2019 with a silver donation, a great relief and a product booster

Free for Supporters: Silver Status

Support our projects as you can or as you choose if you visit them or if you happen to be within the area of our projects. This will boost your support and help you to win a silver status as CENFACS’ Supporter in a CENFACS Silver Year or the Quadranscentennial Year of CENFACS.  Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Silver year to win the same status.

Want to provide Great Relief as a Supporter

You can provide great relief by becoming a regular giver or supporter, adding value to you support and boosting your support.

Please contact CENFACS for details about becoming great reliever.

Need to boost your support

You can choose a particular sustainable initiative or programme or even CENFACS as your boost product.

You can support 3 projects or 2 projects and CENFACS

You can support 3 programmes or 2 programmes and CENFACS.

This will elevate your position as a project or programme donor/funder.

For further details about boosting your support, contact CENFACS.       

Main Developments

• • Burkina Faso Appeal –

Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Victims of Armed Attacks in the Burkina Faso and its Neighbourhood

Our Season of Light and Projects continue with this new appeal for the peoples of Burkina Faso who are experiencing waves of armed attacks on their daily lives.

It is now 3 years that there has been a security crisis in Burkina Faso.  There is a disagreement between the majority ethnic group (Mossi) and the minority ethnic community (Peuls).  This disagreement has fuelled intercommunity conflicts and violence to the extent that there has been recently massacre in the village of Yirgou (according local sources).  Women and children have been displaced.  This has led to retaliation and a circle of reprisals and violence among and between civilians. This has been combined with terror threats to defenceless and innocent civilians.  Various parts of Burkina Faso (North, East and South West) have been affected by this continuing violence and security crisis.   

Because of these appalling events which are happening in Burkina Faso, CENFACS is launching this appeal before it is too late to intervene and avoid this situation gets worse and lead to humanitarian catastrophe in Burkina Faso and general contagion in the region of Sahel.  It is known that the countries of Sahel region have very limited financial resource capacity to face any major humanitarian catastrophe or a regional conflict.  They cannot afford to have this security crisis in Burkina Faso.

Our appeal is purely humanitarian and non partisan.  Our role is not to ignite the strife between the conflicting sides or between the attackers and their victims.  Our mission is purely humanitarian and charitable.  We understand the difference in perception and feeling regarding the way peoples choose to run their internal affairs between them.  They may agree or disagree on certain matters.  However, we do not agree that their disagreement should result into violence and armed attacks on defenceless, innocent peoples and infrastructures wherever country or region of the world this may happen. 

Whatever the reason they may have, it is not acceptable that defenceless civilians are subject to atrocities or mass attacks.  These kinds of mass attacks can result in tragedies, people get displaced, properties get destroyed, and common infrastructures get dismantled.  The history of Africa is full of pity cases of what this kind of violence can lead to.  We saw and witnessed in the past the same types of events leading to famine, general instability, humanitarian disaster and so  on in places like Sudan, Rwanda, Mali to name the few.

Before one can reach these tragic consequences in Burkina Faso, there is a need to prevent them.  Therefore, CENFACS is urging the development community from within the Burkina Faso itself and from outside the Burkina Faso to do what they can and it takes to avoid unpredictable catastrophic consequences from these repetitive attacks on the innocent civilians of Burkina Faso. 

In this respect, CENFACS welcome the collaborative initiative taken by the G5, which is the group of five countries made of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.  G5 is a project of working together to stop and end these atrocities on the ordinary peoples of Burkina Faso and their region. 

One can hope that their determination to eradicate this disease from Burkina Faso and their region will go further in reducing poverty there, in combining security measures with poverty reduction strategies.  This kind of model of working together will help to provide food security, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, the building of infrastructures, the dealing with healthcare and above all the side effects of this security crisis, which has been running since 2016 or so.

CENFACS is as well appealing to those who can to do what they can and take in their position to help end this circle of violence on the innocent civilians of Burkina Faso. 

CENFACS always argues that there are little things that one can do to make BIG differences in the lives of those in most pressing needs.  These little things could include personal initiatives like the following

Talking to someone who may have influence on what is happening on the grounds in Burkina Faso.

√ Lobbying

√ Making a phone call

√ Taking part in peace initiative organised with and on behalf of the Burkinabe people

√ Campaigning and advocating for this deserving cause

√ Raising awareness of this appalling situation in Burkina Faso through the social media platforms

√ Make a podcast or a video to take action to help the victims of these atrocities

√ Helping the voice of ordinary Burkinabe people to be heard

Etc. 

These little things or blazes can help bring some lights to the lives of the Burkinabe people.   This is what CENFACS’ Light Project is all about.  This is what Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Victims of Armed Attacks in the Burkina Faso and its Neighbourhood, is finally about.

To bring and light a blaze of hope for the victims of armed attacks in Burkina Faso and its neighbourhood, please contact CENFACS.

Thank for carrying this appeal forward and for your support to the peoples of Burkina Faso.  

• • CENFACS “Q” Year through timeline

The following timeline provides an outline of CENFACS’ work from 2002 to 2012 – the period of the first growth about the idea of CENFACS as a charity model. 

This period was remembered in 2012 as CENFACS’ Decennary with 10 Leaves of Poverty Relief.

CENFACS’ Decennary was a celebration story of ten years of transforming lives and of building bonds and bridges with other communities.  It was as well an experience of skills development, mobilisation, advocacy, and protective and sustainable developments as the following key highlights of CENFACS’ timeline shows.

 

2002  

African contacts and sustainable development programmes

All in Development scheme – Volunteering for better lives

2003   

Strategic partnership development with Africa-based organisations

Planning and delivering of Capacity Advice & Development (CAD) project for Croydon’s African and Minority Ethnic People, particularly Supporting Women and Families to Support Themselves

2004  

Advice on project planning and development to Africa-based organisations

Planning and delivering of Free Employability Training (3W) project to help with job searching skills to French-speaking African unemployed refugee women living in Croydon

2005   

Building Bonds Building Bridges and advancing Africa’s cause and poverty issues by networking with African Diaspora and civil society organisations through ADVAD (African Diaspora Voices), AFFORD (African Foundation for Development), Connections for Development and BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development)

Planning and delivering of Basic Skills Development (deBASICS) project in Croydon, that offered skills for work and life in the UK to refugee women of French-speaking African origin living in Croydon

2006    

Funding the building of a health centre for the people of Kewarla (Mali) through a local partner – the ONG GAIE/Femmes

Setting up Peace, Protection & Sustainability programme to support multi-dimensional poor children, young people and families; and an Outreach Translation service (French to English and vice versa)

2007    

Contribution to African Voices on consultation about Africa-Europe relations and on a Joint “EU Africa” strategy

Development and implementation of Communication for Change as a result CENFACS won THE BETTER PLANNING AND ORGANISATION OF COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES AWARDS 2007

Planning and delivering the Project for Sustainable Skills for Employment (PROSSE) in Croydon to support unemployed multi-deprived women

2008  

Funding of the Income-generating Activities Against Child Trafficking with project partner – the “ONG” ESE-Benin

Planning and delivering of Basic Skills in Health and Social Care (BSHSC) project in Croydon

2009 

Financial advice to Africa-based indigenous organisations to manage economic recession under the Make Ends Meet Again campaign

Advisory support to the same organisations on project planning and appraisal with focus on climate induced poverty

Planning and delivering of Community Value Chains project, Seven Days of Development in July Project in Croydon

2010  

Project planning and appraisal service (with focus on environmental vulnerability) for African sister organisations)

Make Ends Meet in Africa advocacy and be.Africa as Ideas-Actions forum of debate

The 2010s Poverty Reduction advocacy programme of work

 2011 

Information and guidance to Africa-based organisations on green economy initiatives and models of income-generation for self-help capacity

Advice to the same organisations on strategy for coping with international regulatory framework for project monitoring, evaluation and reporting in time of financial austerity

The First African Children Generation of the Millennium Development Goals advocacy project

2012  

Advice to African partner organisations on ways of capturing the fruits of Africa’s economic growth while being recipient of overseas development assistance

Halving Poverty or the 2015-2020 campaign

For further and or enquiry about this timeline or any activity or project within the above timeline, contact 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!

06 February 2019

Post No. 77

 

 

The Week’s Contents

• Sustainable Development Month

• ACCSDGs: In Search for New Forms of Data

• CENFACS’ Quadranscentennial Year

 

… and much more!

 

Key Messages

~ Sustainable Development Month

 

February is our sustainable development month  according CENFACS development calendar/planner.  It is the month we revisit our works related to sustainable development.  In particular, we try to look at again the United Nations’ Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their related targets.  We normally select one of the topics within the set of SGDs and targets; and try to expand on it.

 

~~ Last Year February’s work on SDGs

 

In 2018, we focussed on the localisation of SDGs by working on the best way of making SDGs local goals.  Localisation, which is the inverse process of globalisation, is a shift in the focus to the sub-national level.   It is a process of making SDGs more suitable for local areas and people.  Localisation is needed because the process of globalisation of sustainable development does not always address the needs and concerns of people and communities at the local level. 

 

~~ This February’s work on SDGs

 

This year, we are interested in capturing the new forms data about the use of the SDGs.  We are searching how the new datasets can help not only to improve the implementation of the SDGs; but also to keep pace with poverty reduction and fasten poverty reduction results.  Our interest goes beyond data collected from the stable environment (like from regions of Africa where there are political and economic stability) to consider exceptional and abnormal situations (for example where there have been wars and environmental disasters). 

Our approach on SDG data is about finding out what data from war zones and environmental situations in Africa can tell us on how people affected by wars and natural disasters are meeting or failing to meet SDGs and targets.  In this respect, we are looking for new forms of data regarding the implementation of SDGs on and by children (particularly but not exclusively data related to the way in which SDGs impact African children).

 

To support and or enquire about CENFACS’ Sustainable Development Month, contact CENFACS.

 

 

~ ACCSDGs (3G) project: In Search of the New Forms of Data

The African Children Climate and Sustainable Development Goals or Generation Global Goals (3G) project

We are resuming our advocacy work about the impacts of global goals (here climate and sustainable development goals) on the welfare and well-being of children, particularly but not exclusively on African children.  This time, our advocacy process is based on the new types of information to capture this impact.  This information could be quantitative (numbers) or qualitative (words) or both to test these impacts.  So, our 3G project is still at the impact level.

Under the Main Development section of this post, you will find further information about our focus on new forms of data for ACCSDGs this Year.  

 

 

 

~ CENFACS’ 

Quadranscentennial Year

2019 has been dedicated as a Quadranscentennial Year or the “Q” Year at CENFACS.  It is the year during which we are celebrating the establishment of CENFACS as a Quadranscentennial Creation.  This celebration kicks off this February. 

Next Summer, we will come back on the Quadranscentennial Creation particularly in June which is the Creation Month for CENFACS.  In meantime, we will be progressively sharing with our supporters and readers some information about CENFACS milestone so that they can learn a bit more about CENFACS.  We would like as well those who have recently joined us and those who may want to join us, to learn something about CENFACS on the occasion of this Silver Jubilee.

As part this exercise of learning and knowing about CENFACS, you will find in the Main Development section of this post, the background to CENFACS.

 

 

 

Extra Messages

 

~ Halving Poverty Campaign

 

This week is also the restart of our campaign on Halving Poverty for this year.  As we are still working on the effects of wars and natural disasters on the Central African Republic and Region of Africa (CARRA), our focus about Halving Poverty will be on halving child poverty for the children victims of wars in the Central African Republic. This fundraising campaign has taken over our Gifts of Peace which ended on 31 January 2019 for this year.  

 

To support Halving Poverty campaign, go to

 http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

~ Supporting CENFACS in 2019 with a silver donation, a great relief and a product booster

⇒ Free for Supporters: Silver Status

Support our projects as you can or as you choose if you visit them or if you happen to be within the area of them. This will boost your support and help you to win a silver status as CENFACS’ Supporter in a CENFACS Silver Year or the Quadranscentennial Year of CENFACS.  Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Silver year to win the same status.

 

⇒ Want to provide Great Relief as a Supporter

You can provide great relief by becoming a regular giver or supporter, adding value to you support and boosting your support.

Please contact CENFACS for details about becoming great reliever.

 

⇒ Need to boost your support

You can choose a particular sustainable initiative or programme or even CENFACS as your boost product.

You can support 3 projects or 2 projects and CENFACS

You can support 3 programmes or 2 programmes and CENFACS.

This will elevate your position as a project or programme funder or a product booster

For further details about boosting your support, contact CENFACS.

 

 

Main Developments

 

 

• • African Children, Climate & Sustainable Development Goals (ACCSDGs), Generation Global Goals (3G project): In Search of New Forms of Data

Before looking at this year’s advocacy, let’s recall what we did in February 2018.

 

February 2018 Work for ACCSDGs (3G project)

February 2018 activity regarding ACCSDGs was about whether or not there are outputs produced and intermediate outcomes achieved so far.

As we were in CENFACS’ Local Year or the Local People’s Year, we also did some searches on ways of localising CSDGs.  We worked on a process of making CSDGs more suitable for local children and local areas.

We made an effort through our Better Impact Advocacy to capture local impact for local children as far as CSDGs were concerned.

Our work on African Children had a three-dimensional aspect as follows:

√ Identification of outputs and intermediate outcomes (or changes) achieved from CSDGs while localising them

√ Continuing building on our advocacy strategy for a better local impact

√ Exploring steps and activities to making 2018 as the Year of Local Children

 

2019 ACCSDGs (3G) Advocacy: In Search for New Forms of Data

This year’s advocacy for 3G will be about finding new forms of data about the use of SDGs.  In other words, it is about capturing New Forms of Data regarding the application of Sustainable Development Goals. 

Capturing data regarding the coping and survival strategies as well as spatial and temporal activities of people and communities for their use of SDGs will be the main 3G focus.  Spaces and times are important factors in this data collection and analyis.  These users’ datasets about SDGs and their dynamics will be used for our further advocacy work on this matter.  

Particularly, we would like to get new forms of data regarding for example the victims of wars and armed conflicts as well as for the sufferers of climate change in terms of their uses of SDGs.  Among them are children.  Data could be about displaced children (displaced because of wars and natural disasters), street children, orphan children, children soldiers, children living in safety camps for humanitarian reasons etc.  Our new data work consists of finding out whether these children are meeting SDGs or SDGs are failing them.

These findings are important because 3G project is the impact level in CENFACS’ process of advocating that global goals work for children and not way around.  It is indeed the testing of the gains that global goals claim to achieve and of their impact on the welfare and well-being of children.  This is regardless whether these children are in spaces and times of peace or lack of peace (like conditions of wars and time of natural disasters). 

To handle this process, we may need to make and answer the same questions again and again.  Are global goals (here CSDGs) working for children?  Are they positively impacting (strongly, weakly and averagely) child poverty or on children?  The answers to these two questions will feed our Better Impact advocacy in the context of 3G project, advocacy which is to demand not only an impact but a better impact from CSDGs on children.

 

• • CENFACS’ Quadranscentennial Year: Background to CENFACS

The Centre for Francophone African Economic Studies (CENFACS) was originally created/founded in August 1994 by Celestin Tshilenge – a Postgraduate Development Economist – and conceived to fill a vacuum in economic development information concerning Francophone African Countries (FACS) in the UK compared to the vast research work carried out and publicly available information on the other parts of Africa in the UK at that time. 

For historical reasons, little information was available within the UK on FACS whereas they form a significant part of Africa.  28 African countries out of 54 are Francophone; that is those where French is a primary language for communication and/or medium of education.  Countries such as Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo came into the public eye in the 1990s, highlighting the media’s role in bringing attention to these countries only at times of wars, conflicts, natural and humanitarian catastrophes, immigration flows and political events. 

The above way of highlighting Francophone Africa resulted in crisis response or management by most African-led organisations based in the UK at that time rather than a preventive development strategy.  Thus, CENFACS’ uniqueness posited it to bridge the gap in economic information on Francophone Africa.  It was therefore a development-oriented body of knowledge, which aimed and still aims at promoting economic, social, human, environmental, transformative, sustainable and preventive development of Francophone Africa.

CENFACS operated as an informal academic forum on economic studies and issues of Francophone Africa.  From 2002, the informal organisation moved to embrace the spectrum of developmental issues in Francophone Africa.  The Centre for Francophone African Economic Studies became the Centre for Francophone African Development while keeping its acronym of CENFACS, and whereby the emphasis has been now put on development instead of economic issues purely.  From an informal forum of discussion, CENFACS began to promote small-scale sustainable initiatives in Francophone Africa while helping the ethnic minority people from Francophone Africa origin living in the UK.  It was then registered (registered charity number 1092432) with the Charity Commission for England Wales as a charity since 13 June 2002. 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!

30 January 2019

Post No. 76

 

 

The Week’s Contents

• 2019 CARRA Appeal

• 2019 All Year Round Projects

• Gifts of Peace, Edition 2018-2019

 

… and much more!

 

Key Messages from the Week’s Contents

 

2019 CARRA Appeal: Making CAR a Normal Place for Children

This week the first trend at CENFACSSPHERE is our Wintry Appeal to Bring and Light a Blaze of Hope for the Children Victims of Conflicts in the Central African Republic and Region of Africa (CARRA Appeal).  It is our second appeal for this year, appeal which is under the Light Projects and in the context the post-conflict life. 

It is in the context of post-conflict development when we made similar appeals in 2018 and previously regarding the central region of Africa.  As we have been following what has been happening there since we made our previous appeals, the current appeal is meant to step up progress in supporting the same victims of conflicts in the CARRA.  Amongst these victims are children. 

Because of the very difficult conditions children are experiencing in the Central African Republic (CAR), our centre of attention in making this consolidated appeal is on children’s welfare and well-being there.  They are suffering from the legacies of the continuing conflicts in that region.  The focus of this appeal is therefore about Making the Central African Republic (CAR) a Normal Place for Children to Live, Grow and Stay.

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

 

2019 All Year Round Projects

CENFACS’ Triple Value Initiatives, the All Year Round Projects, are now back for this year.  You can play, run and vote to reduce poverty this year again.

Before you proceed with one of the All Year Round Projects, it is good to speak to CENFACS.  We can discuss together you plan or the way you want to participate.

For example, let’s take Run to Reduce Poverty.

There are Run Themes.  You can Run alone or Run as group or even Run for fun.  You can do Seasonal Run or Run to raise money or even Run to raise awareness.

There are ways of making your Run event simpler.  To do that, you can contact CENFACS before you plan your event.  CENFACS can help you to select your theme.  You need to confirm the date and time with CENFACS.

There are other things to consider as well such as: location, engagement in activities, prizes (rewards for participants), health and safety issues, child protection policy if children are involved, insurance cover etc.

We have provided under the Main Development section of this post some basic elements of CENFACS’ All Year Round Projects.  As we progress throughout the year, further information will be released for them.

 

Gifts of Peace Edition 2018-2019

Gifts of Peace for Edition 2018-2019 are coming to an end this Thursday.  If you have not yet supported, there is still one day to go.  You can still do something for poverty relief.  You want to do it, just contact CENFACS.

 

Extra Messages

 

Supporting CENFACS in 2019 with a silver donation, a great relief and a product booster

⇒ Free for Supporters: Silver Status

Support our projects as you can or as you choose if you visit them or if you happen to be within the area of them. This will boost your support and help you to win a silver status as CENFACS’ Supporter in a CENFACS Silver Year or the Quadranscentennial Year of CENFACS.  Alternatively, you can fund CENFACS’ Silver year to win the same status.

 

⇒ Want to provide Great Relief as a Supporter

You can provide great relief by becoming a regular giver or supporter, adding value to you support and boosting your support.

Please contact CENFACS for details about becoming great reliever.

 

⇒ Need to boost your support

You can choose a particular sustainable initiative or programme or even CENFACS as your boost product.

You can support 3 projects or 2 projects and CENFACS

You can support 3 programmes or 2 programmes and CENFACS.

This will elevate your position as a project or programme funder or a product booster

For further details about boosting your support, contact CENFACS.

       

 

Main Development from the Week’s Contents

 

Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Children Victims of Conflicts in the Central African Republic and Region of Africa (CARRA)

Making CAR a Normal Place for Children to Live, Grow and Stay

 

• • Brief Recap about 2018 CARRA Appeal

In 2018, we launched an appeal to support the conflict-affected and impoverished peoples of Central African Republic (CAR).

CENFACS appeal was apolitical, non religious and non partisan from the conflicting sides and between the two armed self-defense groups loosely-organised and others.

Our appeal was the 3^rd Light Project concerning the CAR.  In 2014 and 2015, we launched similar appeals.   And some forms of truce and normality were established. 

 

• • • What the 2018 CARRA Appeal was about

The renewed 2018 CARRA appeal was about helping to bring peace and hope to the long suffering local and ordinary peoples of CAR.  Particularly, CENFACS asked the following actions to be undertaken

~ Ending of 5 years of misery of the local poor people there

~ Stopping chaos and lawlessness as well as the killings and counter-killings of innocent local people

~ Neutralisation of the armed groups responsible for these innocent killings

~ Reduction of conflicts over natural resources (e.g. diamonds, gold and silver) and over spaces

~ Ending successive waves of ethnic cleansing

~ Reducing strife between religious groups etc

 

• • • The 2018 CARRA Appeal results

Some of these actions have been undertaken.  But, most of the problems at the heart of the suffering of the peoples of CAR remain unsolved.  We are still far from saying that something was achieved.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank those who responded to all our previous appeals and to similar appeals regarding the CAR, as well as those who worked to save lives there.

 

• • 2019 CARRA Appeal: Making CAR a Children-friendly Place

The 2019 CARRA Appeal is a kind of fact-checking process that deals with the lack of progress to support the conflict-affected and impoverished peoples of Central African Republic (CAR).

It is about asking the development community from within CARRA itself and from outside CARRA to do something to reverse both the poor environmental and humanitarian situation in CAR.  In particular, many alarming reports are pointing out the deplorable and precarious conditions in which children live there as a consequence of the previous conflicts and lack of peace and security.

The 2019 CAR Appeal intends to ask supporters to deal with the after-effects of previous and current conflicts by taking actions such as stopping people to flee their homes, to keep their fields, to prevent food insecurity, protect civilian population at  displaced camps, care of orphan children etc. 

As far as Making CAR a Normal Place for Children to Live, Grow and Stay is concerned; we are looking forward to the following actions to be taken:

√ Reduce newborn and maternal mortality ratio in CAR

√ Increase the number of children making to primary school

√ Reduce an extremely high risk of death amongst children under the age of five

√ Reduce violence and fear for children

√ Provide emergency aid to all children in need in CAR

√ Prevent and reduce severe malnutrition

√ Provide humanitarian assistance needed by children

√ Reduce poverty and malnutrition for children

√ Improve access to safe water and sanitation

The list of actions to be taken to save the children in CAR can be long.  Some of these actions can be done quickly and easily on the short term.  But, many of them would require a long term strategy for a comprehensive reduction of child poverty in CAR. 

Last week, armed groups involved the CAR crisis and the CAR government met in Karthoum (Sudan) to negotiate peace.  One can hope that this new round of peace negotiations between the conflicting sides will bring sustainable peace.   While this peace process is going on, there is a pressing need to light a blaze of hope for the children innocent victims of conflicts in CAR.

To Light a Blaze of Hope for the Children Victims of Conflicts in CAR, contact CENFACS. 

 

• • Run, Play & Vote projects 

 

The 2019 Edition of All-year Round Projects has kicked off.

You can Run or Organise a Run Activity to Reduce Poverty in 2019 

 

You can Play the CENFACS League for Poverty Relief

 

You can Vote your 2019 African Poverty Relief Manager.

 

After running or organising a run activity, playing the CENFACS’ League and voting your Manager of the Year 2019; we would like you to share with us and others your experiences, stories and reports regarding these projects.  Your share will be a kind of Action-Results report 2019.

 

 

Remember!

 

If you are Playing the CENFACS Poverty Relief League and its sub-project Le Dernier Carrẻ, there are 16 team countries in this Poverty Relief and Development League playing each 32 matches or games each against the other. 

 

If you are Running for Poverty Relief and Development, you can do it alone or as a group. 

 

If you are casting your Vote for an International Development and Poverty Relief Manager of 2019, before you vote do some research. 

 

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

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

We would be more than happier to hear your Action and Results to feature and include them in this year’s results and record.  Don’t forget to tell it!

 

What we would like to hear

We would like to hear from you the following three bests

√ The Best African Countries of 2019 which best reduce poverty

 

√ The Best African Global Games Runners of 2019

 

√ The Best African Development Managers of 2019

 

 

The deadline to tell us your bests is 23 December 2019.

 

 

For more information about these projects, please contact CENFACS.

 

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!

23 January 2019

Post No. 75

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• FACS, Issue No. 62: Key Summaries

• Digital and Social Media Campaigns: IT and Online Security

• Gifts of Peace: 7 Days to Go!

 

… and much more!

 

 

Key Messages from the Week’s Contents

 

FACS Issue No. 62: Key Summaries

The lead content of this week’s post is How to Create and Sustain Agricultural Markets for African Farmers and Farm Produce in 2019 and Beyond.  The key summaries of the 62^nd Issue of FACS, which can be found under the Main Development section of this post, shade some lights about this lead content.

 

Digital and Social Media Campaigns: IT and Online Security

The week is also about the continuation of our Digital and Social Media Campaigns.  This time we are focusing on IT (Information Communications) and Online Security as a sub-campaign.

Since the means of communications and their technologies went online and through the use of computer, there are always potential threats and risks of security of using them.  Our users and beneficiaries, let alone ourselves, are not exempt from these threats and risks. The IT and Online Security sub-campaign is designed to address these issues  by raising security awareness as well as helping to reduce poverty in these matters.

We have noticed that many of our innocent users of computers and online technologies (i.e. IT and digital technologies) want just to get on running their daily life in using them by looking for information (such as finding a local shop, doing homework for kids, locating a local pharmacy etc.).  But, they constantly face disruptions to their work to the extent that there is always a breach to their computers, networks and data; let alone their privacy.

This sub-campaign, which is meant to address these issues, covers four types of security: IT, online, Internet and information security. The campaign aims at helping the victims of these threats and risks to reduce poverty in these matters by protecting their digital assets and network devices, learning risk management tools, reducing network infections and caring for their health, independently organising their own security and developing a basic security strategy or plan. 

For more on this sub-campaign or the Digital and Social Media campaigns, please contact CENFACS.

 

Gifts of Peace: Only 7 Days to Go!

We have only seven days left for the Gifts of Peace campaign.  We are appealing to those who have not managed to support to come forward and support this campaign. 

If you miss the deadline of the campaign, you can still donate as there is always there is a life out there that needs your support.  We hope you will help as much as you can to keep our Season of Giving alive.  Many thanks!

For further details and or to support the Gifts of Peace, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

Extra Messages

2019 DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) Appeal

We would like to thank you for your support for trying to do something for sustainable peace and hope prevail for the peoples of DRC who are going through a very delicate situation regarding their long waiting democratic transition.   Many thanks!

 

A New Transitional Development Programme

This is a new type of programme that is designed to work with our Africa-based Sister Organisations in places where countries have continuously been subject to emergency and contingency programmes (especially in places where there are long running wars and natural disasters) then moving from instability to stability.

This new programme is a set of related projects oractivities with a particular long-term aim of reducing poverty induced by armed conflicts, wars, natural disasters and political instability where countries in which this programme is implemented are in transitional phase from instability (abnormality) to stability (normality).

The programme, which can last between 1 and 2 years, is a detailed plan of action for transitional poverty reduction work that aims to achieve beneficial change through clearly defined outcomes.

This project helps to fill the vacuum we had.  So far, we had African Integrated and Sustainable Development Initiatives Programme (AISDIP) and African Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives (RILIVES).  The first is for countries where the risk of political upheaval and environmental disaster is considered to be relatively low. The second is where the risk is high.  The new transitional development programme is where the same risk is moderate.

 

Shopping and Donations this January at CENAFCS Charity e-Store http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

You can turn your unwanted and unused goods into donations for poverty relief.

 

You can give your unwanted and unneeded goods to CENFACS’ Charity e-Store, the shop built to help relieve poverty.  You can buy second hand goods and bargain priced new items and much more. 

 

CENFACS’ Charity e-Store needs your support for SHOPPING and DONATIONS.

 

You can do something different this January by SHOPPING or DONATING GOODS at CENFACS Charity e-Store. 

 

You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:

 

√ DONATE unwanted GOODS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Charity e-Store this year

 

√ SHOP at CENFACS Charity e-Store to support good and deserving causes of poverty relief this year

 

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty.

 

 

Main Development from the Week’s Contents

 

FACS Issue No. 62 > Key Summaries

At the beginning of this Winter, we published the abstract about this Issue. 

“How to Create and Sustain Agricultural Markets for Small Scale Farmers and Farm Produce in Africa” is an engaging theme in terms of both poverty reduction and sustainable development. It is an investigation on how farmers can deploy their ingenuity to create and sustain agricultural markets.  It is a market-based solution to the problem of poverty by finding the tools, techniques, know how and adequate support to make market work for them.

Before looking at the key summaries of this Issue, let us see the definition of agricultural market we are using in this communication.  The following definition is the one underpinning the current Issue:

Agricultural market is a “use primarily engaged in the retail sale of fresh agricultural products, grown either on or off-site, but may include as incidental and accessory to the principal use, the sale of factory sealed or pre-packaged food products and some limited non-food items” (1)

1. (1)   https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/agricultural-market

The 62^nd Issue of FACS focuses on the retail sale side of fresh agricultural products.

Let’s now see the key summaries making the body of this Issue.   

 

Agricultural Products and Regional Value Chains (Page 2 of FACS)

Poor farmers integrating market spaces like regional value chains (RVCs) can boost their capacity.  Unless these chains do not exist for them, if they exist they can be a scope for the development of agricultural products (such as vegetables and fruits).

These regional plans of action can provide them with the following benefits: new niches or opportunities on the African and global markets, the possibility of gaining trade integration, upgrading, adding value to produce, integrating value chain finance, achieving economies of scale and improving presence on the agricultural markets.

Briefly, they will benefit from free trade areas and economies of scale.

 

 

Agriculture Finance for Poverty Relief (Page 3 of FACS)

According to the World Bank in its work on Agriculture Finance and Agriculture Insurance,

 “Agriculture finance empowers poor farmers to increase their wealth and food production to be able to feed 9 billion people by 2050” (2)

The above statement applies to African farmers and their produce as well.  If this is true, then financing agriculture and farm produce in Africa could help small scale farmers to bring into existence market for their produce which is struggling to spread.

If this is the case, there is a need to improve agriculture finance markets to reach remote rural populations and small scale farmers.  Small scale farmers can have access to credit guarantee schemes, matching grants, gender finance and other financial support.

This should be done together with financial instruments to manage and prevent risks for them without forgetting insurance programme.   It is in this context that agriculture finance can eradicate extreme poverty. 

1. (2)  http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/financialsector/brief/agriculture-finance (02/02/2018)

 

Empowering African Poor Farmers and Agricultural Africa-based Sister Organisations (Page 3 of FACS)

Some of our Africa-based Sister Organisations that are involved in sustainable agriculture and farming projects to help local people to reduce poverty need help themselves.  One area of help is to empower them so that they can help themselves and help others.  This empowerment can include many aspects such as finance, skills development, basic infrastructural development support etc. 

Powers include as well the capacity to negotiate agricultural markets and sustain them, to advocate their share of these markets and to make agricultural groups of action they belong to to work for their causes.  Empowering them in this way will enable them to increase the agricultural market share.  

 

Reduction of Poverty in Market Information for Female Agricultural Traders in Africa (Page 4 of FACS)

Where you get your information can determine the way you trade.  Agricultural market information is important input to boost your income generating activity.

Agricultural market information can help female agricultural traders to better source their suppliers, develop their strategy for income generating activity.  Market information can provide some knowledge about competition, awareness on prices, new comers in the market etc.  There are many sources of agricultural market information such as newspapers, radios, TV, trade magazines, marketing intelligence, internet etc.

How female traders get their information.  This could a matter of an investigation.  They may get them from contacts, fellow traders, words of mouth, social media, trade meeting, local press etc.  Does this information reach all of them?  Perhaps, there could be a need to make a new African case study to answer this question.

In the dissemination of agricultural markets information, efforts need to be deployed to make sure that market information reaches all the traders including female ones.  There is a need to improve the delivery mechanism of market information so that female agricultural traders receive it on time so that poverty in communication and market information is reduced.

 

Agricultural Produce and Gender Minorities (Page 4 of FACS)

To eradicate gender-based discrimination towards minorities in the market of agricultural products, there is a need to address gender gaps in agriculture so that female farmers are adequately treated like their male counterparts.  This tackling of gender gaps should be included in the product design and policy making. 

Like in many other sectors, gender inequalities in the agricultural sector exist.  It is sometimes not perceived when it comes to small scale female farmers.  Like there have been efforts to improve women’s earnings and participation in other areas of life, reducing gender inequalities (in access to land, market opportunities and technology) in agriculture can have a knock-on effect on poverty. 

Eradicating gender inequalities for small scale farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs (such as self-employed producers, farmers and non-profit organisation owners) is a good step forward to reducing or ending poverty in the agriculture sector and farm produce.

 

Les fermiers et produits cultivés africains dans les parts des marchés agricoles (Page 5 de FACS)

Pour créer et consolider les marchés agricoles pour les fermiers et les produits cultivés africains, il faut évaluer leurs parts dans les marchés africains et mondiaux.

Quelles sont ces parts? 

Généralement, les fermiers et agriculteurs de petite taille d’activité ne pèsent pas beaucoup dans les négociations agricoles commerciales mondiales et panafricaines.  Il y a plusieurs raisons dans cette faiblesse ou ce poids léger.  L’une de ces faiblesses est qu’ils n’ont pas de forte représentation pour proposer  leur cahier des doléances afin d’arracher des parts des marchés qui leur conviennent. 

Ils ne sont pas par ailleurs forts et suffisamment organisés pour répondre à la compétition parfois déloyale que leur font les grandes chaînes d’exploitation agricoles et de distribution alimentaire, qui les arrachent des parts des marchés et de la clientèle.  Cela concerne aussi bien des marchés panafricains que des marchés nationaux où leur voix n’est pas proprement représentée. Cela veut dire qu’il y a nécessité qu’ils s’organisent et devenir plus parlant de leur cause. 

Tout ce qui est dit ci-haut doit être placé dans la perspective de réduction de la pauvreté.  Car, les gens dont on parle sont des pauvres qui essaient de générer de revenus à travers une activité d’exploitation agricole.  Ainsi, les parts des marchés qu’ils veulent créer et maintenir sont celles de la réduction de la pauvreté.

 

Les prix agricoles qui réduisent la pauvreté et la précarité parmi les fermiers africains (Page 6 de FACS)

Vendre un produit agricole, c’est une chose.  Vendre à des prix qui permettent de couvrir des coûts financiers et dégager une marge financière pour réduire la pauvreté, c’est toute autre chose. 

Les prix dont on parle ne sont pas des prix exorbitants ou astronomiques.  C’est plutôt des prix qui garantissent ou rémunèrent l’existence même du métier de fermiers africains et qui valorisent leurs produits.

Encore une fois, nous parlons des gens ou individus ou encore familles nécessiteux et qui ne veulent rien d’autres que vivre des fruits de leur métier et de la valeur ajoutée de leurs produits.  Ils ne demandent pas de faveur mais un prix rémunérateur qui assure le maintien de leur vie et de leurs produits.  C’est ce prix-là qui leur permettra de réduire la pauvreté et la précarité au sein d’eux.

 

Paperless or e-information in African Agricultural Organisations (Page 7 of FACS)

While the handling of agricultural information and data via papers is still relevant, small scale farmers in Africa will benefit further by developing digital and online skills to cope with the amount of work they have and keep pace with technological evolution. 

This paperless or e-information handling will not only save money on papers, but it will move them closer to other agricultural markets and help them explore online ways of diversifying their customer base, lowering operating costs, accessing online information and support, using electronic payment platform to enhance information access and reduce transaction costs etc.  This is as well good and great for the reduction of deforestation and adverse effects of climate change. 

Briefly speaking, paperless or e-information economy for African agricultural organisations means that they can save on papers, discover new pitches, create and sustain markets.

 

Digital Agriculture and Farming (Page 8 of FACS)

As the science of agriculture develops together with other sciences (like digital science), it is advisable for small scale farmers and the way they produce keep pace with the scientific changing environment.   The digital technology has penetrated all spheres and aspects of life. The agricultural and farming industries are not exempt from this penetration.  While the powers of farmers in knowing land and way of producing crops remain relevant, there is as well a need for them to embrace these technologies, digital agriculture and farming.

What are they?

For the purpose of this Issue, we have selected two definitions to tell what they are.

Digital agriculture is defined as “the use of new and advanced technologies, integrated into one system, to enable farmers and other stakeholders within the agriculture value chain to improve food production” (3)

Digital farming is termed as “applying precision location methods and decision quality agronomic information to illuminate, predict and affect the continuum of cultivation issues across the farm” (4)

Small scale farmers can us these technologies to create and sustain agricultural markets for their farm produce (e.g. climate smart production).

 

(3)  http://breakthrough.unglobalcompact.org/disruptive-technologies/digital-agriculture/ (accessed on 29/12/2018)

(4)  https://www.precisionag.com/system-management/what-is-digital-farming-really/ (accessed on 29/12/2018)

 

Linking Small Scale Farmers and African Markets (Page 9 of FACS)

Each country in Africa has both a comparative and competitive advantage for its agricultural products.  Taking the opportunity of these advantages by linking small scale farmers with African markets and buyers where they may detain a comparative or competitive advantage help to reduce poverty.

They can learn how to sell their farm produce directly to African and international buyers.  In digital and mobile phone worlds, it is possible to do it.  It is even desirable to link small scale farmers and potential African markets for their produce.

 

Overcoming Market Barriers Survey (Page 9 of FACS)

This survey is about agricultural market barriers.

In order to understand the kinds of barriers that voluntary Africa-based organisations working in agricultural sector and looking to access markets for their produce to help reduce poverty, CENFACS is conducting a survey. 

The survey goes beyond the barriers they face by exploring paths for solutions and support.  It will help to capture information and data agricultural markets, get the feeling about participants, get input for needs assessment regarding the solutions to market barriers, shape up policies and improve practice.

This survey is part of CENFACS Zero Hunger Africa campaign.

For further details about this survey and to participate, please contact CENFACS. 

 

Africa Feed Africa with Agriculture (AFAA) Project (Page 10 of FACS)

The AFAA project is a sustainable initiative aiming at reducing food poverty and related issues (malnutrition, undernourishment, sanitation etc.), linked to the lack of food and its unfair distribution in Africa. The project will achieve its aims via agriculture and farming.

Agriculture has always been said to be the mother of priorities when it comes to feeding people and providing for other needs and demands in society in Africa.   Especially for rural populations, agriculture and farming are vital. 

Given the potentials that Africa has in agriculture, it is possible for agriculture to feed Africa and leave no one body hungry or without agricultural food.  And most of Africa’s economies are agriculture-based ones.

Briefly, this is what this project is about. 

For the full project proposals, please contact CENFACS.

For a paper copy and any enquiries regarding the 62nd Issue of FACS, contact CENFACS. 

 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 January 2019

Post No. 74

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• 2019 DRC Appeal

• All in Development e-Discussion Feedback

• Gifts of Peace continue…

 

… and much more!

 

Key Messages from the Week’s Contents

 

2019 DRC Appeal

The first message of the 3^rd post of 2019 is the continuation of the Season of Light with our first appeal regarding what happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2018 and what may happen this year.  This appeal is what we call Appeal for Sustainable Peace, Rebuilding Infrastructures and Lives.  It is also a call for post-war and post-disaster sustainable development in this country.

You can find further details about this appeal under the Main Development section of this post.

 

All in Development e-Discussion Feedback

The week is also of the feedback regarding the findings of our All in Development e-Discussion held from the 5^th of December 2018 to the 5^th of January 2019, with a focus on a New Climate Economy. 

Under the Main Development section of this post, we are sharing with you some of the ideas e-discussed.

 

Gifts of Peace continue…

 

Our Season of Giving through the Gifts of Peace has not yet finished.  We still have 15 days to go until the end of this month. We are making a plea to those who have not yet managed to support to keep these gifts in their mind.  Although the deadline for the Season of Donation for these gifts is 31 January 2019, we will still accept donations after this deadline as there are always pressing needs that desperately request support. 

For further details about these Gifts of Peace and or to support, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/   

We look forward to your support.  Thank you!

 

Extra Messages

 

Review of blog readers’ comments and CENFACS’ responses.

This is more than just a review.  We are going to tell you what blog readers of CENFACS’ Website said.  We are as well going to respond to their comments. 

We thank and value all the comments readers do make.  However, for the purpose of this review and responses to readers, we have selected two comments only.  Due to new data protection regulations, the identities of these readers will not be revealed.

First reader’s comment

The first reader made some comments regarding the Review of 2018 in pictures and images we presented about CENFACS’ work.  This reader’s comments were that we gave preference to pictures or images for the review rather than writing or literature.

CENFACS’ response to this first reader

We would like to thank this reader for the comments made and their readership.  We would like as well to say this.  By presenting pictures and images about what year 2018 was like at CENFACS, we did not blow away our writing neither our review message.  It is pointless to stress that images and pictures convey as well messages of poverty, poverty relief and sustainable development.   Also, we do not let pictures and images speak for themselves.  We always tell the story behind them.

Second reader’s comment

The second reader expressed some views that we repeat stuff on our blog and posts.

CENFACS’ response to the second reader

Again, we would like to say thank you for the valuable comments made.

We would like as well to stress that in the work we do there is a chain of events and activities.  We have a programme and a calendar of works.  There is a link between what we did, we do and we will do. What you may call repetitions could just be reviews.  We do regular reviews on our projects and programmes.  We do not need to wait the end of the financial or civil year in order to do a review. 

We want our readers and supporters to be able to follow us through and understand the way in which we work.   It is in this way you would well understand what we are trying to achieve as an organisation.  We cannot throw away our history, just because we are writing or working on something new.

We hope the above responses will satisfy the above readers.   

However, should they need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.  

Many thanks!

 

Main Developments from the Week’s Contents

•• 2018 DRC Appeals in Review

In 2018, we launched three appeals for the DRC.

Two appeals were carried out under our Light Appeal projects (addressing the two problems faced by the victims of armed conflicts and destructive natural disasters).  The first appeal focused on the support of Conflict Victims while the second appeal backed the Flood Victims. 

Under CENFACS’ Humanitarian Disaster Relief programme (which is Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives), we launched a health-enhancing emergency appeal regarding the Ebola virus there.

Appeals under the Light Projects

The first wave of Winter 2018 DRC Appeal was about Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Hardest Hit People in the DRC by Continuing Armed Conflicts and Unfinished Business of Peaceful Transition to Political Democratisation Processes.

Since there was a repeat of fights between the conflicting sides together with the flooding situation which occurred there, we appealed to you again to do something new to the complex humanitarian and democratically disputed political circumstances of the DRC. 

 

Our appeal was about supporting the ordinary local poor Congolese people who were caught in a political process they did not control, process which made their lives miserable since it began in the mid-1990s. 

 

We Lighted a Blaze of Hope for Poverty Relief and Development so that the local Congolese people in DRC could turn their two decades and half of suffering into a future of hope, peaceful and sustainable development. 

We advocated and hoped that the wisdom would prevail from the mindsets of all involved parties so that the lives of vulnerable and poor DRC local people could be protected while this process was still going through until it finishes peacefully. 

 

The second part of DRC Appeal was about Lighting a Blaze of Hope for the Flood Victims there.  Since 2017 until this January 2018, DRC was badly flooded particularly in the North Kivu and Kinshasa to name just two of the flooded areas there.    

 

There had been a great number of homes swiped by heavy rains, collapsing walls and landslides, exacerbation of diseases with 55000 cases recorded of cholera and 1190 deaths from cholera. 

Adding to this pitiable picture, there were poor sanitation and lack of access to safe drinking water, poor infrastructure and flooded roads with rainfall etc.  The number of deaths from flooding continued to increase.

This difficult environmental health situation was happening at the time when the same country was confronted with armed conflicts over its democratic transition processes.  The conflicting situation had already made the local Congolese people to pay a heavy price. 

 

Our appeal was all about going beyond the big picture of humanitarian relief aid and military intervention by doing little things such as Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope for those who were in a desperate situation and had a pressing need there.

 

Briefly, because of the greater need that arose from the current grave situation in the DRC, CENFACS appealed to the world of peace, to you to support its Wintry 2018 call of LIGHTING A BLAZE OF HOPE FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN DRC.

 

Appeal under the RILIVES programme: End Ebola in DRC Appeal

End Ebola in DRC Appeal was health-enhancing emergency appeal aimed at helping to end the Ebola virus which re-appeared in 2018 in some parts of the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC), particularly in the region of Mbandaka and in the capital Kinshasa. 

Ebola virus, which was discovered in 1976 in DRC, is a very deadly in its nature causing hemorrhagic fever and other health killing effects (such as vomiting, diarrhea etc.).  It does cause a severely critical risk to public health as it can lead to a chain of infections.  Ebola outbreak caused some fatalities that time.    

Because of the ferocity of this virus and the collapse of both infrastructures and State in DRC, there was a great and pressing need to make sure that the Ebola virus would not be forgotten before it spread across Africa or struck again in the future anywhere else.  

We then advocated that every effort to be deployed to stop it before the deadly Ebola virus became an epidemic.

We thank those who responded to the above three appeals and are helping the peoples of DRC to have peace and hope.

  

• • 2019 DRC Appeal for Sustainable Peace, Rebuilding Infrastructures and Lives 

What the 2019 DRC Appeal is about

This January 2019 Light Appeal for the DRC is the continuation of the 2018 appeals and previous ones.  We are currently appealing to the international development community for something to be done to peacefully resolve the legacies of the still fragile situations of previous armed conflicts, of repetitive natural disasters and of the side effects of the Ebola virus in DRC. 

It is also about appealing to all the players and vested interests in the DRC’s current disputed elections (presidential and parliamentarian) to resolve their disputes over the electoral process peacefully and democratically.  

This appeal is both a post-war and post-disaster development as there is a pressing need from the ordinary populations who continue to enormously suffer from these previous events.  It is time to start thinking and awakening in terms of transitional development programme, sustainable peace and re-building infrastructures.

What the main focus of this appeal

We are particularly appealing for the current political process through the means of election (which just happened) to bring sustainable peace rather than endless disagreement with all the unthinkable terrible consequences this can lead to.

We hope that the competing sides of this long overdue democratic transfer of power will come to an agreement, the wish of the ordinary peoples will be respected, the integrity of the electoral process will be preserved and the rule of law will prevail. 

To whom this appeal is addressed to

We are both appealing to the development community from within the DRC itself and to the development community from outside to help bring sustainable peace and reconstruction of infrastructures destroyed by continuing armed conflicts and natural disasters. 

As we always argue that it is those little things one can do that can bring big helpful difference to the lives of those who are suffering from the above situation.  These little things could include just talking to those who have the keys or powers on what is happening on the grounds.

What outcome or long term change we expect from this appeal: a State for People

2019 should be a turning point with this first democratic election for the DRC since the post independence era; a turning point as we are moving into a new decade – the 2020s.  A new chapter from which one can hope that the new form of State, if any, that will emerge from this democratic change will be the State serving the poor, not itself. 

Using the underlying principles of our Light Appeal, one can say a New State that will provide the sound foundations for sustainable peace to begin and for destroyed infrastructures by natural disasters (unpredicted and planned disasters) to be tackled.

What you can do to help

There are many ways of helping; however if you decide to join the 2019 DRC Appeal, together we can undertake the following actions.

● You could INFLUENCE people both around and not around you to help those who have been still affected by the legacies of war, natural disaster, deadly virus and deadlock of the outcomes of the recent election in the DRC.

● You could CHOOSE your own way of helping and let CENFACS facilitates your help reaches out to the victims of the situation in DRC

● You could SUPPORT CENFACS to support the people and Africa-based Sister Organisations in need on the grounds and working on these issues

What CENFACS want you to do

CENFACS would like to appeal to you to undertake any of the following actions by supporting

● The Overseas development charities campaigning and working for the victims of wars, natural disasters, democratic transition and Ebola virus in Africa

● CENFACS’ Appeal for the victims of the situation in DRC

● CENFACS to support its Africa-based sister organisations and other organisations working on the grounds in Africa for rebuilding peace, infrastructures, democracy and healthcare

● A comprehensive strategy for rebuilding peace and infrastructures in Africa to prevent future conflicts, natural disasters and the eruption of deadly virus

● CENFACS’ New Transitional Development Programme that moves Africa-based Sister Organisations (organisations based in countries that long experienced destructive wars and natural disasters) from being subject to emergency relief programme to become organisations enjoying  a normal sustainable development programme

● CENFACS’ Humanitarian Disaster Relief programme (Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives)

 

How we can communicate to deliver this Appeal

For support relating to

● Overseas development charities and non-governmental organisations, contact them individually

● CENFACS’ sister organisations, speak to CENFACS

● CENFACS, contact us and/or send your support to CENFACS.

 

Thank you for your support!

 

• • All in Development Winter e-Discussion (2018-2019): Volunteering for a New Climate Economy – Feedback

This is a summary of responses and reactions to the last All in Development Winter e-Discussion which was held between 05 December 2018 and 05 January 2019.  The feedback focused on Volunteering for a New Climate Economy.

The key contents of this e-discussion are as follows.

We welcome the buoyant views and comments expressed about the changing roles of volunteers at all levels of our organisation and the charity sector.

The evolving roles include all types of functions that individuals involved in giving their time for free whether they are from within the organisation (like members) or coming from outside to volunteer. 

As far as volunteering for the new climate economy is concerned, the latter requires an understanding of what it can provide for everybody.  Like any economy, this economy requires people to adapt and sometimes to rethink and change their way of producing, consuming and distributing goods and services.  This why there is a need to volunteer for such an economy. 

One of the understanding things this e-discussion has revealed is how to involve volunteers in some particular tasks such as street fundraising and home fundraising using for example online and digital technologies.   People volunteering from their own homes using their own devices (such as mobile phones, tablets etc.) to carry out voluntary tasks. 

Questions were raised regarding the way of overseeing and monitoring this kind of way of volunteering.

This may require setting up some boundaries or guidelines in the forms of policies with the inclusion of methods and techniques of referencing (such as credit score and report, criminal record checks etc.). 

However, this can raise the issue of costs compared to the level or amount of the tasks the volunteer would undertake.

To sum up, in a changing role of volunteers and in evolving economic world volunteers have their place to make the change that is needed in the lives of those in pressing needs.

We would like to thank everybody for their inputs that will help to improve our volunteering policy and practice while adjusting and developing our All in Development Volunteer scheme.

 

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 January 2019

Post No. 73

 

 

 

The Week’s Contents

  

• What is new this Year

• The Season of Light continues …

 • Light Projects: Post-War and Post-Disaster Appeals

 

 

… and much more! 

 

 

Key Messages from this Week’s Contents

  

What is new this Year

 

There is the 2019 Climate Talks Follow-up.

⇒ 2019 Climate Talks Follow-up

At the end of 2018, we told you that there was a consensus within CENFACS so that our Climate Talks Follow-up project gets to the next level from 2019. 

The next follow-up will be on Taking Climate Protection and Stake for African Children at the Implementation Level.  It is the Phase 3 of our Climate Talks Follow-up project.  Phase 1 was the First African Children Generation of the Millennium Development Goals and the Climate State, while Phase 2 was Climate Protection and Stake for African Children.

The details of this new follow-up will be unveiled in due course.  

 

 

There are as well two big events this year at CENFACS which are: the end of CENFACS’ Twenty-tens programme and CENFACS’ Quadranscentennial Year (the “Q” Year)

 

⇒ The end of the Twenty-tens (2010s) programme

 

2019 is the year end of CENFACS’ 2010s Poverty Relief Programme, which has been our 10 year work plan that began on 1 January 2010 and will end on 31 December 2019.  In 2017, we conducted an evaluation, review, survey of this programme.  As a result, we upgraded it.

 

As we will be moving into a new decade in 2020, we are starting some rounds of reflections and conversions about the next programme of our poverty relief work. 

From March 2019, we shall conduct another review and discussion on the 2010s’ record and look at prospects.  These rounds of discussions, thoughts and consultations with CENFACS’ stakeholders will enable to shape up the future of our poverty relief work. 

We hope that by the end of this year, we will be able set up another programme, the Twenty-twenties (2020s).

 

⇒ 2019 as Quadranscentennial Year (the “Q” Year) for CENFACS

 

Each year, we try to find the best way to meet the needs of our project beneficiaries while remembering some of the key works we did with them and exploring innovative ways to re-engage with stake holders.  We do it by dedicating the year to a particular memorable theme.  As result, 2019 has been declared as the Quadranscentennial Year for CENFACS.

 

This dedication makes another new development this year, which is the 25^th anniversary of the concept of CENFACS. This year will be the 25^th anniversary since CENFACS was created.  It is the Quadranscentennial Year for CENFACS or the “Q” Year (1994 to 2019).  It is the year we are starting to talk about Generation CENFACS as a period of 25 years for CENFACS as a sustainable creation alongside with other creations we made with it.  We are working on the best possible ways to celebrate this Silver Jubilee of CENFACS as a quadranscentennial creation. 

 

Again, the details of this celebration will be released in due course.

 

 

 

What’s on this Season of Light

 

Our Season of Light continues with the Light Projects, as indicated on the above projects and programmes planner scheduled for January, February and March 2019.

 

To put our Season of Light into practice, there will be two waves of advocacy work to support the victims of armed conflicts and destructive natural disasters in Africa. 

 

The first wave of action will be on the past, the legacies of the very latest disaster and war events which have left people hungry in some parts of Africa (this is our Africa Post-War and Post-Disaster Appeals).  We shall as well appeal to reduce the impacts of these events and crises on agriculture and food security.

 

The second wave of action will be on advocating for support for the victims of the current and emerging armed conflicts and destructive natural disasters in Africa.  

 

Because the nature of the events these appeals are dealing with, we may change the gear to take into account of the unpredictability of these events.

 

What’s new to this year’s Season of Light

 

We are introducing a new dimension to our Digital and Social Media Campaign; dimension which will focus on IT and Online Security. 

 

As said above, we have two new events coming up this year which are: Review and Prospects about the 2010s programme and this Year’s Dedication as the Quadranscentennial Year (or the “Q” Year).

 

Other initiatives making the 2019 Season of Light

 

Generation Global Goals project is an online discussion regarding the impacts of the global goals on children.  It will be conducted under CENFACS be-Africa forum.

 

 

Our January month theme of Responsible Consumption under Consume to Reduce Poverty (CRP) and Climate Change project continues as well.    

This year’s 7^th issue of CRP will focus on Anti-pollution Consumption

 

Another feature of the current Season of Light is the continuing implementation of the project ABCD (Adaptation for Building Capacity and Development), project that enables us to get our mindsets, skills and capacities ready while the on-going negotiations regarding the process of UK exiting (or not exiting) the European Union are underway.

 

Briefly speaking, the above 2019 Projects and Programmes of the Season of Light are Top Quality Reliefs for those in need.  They are made with a selection of hard to find poverty relief products and services as 2019 kicks in.

 

 

 

Extra Messages from this Week’s Contents

 

The Season of Giving continues with SHOPPING and DONATIONS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/shop/

 

Every season or every month is an opportunity to do something against poverty and hardships.  January is too a good and great month of the year to do it.

 

You can donate or recycle your unwanted and unneeded goods gifts you received over the festive days to CENFACS’ Charity e-Store, the shop built to help relieve poverty and hardships. 

 

You can as well buy second hand goods and bargain priced new items and much more. 

 

CENFACS’ Charity e-Store needs your support for SHOPPING and GOODS DONATIONS.

 

You can do something different this Season of Goods Donations by SHOPPING or DONATING GOODS at CENFACS Charity e-Store. 

 

You can DONATE or SHOP or do both:

 

√ DONATE unwanted Festive GOODS GIFTS and PRODUCTS to CENFACS Charity e-Store this January and Winter

 

√ SHOP at CENFACS Charity e-Store to support good and deserving causes of poverty relief this January and Winter.

 

Your SHOPPING and or GOODS DONATIONS will help to the Upkeep of the Nature and to reduce poverty and hardships.

 

This is what the Season of Giving is all about.

 

 

Key Messages from the Week’s Contents

 

 

• • Light Projects in 2019

 

This Winter 2019, our Lights projects will focus on two parts or two waves of action as said above: 

1/ post-war and post-natural disaster developments

2/ current and emerging armed conflicts and environmental catastrophes

 

A Blaze of Hope for post-life following armed conflicts and natural disasters

 

When there are environmental disasters and armed conflicts, there are pledges and commitments to end the effects of wars and disasters.  For various reasons, some of these pledges do not materialise.  The post-war and post-disaster developments are sometimes left without support until the conflicts and disasters return and or strike again.  

 

As we cannot wait the return or repeat of the same wars and disasters, our first Blaze of Hope (Post-life Blaze of Hope) will go this Winter to the unfinished business of previous destructive wars and natural disasters as we did last Winter – the Post-War and Post-Disaster Appeal.

 

A Blaze of Hope for the eruption of any armed conflicts and natural disasters

 

We always advocate for preventive development and we do not seek for destructive events to happen.  However, our preparedness and readiness make us to assemble as quickly as possible advocacy tools should any effects and impacts erupt from unpredictable wars and natural disasters in Africa. 

 

So, our second wave of intervention or In-life Blaze of Hope will go this Winter to erupted effects of armed conflicts and natural disasters in the areas of our interest in Africa.  This is our Appeal related to Live Conflicts and Disasters. 

 

The Details of this second appeal will be released as events appear and unfold. 

 

With these two waves of action over this Wintry Season, we hope to enlighten the lives of those in need.

 

CENFACS look forward to your support to deliver these Wintry Appeals.

 

 

• • Digital and Social Media Campaign

 

IT (Information Technology) and Online Security to Reduce Poverty

 

This campaign is part of our Digital and New Media Programmes.  It is the continuation of our work on the Role of Mobile Phone in Reducing Poverty and Hardships amongst Women and Children; work which we conducted last year.

 

IT and Online Security is not anymore a matter of security experts only.  Anyone handling IT equipment and using online services needs to have basic (not necessarily expert one) knowledge and skills to protect themselves and other vulnerable people (such as children) and do their work. 

 

The IT and Online Security is a digital social media campaign to help protect vulnerable and poor people and families using IT and online technologies against various types of online threats and digital risks (such as scams and illegal and malicious practices). The campaign includes the use the e-safety tools and advice.

 

For further details and to support this Digital and Social Media Campaign, contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • Consume To Reduce Poverty and Climate Change

 

Issue 2019: Anti-pollution Consumption

 

Key highlights, Tips & Hints

 

What is Anti-pollution Consumption

The 7^th Issue of CRP is dealing with the process of using resources to satisfy human wants and needs in making sure that products and services bought are the ones that are free from harming health, wildlife, the nature and environment.

 

It means that before consuming, care must be taken to check and avoid products and services that contaminate or pollute water and air; sources of energy that encourage the excessive burning of fossil fuels (such as oil, coal and natural gas), cosmetic products that contain polluting agents.

 

Anti-pollution Shopping Basket

Using the internet, e-mail, social networks and other communication technologies; it is possible to get enough information about products and services that reduce pollution and poverty at the same time.  It is as well possible to find resources and websites that compare these kinds of products, services and prices.  

 

Anti-pollution Consumption and Poverty Reduction

Individual and family strategies of reducing the state of having little or no money or even no material possessions are not incompatible with anti-pollution consumption.  Individuals and families (including the poor ones) can consume products and services that are free from pollution.  People and families can leapfrog poverty reduction to anti-pollution consumption.

 

Anti-pollution Consumption and Circular Economic Model

Embracing the recipes of the economic model that decouples (bad) exploitation of natural resources and the desire to meet human needs and wants (circular economy), can help improve consumer behaviour against pollution.

 

Anti-pollution Consumption and the New Climate Economy

The process of using anti-polluting resources to satisfy human wants and needs can goes hand in hand with an organised system for the production, distribution and use of goods and services that takes into account the changing weather conditions.  In other words, consuming anti-polluting products and resources can help reduce adverse climate change.  A New Climate Economy can bring new climate educational opportunities, economic savings and improved well-being for the poor.  These attributes of the New Climate Economy can help them consume anti-pollution goods and services. 

 

Anti-pollution products verification, identity and authenticity

It is a good idea for any consumer rich or poor to check anti-pollution features on their buys and other specifications and read other people’s testimonies, reviews or comments about it.  Also, one needs to be sure that the anti-pollution message advertised and marketing match products results and tests, and customer’s satisfaction. 

 

Security and Guarantee 

When buying anti-pollution products and services (whether using online or physical store), one needs check, compare and contrast products, terms and conditions of business, buying terms, prices etc.  There is a need to check as well guarantees and safety policies against pollution.

 

If you are buying online, before you sign up, add to your anti-pollution shopping basket and purchase an item; you need to read, discuss and check what you are agreeing on.  You may even take more precautions when selecting items, filling up buying forms to enter your personal, financial information and sensitive details. 

 

You should also be aware of scams and illegal and malicious practices.  For own online security, use the e-safety tools and advice.

 

To support Responsible Consumption and get the full issue 2019 of Consume to Reduce Poverty and Climate Change, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

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 January 2019

Post No. 72 

 

 

 

 

 

The New Year’s Week Contents

 

• Review 2018 

• Consumption that Reduces Poverty and Enhances Sustainable Development in 2019 

• The Next Issue of FACS: The 62^nd Issue

 

… and much more!

 

Key Messages from the New Year’s Week Contents

 

New Year, New Hope & New Relief

 

Again, Happy New Year and welcome back to Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development in 2019 and the Years ahead!

 

2018 in Review 

At the start of the year, the recurring question one can ask is: what is the best way to start the year?  There is no a classic answer to this question. 

Perhaps, the best way to start the year with CENFACS is look at what happened the previous year, that in 2018.  Possibly, we may or may not learn something about it.  But, it is still worth reviewing 2018.  This is our 2018 in Review.

2018 in Review is given under the Main Development of this post

 

Consumption that Reduces Poverty and Enhances Sustainable Development in 2019

 

As we are already in January, this month is our month for Responsible Consumption following CENFACS development calendar.  It means that the theme for January is Sustainable Consumption and the monthly project carrying this theme is Consume to Reduce Poverty.   

It is the month we act against consumption-based poverty and we deal with measures of poverty through consumption.  It is also an opportunity to act to preserve a good relationship between the way and products we consume and the reduction of climate change.  In particular, January is a climate reminder month as it is the month in which we raise awareness of the relationships between humans and the nature through sustainable consumption; that is consumption that does not destroy the nature.

Consume to Reduce Poverty (CRP) is our users’ New Year supporting information and accompanying booster that focuses on Buying and Consumption elements conducive to the reduction of poverty and hardship.  It is indeed a complimentary support to our Autumn Festive Income Boost resource.

The Festive Income Boost is an income-generating resource while CRP brings in a consumption-led look in our fight against poverty.  The next issue (issue no. 7) of CRP will be on Consumption that pollutes less the nature.

 

For further details about CRP project, go to http://cenfacs.org.uk/services-activities/

 

The UK Economy in the Post-2018 Era and Africa in 2019 

Much of what we do depends on the health of the UK economy and its direction.  This year, if we are allowed to say it, the UK economy is still at the crossroads between exiting the European Union, remaining in this Union and engaging in a third way to leave the island of the crossroads.  Whatever these three options may be, the truth is the UK economy is in the transitional phase of Post-European Economic Integration; what we called Post-Regional Economic Integration Era.  

To take into account the circumstances in which the UK is in and the probable effects of its positioning on work, our ABCD project will be the sustainable development initiative that will help us to deal with some of the unpredictable situations of this era, at least for the start of the year 2019.

A great deal of our work is as well linked to what is happening and may happen in Africa.  2019 is the electoral and electioneering year in more than 10 African countries.  These elections resurface the debate about the relationships between political democratisation and poverty reduction or between political democratisation and sustainable development. 

As such we need to look at beyond our lenses and sometimes to speculate about the future or simply the months or years ahead.  This is why we have identified some challenging trends for a better change in Africa in 2019, the Nine Challenges That Africa Faces In 2019 To Change.  We have brought these challenges under the same pot, what we call Africa in 2019.

 

 

Main Development from the New Year’s Week Contents

 

• • CENFACS’ 2018 Year in Review

 

CENFACS’ Year in Review tells a story of poverty relief and sustainable development in 2018 in pictures in monthly development calendar.

2018 started at CENFACS as a dedication to the Local People or a Local Year.  To effect the year, we conducted a Local Campaign Year.

Looking back at the images of poverty relief and sustainable development that shaped 2018 at CENFACS, we are pleased to present them to you as follows.

The above review in pictures shines a light into CENFACS’ work over the last twelve months from the 1st of January to the 31^st of December 2018.  It is presented to you as an informal summary of twelve voted images or pictures that made 2018.  The selected images and pictures are the ones that had the most votes in terms of their influence on work and activities.   

We cannot end this review without thanking all those who helped us to achieve what we managed to achieve.  

To all our supporters, we simply say thank you very much and wish you a very Happy New Year!

 

Looking ahead to 2019, we hope we will able to continue to develop sustainable initiatives to help reduce poverty and enhance  sustainable development in the UK and in Africa.  Projects and programmes of transition to circular and new climate economies are our carriers in this New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

Consume to Reduce Poverty (CRP) is our users’ New Year supporting information and accompanying booster that focuses on Buying and Consumption elements conducive to the reduction of poverty and hardships. It is indeed a complimentary support to our Autumn Festive Income Boost resource.  The Festive Income Boost is an income-generating resource while CRP brings in a consumption-led look in our fight against poverty.  The next issue (issue no. 7) of CRP, which will be on Anti-pollution Consumption, will expand on this.

 

For further details about CRP project, go to  http://cenfacs.org.uk/services-activities/

 

  

• • Abstract of the Issue no. 62 of FACS, issue entitled: 

HOW TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN AGRICULTURAL MARKETS FOR AFRICAN SMALL SCALE FARMERS AND FARM PRODUCE IN 2019 AND BEYOND

Agriculture remains central for poverty relief and sustainable development in Africa.  Within the agricultural sector, African small scale farmers and farm produce are pivotal.  However, these farmers and their produce experience many problems if one does not want to say barriers.  The issues impeding their growth include the following: the lack of market facilities, deficiency of key support to poor farmers, the absence of genuine incentive regulations etc.

The above stated issues fall within the background of the need to improve market facilities and infrastructures for Africa’s small scale farmers and farm produce.  It is the need to create and sustain agricultural markets for them.  However, creating and sustaining agricultural markets is not end itself unless someone talk about improving people’s life, especially the poorest of them.  In this respect, creation and sustaining agricultural markets finds its foundation in the necessity, if not a compulsion, to reduce and end poverty as well as enhance sustainable development.  

Yet, these above lacks leave less scope for CENFACS’ Africa-based Sister Organisations compared to their need of trying to set up and implement agricultural sustainable initiatives to tackle poverty and hardships; including agricultural income-generating projects and programmes.  The problem of agricultural markets is not made easier by the big agro-industrial multinational corporations that tend to control the agricultural markets marginalising small farmers. 

Creating and sustaining agricultural markets is paramount in the fight against poverty and hardships.  It helps poor small scale farmers to seize opportunities in the African and global markets, to integrate and benefit from free trade areas, to upgrade and add value to their produce.  It finally provides them with ways of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.

This is the abstract of the 62nd Issue of FACS, CENFACS’ bilingual newsletter.  The Issue will cover the following thematically poverty relieving areas:  agricultural finances for poverty relief, female farmer entrepreneurs, trade and market information for female agricultural traders, informal cross-border agricultural traders, agricultural products and regional value chains, connection between buyers and sellers of agricultural products, agricultural products and gender minorities, African poor farmers in imperfect competition markets, paperless or e-information in the agricultural sector, digital agriculture and farming, empowering African poor farmers and Africa-based Sister Organisations, les fermiers et produits cultivés africains dans les parts des marchés agricoles, and Africa feed Africa with Agriculture project.

To enquire or to get further details about this 62nd Issue of FACS, contact CENFACS. 

 

• • Africa in 2019

 

Nine Developments to look forward to in 2019 for Poverty Relief and Development in Africa

At the beginning of the year, the byzantine question which comes every year is how to start better and do better during the New Year from what we have been doing/taking as a course of actions to deal with a particular problem (for example poverty). 

 

How to start and do better means that there may some challenges that we need to find.  There are many challenges that Africa faces which each institution and or person can identify. 

 

We have selected nine areas in which we think that, if properly dealt with, there could a better change for those in need.   These are areas to watch for poverty relief and sustainable development in Africa. 

 

We do not assume these selected challenges are the most important. 

 

They include the following.

 

Fair share of the fruits of economic growth

It does not matter how small or big the economic growth is.  What is important is that the fruits of economic growth are shared or distributed fairly or equitably.  In particular, its share to reduce poverty needs to be enough in order to bring about the results expected from any poverty reduction policy or programme.

Bringing better change in Africa in 2019 means that improving the share of poverty reduction as part of the fruits of economic growth to be distributed.

Development 1: How to improve the share of poverty reduction as part of the fruits of economic growth in Africa.

 

2019 African Elections

Democratic elections are often said to be the answer to many of the problems that Africa faces.  In 2019, there will be elections in dozen of African countries.  One can hope that the outcomes of these elections and those who will be elected will be the real servant of the poor.

What is true is that 2019 will be another milestone for better political change for those countries which will go to polls; change that one can expect to translate into poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Development 2: The 2019 elected African leaders to be the servant of the poor people

 

Institutions of poverty relief and sustainable development

Having institutions that effectively and efficiently deal with poverty reduction and sustainable development really matter.  Many institutions in Africa claim to be democratic and working for people.  But, do they really deal with poverty and sustainable development of the poor as they claim?

The democratic test of these institutions in 2019 is to see how they will impact poverty and sustainable development.

Development 3: Making African institutions work for poor and sustainable development

 

Conflicts reduction

All the development analysts and practitioners recognize that conflict is one the major factors holding Africa’s progress back for many decades if not centuries.  Armed conflicts and wars have claimed many lives, destroyed infrastructures and wasted time for Africa’s sustainable development. 

2019 should be of armed conflicts reduction, if not end, as any policies and programmes for poverty relief and sustainable development can only genuinely be implemented in the context of peace and security. 

Development 4: The reduction of armed conflicts to become effective on the grounds

 

Women entrepreneurs

Recognising the value of women’s contribution in Africa’s society should not be only a matter of political speeches and academic discourses.  Amongst women are those other women who try to set up a business or already in business not only to make ends meet for themselves, but to lift others (i.e. the entire family or society) out of poverty.

2019 should be the year of valuing the work of women entrepreneurs in Africa, of funding their businesses.     

Development 5: Funding businesses run by African women

 

Energy transition

To reduce the adverse effects and impacts of climate change, we all require doing something.  One of the things we need to do is to try rethinking or transiting in the way we consume energy.  Africa too needs to do its own energy transition in 2019 and beyond in order to reduce deforestation and land degradation.  As the circular economic theory tells us no one needs to destroy vast amount of forests, the nature and environment to deal with poverty.

2019 can be a challenging year for energy transition in Africa in finding sustainable way of consuming energy while still keeping pace with poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Development 6: Transiting to sustainable sources of energy

 

Climate education

Making a new climate economy works for all means that children as well as adult are educated to such an extent that they can embrace that new climate economy.  So, educating children and training adult people regarding climate issues in Africa will help not only to deal with climate change.  It will as well create new opportunities for the poor.

Developing climate skills in Africa in 2019 will help both to tackle the adverse effects and impacts of climate change and climate induced-poverty.

Development 7: Developing climate skills and reducing climate-induced poverty

 

Climate migrants

Migration continues to be a burning issue in Africa and elsewhere as environmental disasters and climate events continue to strike in Africa and elsewhere.  The consequences of these events are that people get forcibly displaced and involuntarily migrated.  Since sometimes, there has been a new trend or phenomenon of migration in Africa; that is climate migration within Africa.

2019 could be the year of seriously taking this emerging phenomenon of migration because of adverse climate change.

Development 8: Reduce the root causes of climate migration and support climate migrants

 

Climate finance

It is good to argue to reduce climate change.  It should be good as well for those countries and people who could not afford to finance adverse climate change reduction programme to be supported.  For the purpose of climate finance to the poor, CENFACS’ Financial Odyssey is a starting point about climate finance debate.       

2019 should also be of mobilising finance for those who cannot bear the cost or bill of adverse climate change reduction in Africa.

Development 9: Meeting the climate finance needs of Africa’s poor and vulnerable people

 

 

We would like ask to our readers-supporters to watch and monitor those selected developments in this 2019 and beyond. 

 

As far as CENFACS is concerned, we will do what we can and it takes us in our capacity and limitations to continue to work with those who are interested in and willing to reduce and end poverty so that 2019 can be a year of improved outcomes of poverty reduction both in quality and quantity of intervention.

 

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

With many thanks