Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

28 June 2023

 

Post No. 306

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Season of Happiness 2023 in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: Appeals to Triumph the Battle against Humanitarian Crises (from Week Beginning Monday 26/06/2023)

• The Victims of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Forgotten Crisis Need your Influence

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Season of Happiness 2023 in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn

 

2023 Season of Happiness or Life Satisfaction will be passed in the conditions of weak economic upturn following the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster and the continuing cost-of-living crisis.  These conditions are those described by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in its Economic Outlook of June 2023.  According to the OECD (1),

“The global economy is showing signs of improvement but the upturn remains weak, amid significant downside risks… However, core inflation is proving persistent and the impact of higher interest rates is increasingly being felt across the economy”.

For example, in the UK the base interest rate is now 5% while the UK’s annual inflation rate currently sits at 8.7% (2).

Because we are all part of the global economy these economic conditions affect all of us with variation or differentiation.  In those circumstances, how can we, especially our users or beneficiaries, find happiness in the context of weak economic upturn?

 

• • Working with users to find happiness during this Summer 2023

 

During this Season of Happiness, we shall work with users to help them find out what can satisfy their lives during this frail upward of the economy.  Our work with them will be about implementing existing initiatives while developing new ones that can make them happy or satisfy their lives.

So, our Season of Happiness or Summer of Happiness will be about the following three items:

 

1) How the CENFACS Community can spread happiness between its members to narrow the gap in happiness inequalities

2) How best to help those most in need within the CENFACS Community to feel happy, to achieve successful outcomes despite the current and underlying cost-of-living crisis

3) How to create and innovate happiness-enhancing activities and projects to reduce poverty linked to the lack of happiness.

 

Although happiness is about the interplay between gene and environment, it is possible to help the members of CENFACS Community to find happiness cure, become happy and feel well.  It is possible to help them overcome inequalities in happiness and achieve well-being.

To do that, we are going to consider what the science of happiness tells us.  We shall as well approach happiness as both an independent and interdependent concept.  In other words, happiness could be a personal or subjective experience for any member of our community.  Happiness can also be a collective participation for any of these members as belonging to a community, the CENFACS Community.  It is in this interaction between happiness as individual practice and happiness as collective experience that they can find their true balance or harmony.

To sum up, during this 2023 Season of Happiness we are going to work with our users so that they can have aspects of their life in balance and feel at peace with their life despite the feeble economic revival.  The above is the way in which we would like to approach our 2023 Season of Happiness or Summer of Happiness.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further details including the projects and programmes making the 2023 Season of Happiness.

 

 

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: Appeals to Triumph the Battle against Humanitarian Crises (from Week Beginning Monday 26/06/2023)

 

Creating and innovating to win the battle against crises as the theme of 2023 Creative Economic Development Month continues this week.  We are dealing with appeals to triumph the battle against humanitarian crises.   The appeals could be our responses to the following:

 

∝ Short-term environmental strikes and crises

∝ Short-term armed conflicts and disputes

∝ Disasters linked to climate change cycles

∝ Wars linked to economic trends and business cycles 

∝ Long-term environmental storms and catastrophes

∝ Long-running and permanent wars and structural warfare.

 

So, creations and innovations to triumph the battle against humanitarian crises are part of the rebuilding projects or processes in the context of Rebuilding Africa programme by CENFACS.  One of the creations we made this year is how to use influence as a donation in humanitarian field instead of money to change the lives of those seeking or needing humanitarian relief.

In order to treat the above-mentioned creations and innovations, we are going to proceed with the following:

 

∝ Understanding the meaning of humanitarian crisis and appeal

∝ What we can do to triumph the battle against humanitarian crises

∝ Providing an example of humanitarian appeal made by CENFACS.

 

Let us briefly explain these proceedings.

 

• • Basic understanding of humanitarian crisis and appeal

 

Regarding humanitarian crisis, ‘concern.org.uk’ (3) explains that there is no universal definition of humanitarian crisis; and the terms ‘humanitarian crises’ and ‘humanitarian emergency’ are often used interchangeably.  The same ‘concern.org.uk’ argues that

“A humanitarian crisis is defined as an event or series of events that represents a critical threat to the health, safety, security or wellbeing of a community or other large group of people, usually over a wide area”.

As to humanitarian appeal, the Centre for Policy Research of the United Nations University (4), states that

“A humanitarian appeal is supposed to identify top priorities under time pressure, and ensure that these are met.  Ideally, it functions as a triage process that makes the difficult decisions about what is most urgent – education or water, this camp or this group of migrant herders – all in the face of limited resources”.

In this activity about making an appeal to triumph the battle against crises linked to humanitarian catastrophe (that is, a great disaster or geological event causing destruction an loss of life), we are going to identify top priorities for those in need who are under pressure.

 

• • What we can do to triumph the battle against humanitarian crises

 

As suggested by the Centre for Policy Research of the United Nations University (op. cit.), in order to triumph the battle against humanitarian crises we are going to work with those impacted by humanitarian crises and those who can support them to find ways of

~ bridging the gaps between the requests from the impacted by catastrophe-led crises and supporters’ funding

~ developing a crisis and resilience plans between 1 to 5 years development cycle

~ aligning/synchronising pledging and planning

~ reforming humanitarian appeals process and architecture

etc.

 

• • Providing an example of humanitarian appeal made by CENFACS

 

There are many examples of humanitarian appeals launched by CENFACS.   We can mention the humanitarian appeal we made on 31 May 2023 (5) to Support Children in the Horn of Africa to Avoid Famine; appeal which is a case of basically dealing with humanitarian crisis.  In this case or crisis, children have been experiencing life-threatening and -destroying conditions due to a prolong drought and conflict in the Horn of Africa (that is, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia).

This example of Appeals to Triumph the Battle against Humanitarian Crises concludes our 2023 Creative Economic Development Month’s Working Weeks and Plan for Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises.  However, these appeals do not end this battle.  As we argued at the start of the 2023 Creative Economic Development Month, winning this battle is a desirable aim in the battlefield of poverty reduction.  To win it, one can remember what Joanne Reed (6) says, which is this:

“Life is a battlefield.  Nothing is easy, we have to fight our way through everything, and with this in mind, it would be a good idea for us to familiarise ourselves with combat strategy and learn the best tricks in the book from trained warriors”.

Throughout these working weeks and with the notes attached to them, we hope that we have learnt together as trained warriors the greatest tricks to win the battle against crises, particularly those crises that lead to poverty and unsustainability.

For any queries and or enquiries about the Appeals to Triumph the Battle against Humanitarian Crises, please contact CENFACS.

To support and or engage with CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month and or  the project Jmesci, please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• The Victims of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) Forgotten Crisis Need your Influence

 

This is a needs-based humanitarian appeal centred around the needs of the victims of the DRC’s Forgotten Crisis.  The DRC’s Forgotten Crisis concerns 5.7 millions of people who have been displaced in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.

 

• • A Perfect Example of Humanitarian Catastrophe of a Forgotten Emergency

 

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Crisis in its eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri is a perfect example of humanitarian catastrophe of a forgotten emergency.

 

The DRC’s crisis is listed by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (7) amongst other crises in Africa.  From the perspective of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the term “forgotten crises” refers to protracted conflict situations.  ECHO argues that it can also refer to crises resulting from the cumulative effect of recurring natural hazards or  combination of the two. ECHO provides the forgotten crises assessment which includes factors such as risk, crisis severity, media coverage, the level of humanitarian aid per capita and qualitative assessment.

If we take into account the crisis severity factor, it is right to argue that displacement in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri is a forgotten emergency.

According to ‘news.un.org’ (8),

“Overall, 6.2 million people have fled their homes across the country [DRC] – the highest number in Africa”.

Likewise, the Word Food Programme (9) observes that

“Food insecurity is particularly intense in DRC’s northeast, where 3.6 million people are facing emergency hunger levels – a million more than in 2022.  In May, catastrophic floods and landslides in South Kivu added to their hardship”.

 

These displaced people need your influence to support them.

 

• • Using Your Influence to Win the Battle against Displacement Crisis

 

As we are in CENFACS’ Year of Influence, we are asking to those who can to use their influential resources to affect the drivers of the crisis that have pushed the inhabitants of these provinces out of their lands.  Your influence will help to win their battle against the following:

 

√ Chronic violence and displacement that fuels a dramatic hunger crisis in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri

√ Insecurity to deliver food to the displaced persons

√ The lack of access to vulnerable communities to receive the vital relief they need

√ Overburdening of host families

√ Overcrowding in camps

Etc.

 

• • What Your Influencing Support Can Achieve

 

Your influencing donation will help the displaced and food insecure people…

 

√ to return to their land and homes

√ to grow their food

√ to feed hungry families and meet their daily food needs

√ to move the displaced persons from temporary reprieve to permanent accommodation

√ to end traumatic life amongst refugees

√ to provide food and cash assistance to the hardest-hit displaced people

etc.

 

You can donate your Influence to reduce or end poverty amongst the Victims of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Forgotten Crisis.

To donate, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or solve the detrimental effects of crisis that led to displacement of the people of the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.

You can as well influence the things or factors that determine these crises in order to create lasting favourable conditions towards an end to crises; factors like conflicts and non-state armed groups that have negatively impacted the supplies and prices of foods in these provinces.

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

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

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site. 

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

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to give your Positive Influence and help save the lives of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Forgotten Crisis.

DONATE YOUR POSITIVE INFLUENCE NOW!

Extra Messages

 

• Dematerialisation, Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Creations and Innovations

• Creative Arts and Design-based Development Project –

In Focus: Unknown and Unnamed Artists and Designers of Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development with the Example of Young Creators and Innovators

• Digital and Social Media Campaign (Level 7) – In Focus: Artificial Intelligence and Poverty Reduction

 

 

• Dematerialisation, Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Creations and Innovations

 

The Month of Creative Economic Development is also of Dematerialisation, which is part of CENFACS‘ Poverty-Environment Programme.

 

 

• • What is dematerialisation?

 

According to the World Bank (10), dematerialisation refers to

“An absolute or relative reduction in the quantity of materials required to serve economic functions in society”.

Cutler J. Cleveland and Matthias Ruth (11) go further by explaining that

“Dematerialisation refers to the absolute or relative reduction in the quantity of materials used and/or the quantity of waste generated in the production of a unit of economic output”.

For Cleveland and Ruth, there is a common indicator to measure dematerialisation.  This indicator is the intensity of material used per unit of economic output.

These definitions of dematerialisation will be used to work together with the community and explore non-conflicting ways of activating or improving the process of dematerialisation in the economic functions of their households.  In working together, there is a possibility to explore ways of further reducing poverty via dematerialisation.

 

• • Dematerialisation and Poverty Reduction

 

With reference to the above definitions, CENFACS shall work with its community to help find way of reducing the quantity of resources or materials from the ecosystem in order to meet their basic life-sustaining economic needs.  This will be an opportunity to promote and spread the news about dematerialisation in the way the community produces, consumes and distributes products and services.

Having in mind that household is small unit of production, we can work with ours users and their households to find out their material intensity as ratio of material used to the amount of poverty reduction produced.  In other words, we can try together to produce poverty reduction by using less material and/or generating less waste.  To do that we may need together to create and/or innovate for sustainability.

 

• • Dematerialisation and Sustainable Creations and Innovations

 

Finding creations and innovations that can continue over the long term without adverse effects is also part of the work of 2023 Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM).  Also, using less materials and generating less waste to create and innovate are equally amongst the objectives of 2023 CEDM.

In brief, we can try to reduce poverty with less materials and less waste while making our creations and innovations to equitably serve the current and future generations in meeting their needs.

The work on dematerialisation is CENFACS’ way of supporting both poverty reduction and sustainable creations and innovations within our community.

Those who may be interested in working with us on Dematerialisation, Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Creations and Innovations; they are welcome to let CENFACS know.

 

 

• Creative Arts and Design-based Development Project –

In Focus: Unknown and Unnamed Artists and Designers of Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development with the Example of Young Creators and Innovators

 

Artists and designers play an active role in helping to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  So, this week we are working on some of the works carried out by artists and designers especially those from small scale and charitable backgrounds, the local arts and design products and services undertaken by local people and communities sometimes to make ends meet.

These kinds of work can include the following:

√ Those carried out by poor families, children, young people and those who are left out of the economic growth or upturn

√ There are works undertaken by unknown and unnamed artists and designers who may be amateurs or not professionals or not just celebrities.

Every year, we try to find out unknown and unnamed artists and designers, as part of Creative Arts and Design-based Development Project.  This finding exercise helps to know and name them as well as advertise their works.  We can advertise their work as advertising is an area of creative industries making CENFACS’ 2023 CEDM.

All these small pieces of art and design works can help relieve poverty and enhance the process of sustainable development.  They can help to win the battle against crises such as the cost-of-living crisis.

 

•  •  Example of Unknown and Unnamed Artists and Designers: Young Creators and Innovators

 

Some Young Creators and Innovators can be classified as unknown and unnamed artists and designers.  Who are they?

They are of all sorts of talents and abilities who can create and innovate to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  They can as well help to build forward better together cleaner, greener and safer.  Their works can help reduce poverty induced by the cost-of-living crisis while keeping the progress of the realisation of sustainable development goals.  They could be the finders of the today’s solutions for tomorrow’s problems.

So, this week we are continuing our Creative Arts and Design-based Development project by looking at the contribution that unknown and unnamed artists and designers, and amongst them are Young Creators and Innovators, who are helping in reducing poverty and hardships as well as in enhancing sustainable development.

If you are a young creator and/or innovator and has some feeling that you would probably fall under the category of unknown and unnamed artists and designers, CENFACS would like to hear from you as well as your creative or innovative work.  You could be the Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development of June 2023; the Mind we are looking for.

 

 

• Digital and Social Media Campaign (Level 7) – In Focus: Artificial Intelligence and Poverty Reduction

 

The next level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign is on how we can use and/or access artificial intelligence to reduce poverty or get more poverty reduction results or outcomes.

Since its birth in 1950 by Alan Turing, Artificial Intelligence has made progress to such an extent that it can be a tool for poverty reduction.  But, what is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

 

 

• • Defining Artificial Intelligence

 

There are many definitions of AI.  One of these definitions come from ‘ibm.com’ (12), which says that

“AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent machine, especially intelligent computer programme”.

Knowing the meaning of AI and learning its history are all fine.  However, what we are interested in is real-world applications of AI systems in helping to reduce poverty.  There are many examples about how AI has contributed or is contributing in the work of poverty reduction.

For example, online virtual agents through social media can provide personalised advice and engage people in need to meet their needs of poverty reduction and/or enhance sustainable development.

At this level of our Digital and Social Media Campaign (Level 7), we are looking forward to working with users and Africa-based Sister Organisations in finding more opportunities to access AI technology and use it to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development amongst them.

Those who would like to engage with us at this Level 7, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

For further information about CENFACS’ Digital and Social Media Campaign including levels 1 to 6 of this campaign, please also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

Mots de remerciement avant le dernier jour (30/06/2023) de remerciement à nos supporteurs/ses

Nous aimerions profiter de  l’occasion des journées de grâce de CENFACS pour réitérer nos pensées, nos expressions et nos sentiments de profonde gratitude à tous nos suporters et soutiens.

Le CENFACS est vivement très reconnaissant de vous avoir comme soutiens et d’être avec nous aux côtés de ceux ou celles qui sont dans le besoin, en particulier pendant cette année difficile des effets persistants et douloureux de crises multiples qui se chevauchent.

Tous nos remerciements!

 

 

Main Development

 

• Season of Happiness 2023 in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn

 

The following items will help to understand the way in which, together with our users, we would like to wish the 2023 Season of Happiness to happen:

 

∝ Rebuilding Season to Happiness Season

∝ What is Summer for CENFACS’ Users and Beneficiaries?

∝ Happiness in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn

∝ Preview of 2023 Summer of Happiness and Well-being Programmes.

 

Let us briefly explained these items.

 

• • Rebuilding Season to Happiness Season

 

Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives) and Creative Arts and Design-based Development Project are the projects that have made the last part of Spring 2023 programme.  Both projects make our Creative Economic Development month.

In practice, Jmesci is the project that is ending our Rebuilding or Life Renewal Season to start Happiness Season or Summer of Happiness.  After creating and innovating to build forward better together cleaner, greener and safer as well as to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development; we are now looking forward to enjoy the sunshine of Summer with Happiness.   We look forward to Summer, although the warm weather has already started.

 

• • What is Summer for CENFACS’ Users and Beneficiaries?

 

Summer is a period of the warm sunny weather that we would like to associate with it at CENFACS.  It is the time of happiness that we all expect, after a long period of full time work and education.  We look forward to a break after such a long time of routine working life, especially as most of CENFACS’ projects and programmes are framed around the school timetable to suit and reflect the needs and living patterns of our users and beneficiaries.  This is despite that the fact that during Summer people are still working to keep their households and the economy running.

 

• • Happiness in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn as a Focus for Summer 2023

 

As highlighted in the key messages, our Season of Happiness or Summer of Happiness will be about the following three elements:

 

1) Our capacity to spread happiness between the members of CENFACS Community to narrow the gap in happiness inequalities

2) The help we can provide to those who are in most need within the CENFACS Community to find happiness cure and feel happy, to achieve successful outcomes despite the current and underlying cost-of-living crisis

3) Our ability to create and innovate happiness-enhancing activities and projects to reduce poverty linked to the lack of happiness.

 

It is possible to help CENFACS’ users overcome inequalities in happiness and achieve well-being.

Therefore, the key note of our theme for Summer of Happiness will be: How to Create, Enjoy and Sustain Happiness in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn.

To support those struggling with the rising costs of living over Summer 2023, we shall work with them so that they can navigate their way to happiness and well-being.  In practical terms, it means that we shall provide Happiness Tips and Hints in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn.  We will provide them through the following Summer initiatives.

 

 

• • Preview of 2023 Summer-of-Happiness and Well-being Programmes

 

Summer Programme at CENFACS is mainly made of two sets or broad areas of projects for and with Multi-dimensionally Poor Children, Young People and Families; which consists of:

 

(a) Happiness Projects (Part 1) and

(b) Appeal Projects or Humanitarian Relief to Africa (Part 2).

 

Besides this main Summer seasonal regular feature, we have also planned other initiatives as side menus.  We shall gradually release the contents of these Summer projects as we progress during Summer 2023.

Our development calendar/planner already indicates what is planned for July and August 2023.  However, should anybody want to find out more, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

• • • Summer 2023 Programmes, Projects and Activities (Summer calendar/planner)

 

 

How to Make this Summer 2023 as of Happiness in the Context of Weak Economic Upturn

 

July 2023

  

∞ Financial Updates: Financial History

How to rebuild your financial past 

The 2023 Edition of Financial Updates (a CENFACS’ Individual Capacity Building and Development resource for Summer) will provide advice, tips and hints about how to keep, construct, repair and rebuild users’ financial past despite multiple overlapping crises since the coronavirus began.  In other words, it is about working with our users to achieve the goal of poverty reduction by avoiding reversal in their financial past.

This 2023 Edition of Summer Financial Updates (SFU) will focus on information about income, finances, assets, salaries/wages, monetary incentives, insurance, financial transactions, credit worthiness, and debts that our users may need to prove or produce in order to justify their financial past.

 

∞ All-in-one Impact Assessment

 

July, which is the Analytics month within CENFACS, is the month to be at CENFACS for those who are working on project and programme impacts.

We will be doing two levels of impact assessment as follows:

 

1) Our usual July Impact Monitoring, Evaluation, Review and Analytics for projects and programmes that we run in the preceding financial year

2) Impact assessment of the different activities linked to the cost-of-living crisis (e.g. activities to tackle rising prices of food, energy, etc.).

 

∞ Virtual Summer Festival with Seven Days of Development in July

In focus for our Summer 2023 Festival will be:

Financial Inclusion

To reduce and possibly end poverty, it requires financially including those who are financially and economically poor.  So, working with the poor to enable them to access financial services such as savings, insurance, payments, credit and remittances, is the way to power them.

Our Summer 2023 Festival will focus on ways of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development by financially including everybody, especially those who are financially excluded or poorly included (for example women in Africa) because of various reasons.  The Festival will look at ways of increasing, improving and extending financial inclusion to others.

 

July – August 2023

 

∞ Children, Young People and Families (CYPFs) Summer Programme (Part I): Appeal Projects

 

Summer Humanitarian Appeal projects are a set of projects to help alleviate multi-dimensional poverty experienced by CYPFs during the Summertime.  We normally launch one umbrella appeal that brings under one roof these projects.  This year,  we are going to launch selected appeals for most of them with special emphasis on the impacts of the cost of living on CYPFs.

One of the selected appeals will be about helping CYPFs to be free from distress caused by the cost-of-living crisis in Africa.  The appeal – Win against Distress in Africa – is about helping poor CYPFs to mitigate the negative affects of polycrises in Africa.

Another appeal project that will have a particular attention and that is needed during this period of the cost-of-living crisis is the Iconic Young Carer Project (iYCP). 

 

∞ Children, Young People and Families (CYPFs) Summer Programme (Part II): Happiness Projects

 

Happiness projects are another set of Summer projects making the second part of our Summer Programme.  We shall release more details about Happiness projects in due course.

 

∞ Summer 2023 Run, Play and Vote to Reduce Poverty

 

Our Triple Value Initiatives (Run, Play and Vote) for this year have already kicked off.  Through e-workshops, we have provided some guidance and help about them.  And we are still available to talk to those who need some help.  Those who started them should be half-way through with them.

These activities can be run in hybrid manner; that is in-person or virtual depending on the circumstances of participants.

Since we are already in the middle of the year, half-year actions and results about these activities will be sought from those who are practising them.

We shall ask those who undertook exercises relating Triple Value Initiatives such as e-workshops and recreational activities to report on their actions and results as well.

 

∞ Integration of Le Dernier Carré into Build Forward Better Programme

 

Our four step model of poverty relief (that is the Last Square of Poverty Relief or Le Dernier Carré) will be included in some of the elements of the Summer-of-Happiness Programme.

 

∞ Summer Track, Trip and Trending

 

Track and Trip activities will be run as normal.

Regarding Trending activity, we are going to follow the direction of poverty reduction via marine and coastal ecosystem services.  In other words, we are going to find out how marine and coastal ecosystem services are helping in lifting people out of poverty.

The above is just an indicative plan of work for our Summer of Happiness.  This Summer work plan will be reviewed depending on the circumstances and events that may occur as we move throughout the summertime.

We hope you find a happy, helpful and hopeful relief from the above programmes and projects on offer at CENFACS over this Summer!

For details or clarification about the above programmes and projects, including ways of accessing them, please contact CENFACS.

_________

Note: Although the above is scheduled for Summer 2023, we may slightly alter our initial plan and or introduce occasional initiatives to cope with the reality of the unpredictability and complexity of development situations (e.g. humanitarian and emergency situations), in which case we shall let you know as early as we can.

_________

• References

 

(1) https://oecd.org/economic-outlook/june-2023/ (accessed in June 2023)

(2) https://moneytothemasses.com/owning-a-home/interest-rate-forecasts/latest-interest-rate-prdictions-when-will-rates-rise# (accessed in June 2023)

(3) https://www.concern.org.uk/news/what-is-a-humanitarian-crisis (accessed in June 2023)

(4) https://cpr.unu.edu/publications/articles/time-for-a-reset-fixing-the-faulty-humanitarian-appeals-process.html# (accessed in June 2023)

(5) cenfacs.org.uk/2023/05/31/organisations-an-causes-to-not-for-profit-invest-for-impact-in-africa/ accessed in June 2023)

(6) https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/how-to-win-everyday-battles-08553edb539f (accessed in June 2023)

(7) https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/what/humanitarian-aid/needs-assessment/forgotten-crises_en (accessed in June 2023)

(8) https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/06/1137902 (accessed in June 2023)

(9) https://www.wfp.org/stories/refugee-day-how-one-family-escaped-violence-and-hunger-are-finding-safety-tanzania (accessed in June 2023)

(10) https://blogs.worldbank.org/developmenttalk/dematerialisation-degrowth-and-climate-change-agenda (accessed in June 2023)

(11) Cleveland, C. J. & Ruth, M. (1998), Indicators of Dematerialisation and the Materials Intensity of Use at https://doi.org/10.1162/jiec.1998.2.3.15 (accessed in June 2023)

(12) https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence (accessed in June 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

21 June 2023

 

Post No. 305

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Research and Development to Create and Innovate Solutions to Win the Battle against Crises

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: Advocacy Campaign on Overcoming the Battle against Crises Caused by Natural Disaster (From Week Beginning Monday 19/06/2023

• Thanksgiving Days: Supporters’ Days (26 to 30 June 2023)

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Research and Development to Create and Innovate Solutions to Win the Battle against Crises

 

Without research it would difficult for us to create and innovate solutions or find possible answers to problems that face our users; problems exacerbated by the current challenge posed by crises (like the cost-of-living crisis, natural crisis, food crisis, energy crisis, etc.).  Likewise, without the development of ideas to respond to crises, it would be hard to come out crises.

Research and development are at the heart of everything we do at CENFACS.  We research into new ideas to better help reduce poverty amongst our users in the community and Africa-based Organisations that work in our area of operation in Africa.  We also investigate into new ways of applying new facts and data to better help reduce poverty and hardships amongst the same beneficiaries.

The two interlinked functions (that is, research and development) within CENFACS are vital in the process of reducing poverty and enhancing sustainable development.  Although they are linked, they can also be looked at separately from the perspective of management.

Concerning the research function within CENFACS, we would like to let you know that we are currently researching into the relationships between financial education, financial information, financial communication, financial technology on the one hand and financial behaviour on the other hand.  The research will enable us to find out how for instance access to financial education can improve financial behaviour of our members.  This piece of research work is applied one.

Regarding the development function within CENFACS, we would like to inform you that this function helps us to develop existing products, services and activities.  The function enables us to build model to check or test the feasibility of any products or services designed. Furthermore, the development function helps to initiate change of systems in CENFACS, to adapt and positively respond to changes in the poverty reduction market, to continue to develop poverty reduction model, to increase communication, etc.

So, the key message is Creative Economic Development Month is also about research and development.  It is a month to invent or create new products and services while developing or improving existing ones to make helpful difference to our users and fill gaps in the poverty reduction market.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further details about this first key message, and the focus on the current research and development trending, which is: Create and Innovate Solutions to Win the Battle against Crises.

 

 

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: Advocacy Campaign on Overcoming the Battle against Crises Caused by Natural Disaster (From Week Beginning Monday 19/06/2023)

 

Wherever our areas of operation are subject to crises directly resulting from natural events (such as volcano, earthquake, torrential rains, cyclones, etc.), we need to find ways of creating and innovating to find solutions to the negative impacts of these crises on the people and communities we serve.  If those creations and innovations could overcome these natural disaster-led crises, it will be even better than without them.

These creations and innovations could be part of the rebuilding projects or processes in the context of Rebuilding Africa programme by CENFACS.  They could be a response to win the battle against the impacts of short-term environmental strikes, disasters linked to climate change cycles, and  long-term environmental storms and catastrophes.

In this respect, crises caused by natural disaster are our battlefield for this week as we would like to work with our users to find ways of overcoming fight over crises stemming from natural disaster.  This battle can be short or long depending on circumstances.  One can think of all those people and communities asking for humanitarian aid in Africa to deal with natural events such drought, volcano, torrential rains, cyclones, etc. who are still struggling to come to term with the impacts of these events.

We will be dealing with these events through advocacy campaign activity.  One week of advocacy campaign this month will not be enough to deal with crises brought by these events knowing the magnitude and damages of these events on people, properties and infrastructures.  One week’s advocacy campaign activity is just the way we organised ourselves to explain to those who would like to engage with us on how we can create and innovate together to overcome the battle against crises induced by natural disaster.

Also, overcoming the battle against natural disaster is not easy as the origins of these events are often out of human hands or control.  However, it is possible to create and innovate to better deal with the consequences or crises brought by these events.   To create and innovate for the reduction of natural disaster effects, we are going to do it through these points: basic understanding of natural disaster and crisis, advocacy campaign to overcome the battle against crises caused by natural disaster, and ways of working with the community to overcome this battle.

 

• • Basic understanding of natural disaster and crisis

 

Our definition of natural disaster comes from ‘britannica.com’ (1) which states that

“Natural disaster is any calamitous occurrence generated by the effects of natural rather than human-driven, phenomena that produces great loss of human life or destruction of the natural environment, private property, or public infrastructure.  A natural disaster may be caused by weather and climate events or by earthquakes, landslides, and other occurrences that originate at Earth’s surface or within the planet itself”.

As to crisis, it will be approached from its difference with disaster.  From this perspective, ‘rainfoodtci.org’ (2) provides this difference by referring to what Oxford Dictionary says, which is

“A disaster is sudden accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life, while a crisis is a time of intense difficulty or danger or a time when a difficult or important decision must be made”.

Although natural disaster is not human-driven, it is possible to create and innovate to overcome crises or dangers resulting from it.  Historically speaking, organisations (like disaster reduction agencies), governments around the world and individuals tend to create and innovate to deal with this sort of events.  During our Creative Economic Development Month, we are going to try to do the same while exploring ways of overcoming the battle over crises generated by these natural events.

 

• • Advocacy campaign to overcome the battle against crises caused by natural disaster

 

Perhaps, the best way of kicking off this advocacy campaign is to understand what it means.

 

• • • What is advocacy campaign?

 

The meaning of advocacy campaign to be used here comes from Salsa (3), which argues that

“An advocacy campaign is an individual marketing effort that uses one or more advocacy tactics to get the word out to your supporters with an appeal for them to take a specific action in support of a larger goal”.

This working definition will help us to work with our supporters and try to overcome the battle against crises caused by natural disaster.  To implement, this definition, we need to carry out some tasks.

 

• • • Tasks to completed under our advocacy campaign of the month of CEDM

 

To undertake our advocacy campaign, we are going to proceed with the following tasks as suggested by Salsa (op. cit.):

 

∝ define the problem

∝ identify solutions

∝ get our message out to our supporters

∝ try to bring about the intended solutions to crises caused by natural disaster.

 

Additionally, we are going to use specific campaign metrics to assess the effectiveness of our advocacy campaign activity.

This activity is about supporting the victims of natural disaster-led crises to express their views and wishes and help them stand up for rights.  It is also about speaking truth to power.

To create and innovate under this advocacy campaign activity, we are going to have some specific actions.

 

• • • Actions under advocacy campaign to overcome the battle against crises caused by natural disaster

 

These actions include the following:

 

√ to build power at the base to rebuild power in the communities of the victims of natural disaster

√ to re-educate legislators regarding ways of overcoming the battle against crises caused by natural disaster

√ to educate the public on why we need to keep supporting humanitarian causes like those of the victims of natural disaster

√ to produce resources and tools linked to ways of overcoming the battle against crises like natural disaster

√ to mobilise for the cases of those suffering from crises led by the impact of natural disaster

√ to run educational gatherings (both online and in-person)

√ to launch humanitarian relief appeals together with events-stricken people

etc.

 

Briefly, this activity is about acting in speaking in favour of those suffering from crises caused by natural disaster, arguing for their case to be heard, supporting and defending them, and pleading on their behalf.   This could concern both areas of our operation in Africa and in the UK.

 

• • Ways of working with the community to overcome this battle

 

Those members of our community who are having some difficulty in overcoming the battle they have against crises or effects caused by natural events can let us know so that together we can create and innovate ways of overcoming the battle against the crises that are affecting them.

We can use the above-mentioned ways or tools of overcoming the battle against crises caused by natural disaster.  We can plead on their behalf so that they can get the support they need to express their views and wishes, and stand up for their rights.

For example, for those fighting to get a compensation because of the damage caused by natural events to them or their accommodation, we can work with them to stand up for their rights and try to overcome their fight.

For those who would like to know more about our advocacy and campaign appeals to Africa and how we are trying to work with the victims of natural disaster in Africa, they can read our previous posts or refer to this year’s appeals we made or contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Thanksgiving Days: Supporters’ Days (26 to 30 June 2023)

 

The last week of June is a thanksgiving one in accordance to CENFACS development calendar.  From 26 to 30 June 2023, we will be thanking all our supporters (current and past ones).

We would like to take the opportunity of the end of June to thank them (and you if you are one of them) for helping…

 

CENFACS IN ENHANCING AND SUSTAINING FREEDOMS AND CAPABILITIES BY WORKING IN ALLIANCE WITH LOCAL PEOPLE TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES.

  

• •  What do mean by Thanking Days or Supporters’ Days?

 

These are Special Days of Thank You within CENFACS we would like to dedicate to all those who contributed to our work for any types of support they have given us over this financial year.  This dedication is normally held in the last week of and by the end of June.  For this year, Thank-you Days will be held from 26 to 30 June 2023 in order to keep our tradition.

As we are in CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month and Year of Influence, we shall find all sorts of creative, innovative, influencing and communicative ways of thanking our invaluable supporters and backers.

These thanking ways may include the following:

 

√ Conversing with our supporters over phones

√ Signing and sending thank-you prints or e-cards to them

√ Telling them the stories or outcomes about the people and communities they helped through their support

√ E-mailing, texting and tweeting them with messages of gratitude

√ Telling and sharing thank-you stories

√ Playing and listening with them music and songs of thank you

√ Making and playing thank-you videos and films

√ Giving back to them by volunteering our time to the cause they deeply care about

√ Undertaking a free translation service (French to English and vice versa)

√ Reading African poems and poetry

√ Sending to them digital and technologically animated thank-you messages

√ Doing creative and design works symbolising thank you

√ Sending out designed and hand crafted made objects and crafts of acknowledgement

√ Making video calls if we cannot have in-person contact with them

Etc.

 

If you are one of the CENFACS’ supporters, please we would like to let you know the Thanking Days at CENFACS are your Days.  Do not hesitate to get in touch, if you do not mistakenly hear from us.

We will welcome you, reconnect with you and thank you on the occasion for the helpful difference you made to our work and project beneficiaries, and for being with us on the side of those in need especially during this challenging year of the lingering effects of the coronavirus and the cost-of-living crisis.

Your invaluable support has meant a lot for our programme and project beneficiaries over this ending financial year.

We would like to express all our sincere gratitude to you for helping us to help reduce poverty, for making our voice heard especially at these challenging times of the side effects of the coronavirus followed by the cost-of-living crisis.

For further details, please contact CENFACS’ Thanksgiving-End-of-June-2023 Team.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Win against Distress for Children, Young People and Families in Africa

• Coming this Summer 2023:  Financial Updates with a Focus on  Financial History

• Creative Arts, Design-based Development Projects and e-Workshops: Construct and Post e-cards or e-objects

 

 

• Win against Distress for Children, Young People and Families in Africa

 

Win against Distress for Children, Young People and Families in Africa is one of the Summer Appeal projects making the first part of our Summer Programme, which will be published soon.  This appeal has been already launched.

The appeal is about supporting children, young people and families (CYPFs), in places in Africa where there is already high level of poverty, who cannot cope with the mounting pressure and damaging effects of polycrises.

Supporting this appeal means helping CYPFs to minimise and mitigate the impacts of polycrises on them. Your support will help to reduce the risks and impacts that the polycrises can make in terms of tragedy, intergenerational poverty, etc.  Your assistance is required to respond to CYPF’ distress signals.

One can think of a child or young person without any dreams and expectations, what will be his/her future, especially in countries (like Burkina Faso or Mali) where there is deterioration of security conditions in conflict-affected areas.

Can you help this child?  Yes or No!

If you say yes; then…

√ you can help that child to dream and expect for a better life and future 

√ you can help stop polycrises to become a structural constraint and handicap for that child

√ you can help stop polycrises to create lifelong adverse impacts on children and young people

√ you can help stop children’s and young people’s lives being reduced back below the poverty line

√ you can stop the lost generation of polycrises to happen in Africa.

To make the above happen, support ‘Win against Distress for Children, Young People and Families in Africa’.

You can find further highlights of this appeal and ways of supporting at: cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

 

 

• Coming this Summer 2023:  Financial Updates with a Focus on  Financial History

 

Too many crises (like the coronavirus, the cost-of-living crisis, food crisis, energy crisis, nature crisis, climate crisis, debt crisis, economic crisis, etc.) can make people, especially those living on ordinary means, find their financial history in threat or destruction.  Yet, financial history is important especially in the process of recovering and rebuilding from crises.

This 2023 Edition of Summer Financial Updates (SFU) will focus on information about income, finances, assets, salaries/wages, monetary incentives, insurance, financial transactions, credit worthiness, and debts that our users may need to prove or produce in order to justify their financial past.

In this year’s edition of SFU, we shall provide advice, tips and hints about ways of building forward financial history.  The 2023 Edition of SFU will help our users

 

√ to apply money, financial and banking knowledge in their daily life

√ to identify the causes of financial crisis (e.g., debt crisis or distress) some of our members may have gone through or face

√ to reconstruct their financial history

√ to identify and learn from past financial mistakes

√ to reflect on their financial wellbeing and record

√ to have a historiographical view of their finances

√ to match their financial history and financial poverty

√ to carry out financial projections from their financial past

etc.

 

In brief, the 2023 Edition of SFU is not only about learning your financial past, but also avoiding financial mistakes of the past.  In this respect, this edition will help to find way of achieving the goal of financial poverty reduction.

For those members of our community who may interested in the 2023 Edition of SFU, they are welcome to enquire to CENFACS  about it.

 

 

• Creative Arts, Design-based Development Projects and e-Workshops: Construct and Post e-cards or e-objects

 

This month, we are running two e-workshops as follows.

 

 

• • e-Workshop 1: Making and Sending a p-Card or e-Card Expressing the Theme of “Solutions to plastic pollution”

 

The construction will echo the World Environmental Day’s (4) celebratory theme of last 05/06/2023.

Participants to the e-workshop can Make and Send a p-Card or e-Card expressing the theme of “Solutions to plastic pollution”.

For those who are trying to design and send this type of paper card (p-card) or an electronic card (e-card) as a way of participating in the Creative Economic Development month, please make sure that the poverty relief message you are conveying is without confusion.

 

 

• • e-Workshop 2: Making and Sending a p-Card or e-Card to Support World Desertification and Drought Day 2023 held last 17 June

 

The second e-workshop is about constructing and posting the similar cards as expressions or ways of dealing with drought to resonate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17/06/2023.  The theme of 2023 Desertification and Drought Day (5) is “Women’s land rights”.

One can follow CENFACS‘ card design criteria and guidelines for Arts and Design e-workshop 1 and 2, and design their p-card or e-card.

So, those who wish and want can design and post an e-card or e-object to feature these themes.  There are card design criteria and guidelines which we expect people to follow.  Those who need to know these criteria and guidelines can let CENFACS know.

To support and or enquire about e-workshops on Art and Design for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development, please contact CENFACS.

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Journées de remerciement: Journées des supporteurs/trices (du 26 au 30 juin 2023)

La dernière semaine de juin est une semaine d’action de grâce conformément au calendrier de développement du CENFACS.  Du 26 au 30 juin 2023, nous remercierons tous nos supporters (actuels et passés).

Nous aimerions profiter de la fin du mois de juin pour les remercier (et vous si vous êtes l’un d’entre eux) d’avoir aidé…

LE CENFACS DANS LE RENFORCEMENT ET LE MAINTIEN DES LIBERTÉS ET DES CAPACITÉS EN TRAVAILLANT EN ALLIANCE AVEC LES POPULATIONS LOCALES POUR DÉVELOPPER DES INITIATIVES DURABLES.

• • Qu’entendez-vous par journées de remerciement ou journées des supporteurs/trices?

Ce sont des jours spéciaux de remerciement que nous aimerions dédier à tous/toutes ceux/celles qui ont contribué à notre travail pour tout type de soutien qu’ils/elles nous ont apporté au cours de cet exercice financier.  Cette consécration a normalement lieu la dernière semaine de juin et avant la fin du mois de juin.  Pour cette année, des journées de remerciement auront lieu du 26 au 30 juin 2023 afin de garder notre tradition.

Comme nous sommes dans le Mois du développement économique créatif et l’Année de l’influence du CENFACS, nous trouverons toutes sortes de façons créatives, innovantes, bien informées et communicatives de remercier nos précieux(ses) partisan(e)s et bailleurs/eresses de fonds.

Ces moyens de remerciement peuvent inclure ce qui suit:

√ converser avec nos sympathisant(e)s par téléphone

√ signature et envoi des imprimés de remerciement ou de cartes électroniques

√ leur raconter les histoires ou les résultats des personnes et des communautés qu’ils/elles ont aidées grâce à leur soutien

√ leur envoyer des e-mails, des textes et des tweets avec des messages de gratitude

√ raconter et partager des histoires de remerciement

√ jouer et écouter avec eux/elles de la musique et des chansons de remerciement

√ réalisation et lecture de vidéos et de films de remerciement

√ leur redonner en donnant de notre temps à la cause qui leur tient à cœur

√ réalisation d’un service de traduction gratuit (du français vers l’anglais et vice versa)

√ lire des poèmes et de la poésie africains

√ leur envoyer des messages de remerciement numériques et animés technologiquement

√ faire des œuvres créatives et de dessin symbolisant le merci

√ envoi d’objets conçus et fabriqués à la main et d’artisanat de reconnaissance

√ faire des appels vidéo si nous ne pouvons pas avoir de contact en personne avec eux/elles

etc.

Si vous êtes l’un(e) des partisan(e)s du CENFACS, s’il vous plaît nous aimerions vous faire savoir que les jours de remerciement au CENFACS sont vos jours.  N’hésitez pas à nous contacter, si vous n’avez pas de nos nouvelles par erreur.

Nous vous accueillerons, renouerons avec vous et vous remercierons à l’occasion pour la différence utile que vous avez apportée à nos bénéficiaires de travail et de projets, et pour être avec nous aux côtés de ceux et celles qui en ont besoin, en particulier pendant cette année difficile des effets persistants du coronavirus et de la crise du coût de la vie.

Votre soutien inestimable a beaucoup compté pour les bénéficiaires de nos programmes et projets au cours de cet exercice financier qui se clôture.

Nous tenons à vous exprimer toute notre sincère gratitude pour nous avoir aidé à réduire la pauvreté, en particulier en ces temps difficiles où les effets secondaires du coronavirus sont suivis de la crise du coût de la vie.

Pour plus de détails, veuillez contacter l’équipe de l’Action de grâce de fin juin 2023 du CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Research and Development to Create and Innovate Solutions to Win the Battle against Crises

 

To create and innovate solutions to win the battle against crises, we need research and development.  Research and development help to find ideas and tools to drive creation and innovation.  But, what are research and development?

To understand research and development carried out by CENFACS, we are going to consider the following items:

 

∝ Understanding the concepts of research and development

∝ Research and Development within CENFACS

∝ Researching into links of financial education, financial information, financial communication and financial technology with financial behaviour

∝ Testing hypotheses about causal relationships between the access to and use of financial education, information, communication and technology on one hand; and poverty reduction on the other hand

 

Let us look at each of these items.

 

• • Understanding the concepts of research and development

 

There are many ways of conceptualising research and development.  In the context of these notes, we have selected the following definitions.

Christopher Pass at al (6) define research and development as

“Any scientific investigation leading to the discovery of new techniques and products (INVENTION) and their commercial application (INNOVATION), together with the refinement and improvement of existing technologies and products” (p. 454)

Their definition, which is an economic one, focuses on the types of research and development conducted by business entities.  It can be extended to include not for profit organisations.

Besides the above definition, we are appealing to what the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (7) states, which is

“Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge (p. 2)

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development argues that

“For an activity to be an R&D activity, it must satisfy five core criteria.  The activity must be: novel, creative, uncertain, systematic and transferable and/or reproducible.  All five criteria are to be met, at least in principle, every time an R&D activity is undertaken whether on a continuous or occasional basis”.

Alongside these five criteria, the kinds of R&D activities in which we are interested would be those that help to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

 

• •  Research and Development within CENFACS

 

The functions of research and development (R&D) are important one within CENFACS.  This is because we can only help to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development if we are able to undertake research and develop solutions together with local people to poverty reduction and to the enhancement of sustainable development.  In this respect, the kinds of research and development work we do are related to the core activities of poverty reduction and sustainable development.

In the context of this year’s Creative Economic Development Month, we are undertaking two types of applied research projects, which are:  

 

a) Links of financial education, financial information, financial communication and financial technology with financial behaviour

b) Relationships between the access to and use of financial education, information, communication and technology on one hand; and poverty reduction on the other hand.

 

This is the general scope of our research and development work for this month.

Let us highlight these two research projects.

 

 

• • Researching into links of financial education, financial information, financial communication and financial technology with financial behaviour

 

Financial education, financial information, financial communication and financial technology are the four areas or fields that can predict financial behaviour of people, and amongst these people are the poor.  Financial behaviour can be understood here as money management of cash, savings, and credit.

There could be relationship between these four areas and financial behaviour.  For instance, there are studies that show that financial literacy can lead to household participation in entrepreneurial activities, commercial insurance participation and choice of lending channels.

But, reliability and validity testing needs to prove this relationship.  In other words, the extent that a measurement tool measures what anyone who wants  to use to measure this relationship needs to prove it.

As part of research sample on this relationship, we are developing a questionnaire to check it amongst our community members.  The evaluation of content of this questionnaire will help to prove or disprove it within our community.

The research will help to understand the financial behaviour of our community members in terms of savings, expenditure, budget, money management (like cash, savings and credit), investment behaviour, etc.

Those members of our community who will be interested in taking part in this research and development work, they can let CENFACS know.

 

 

• • Testing hypotheses about causal relationships between the access to and use of financial education, information, communication and technology on one hand; and poverty reduction on the other hand

 

For those of our members who would like to work with us on the impact of financial education, information, communication and technology on poverty reduction; we have some research activities for them.  They can work with us by testing the inference of the following hypotheses:

 

a.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): there is a relationship between financial education and poverty reduction

a.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): there is not a relationship between financial education and poverty reduction

b.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): there is a positive relationship between financial information and poverty reduction

b.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): there is not positive relationship between financial information and poverty reduction

c.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): there is a positive relationship between financial communication and poverty reduction

c.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): there is not a positive relationship between financial communication and poverty reduction

d.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): there is a positive relationship between financial technology and poverty reduction

d.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): there is not a positive relationship between financial technology and poverty reduction.

 

For example, we are going to test if the use of financial technology (that is, technology to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services; technology like Artificial Intelligence) is helping our community members to reduce poverty.

In order to conduct these tests, one needs data on financial education, information, communication and technology about a particular population or community.

The results of these research activities will enable us to proffer solutions to help win the battle against crises.  The findings of these studies will also enable to create and innovate ways of working with the community following the emerging needs that the studies will generate.

For further details and or enquiries about these Research and Development activities, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS. 

To support Research and Development to Create and Innovate Solutions to Win the Battle against Crises, please also contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.britannica.com/science/natural-disaster (accessed in June 2023)

(2) https://rainfoodtci.org/2020/07/04/crisis-and-disaster-management-explained/ (accessed in June 2023)

(3) https://www.salsalabs.com/blog/advocacy-campaign-planning (accessed in June 2023)

(4) https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/world-environment-day-2023 (accessed in June 2023)

(5) https://www.unccd.int/news-story/notifications/desertification-and-drought-day-17-june-2023 (accessed in June 2023)

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

(7) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Frascati Manual 7.0, Chapter 2, The full Frascati Manual and current and upcoming online at http://oecd/frascati (accessed in June 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

14 June 2023

 

Post No. 304

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: e-Discussion on Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes from Week Beginning Monday 12/06/2023

• Coming this Summer 2023: FACS Issue No. 80 to Be Titled as ‘Pension and the Reduction of Old Age Poverty in Africa’

• Holiday Budget Clinics

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: e-Discussion on Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes from Week Beginning Monday 12/06/2023 

 

Our June 2023 working theme continues to be run as we will be e-discussing how to win the battle over falling real household disposable incomes.  This e-discussion followed the workshop on creating and innovating to succeed in the struggle against the cost-of-living cost.  The rise in the cost-of-living crisis can be the expression or the cause of falling real household disposable incomes.

For instance, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility – quoted by ‘independent.co.uk’ (1),

“The rise in the cost of living means real household disposable incomes per person is forecast to drop by 3.7% in 2022/23 and by 2% in 2023/24.  3.7% is [still] the largest fall in a single financial year since comparable records began in 1956/57.  The 5.7% cumulative fall across 2022/23 and 2023/24 is the largest two-year fall since records began”.

Likewise, the Research briefing produced by the House of Commons Library of UK Parliament (2) quoting the Office for National Statistics and the Office for Budget Responsibility indicates that

“95% of adults in Great Britain reported an increase in their cost of living in May 2023.  The Office for Budget Responsibility expects real post-tax household income to fall by 4.3% in 2022 to 2023, the biggest fall since comparable records began in 1956”.

If the fall in post-tax household income is historically big, then households have the battle in their hands which they need to win to avoid further damages on them and to their children or future generations.  To win this battle, it requires creations and innovations amongst other things.  To win it, one may consider both internal obstacles within themselves and external impediments coming from the economic environment that are causing them suffering.

The e-discussion will provide an opportunity for sharing the winning tricks and combat strategies that some of you/our members of the community have adopted or will adopt in order to win the fight against falling real household disposable incomes.  It is an invitation of contributions and insights from our members and non-members on the issue of winning the battle over falling real household disposable incomes.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further information about this first key message.

 

 

• Coming this Summer 2023: FACS Issue No. 80 to Be Titled as ‘Pension and the Reduction of Old Age Poverty in Africa’

 

Abstract –

 

Quite often in many parts of Africa, most poor people are not covered by pension systems and schemes like in developed regions of the world.  Many of them when they reach the old age suffer from old age poverty.  They tend to rely on their families and friends for support which is often limited to lift them out of poverty.  Even social insurance programmes are far from reducing the old-age poverty in Africa.  Where there is pension, the monetary value of this pension tend to be below the poverty line and incapable of lifting old-aged poor people out of poverty. 

This pension is incapable of lifting them if it is below $3.65 per person per day and does not match the poverty line of the $3.65 per person par day  for middle-income countries as provided by the World Bank (3).  Yet, pension is important to support people as they get to the old age.  As Fiona Stewart and Juan Yermo (4) argue that

“Pensions play an important role in poverty alleviation of the elderly – one of the most vulnerable groups in any society, particularly older women”.

To highlight this important role of pensions, CENFACS’ 80th Issue of FACS will deal with ‘Pension and the Reduction of the Old Age Poverty in Africa‘.  In other words, the Issue No. 80 will concentrate on how pension can be used to reduce poverty amongst the older generation in Africa.  It will look at how to allow poor people to continue to consume after they have stopped working without getting into consumption poverty.  It will be a discussion on the alignment of pension at or above the poverty line.  It will further be a story of building sustainable retirement to avoid multi-dimensional poverty in the old age.

There are studies that have been done pension and old age wellbeing.  For example, Nicholas Barr and Peter Diamond (5) argue that the aim of pension is to ensure economic security in old age.  Within this aim, Barr and Diamond provide the following objectives of pension: consumption smoothing, insurance, poverty relief and redistribution.  They also include other objectives of pension like economic development and economic growth.

The Issue No. 80 will focus on the objectives of poverty reduction and sustainable development with the aim of ensuring sustainable security in the old age.  The aim of sustainable security will include economic, environmental and social sustainability for the pensioners.

Far from being a story of contributions and benefits, the Issue No. 80 will not only deal with pension as payment made to persons who have retired from paid employment in the form of lump sum and regular income.  Instead, it will help revisit the impacts of non-contributory pension programmes – for countries that run them – on poverty reduction and sustainable development.  What else will the Issue No. 80 tell us?

The Issue No. 80 will give insights on how a good pension policy and practice can help reduce old age poverty and enhance sustainable development.  In this respect, the Issue No. 80 will take a micro-economic view of pension.  It will be about how for example Africa-based Sister Organisations can organise themselves in creating and innovating pension support to the elderly of the communities they work with to reduce and possibly end old age poverty.  This is without forgetting the people making or staffing their organisations.

Given that the current Africa’s economic growth is not enough to reduce poverty, the Issue No. 80 will explore ways of equating minimum pension and average income to help reduce old age poverty in this restricted context of limited economic growth.  But, what do we mean old age poverty?

The Issue No. 80 will use the definition of old age income poverty as provided by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  The OECD (6) gives the relative concept of old age poverty by arguing that

“Old age income poor are individuals aged over 65 having an income below half the national median equivalised household disposable income”.

The same OECD considers that

“The yardstick for poverty depends on the medium household income in the total population in a particular country at a particular point in time”.

The Issue No. 80 will also refer to economic theories of pension or economics of pension (like the theories of Barr and Diamond as mentioned above) to further hep those of our members who would like to dive deeper into the relationship between pension and the old age poverty to inspect the correlation between universal (untargeted) social pension and old age poverty reduction in Africa.

Away from being a descriptive presentation, the Issue No. 80 will use classes of measures about poverty indicators (such as poverty gap ratio) in order to advocate what needs to be done to support elderly Africans, who are beneficiaries of project run by our Africa-base Sister Organisation, who cannot rely on family support to get the backup they need.

The Issue No. 80 will provide some ideas about how Africa-based Sister Organisations can support and/or are supporting the elderly to get away from overlapping crises (including pension crisis) faced by Africa and protect their insurance.  They are doing it by helping them to access cash transfer programmes for the elderly.

To get inside scoop on the Issue No. 80 or to reserve a copy before its publication, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Holiday Budget Clinics

 

As we are heading into the summer holiday season, we are holding holiday budget sessions or clinics for those who need them.  These sessions or clinics are part of CENFACS‘ service offered under financial advice, guidance and information about funding for holiday (i.e., Finance 4 Holiday).

 

• • What are Holiday Budget Clinics (HBCs)?

 

HBCs are customised sessions of consultation for those with holiday budgeting needs who want special advice on the matter of making, revising and executing a holiday budget.

 

• • How CENFACS Can Work with HBC Applicants

 

Through HBCs, we can offer the following three free-of-charge sessional services:

 

a) Budget set-up session

Under this sessional task, we can work with the applicants to create their holiday budget.

 

b) Budget verification or clean-up session

If you have already done your budget, you want us to verify it.

 

c) Full budget session

If you want us to write it from scratch, verify and advise you including on how to use online budget planner or calculator.

To arrange for a holiday budget session, you need to book an appointment.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Spring 2023 Rebuilding Activities

• World Anti-poverty System: Poly-crises Can Pave the Way for Re-creating and Innovating the International System through an International System for Poverty Reduction

• Be.Africa Forum e-discusses Investing in African Women’s Equal Access to Land and Related Assets within the Context of African Continental Free Trade Area

 

 

• Spring 2023 Rebuilding Activities

 

The coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, energy crisis, food crisis, etc.  have left some scarce on many people.  Many in the community are still struggling to come to term with them.

To work with those of them who are struggling to manage during this Spring, we are organising four types of activities.  These activities are part of our Season of Rebuilding/Renewal.  Let us highlight them, the circumstances under which users can access them and the invitation to participate.

 

• • Types of Rebuilding Activities

 

The four activities include the following:

 

a) Activities to end the bad past (to manage endings)

b) Activities to manage transition (to turn endings to new beginnings)

c) Activities to manage new beginnings

d) Activities to manage plan for the future.

 

These activities are part of our campaign of Rebuilding and Renewing Lives, in particular Rebuilding Africa during Spring Relief season.

 

 • • Accessing Rebuilding Activities

 

Depending on people’s circumstances of life (whether they are looking forward to managing transition or embarking on new beginnings or building the future), they will be supported accordingly in these activities.

For example, if the post-crises needs assessment indicates that a user needs transition management, then they will take part in activities to manage their transition from the remnants of the multi-crises.

 

• • Need to Participate in Spring 2023 Rebuilding Activities? 

 

To take part in the Spring 2023 Rebuilding Activities, please contact CENFACS.  These activities will continue to be run after Spring 2023 if people need them.

 

 

• World Anti-poverty System: Poly-crises Can Pave the Way for Re-creating and Innovating the International System through an International System for Poverty Reduction

 

To explain why an International System for Poverty Reduction is badly needed, let us first try to briefly understand poly-crises.

According to the ‘weforum.org’ (7),

“Polycrises occur when concurrent shocks, deeply interconnected risks and eroding resilience [happen] and where disparate crises interact such that the overall impact far exceeds the sum of each part” (p. 9)

The ongoing polycrises (like the cost-of-living crisis, climate crisis, human insecurity, food crisis, livelihood crisis, geo-economic crisis, pension crisis, etc.) can help the international development community to realise that another system is now desirable.  Every time there is a global crisis or a collection of crises – call them polycrises – striking at the same, it is also a reminder of the best possible global mechanism of dealing with crises.  The world can re-create and innovate the international system through the Creation of an International System for Poverty Reduction, which does not exist.    The current polycrises are yet a further occasion to raise the question of an international or global system to deal with poverty induced by polycrises.

Polycrises could be a ground to create an International System for Poverty Reduction or to innovate the world’s institutions, if they exist, dealing with global poverty.  Indeed, developing countries of Africa, Asia, Middle-East and Latin America are trapped by the current international system.  For example, let us be honest to recognise that Africa has its own internal problems that often lead to poverty and hardships.  Besides that there are global or extra-African factors (like geo-economic and geo-strategic ones) that repeatedly feed poverty to Africa.

However, if we had an International System for Poverty Reduction (that is a World Anti-poverty System comparable to the institutions of Bretton Woods System), would this system makes the world a better place for the poor? 

Every time, there is a global crisis or overlapping crises, this question comes back, time and time again.  In particular, one could raise and answer the following question:

If we had an International System for Poverty Reduction, would the impacts of polycrises be severe on poor people?

If you think that an International System for Poverty Reduction could have protected the world’s poorest from polycrises, please let us know your arguments.  If you do not think so, still let us know what you think.

An International System for Poverty Reduction is a missing piece in the world’s institutional systems.  This is CENFACS‘ campaign point, which is the creation of an International System for Poverty Reduction.

You can support the campaign or movement for a World Anti-poverty System or International System for Poverty Reduction with your VOICE, by E-SIGNING petition, E-MOBILISING your energy, BRANDING EVENT, etc.

You can join CENFACS’ Campaign for an International System for Poverty Reduction.  To join, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Be.Africa Forum e-discusses Investing in African Women’s Equal Access to Land and Related Assets within the Context of African Continental Free Trade Area

 

This coming 17 June 2023 is the United Nations’ remembrance Day of the Desertification and Drought (8).  The global focus of the 2023 Desertification and Drought Day is on women’s land rights.

To echo the theme of the Desertification and Drought Day, CENFACS is discussing Investing in African Women’s Equal Access to Land and Related Assets in the Context of African Continental Free Trade Area.  Indeed, many studies and evidence show that smartly investing in women in Africa could positively impact not only women themselves but the entire society.

This discussion is part of Building Forward Better Together with Communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations.  Those who may be interested in the discussion can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

To communicate with CENFACS regarding this discussion, please use our usual contact details on this website.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Séances budgétaires des vacances

Dans le cadre du projet du CENFACS « Finance pour les vacances », nous organisons des sessions ou des cliniques sur le budget des vacances pour ceux/celles qui en ont besoin.

• • Que sont les Cliniques Budget des Vacances (CBV)?

Les CBV sont des séances de consultation personnalisées pour ceux/celles qui ont besoin d’un budget de vacances et qui souhaitent obtenir des conseils spéciaux sur l’établissement, la révision et l’exécution d’un budget de vacances.

• • Comment le CENFACS peut travailler avec les candidat(e)s de CBV

Par l’entremise des CBV, nous pouvons offrir gratuitement les trois services de session suivants:

a) Session d’établissement du budget

Dans le cadre de cette tâche de session, nous pouvons travailler avec les candidat(e)s pour établir leur budget de vacances.

b) Vérification du budget ou séance de nettoyage

Si vous avez déjà fait votre budget, vous voulez que nous le vérifions.

c) Session budgétaire complète

Si vous souhaitez que nous l’écrivions à partir de zéro, vérifiez et vous conseillez, y compris sur la façon d’utiliser le planificateur et calculateur de budget en ligne.

Pour organiser une session budgétaire de vacances, vous devez prendre rendez-vous avec le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises: e-Discussion on Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes from Week Beginning Monday 12/06/2023

 

The following items cover this Main Development:

 

∝ About the e-discussion on Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

∝ Why Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

∝ What are Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes?

∝ Types of Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

∝ Working with the Community to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes.

 

Let us highlight each of these items.

 

• • About the e-discussion on Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

 

This e-discussion is an open informal asynchronous conversation to engage members of our community to examine creations and innovations in depth to win the battle against falling real household disposable incomes.  It is also a deep reflection session on what our members have done so far to win this battle.  We hope to use discussion tools and capture the results of this debate for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Those of our members who would like to take part in the e-discussion can let CENFACS know.  Those who would like to share their experiences or lessons about the way they managed to fight against and win the battle over falling real household disposable incomes, they can use this opportunity of the Creative Economic Development Month to share.

 

• • Why Winning the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

 

Since real disposable incomes for households started falling, many people have been trying things to stop the fall.  Some of them have succeeded, others have not.  In idealised world, most of them would like to win this battle – this war.  As Joanne Reed (9) argues

“War is part of life, it is in the nature of most living organisms to engage in battle, defeat opponents, assert power and dominate.  With humans, we see this happens in wars, in business, on a soccer field, in video games, and the chances are even when we are not waging war against our environment, we are waging war against ourselves”.

Waging war against fall in real household disposable incomes can help avoid poverty or exacerbation of poverty.  The best way of waging this war is to create and innovate solutions to income falls.

 

• • What are Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes?

 

They are productions/makings and changes undertaken to overcome the drop in the amount of income (adjusted for inflation) which households/consumers have available after paying income tax, national insurance contributions and pension contributions.  Without these creations and innovations, the battle over falling real households disposable incomes can take long and even unwinnable.

 

• • Types of Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

 

As said above, Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes are those of helping to increase disposable household income.  In other words, they are those of winning the battle against the increase of income tax, national insurance contributions and pension contributions that negatively impact households’ disposable incomes.  They are as well those of fighting the impact of inflation on the same incomes.  Therefore, the types of creations and innovations we are concerned with would be those may help to win this battle.

Amongst the types of creations and innovations we are looking forward are those that

 

√ deal with inflation that raise the price of essentials while squeezing spending power

√ increase disposable income savings

√ reduce tax liability

√ increase disposable income (e.g., creations and innovations to earn more money, to negotiate high salary, to find additional job, to start a side business, etc.)

√ improve average retirement income

√ reduce expenses (e.g., creations and innovations to lower utility bills, find affordable housing, to use cheap means of transport, etc.)

√ cut back on non-essentials (e.g., subscriptions to entertainment, gambling, etc.)

√ create multiple streams of income

√ diversify asset classes as a fighting weaponry

etc.

 

All these above-mentioned types of creations and innovations can be used to win the battle against falling real household disposable incomes.  Some of these types of creations and innovations could effective in the fight, others may be ineffective.  However, unless one tries to fight a battle with the weapons they have available, then they will know if they will win or lose that battle.  In other words, unless one tries to battle to win over poverty induced by falling real household disposable income, then they will know what looks like this kind of battle and how to win it.  Let us give a try with the community.

 

 

• • Working with the Community to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes

 

There is a number of ways in which CENFACS can work with the community to help Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes.

To help the community in this direction, we will be working with them by referring to the types of creations and innovations we have mentioned so far and to our model of creative economic development as shown by the above figure.  In our model of working with them, we shall include the following:

 

√ Setting up a basic fighting plan to win the battle over falling real household disposable incomes

√ Providing them with leads to winning the battle over income falls

√ Advising them on the best possible options in terms battle strategies to fight for their income

√ Explaining them techniques to create two to three income streams 

√ Recommending them to use money or finance apps (like Money Dashboard)

√ Working with them to restructure their accounts to increase disposable income while avoiding negative disposable income

√ Adding an inflationary index-link to their disposable income plan

√ Creating a wait list to reduce impulse spending

√ Helping them to read and understand information about real household disposable incomes

√ Advising them on how to react and prepare from financial news, warnings, notices and alert messages about real household disposable incomes

√ Developing the basic financial skills to interpret the impact of income tax, national insurance and pension contributions/policy announcements on their income

√ Building their financial literacy statistics and numeracy skills to enable them to read financial information pages (presented in the form of charts, tables, in brief infographics) about real household disposable incomes 

√ Organising activities or workshops to help them deepen their understand of real household disposable incomes in the handling of their household financial affairs and plans

√ Improving their knowledge in terms of the key financial dates to save in the calendar about key policy announcements (for example, the release date of budgets by the Government and how these budgets can impact their real incomes)

√ Motivating them to follow news and information about real household disposable incomes

√ Asking them to subscribe to free providers of information and tools about income creation and innovation that touches their life (e.g. free subscription to magazines, papers and websites that provide information about real disposable incomes for poor or low income households)

Etc.

 

All these ways of working with the community members will help to win or at least to try to win the battle against falling real household disposable incomes.  This is because the more informed they are, the more they will find the tools, tips and hints they need in order to create and innovate to win the battle against slips, trips and falls of their real disposable incomes.  It is all about working with them to improve the way they can create and innovate to win the battle against poverty and financial hardship now and for the future.

For any queries and or enquiries about the e-discussion on Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle over Falling Real Household Disposable Incomes, please contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.independent.co.uk/business/budget-2023-record-fall-in-disposable-income-and-other-historic-benchmarks-b2301562.html (accessed in June 2023)

(2) https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefing/cbp-9428 (accessed in June 2023)

(3) https://www.devinit.org/resources/poverty-trends-global-regional-and-national/# (accessed in June 2023)

(4) Stewart, F. & Yermo, J. (2009), Pensions in Africa, OECD Working Papers on Insurance and Private Pensions, No. 30, OECD publishing, ©OECD. doi://10.1787/227444006716 (accessed in June 2023) 

(5) Barr, N. and Diamond, P. (2006), The economics of pension, Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Vol. 22, No. 1

(6) https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/d76e4-fad-en/index.html?itemld=/content/component/d76e4fad-en (accessed in June 2023)

(7) https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-risks-report-2023/ (accessed in June 2023)

(8) https://www.unccd.int/news-story/notifications/desertification-and-drought-day-17-june-2023 (accessed in June 2023)

(9) https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/how-to-win-everyday-battles-08553edb539f (accessed in June 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

07 June 2023

 

Post No. 303

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2023

• Activity/Task 6 of the Influence (i) Year/Project: Boost and Nurture the Creative and Innovative Skills of Those in Need

• Goal of the Month: Make the Relationship between Creativity, Innovation and Poverty Reduction Work

 

…  And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2023

Theme: Create and Innovate to Win the Battle against Crises

 

In every crisis, those who have been affected by the crisis try to do something about it.  This happened with the coronavirus disaster and other previous crises in the history.  This is also occurring with the cost-of-living crisis as everybody is trying to battle against it.  In this battle, some people may succeed while others may not.  Other more may be between success and failure.  However, most sensible people would like to win the battle against crises (whether it is about the coronavirus disaster or the cost-of-living crisis or income crisis characterized by falling real household disposable income or any other crisis).

To win against any crises, it depends on whether one is battling within themselves (that is, against internal obstacles) or against external obstacles (that is, fighting something in their environment that is causing them suffering) or both.  In all these cases, to win the battle it requires not only routine fight against them; but to bring in creations and innovations.

In the context of the Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM), the battle we would like to win here is mostly against external factors or obstacles like the cost-of-living crisis and falling real household disposable income.  To win this battle, we need to create and innovate.  So, creating and innovating to win the battle against the cost-of-living crisis and falling real household disposable income is our theme for 2023 CEDM.

During this Month of Creative Economic Development, we are forming responses from nothing and bringing them into existence to deal with the above mentioned crises.  Equally, we are going to introduce new ideas or methods as well as make changes to what has been tried and tested to respond to these crises to help us lead to solutions.

In this process of forming proposals and introducing new methods, we are going to work with the community – via the project Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives project) featuring this month – to try to create and innovate so that we are all able to better meet the challenges and cross the hurdles brought by crises (such as the cost-of-living crisis and falling real household disposable income, natural disaster, humanitarian catastrophe, etc.).  It is a feature-rich month during which we shall streamline users’ content creation and innovation processes.

In this process of creating and innovating, we shall consider some of the creative and innovative ideas, proposals, experiences and tools that have been so far put forward to help poor people reduce poverty and hardships, or at least to manage the cost-of-living crisis and falling real household disposable income.

Our work will revolve around the kinds of creation and innovation the CENFACS Community (and alike our Africa-based Sister Organisations) needs in order to find ways of winning over these crises and building forward better together greener, cleaner and safer.

Under the Main Development section of this post, we have provided further information about this first key message.

 

 

• Activity/Task 6 of the Influence (i) Year/Project: Boost and Nurture the Creative and Innovative Skills of Those in Need

 

Everybody has a variety of skills.  People in need have skills that can be improved or applied to a particular context and help them navigate their way out of poverty and hardships.

As an influencer of poverty reduction and sustainable development, you can help boost and nurture the creative and innovative skills of those in need.  But, what are creative and innovative skills of those in need that you may need to work with them and boost and nurture their skills?

 

• • Creative and Innovative Skills of Those in Need

 

• • • Creative Skills of Those in Need

 

To understand creative skills, one may need to know creativity.  Creativity can be explained in many ways.  The website ‘creativelive.com’ (1) provides their notion in the following terms:

“Creativity involves transforming your ideas, imagination, and dreams into reality.  Creative ability depends on creative thinking which is part hard work but largely creative problem-solving”.

From this perspective, creative skills are the ability to form from nothing, to bring things into existence, etc.  Creative skills include artistic, inventive, original, imaginative, visionary, etc. skills.

 

• • • Innovative Skills of Those in Need

 

To explain innovative skills of those in need, let us refer to the argument of Zoe Kaplan (2) on this matter.  She defines innovation as

“The ability to come up with something new; however, you don’t need to develop the first flying car to be an innovative thinker”.

For her, innovative skills include risk-taking, brainstorming, imagining, critical thinking, ambition and resilience.

An influencer of poverty reduction can help boost and or nurture these skills in the people in need.

 

• • Examples of Way of Boost and Nurturing Creative and Innovative Skills

 

An influencer of poverty reduction can encourage people in need by

 

√ helping them to see hidden patterns of poverty

√ making connections with solutions to poverty

√ imagining circular and nature-based solutions to poverty

√ coming up with new ideas to explore and navigate their way out of poverty

etc.

 

The above is our Activity/Task 6 of the Influence (i) Year/Project.   This task can be undertaken by those members of our community who are interested in it.

To work with us via this Activity/Task 6, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Goal of the Month: Make the Relationship between Creativity, Innovation and Poverty Reduction Work

 

Not all creations and innovations can help tackle poverty or enhance sustainable development.  People and communities can create and innovate without necessarily having those creations and innovations positively impacting poverty reduction.  Likewise, there are creations and innovations that have not been primarily designed for poverty reduction but end up by reducing poverty.  For example, the Internet is one of them.

Where there are relationships between creations, innovations and poverty reduction; it would be worthwhile to encourage these types of links.  For example, the ‘borgenproject.org’ (3) mentions these relationships in those terms:

“The creativity that comes from the people who live in extreme poverty has the potential to instate meaningful and large-scale change that can improve the lives of millions, and not just those in the middle and upper middle class seen in developed countries.  The link between creativity, innovation and poverty is being acted upon within the minds of severe talented individuals living in emerging countries”.

The ‘borgenproject.org’ gives many examples of the relationship between creativity, innovation and poverty.  These examples show how creativity and innovation can help to reduce poverty.

As part of the poverty reduction goal for June 2023, our supporters and audiences can help Make the Relationship between Creativity, Innovation and Poverty Reduction Work for those who are in need.  We expect them to support this goal.

For any queries and/or enquiries regarding this goal including its support, please contact CENFACS.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Beginning-of-June Reminder: Spring Project of Building Forward Better from Reinforcing Shocks in Africa (SPBFBRSA)

• Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)/All Year-round Projects (AYRPs) Helping Beat Plastic Pollution

• Be.Africa e-Discusses Ways of Creating and Innovating More Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Children in Africa to Withstand Future Climate and Economic Impacts 

 

• Beginning-of-June Reminder: Spring Project of Building Forward Better from Reinforcing Shocks in Africa (SPBFBRSA)

 

SPBFBRSA is a progressive way of working with the victims of a series of severe and mutually reinforcing shocks (like the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, debt tightening, natural disasters, etc.) in Africa so that they can navigate their way towards the reduction or possibly end of the effects of these shocks on them.  It is also about Saving, Rebuilding and Sustaining Lives of the victims from these shocks, disasters and destructions in Africa.

SPBFBRSA is after all about adding value to other similar works and efforts which have been already undertaken so that the poorest people and victims of these overlapping shocks can start or continue the process of building forward and reclaiming their lives while Africa is still embattled against these shocks.

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

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

 

 

• Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)/All Year-round Projects (AYRPs) Helping Beat Plastic Pollution

 

On 05 June 2023, World Environment Day 2023, which was hosted by Côte d’Ivoire and supported by the Netherlands, was celebrated with a focus on solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #Beat Plastic Pollution (4).  Although its celebration was two days ago, the campaign #Beat Plastic Pollution has not stopped.

Those of who are using Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)/All Year-round Projects (AYRPs) can integrate the protection of the environment into them.  In particular, they can try to include the campaign #Beat Plastic Pollution in the use of these projects.

Those who have included or will include the features of this campaign in the TVIs/AYRPs can let us know their experience of this inclusion.

Telling and sharing your TVI/AYRP story of the inclusion experience will help

 

√ beat plastic pollution

√ improve the environmental aspect within TVI/AYRP

√ know what has worked and not worked so far before  TVI’s/AYRP’s deadline of 23/12/2023.

 

To tell and share your TVI/AYRP story of environmental inclusion and particularly of beating plastic pollution, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Be.Africa e-Discusses Ways of Creating and Innovating More Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Children in Africa to Withstand Future Climate and Economic Impacts 

 

Future climate and economic crises (like natural disasters, extreme weather, debt crisis, prolonged economic downturn, dry conditions, failure to climate-change adaption, etc.) will have impact on children in Africa.  One can notice the current impact of drought in the Horn of Africa on children.

In face of these threats and impacts, there is a need to create and innovate systems that are more resilient and sustainable than the ones Africa has today.  But, what do we mean by resilient and sustainable systems?

According to ‘insights.sei.cmu.edu’ (5),

“A system is resilient if it continues to carry out its mission in the face of adversity (i.e., if it provides required capabilities despite excessive stresses that can cause disruptions).  Being resilient is important because no matter how well a system is engineered, reality will sooner or later conspire to disrupt the system”.

As to sustainable system, the website ‘aber.ac.uk’ (6) describes it as

“One of whose attributes stay within an acceptable range of states.  These attributes vary with time and the patterns of variability within a system change in scale and complexity”. (p. 48)

At the be.Africa Forum, we are going to use these definitions and other ones to e-discuss Ways of Creating and Innovating More Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Children in Africa to Withstand Future Climate and Economic Impacts.

This discussion is part of Building Forward Better Together with Communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations.  Those who may be interested in this first discussion of June 2023 can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

To communicate with CENFACS regarding this discussion, please use our usual contact details on this website.

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

Rappel du début de juin 2023 au sujet du projet de ce printemps qui s’intitule  ‘Mieux construire à partir des chocs qui se renforcent en Afrique’ (PPMCCRA)

PPMCCRA est une façon de travailler avec les victimes d’une série de chocs graves et qui se renforcent mutuellement (comme les effets persistants de la catastrophe du coronavirus, la crise du coût de la vie, le resserrement de la dette, les catastrophes naturelles, etc.) en Afrique afin qu’elles puissent se frayer un chemin vers la réduction ou éventuellement la fin des effets de ces chocs sur elles. Il s’agit également de sauver, reconstruire et pérenniser la vie des victimes de ces chocs, catastrophes et destructions en Afrique.

PPMCCRA consiste après tout à ajouter de la valeur à d’autres travaux et efforts similaires qui ont déjà été entrepris afin que les personnes les plus pauvres et les victimes de ces chocs qui se chevauchent puissent commencer ou poursuivre le processus de construction et de récupération de leur vie pendant que l’Afrique est encore aux prises avec ces chocs.

Vous trouverez plus de détails sur Projet de printemps de Mieux construire à partir des chocs qui se renforcent en Afrique sous la page soutenir les causes à http://cenfacs.org.uk/supporting-us/

Pour soutenir et obtenir de plus amples informations sur ce projet, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Creative Economic Development Month and Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives) Project 2023

 

The following points make up the Main Development section of this post:

 

∝ Basic understanding of the creative economic development

∝ What 2023 June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives (Jmesci) project will be about

∝ Theme of Creative Economic Development Month 2023: Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises

∝ The kinds of creative economic development projects we will be dealing with

∝ The method of delivering the Creative Economic Development Month

∝ The calendar and contents of the Creative Economic Development Month

∝ Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis (From Week Beginning Monday 05/06/2023)

∝ The featuring of other environmental activities or events outside but closer to CENFACS’ work.

 

Let us look at these points one by one.

 

• • Basic Understanding of the Creative Economic Development (CEDM)

 

To grasp the creative economic development is better to start with the understanding of the creative economy.

 

• • • Basic understanding of the creative economy

 

There are many definitions of creative economy.  In this communication, we have selected two of them.

The first definition comes from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).  UNCTAD (7) argues that a creative economy

“Essentially… is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the ‘creative industries’ are based”.

The UNCTAD goes on by claiming that

“The creative industries – which include advertising, architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, software, computer games, electronic publishing, and TV/radio – are the lifeblood of the creative economy”.

The second definition, which is from ‘rasmussen.edu’ (8), is

“The creative economy is the income-earning potential of creative activities and ideas”.

Clearly, this second definition focusses on the income generation aspect of creative industries and activities.

However, CENFACS looks at the creative economy from the perspective of development or sustainable development.

 

• • • Creative economy from the perspective of sustainable development

 

From this perspective, one needs to include the definition of sustainable development as given by World Commission on Environment and Development (9), definition which is:

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

So, the knowledge-based economic activities – upon which the creative industries are supported – need to be sustainable; that is capable of being continued over the long term without adverse effects.  Since, we are pursuing CENFACS’ Programme of ‘Build Forward Better Together Cleaner, Greener and Safer’; these activities need to be inclusive, clean, green (or net zero) and safe.

 

• • What June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Initiatives 2023 is about

 

Individual and collective creations in the ways of improving lives through the conception of fresh ideas and the implementation of practical ideas to escape from poverty and hardships as well as foster a better environment and sustainability, are CENFACS’ area of interest.   We create all over the year and life; however June is the month for us to remember and acknowledge our environmental and sustainable makings.

June is the month of Creative Economic Development at CENFACS with creation and innovation on the main menu: creation for researching and developing fresh ideas to reduce poverty, particularly extreme poverty; innovation for making these ideas or dreams come true, transformable into practical environmental and sustainable initiatives and actions.

Put it simply, Jmesci (June Month of Environmental and Sustainable Creative Initiatives) is just about finding out ways of engineering creations relating to the environment and sustainability in order to further reduce poverty and improve the quality of life.  In practical terms, it is the project that features or carries the Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM).

This year’s Jmesci will be about creations and innovations that help win over crises (e.g., the cost-of-living crisis, falling real household disposable income, etc.) as well as those that help prevent future crises, shocks and disasters to be harmful or destructive on people and communities we serve.  Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises is also this year’s theme for Creative Economic Development Month.

 

• • Theme of CEDM 2023: Creations and Innovations to Win the Battle against Crises

 

We said in the first key message that most sensible people would like to win the battle against crises (whether it is about the coronavirus disaster or the cost-of-living crisis or income crisis characterized by falling real household disposable income or any other crisis).  Winning this battle is a desirable aim in the battlefield of poverty reduction.  As Joanne Reed (10) argues that

“Life is a battlefield.  Nothing is easy, we have to fight our way through everything, and with this in mind, it would be a good idea for us to familiarise ourselves with combat strategy and learn the best tricks in the book from trained warriors”.

Learning the best tricks in creations and innovations can help us to win the war on crises, on poverty.  We have already started these creation and innovation processes since we kicked off the processes to dealing with the cost-of-living crisis and falling real household disposable income.  As this month is about creation and innovation, we are going to continue and deepen these processes by trying to overcome four battles or crises:  cost-of-living crisis, real income fall (characterised by falling real household disposable income), natural disaster and humanitarian catastrophe.  Those crises affect our communities in the UK and in Africa.  To know how we are going to win, please continue to read the next communications in the following weeks starting from this Main Development section of this post.

 

• • Kinds of Creative Economic Development Projects Dealt with

 

The types of creative economic development projects that will be considered will be those helping people in need to reduce or end poverty while enhancing sustainable development.  In other words, for any creations and innovations to meet the objectives of the creation and innovation month, they need to address poverty while contributing to the principles of sustainable development; that is development that is inclusive, clean, green (or net zero) and safe.

From the idea or conception to the implementation of these projects, their contents need to have the values of poverty reduction and sustainability (particularly the inclusive, clean, green or net zero and safe aspects of sustainability).  As we continue to unveil these projects throughout this month, these values will become clear, apparent and self-explanatory.  This will as well determine the manner in which the Creative Economic Development Month will be approached and delivered throughout the month.

 

• • The Method of Delivering the Creative Economic Development Month 

 

The Creative Economic Development Month will be delivered through the composition of notes and a number of activities (such as workshop, focus group or discussion, advocacy or campaign and appeal).

 

• • The Calendar and Contents of the Creative Economic Development Month

 

To deliver on what we have argued so far we have organised the Creative Economic Development Month (CEDM) as indicated in the figure below.

 

 

♦ From Week Beginning Monday 05/06/2023: Creations and Innovations to succeed in the struggle against the cost-of-living crisis 

 

These creative ideas and innovative ways of working will enable to find the means to meet the level of ambition we have for the kind of poverty reduction and sustainable development and future we want.

Using our skills, knowledge and talents to find techniques, technologies and new methods to deal with the currently pressing and immediate needs of the cost-of-living crisis period may not be enough unless we create and innovate to prevent or at least to mitigate future crises linked to essential living costs.

 

♦ From Week Beginning Monday 12/06/2023: Creations and Innovations to win the battle over falling real household disposable incomes 

 

The continuous fall in real household disposable incomes means that one needs to find some creative and innovative ways of dealing with this fall if one wants to avoid the deepening of income poverty.  It also signifies that one may work out to develop an alternative in terms of ideas, skills and new knowledge to meet the income needs of those who are unable to raise or earn incomes beyond the income poverty line.

 

♦ From Week Beginning Monday 19/06/2023: Creations and Innovations to overcome the battle against natural crisis

 

Wherever our areas of operation are subject to crises directly resulting from natural events (such as volcano, earthquake, torrential rains, cyclones, etc.), we need to find ways of creating and innovating to find solutions to the impacts of these crises on the people and communities we serve.  If those creations and innovations could overcome these natural crises, it will be even better than without them.

These creations and innovations could be part of the rebuilding projects or processes in the context of Rebuilding Africa programme by CENFACS.  They could be a response to win the battle against the impacts of short-term environmental strikes, disasters linked to climate change cycles, and  long-term environmental storms and catastrophes.

 

♦ From Week Beginning Monday 26/06/2023: Creations and Innovations to triumph the battle against humanitarian crisis

 

Where there is an event or series of events that can pose a critical threat or destruction of lives and livelihoods of the people and communities we deal with, creations and innovations to win the battle against those life-threatening and destroying events are the key answer.  Life-saving creations and innovations can prevent terrible conditions such as famine, mortality, malnutrition, the spread of diseases, epidemics, human displacement, food insecurity, etc.

These creations and innovations could be human/our response to win the battle against the catastrophic impacts of the following situations or events: natural disasters and extreme weather events leading to conflicts, infectious diseases, natural resource crisis, geo-economic confrontation or interstate economic relations fracture, failure to mitigate climate change, failure to climate-change adaptation, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, economic and financial crises, etc.

The above is our organisation to deliver CEDM.  For any queries or enquiries about the above organisation, please contact CENFACS. 

 

 

• • Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis (From Week Beginning Monday 05/06/2023)

 

To tackle these creations and innovations, we are going to highlight the following items:

 

∝ what these creations and innovations are about

∝ their usefulness,

∝ the workshop about them

∝ our work with the community about them.

 

• • • About Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

When one talks about creations and innovations to manage rising prices of energy, food, money, accommodation and any other essential living items; it all comes down to meeting basic living costs.  When these costs become so high to the extent that they turn into a crisis like it is now with the cost of living crisis; then creations and innovations could be the answer.  What are Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis?

Creations to Succeed the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis are the makings, inventions and productions during and after the cost-of-living crisis; creations that help to do well  in the struggle against the negative impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis are the changes, alterations and reforms introduced during and after the cost-of-living crisis; innovations that assist in winning the struggle against the negative impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

Briefly, Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis are makings and changes to overcome the negative impacts of fall in real incomes caused by high inflation and tax increases outstripping wage increases.

In 2022, we dealt with these creations and innovations.  The focus then was to respond to the cost-of-living crisis.  This year, it is not only about responding.  It is instead about being a bit ambitious by winning against the negative impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

 

• • • The Usefulness of Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

Creations and innovations will assist to avoid that the cost of living crisis trends from being a cyclical to structural issue within the members of our community.   In other words, creations and innovations will help avoid that poverty that could be transitory because of rising prices of goods and services to become permanent or intergenerational or simply stay in the long term.

 

• • • Method of Approaching these Creations and Innovations

 

These creations and innovations will be dealt with via a workshop which will be about to find creations and innovations that will be good to win the fight against the cost-of-living crisis.  The workshop will as well provide an opportunity to share real-life stories, experiences and projects of creation and innovation that could contribute in the triumph over the war against the cost-of-living crisis.

 

• • • Working with the Community on Creations and Innovations to Succeed in the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

Working with the community on the matter of these creations and innovations will be done as follows.

 

Concerning our work with the community on creations, we can together create

 

√ by translating their needs into project proposals in order apply for financial support to finance these needs

√ to adapt and adjust behaviour and lifestyle within the community so that the members making our community can live within their means and budgets

√ to find new services and products to meet the needs relating to the cost-of-living crisis

√ to spend money differently to meet the cost-of-living crisis

√ to save and audit their accounts to avoid negative balances

√ to reduce debt and renegotiate it under the terms that match the circumstances of the cost-of-living crisis

etc.

 

Concerning our work with the community on innovations, we can together innovate

 

√ to factor higher prices in any household budget planning and monitoring

√ ways of better budgeting resources and expenses

√ to reduce digital exclusion that can exacerbate the distributional impacts of the cost-of-living crisis

√ to reduce the adverse impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on CENFACS beneficiaries

√ to empower digitally vulnerable users and develop their online skills (e.g. soft skills to deal with cash less or digitally enabled payment methods) that can enhance their chance to raise income

√ to guide CENFACS Community in order to stop fraudsters and scammers to target vulnerable members of this community

√ to cut back on non-essential spending

etc.

 

Our work with them will be on both creations and innovations inclusively, not separately even though they have been separately presented.  We must emphasise that our work with them this time is not only about responding to a crisis, but it is about winning the battle against a crisis – the cost-of-living crisis.

Working with the community can be done in many ways including via a workshop.  Those of our members who would like to take part in the workshop, they can let CENFACS know.  Those who would like to share their experiences or lessons about the way they managed to fight and win against the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis, they can use this opportunity of the CEDM to share.

For any queries and or enquiries about the workshop on Creations and Innovations to Succeed the Struggle against the Cost-of-living Crisis, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • Creative Economic Development Projects

 

There are areas of creative economic industries upon which we (together with those in need) draw inspiration to develop projects to help reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  These areas include: advertising, arts and crafts, design, video, research and development.

To be more specific, let us look at one example, one activity and one competition relating to creative economic development projects.

 

 

• • • Example of Creative Economic Development Project: Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

 

CENFACS’ creative economic development projects (like Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development) can help users to manage the cost-of-living crisis.

For example, we normally run Art and Design for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development as a creative economic development or creative economy project.   Through this project, participants can unlock their creative aspirations to build and develop poverty reduction content-creating objects or materials.  This exercise will provide them with poverty reduction building experiences via objects/materials.

 

 

• • • Creative Economic Development Activity of the Month: Construct and Post e-cards or e-objects

 

One of the activities related to this project for this year will be to construct and post e-cards or e-objects expressing the theme of “Solutions to plastic pollution”.  The construction will echo the World Environmental Day’s (op. cit.) celebratory theme of last 05/06/2023.

One can as well construct and post the similar cards as expressions or ways of dealing with drought to resonate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (11) on 17/06/2023.  The theme of 2023 Desertification and Drought Day is “Women’s land rights”.

So, those who wish and want can design and post an e-card or e-object to feature the theme of “Solutions to plastic pollution” relating to World Environment Day, and/or the theme of “Women’s land rights” linked to the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

To support and or enquire about Art and Design for Poverty Relief and Sustainable Development, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • • Creative Economic Development Competition of the Month: The Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development

 

The Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development is a one-month’s project of challenge created and run by CENFACS that will enable creators and innovators of the month to showcase their creations and innovations in and for the community; creations and innovations relating to poverty reduction and sustainable development.

As a creator or innovator of poverty reduction and/or sustainable development you can tell and/or share with CENFACS your creation and/or innovation project or experience of creative and/or innovative poverty reduction and/or sustainable development.  Your creation and/or innovation project or experience will be part of this month’s challenge to find the Creative Mind of Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Development.

To tell and/or share your creation and/or innovation project or experience, please contact CENFACS this month.

 

• • Inclusion of other Environmental Activities into Jmesci 2023

 

Our month of creation (of thinking up new things) and innovation (of converting our thoughts into tangible outcomes) revolves around global, national, and local environmental and sustainable issues and events of the month as well.

Examples of June world environmental events and days of the month include the following events which we have already mentioned:

 

∝ Croydon Climate Action (12) with the Great Big Green Week to be held between 10 and 18 June 2023

∝ The United Nations World Environment Day held on 05/06/2023 under the theme of “Solutions to plastic pollution“

∝ The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2023 to be held on 17/06/2023 under the theme of “Women’s land rights“.

 

The above notes are for CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month.

To support and or engage with CENFACS’ Creative Economic Development Month and or  the project Jmesci, please contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.creativelive.com/blog/what-is-creativity/ (accessed in June 2023)

(2) https://www.theforage.com/blog/skills/creative-thinking (accessed in June 2023)

(3) https://borgenproject.org/creativity-innovation-and-poverty/ (accessed in June 2023)

(4) https://www.unep.org/events/un-day/world-environment-day-2023 (accessed in June 2023)

(5) https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/blog/system-resilience-what-exactly-is-it/ (accessed in June 2023)

(6) https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/media/departmental/ibers/pdf/innovations/00/00ch6.pdf (accessed in June 2023)

(7) https://unctad.org/en/Pages/DITC/CreativeEconomy/Creative-Economy-Programme.aspx (accessed in May 2023)

(8) https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/what-is-the-creative-economy/ (accessed in June 2023)

(9) Brundtland et al. (1987), Our Common Future, World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Report), Oxford University Press, London

(10) https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/how-to-win-everyday-battles-08553edb539f (accessed in June 2023)

(11) https://www.unccd.int/news-story/notifications/desertification-and-drought-day-17-june-2023 (accessed in June 2023)

(12) https://greatbiggreenweek.com (accessed in June 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

31 May 2023

 

Post No. 302

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 (Part II): Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

• Africa’s Food Crises Impacted Poor Need Your Influence

• Support Children in the Horn of Africa to Avoid Famine 

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 (Part II): Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

 

The second release of the Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023, which takes stock of the first one, provides our view to those who would like to not-for-profit invest for impact in organisations and charitable causes in Africa.  The second release is indeed about impact investing in Africa’s not-for-profit organisations and charitable causes.  These organisations and causes are those ones CENFACS is dealing with and or dealt with in the past.  In this respect, the Outlook 2023 does not represent or speak about all the organisations operating in Africa.  Despite that, what we are saying about the future of not-for-profit investments and organisations making this Outlook 2023 and linked to CENFACS can be applied to other not-for-profit entities in Africa.

The new release explains the type of organisations we are talking about and their legal or juridical status (or organisation type) as well as their fields of activity or main areas of intervention.  The new release has to be placed in the context of CENFACS’ Guidance Programme for those who would like to not-for-profit invest in Africa for impact.  In this release, we have included Africa-based Sister Organisations that can potentially welcome both foreign and non foreign direct investment.  What else is this new release about?

Part II of Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 is a glimpse of charitable organisations and causes linked to CENFACS that can welcome not-for-profit investment.  Part II does provide what any prospective not-for-profit investors need to know; but it does not give contact details of organisations.  It is handy tool to guide prospective not-for-profit investors to find what they need to know in organisations to invest in.  In this respect, it gives essential not-for-profit investment knowledge and information about organisations and causes they may think of investing in whether they are new to not-for-profit investing for impact in Africa or regular investor.

More highlights about Part II of Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Africa’s Food Crises Impacted Poor Need Your Influence

 

Food crises continue to be an issue that can threaten and take lives in many African countries.  For example, ‘fsinplatform.org’ (1) found that

“Between December 2022 and February 2023, there were food-crises countries with the largest local currency depreciation relative to the US dollar in countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Ghana”.

Likewise, the World Bank Group (2) states that

“It is projected that up to 68 million people in East Africa will be food insecure (Crisis, Emergency, and Famine; Integrated Food Security Phases Classification 3-5) by October 2023.  The projected hotspots are in Ethiopia (14 million), Democratic Republic of Congo (10 million), Sudan (10 million), South Sudan (10 million), and Kenya (7 million), Somalia and South Sudan continue to be at risk of famine”. (p. 10)

Additionally, the ‘redcross.org.uk’ (3) declares that

“Communities in Africa face a race against the clock”.

However, food crises have causes and consequences.

 

• • Drivers and Impacts of Food Crises

 

Without going into a lengthy analysis of the drivers of food crises in Africa, most experts on this matter agree that a global economic slowdown, monetary tightening, weather extremes (such as drought, rainfall deficits, and high temperatures) and conflicts (like war in Ukraine) are part of the causes of food crises in Africa.

For example, ‘fsinplatform.org’ (op. cit.) argues that

“Conflict/insecurity was the main driver of acute food insecurity in four countries with 32.27 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity in the Central Africa Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique and for refugee populations in the Congo in 2022” (p. 37)

The impact of conflict and/or insecurity on food crises can also be looked at the level of agricultural activity which was hampered by insecurity and population displacements in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic.  Likewise, the consequences of food crises have been deaths among children under 5 years old in countries such as Somalia in 2022.  Yet, it is possible to reduce the impact of food crises in Africa.

 

• • Using Your Influence to Mitigate the Impact of Food Crises

 

As we are in CENFACS’ Year of Influence, we are asking to those who can to use their influential resources to affect the drivers of food crises, to alter man-made weather extremes and the causes of soaring food prices that drove and are driven high levels of acute food insecurity in Africa.  They can as well exert their power to drive food prices down for parts of Africa that have no choice but to rely on food imports.  In Africa, the domestic food price inflation (measured as year-on-year change in the food component of a country’s consumer price index) is high, according to various studies and evidences on the ground.

Your influence could protect and save threatening lives and possibly avert food crises.

You can donate your Influence to reduce or end food poverty in Africa.

To donate, please contact influential persons (or those having the keys) to reduce or solve the detrimental effects on poor people from the food crises in Africa.

You can as well influence the things or factors that determine these crises in order to create lasting favourable conditions towards an end to food crises; factors like the conflicts that have negatively impacted the supplies and prices of foods or monetary policies that have tightened the availability of finance for the poor.

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

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

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site. 

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

Thank you in anticipation for your willingness to give your Positive Influence and help save the lives of the Food Crises Impacted and Food Poor in Africa.

 

 

• Support Children in the Horn of Africa to Avoid Famine 

 

Children victims of prolong drought and conflict in the Horn of Africa (that is, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia) are still undergoing through a life-threatening and -destroying situation.   Their stories, infographics and statistics throughout the news and social media around the world speak enough themselves about the terrible conditions in which these children are living.  There is no need to replay their images and restate statistics relating to them.  What is needed actions, not words only to help these children.

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

“Children in the Horn of Africa are living through an unprecedented large-scale crisis of hunger, displacement, water scarcity, and insecurity”.

Yet, it is possible to prevent famine in the Horn of Africa.  These children need your life-saving support to meet their life-surviving need.  There are local communities, humanitarian organisations and local authorities that are working on the ground.  Last week, there was a donor conference during which aid agencies appealed to end food crisis for the region and managed to secure some funding.  But, the scale of the problems that these children are facing needs further and better support.  Also, some of the funds pledged have not been materialised.

These children need your support to avert humanitarian catastrophe and famine.

They need food or income to buy food, life-saving and sustaining services.

You can help the Children in Need in the Horn of Africa.

Would you consider making a gift of any amount to help the Children in Need in the Horn of Africa to navigate their way out of large-scale crisis?

You can donate, gift aid and or support differently by

phoning, e-mailing, texting CENFACS and filling the contact form on this website.

Please support TODAY so that we can help the Children in the Horn of Africa who Need Your Support at this Moment. 

To discuss and get further details about this appeal, please contact CENFACS at http://cenfacs.org.uk/contact-us/

Thank you for considering delivering on this appeal.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• End-of-May Stories: Impact Story

• End-of-May Reminder: Spring Project of Building Forward Better from Reinforcing Shocks in Africa (SPBFBRSA)

• Options for Financing Summer Holidays

 

 

• End-of-May Stories: Impact Story

 

On the last day of the Month of Stories, people and ourselves will ask this: what is the impact your story leaves to us?  In other words, what is the force or effect or even impression your story will leave after telling and sharing it?

 

• • What is the Impact of My Storytelling?

 

One can answer the above question by referring to the impact story model of Laura Meagher and David Edwards (5) who used building blocks to tell their impact story.   According to them, there are five types of impact that could be the legacy of your story; types which are:

1) instrumental 2) conceptual 3) capacity building 4) enduring connectivity 5) culture/attitudes towards knowledge exchange, and research impact itself.

Depending on the type of impact your story will generate, your story could be on the Top Three Stories of the May 2023 Stories Challenge organised by CENFACS.  It is also a way to evaluate your story.

 

• • Evaluating Your Impact Story

 

On the site ‘linkedin.com’ (6), it is stated that

“Storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging your audience, conveying your message, and inspiring action”.

During this month of May, we have tried as much as we could to engage with our audiences, users and supporters through this tool.  Now, it is the time to evaluate the impact of our and your stories.

To measure or evaluate your storytelling impact, the same ‘linkedin.com’ suggests the following steps:

σ define your communication goals

σ collect feedback about your communication

σ analyse results or indicators that show how well you have achieved your communication goals.

Evaluating Your Impact Story ends our notes on May 2023 Stories.  Those who have not yet donated their stories, we would like to remind them today is the last day.  They can still submit it by midnight today.  For those who have donated their stories, CENFACS thanks them for their storying gift.

For those who would like to know more about or to catch up with any of the series of our All in Development Storytelling Programme for this year or month, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• End-of-May Reminder: Spring Project of Building Forward Better from Reinforcing Shocks in Africa (SPBFBRSA)

 

SPBFBRSA is a way of working with the victims of a series of severe and mutually reinforcing shocks (like the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, debt tightening, natural disasters, etc.) in Africa so that they can navigate their way towards the reduction or possibly end of the effects of these shocks on them.  It is also about Saving, Rebuilding and Sustaining Lives of the victims from these shocks, disasters and destructions in Africa.

SPBFBRSA is after all about adding value to other similar works and efforts which have been already undertaken so that the poorest people and victims of these overlapping shocks can start or continue the process of building forward and reclaiming their lives while Africa is still embattled against these shocks.

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

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

 

 

• Options for Financing Summer Holidays

 

As Summer is approaching, many families and people have started to plan their Summer holiday.  In this plan, financing is part of it.  Financing any holiday for those on low income can be nightmare and sometimes unachievable dream.  However, for those of them who may have the right information and knowledge to finance their holiday according to their means and conditions of life, this dream can come true.  The right information and knowledge can stem from ways of financing holiday.

Here are the ways of financing your holiday:

 

√ Setting money aside (Putting savings towards your holiday goals)

(It is about knowing how much money you need to put aside to cover your next holiday.  The problem with this option is that poor people and families do not have money to set aside for holiday)

√ Finding extra money in your budget (for instance, by trimming expenses)

(Again, those who are on low incomes and live on tight budget may find it extremely challenging to cut basic life-sustaining expenses or needs)

√ Employers’ holiday pay schemes

(For example, in the UK employment rules state that when an employee or worker takes holiday, they should get the same pay when they are on holiday as when they are at work – whichever their working pattern)

√ Finding cheapest holiday deals can help you save money

√ Crowdfunding by raising money from friends and family members

√ Applying for free school meals to fund your children’s food need during holiday

√ Attending free activities organised by local charities during holiday

√ Free trips for families funded by charities, local groups and churches

√ Free family day trips to a variety of destinations like zoos, farm parks, theme parks, the seaside or the theatre

√ Holiday loans which we will not advise, especially for income poor people and families as holiday loans may not be positive coping strategies for them to deal with holiday income poverty particularly in the context of soaring interest rates like now

√ Funding holiday as identified need by your local authority

√ A need for a holiday arising from disabilities under the provision of holidays

(i.e., local authorities can be under a duty to meet the need of a holiday by funding the cost of the holiday)

√ Holiday funding for disabled adults and their carers

(For example, there are organisations like Revitalise.co.uk that offer disability holiday funding support for respite and accessible holidays)

Etc.

 

The above-mentioned options to fund your holiday can be used by those who need them.  The best thing to do is to check their eligibility and suitability criteria.  For those members of our community who may experience some difficulties in dealing with these ways of financing their holiday, CENFACS can work with them to identify the option that is the most suitable for them.  In this identification, we shall make sure that they find positive coping mechanisms to fund their holiday.

This work with them is part of the advice service we provide.  For those who need advice about financing their Summer holiday, they are welcome to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Moyens de financer vos vacances d’été

À l’approche de l’été, de nombreuses familles et personnes ont commencé à planifier leurs vacances d’été.  Dans ce plan, le financement en fait partie.  Financer des vacances pour les personnes à faible revenu peut être un cauchemar et parfois un rêve irréalisable.  Cependant, pour ceux/celles d’entre eux/elles qui peuvent avoir les bonnes informations et connaissances pour financer leurs vacances en fonction de leurs moyens et conditions de vie, ce rêve peut devenir une réalité.  Les bonnes informations et connaissances peuvent provenir des moyens de financer les vacances.

Voici les moyens de financer vos vacances:

√ Mettre de l’argent de côté (Investir dans vos objectifs de vacances)

(Il s’agit de savoir combien d’argent vous devez mettre de côté pour couvrir vos prochaines vacances.  Le problème avec cette option est que les pauvres et les familles nécessiteuses n’ont pas d’argent à mettre de côté pour les vacances)

√ Trouver de l’argent supplémentaire dans votre budget (par exemple, en réduisant les dépenses)

(Encore une fois, ceux/celles qui ont de faibles revenus et qui vivent avec un budget serré peuvent trouver extrêmement difficile de réduire les dépenses ou les besoins de base pour le maintien de la vie)

√ Régimes de congés payés des employeurs

(Par exemple, dans le Royaume-Uni, les règles d’emploi stipulent que lorsqu’un(e) employé(e) ou un(e) travailleur(se) prend des vacances, il/elle doit recevoir le même salaire lorsqu’il/elle est en vacances que lorsqu’il/elle est au travail – quel que soit son mode de travail)

√ Trouver les offres de vacances les moins chères peut vous aider à économiser de l’argent

√ Financement participatif en recueillant des fonds auprès d’amis et de membres de la famille

√ Demander des repas scolaires gratuits pour financer les besoins alimentaires de vos enfants pendant les vacances

√ Assister à des activités gratuites organisées par des associations caritatives locales pendant les vacances

√ Voyages gratuits pour les familles, voyages financés par des organismes de bienfaisance, des groupes locaux et des églises

√ Excursions gratuites d’une journée en famille vers une variété de destinations comme les jardins zologiques, les parcs agricoles, les parcs à thème, le bord de mer ou le théâtre

√ Les prêts de vacances que nous ne conseilleront pas en particulier pour les personnes et les familles à faible revenu, car les prêts de vacances peuvent ne pas être des stratégies d’adaptation positives pour faire face à la pauvreté des revenus de vacances

√ Congé de financement selon les besoins identifiés par votre autorité locale

√ Nécessité d’un congé découlant d’un handicap dans le cadre de l’offre de congés

(c’est-à-dire que les autorités locales peuvent être tenues de répondre aux besoins d’un jour férié en finançant le coût du jour férié)

√ Financement des vacances pour les adultes handicapés et leurs aidants

(Par exemple, il existe des organisations comme Revitalise.co.uk qui offrent un soutien financier pour les vacances pour les personnes handicapées pour les services de répit et les vacances accessibles)

Etc.

Les options mentionnées ci-dessus pour financer vos vacances peuvent être utilisées par ceux ou celles qui en ont besoin.  La meilleure chose à faire est de vérifier leurs critères d’éligibilité et d’adéquation. 

Pour les membres de notre communauté qui pourraient éprouver des difficultés à gérer ces moyens de financer leurs vacances, le CENFACS peut travailler avec eux pour identifier l’option qui leur convient le mieux.  Dans cette identification, nous veillerons à ce qu’ils trouvent des stratégies d’adaptation positives pour financer leurs vacances.

Ce travail avec eux fait partie du service de conseil que nous fournissons.  Pour ceux de nos membres qui ont besoin de conseils sur le financement de leurs vacances d’été, ils sont invités à contacter le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 (Part II): Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

 

Our coverage of this second part of Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 includes three items:

 

σ What is Not-for-profit Impact Investing?

σ Types of Organisations to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

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

 

Let us highlight each of these items.

 

• • What is Not-for-profit Impact Investing?

 

There are many definitions within the literature about impact investing.  For the purpose of this outlook, we have selected the definition provided by ‘evpa.ngo’ (7) which states that

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

Working on a similar line of reasoning, ‘impactinvest.org.uk’ (8) provides four defining characteristics of impact investing which are:

a) Intentionality b) Evidence and impact data in investment design c) Manage impact performance and d) contribute to the growth of the industry.

These definitions of impact investing will help to engage or boost engagement with those who would like to not-for-profit invest in any of Africa-based organisations linked to CENFACS.  To not-for-profit invest in any organisation, one may need to know the types of organisations to invest in, the size of investment they need to provide, the types of investments, the time to invest, etc.

Many of these questions or issues are part of the guidance programme we provide to potential not-for-profit investors.  In the context of the highlights of Part II of Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023, we are going to limit ourselves to the types of organisations to not-for-profit invest.

 

• • Types of Organisations to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa

 

As we argued in the page 3 of FACS No. 72 of Summer 2021 (9), African Sister Organisations (ASOs) can be an alternative route for investing in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for those investors having other motives than only making profit.  Investing in this sort of organisations is a way of thinking differently and approaching poverty from a different and new perspective.

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

 

• • • Classes of Organisations to not-for-profit Invest for Impact

 

Not-for-profit investors can invest in any of the organisations CENFACS has links with. Generally, these organisations tend to be non-governmental ones.

 

• • • • What is a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO)?

 

According to ‘ngos.org’ (10),

“A non-governmental organisation generally refers to an organisation that operates independently from any government – though it may receive funding from a government but operates without oversight or representation from that government”.

Most of organisations that are based in Africa and linked to CENFACS tend to fall under the category of non-governmental and charitable organisations.  These organisations can be operational and /or advocacy NGOs.  They take charitable orientation and/or are community-based in terms of the level of operation, impact and cooperation.  The table no. 1 below gives a summary of these organisations and their fields of activity.  As we have said it the table is a summary.  Therefore, it does not contain all the organisations that have links with CENFACS.

 

 

CENFACS‘ NGOs can be international or multinational, pan-African, environmental, civil society organisations, women organisations, etc.  The classes of investment that a potential not-for-profit investor can provide to them could be in the form of grants, loans and private donations.  In their portfolios, these organisations can accept carbon-related or emissions trading assets and green funding as well as environmentally friendly holdings.  They can also accommodate investors who help keep net-zero objective in their portfolio and accelerate climate action for the poor.  These investors could be corporate, institutional and individual.

They can welcome both foreign direct and non-foreign direct not-for-profit investments.  What do we mean by foreign direct investment?

According to the ‘oecd-ilibrary.org’ (11),

“A foreign direct investment is a category of cross-border investment in which an investor resident in one economy establishes a lasting interest in and a significant degree of influence over an enterprise resident in mother economy.  Ownership of 10 percent or more of the voting power in an enterprise in one economy by an investor in another economy is evidence of such a relationship”.

This definition can apply to any of these organisations that have projects or undertakings.  Depending on these organisations’ areas of speciality, they deal with issues or causes such as the following:

Environmental education, natural resource conservation, sustainable forestry, gender equality, reforestation, soil conservation, water, democracy, human rights, rural farming, agroforestry, desertification, health, education, community development, sustainable development, infrastructures (e.g., school buildings, drinking water points and health centres), disaster relief, women, children, climate, urbanisation, etc.

 

 

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

 

Those potential not-for-profit investors who need customised guidance about how to not-for-profit invest in Africa, they can contact us so that they can conduct needs assessment with them and search their ideal Africa-based organisation to invest in.  We run an International Advice Service to that effect.

Under our International Advice Service, we can work with them so that they can find the direction they need for their not-for-profit investment plan or journey in Africa.   This service is designed to support Africa-based Sister Organisations on the following matters:

Capacity building and development, Project planning and development, Poverty reduction within the context of Africa Continental Free Trade Area, Not-for-profit investment and development, Absorption capacity development, Fundraising and grant-seeking leads, Income generation and streams, Sustainable development,  and Monitoring and evaluation.

Not-for-profit investors can benefit from some aspects of our International Advice Service, which will help them to protect their not-for-profit investments while providing them peace of mind.  Likewise, it will ensure that they receive the return to their investment in the form of the quantity and quality of poverty reduction to be generated.  Where it is appropriate, we would conduct the following tasks:

 

√ trend analysis of poverty reduction achievements from the target organisations

√ finding out the level of inward foreign direct investment of these organisations

√ provide financial histories and health check of these organisations

√ finding information on investments made in carbon-credit-related organisations, organisations with operations at low impact on the environment, organisations making voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reductions or net-zero pledges

√ undertaking forecasting and advising about the level and direction of poverty reduction to be achieved as well as other synergic impacts on the community/area to be invested in.

 

Those who have any queries and/or enquiries about Part II of Africa Not-for-profit Investment Outlook 2023 (that is, Organisations and Causes to Not-for-profit Invest for Impact in Africa), they can communicate with CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.fsinplatform.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/GRFC2023-hi-res.pdf (accessed in May 2023)

(2) World Bank Group (2023), Food Security Update, World Bank Publications, Washington

(3) https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/disaster-and-emergencies/world/africa-hunger-crisis-100-million-struggling-to-eat (accessed in May 2023)

(4) https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1136927 (accessed in May 2023)

(5) https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialscience/2020/09/18/how-to-to-tell-an-impact-story-the-building-blocks-you-need/ (accessed in May 2023)

(6) https://www.linkedin.com/advice/o/how-do-you-measure-impact-storytelling (accessed in May 2023)

(7) https://www.evpa.ngo/impact-glossary (Accessed in March 2023)

(8) https://www.impactinvest.org.uk/modules/introduction-to-impact-investing/#resource-section-4 (Accessed in March 2023)

(9) cenfacs.org.uk/2021/08/11/investing-in-the-not-for-profit-african-organisations (accessed in May 2023)

(10) ngos.org/what-is-an-ngo/ (accessed in May 2023)

(11) https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/finance-and-investment/foreign-direct-investment-fdi/indicator-group/english_9a523b18-en (accessed in May 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

24 May 2023

 

Post No. 301

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Financial Information, Communication, Education, and Technology Project

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 4: Stories of Positively Transforming Human Relationships with Nature (From Wednesday 24/05/2023)

• Activity 4 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: E-discussion on Bringing Lost Areas of Biodiversity Close to Net Zero (From Week Beginning 22/05/2023)

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Financial Information, Communication, Education, and Technology Project (FICETP)

 

Our work on integrating financial education, information, communication and technology into a single unit continues with the project proposals for the above-mentioned project.  This micro-initiative was first identified or announced when we published the 79th Issue of FACS which concentrates on Financial Education, Information and Communications for and with the Poor.

FICETP is an integrated and progressive way of working with those who do not have access to financial educational knowledge and skills, information tools, communication settings and technologies so that they can access them and start to make jumps or leaps in poverty reduction and sustainable development.  Through the four areas of financial empowerment, if the project is successfully implemented, they will be able to gradually make their own way in finding the strengths and capacities to better run their lives.

We have to admit that when we first introduced this project, we did not mention technologies.  Yet, technologies (such as distance-working and digital technologies) are important to bridge financial gaps, especially for those people living in remote areas.  For example, online and digital technologies used in the finance matter can help to reach the ‘hard to reach’ people from the physical point of view.  With the help of online and digital technologies, they will be able to access the financial skills, tools and settings they need.  These technologies are included in the proposals for FICETP.

So, FICETP or 4×4 Financial Project is a four-dimensional financial model of working with local people in Africa and/or their representatives that will help to reach those in need of the reduction or end of four-dimensional poverty characterised by the lacks of financial education, information, communication and technologies in Africa.

To gain more insight into FICETP (or 4×4 Financial Project) and its related proposals, please read under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 4: Stories of Positively Transforming Human Relationships with Nature (From Wednesday 24/05/2023)

 

Human-nature relationship evolves with the time from dependence through conquest to the coordination stage.  This relationship can be perceived from various perspectives or fields of study (like evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, social economics and environmentalism) as mentioned by theories of human-nature relationship.  These fields explained various ways in which humans are connected with nature.  However, a broad perspective about this connectedness is also available.  This broad perspective is the one we are interested in and which makes this Serial 4.  What is this Serial 4 is about?

 

• • About Serial 4 of All in Development Stories Telling Programme

 

In this Serial 4 of our All in Development Stories Telling Programme, it is much about how we can change human-nature relationship so that it is balanced or benefit both humans and nature.  Some may call it a positive or new or more connected relationship with nature.

For example, to build a new relationship with nature, Professor Miles Richardson (1) suggests, in his Nature Connectedness Research Blog, five types of activity which are: turning our senses, responding with our emotions, appreciating beauty, celebrating meaning and activating our compassion for nature.

From this new relationship and what Professor Miles Richardson argues, it is possible to identify Stories of Positively Transforming our Relationship with Nature.

 

• • Stories of Positively Transforming our Relationship with Nature

 

These are the accounts of a more connected relationship with nature.  They include the tales of

 

√ connectedness with nature, not of visits into nature

√ taking part in engagement campaign on connectedness with nature

√ reconnecting people with nature

√ emotional connections and responses to nature

√ regulating human feeling with nature

√ rebooting human policies and practices to reconnect with nature

√ engaging with nature through facts and figures

√ sensory contact, emotional, beauty, meaning and compassionate connectedness with nature

√ health improvement because of connectedness with nature

√ where both humans and nature are relatively treated in equal and equitable way

etc.

 

The above are the relationship stories that CENFACS would like to hear from those wanting to give or donate their stories.  If you have them, please do not hesitate to donate to CENFACS.

Please also remember, we will be selecting the top three impact stories of poverty reduction of the month and the real true story of poverty reduction of the month from the four series of our All in Development Stories Telling Programme.  Don’t miss the opportunity of the month to have your story as the Top Story of the Month.   Please tell your story now.  Tell it!

 

• • Stories of Positively Transforming our Relationship with Nature to Improve CENFACS Community Members’ Relationship with Nature

 

Sharing Stories of Positively Transforming our Relationship with Nature can help to make or keep CENFACS Community a more nature connected.  There are benefits in sharing these stories.  The benefits include the following:

 

√ they can motivate our members to take action for nature such as recycling, net zero shopping, volunteering for nature, etc.

√ they can as well stimulate within our community nature-based solutions to poverty

√ they can finally send a supportive message to our members that it is possible to reduce poverty while having a positive relationship with nature.

 

Those members of our community who have Stories of Positively Transforming Their Relationships with Nature to tell, they should not hesitate to share them.  Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can donate them to CENFACS.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Positively Transforming Human Relationships with Nature, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Activity 4 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: E-discussion on Bringing Lost Areas of Biodiversity Close to Net Zero (From Week Beginning 22/05/2023)

 

Before giving the aim of this Activity 4 and what we are going to discuss, let us provide the following fact and figure from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).  In its 14th edition of the Living Planet Report, WWF (2) finds

“an average 69% decline in the relative abundance of monitored wildlife populations around the world between 1970 and 2018” (p. 4)

The above-mentioned figure is an example of lost areas of biodiversity.  This figure indicates as well the challenge ahead in terms of work to be done to bring these lost areas close net zero.  This is why we are discussing about what needs to be done.

 

a) Aim of Activity 4

 

The aim of this Activity 4 is to help the community to discuss and find way of making zero loss or net loss to stop the decline of nature.  Activity 4 is indeed an e-debate on offsets as a conservation tool.  Through this e-conversation, participants will learn how to use biodiversity offsets to achieve no net loss or a net gain in biodiversity for deforestation and forest loss.

To facilitate this e-talks, it is better for prospective participants to understand the meaning of no net loss. 

According to ‘forest-trends.org'(3),

“No net loss is a goal for a development project, plan or activity in which the impacts on biodiversity it causes are balanced or outweighed by measures taken to avoid and minimise the impacts, to restore affected areas and finally to offset the residual impacts, so that no loss remains”.

Equally, the understanding of net zero will contribute to the e-discussion.  From the perspective of ‘weforum.org’ (4),

“The term net zero applies to a situation where global greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are in balance with emissions reductions”.

Knowing the meaning of no net loss and net zero, it makes easy to talk about the content of Activity 4.

 

b) What the e-Discussion on the Lost Areas of Biodiversity Will Be about

 

We will be e-debating the following:

∝ the lost biodiversity areas

∝  causes of biodiversity

∝ the Living Planet and Biodiversity Intactness Indexes

∝ how to go nature positive

∝ how to increase our ecological resilience

∝ above all, the steps to be taken to bringing lost areas of biodiversity close to net zero.

The above points, which will make up our discussion, will enable us to share answers to the question of how to bring lost areas of biodiversity close to net zero.

For those who would like to engage with Activity 4 and/or find out about any of the previous activities (Activity 1 to 3), they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

For those who would like to find out more about Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• Volunteers’ Stories of Actions across All Fronts of Build Forward Better 

•  Fundraising your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa  during this Event Season

• Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Data-based Stories of Rebuilding Broken Relationships between Humans and Nature in Africa

 

 

• Volunteers’ Stories of Actions across All Fronts of Build Forward Better (i.e. Reduced Disadvantages and Inequalities, Dismantled Discrimination Structures, Human Rights for Human Dignity, and Human-Nature Relationships)

 

These stories could be related to actions generally taken in volunteering capacity to help people and communities in need to Reduce Disadvantages and Inequalities, Dismantle Discrimination Structures, Build on Human Rights for Human Dignity, and Positively Transform Human-Nature Relationships.

They could also be actions in which a volunteer got specifically involved and at the fronts of the four types of Build Forward Better projects/activities like the following ones:

 

σ Project/Activity to Reduce Disadvantages and Inequalities

σ Project/Activity to Dismantle Discrimination Structures

σ Project/Activity of Building on Human Rights for Human Dignity

σ Project/Activity of Positively Transforming Human-Nature Relationships.

 

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

 

 

•  Fundraising your Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa  during this Event Season

 

For those who are running events in the context of Triple Value Initiative of Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa in 2023, they can use the opportunity of the event season to introduce a giving feature in their Run activity.  They can ask those who are involved in the run with them to support good causes, including CENFACS‘ noble ones.  This ask for support concerns both in-person and virtual runs.

They can make their Run activity cost-effective with a fundraising feature while running with or without others.  Once the fundraising element has been inserted, it is wise to evaluate their fundraising drive.  To evaluate it, they can proceed with the evaluation steps suggested by ‘classy.org’ (5), steps which include analysis of fundraising data, tracking of numbers and performance, staying focused on the mission of their Run project, evaluation of fundraising results and to be forward thinking.   

They can as well journal and develop a story about their Run activity.   They can share the contents of their journal and story of run with us and others.

However, they must remember that the aim of the CENFACS’ Run to Reduce Poverty in Africa is to select or find the African best runner of poverty reduction in 2023, rather than raising money.

For those who may be having or are experiencing some problems in installing or inserting a fundraising feature in their runs, there are resources both online and in print on how to organise a fundraising event for a Run Project.  Amongst the resources is the one provided by ‘donorbox.org’  (6).  It is worthwhile looking at this resource as it provides eight steps to realise your fundraising event.

For those who would like to involve or talk to CENFACS about their Run Project, they can speak to CENFACS.

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

 

 

• Africa-based Sister Organisations’ Data-based Stories of Rebuilding Broken Relationships between Humans and Nature in Africa

 

Where there is destructive war, there is always a destruction of the environmental life, the destruction of the relationship between the victims of war and their natural environment.  Examples of these destroyed lives because of war are what happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Chad, in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali, etc.

As an add-on to our All in Development Stories Telling Sequences, we would like to add the stories of those who have tried or tried to mend destroyed relationships between local people and their natural environment in Africa.  We would like their storytelling to be based on data.  What is data storytelling?

As Catherine Cote (7) explains it,

“Data storytelling is the ability to effectively communicate insights from a dataset using narratives and visualization”.

Referring to this definition of data storytelling, our Africa-based Sister Organisations can use it to communicate their storylines or narratives with data on how their tried to repair the broken relationships between their locals and their natural environment because of events like wars or man-made natural disasters.

For any of ASOs that would like to submit or donate their data-based stories of mending broken relationships between their locals and nature as a result of wars or any other events, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Collecte de fonds pour votre course pour réduire la pauvreté en Afrique pendant cette saison d’événements

Pour ceux/celles qui organisent des événements dans le cadre de l’initiative ‘ Courir pour réduire la pauvreté en Afrique en 2023′, ils/elles peuvent profiter de la saison des événements pour introduire une fonctionnalité de don dans leur activité de Courir.  Ils/elles peuvent demander à ceux/celles qui sont impliqué(e)s dans la course avec eux/elles de soutenir de bonnes causes, y compris les nobles causes du CENFACS.  Demander aux gens de soutenir concerne à la fois les courses en personne et virtuelles.

Soutenir de cette façon peut aider à révolutionner l’activité de la Course avec un élément de collecte de fonds tout en courant avec ou sans les autres.  Ils/elles peuvent aussi tenir un journal et développer une histoire sur leur activité de course.   Ils/elles peuvent partager le contenu de leur journal et de l’histoire de la course avec nous et d’autres.

Cependant, ils/elles doivent se rappeler que l’objectif de la Course pour réduire la pauvreté en Afrique du CENFACS est de sélectionner ou de trouver le/la meilleur(e) coureur(se) africain (e) de réduction de la pauvreté en 2023, plutôt que de collecter des fonds.

Pour ceux/celles qui peuvent avoir ou ont rencontré des problèmes lors de l’installation ou de l’insertion d’une fonction de collecte de fonds dans leurs courses, il existe des ressources en ligne et imprimées sur la façon d’organiser un événement de collecte de fonds pour un projet de course.  Parmi les ressources figure celle fournie par le donorbox.org (6).  Il vaut la peine de regarder cette ressource car elle fournit huit étapes à compléter pour réaliser votre événement de collecte de fonds.

Pour ceux/celles qui souhaitent impliquer ou parler au CENFACS de leur projet Course, ils/elles peuvent parler au CENFACS.

Pour discuter de vos progrès concernant votre projet de course, la fonction de collecte de fonds de votre projet de course ou toute autre question relative aux ‘projets tout au long de l’année’ (initiatives à triple valeur), n’hésitez pas à contacter le CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Financial Information, Communication, Education, and Technology Project (FICETP)

 

The following items provide the key information about FICETP:

 

σ Definition of FICETP

σ The Aim of FICETP

σ FICETP Beneficiaries

σ Types of Financial Skills to be Developed

σ Outcomes

σ FICETP Indicators

σ Project Funding Status

σ Impact Monitoring and Evaluation.

 

Let us summarise each of these items.

 

• • Definition of FICETP

 

FICETP, which is a basic financial capacity building micro-initiative, deals with the reduction of four dimensions of poverty linked to the lacks of financial education, information, communication and technologies in Africa.  FICETP or 4×4 Financial Project is indeed a four-dimensional financial model of working with local people and/or their representatives; a model of working that will help to reach those who are financially uneducated or less educated, uninformed or less informed and lacking financial communication and technology or with less financial communication and technology.

Through training and skills development to be provided from this micro-project, it is hoped that beneficiaries will improve their financial skills, knowledge and wellbeing.  They will also enhance their means of living and enterprise so that they can increase the way they contribute in their community or society.

 

• • The Aim of FICETP

 

This basic financial capacity building micro-initiative aims at reducing four-dimensional poverty and hardships due to the lacks of financial education, information, communication and technologies in Africa.  This reduction of four-dimensional poverty will be done through financial training, education and basic supply of financial communication technologies  and tools to potential project beneficiaries.

 

• • Potential Beneficiaries of FICETP

 

Amongst the types of people in need who could benefit from FICETP as defined above are:

 

√ the unbanked and those relying on cash economy

√ those with inadequate personal finance education

√ the financially uneducated to control their finances

√ those who cannot manage their income and expenses

√ people who need increased awareness of financial communication

√ the financially excluded

√ those with little money which is unstable, unpredictable and hard to manage

√ those without financial technologies or tools or devices (like enabled-finance service mobile phone) to effectively and financially communicate

etc.

 

In short, most of the types of people mentioned above will need some form of financial capacity building or support to improve either their financial education or financial information or financial communication or financial technology.

 

• • Types of Financial Skills to be Developed

 

Basic training and education in the field of finance can enhance beneficiaries’ interpersonal skills.  These skills can be broken into or individualised as financial education skills, financial information skills, financial communication skills and financial technology skills.

Let us give few examples of skills to be developed.

 

∝ On the side of financial education skills, we can number the following to be taught:

√ money saving skills

√ bank account handling skills

√ money management skills

√ skills for making sensible and right decision about money

√ skills for healthy relationship with money

√ skills for budgeting and money management

etc.

 

∝ Regarding financial information skills, we can mention these ones below:

√ skills to evaluate financial information

√ skills to use relevant and reliable financial information

√ skills to analyse financial information

√ skills to search and access sources of financial information

√ skills to identify or recognise the relevancy of financial information

√ skills to identify the features of a purchase invoice or recognise the balance on a bank statement

√ skills to locate information explaining the consequences of defaulting on loan repayments in a contract

√ skills to recognise financial terminology (e.g., inflation, exchange rate, etc.)

etc.

 

∝ As to financial communication skills, they are about finding the narratives in support of quantitative data or numbers.  These skills include the following:

√ skills to effective listening to understand financial information and numbers

√ skills to feed back what your speaker says

√ skills to effectively and competently talk about financial statements such as household budgets, balance sheets, cash flow statements and income statements

√ skills to effectively pass on financial information from your financial literacy and numeracy skills

√ skills to take the perspectives of others to distil financial information

√ skills to explain how financial metrics impact your household

√ skills to provide context about financial trends and ratios

etc.

 

∝ Concerning financial technology skills, we can identify the following:

√ skills to competently use a technology (like a mobile phone) to send a text message or email to explain financial matter

√ skills to use digital technologies to communicate

√ skills to handle mobile payment technologies

√ skills to store your invoice or receipt in your phone

√ skills to make online purchase

√ skills to access financial education online

√ skills to store and retrieve financial information using technology

etc.

 

Through the learning of the above-mentioned skills, we hope to identify changes that users will go through.

 

• • Outcomes

 

After the implementation of FICETP, it is expected that project beneficiaries will be able to realise the following:

 

√ get to know their financial wellbeing

√ to raise awareness and increase confidence in having financial information that allows to effectively run their life

√ to provide a factual information and fair view information regarding the state of their financial conditions

√ to help them make important financial decisions (such as retirement planning) and

√ to lead them to an independent financial lifestyle.

 

However, to be precise it is better to differentiate outcomes in users from those relating to Africa-based Sister Organisations.

 

• • • Outcomes in users

 

By using FICETP, users will

 

√ become financially educated, informed, literate and numerate while understanding basic financial principles

√ integrate financial skills as part of their daily routine/life 

√ improve their aspiration and motivation 

√ become better financial communicators

√ ameliorate their confidence, trust and self-esteem regarding financial services and products offered to them

√ increase their financial communications and financial capacity building skills to understand financial aspects of their their shopping/contract

√ enhance their financial skills and knowledge about financial services

√ reform relationships between financial/nonfinancial service providers  and project beneficiaries

√ boost people’s perception, competence and capability about finance

√ make responsible financial decisions and own financial choices 

√ provide independence and choice to them instead of solely relying on their families, communities and next of kin for support to understand financial matter

etc.

 

Briefly, users will have a better opportunity to run their financial matters and improve their financial wellbeing.

 

• • • Outcomes in Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs)

 

Work undertaken by ASOs to help reduce poverty linked to the lack of financial capacity building should lead to:

 

√ adaptation of local needs and the needs of beneficiaries in their financial development agenda

√ better local insights and capacities to create solutions for the needy

√ improvement in the risk financial management insight for the locals and local needs

√ assisting in the innovation of solutions for the needy

√ knowledge of financial risk transfer mechanisms

√ closing of gaps in financial knowledge and skills  between the needy and the others

√ capturing financial metrics relating to financial capacity building of the poor

√ increase financial development within beneficiaries’ community

√ reducing economic deprivation because of lack of financial understanding

√ improving financial capability and confidence building in terms of money management

√ reducing mental health problems induced by poor financial education within their communities/locals

etc.

 

• • FICETP Indicators

 

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

 

√ the number of poor people who will embrace financial education, information, communications and technologies

√ the number of poor people who will be financially educated, financially informed, financial communicators and competent in handling financial technologies 

√ the rate of penetration of financial technologies in the poor community and households

√ the number of people who become less vulnerable to financial poverty as a result of financial capacity building

√ the performance of the confidence index of financial services and products amongst them 

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

etc.

 

To conclude, FICETP is an integrative initiative that will enable connection of the poor with the worlds of financial education, information, communication and technology.  FICETP will help make a real difference to poor peoples’ life and help shape their future.

The skills, knowledge and capacities to be acquired will help the project beneficiaries to understand finance services and products offered to them, make informed choices regarding their own financial wellbeing and improve financial risk management insights for themselves.

 

• • Project Funding Status

 

So far, this project is unfunded.  This means we are open to any credible funding proposals or proposition from potential funders or donors.  It is known that the lingering impacts of the current cost-of-living crisis, does not make easy for support to other genuine deserving causes.  However, those who would like to support this project will be more than welcome.

To fully or partly fund this project, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • Impact Monitoring and Evaluation

 

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

Likewise, we shall assess what the project will achieve in relation to the overall objectives it was set up.  This is to say that evaluation will be conducted regarding the efforts spent on this project to find out whether or not these efforts are value for relief as far as poverty reduction is concerned.

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

The full project proposals including budget are available on request.

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

For further details including full project proposals and budget about the Financial Information, Communication, Education, and Technology Project; please contact CENFACS.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) Richardson, M. (2020), A New Relationship with Nature: what it means and what we can do at https://findingnature.org/2020/04/08/a-new-relationship-with-nature/# (accessed in May 2023)

(2) WWF (2022). Living Planet Report 2022 – Building a nature-positive society. Almond, R.E.A., Grooten, M., Juffe Bignol, D. & Peterson, T. (Eds). WWF, Gland, Switzerland

(3) https://www.forest-trends.org/bbop/bbop-key-concepts/no-net-loss-and-net-gain-of-biodiversity/# (accessed in May 2023)

(4) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/11/net-zero-emissions-cop26-climate-change/ (accessed in May 2023)

(5) https://www.classy.org/blog/properly-evaluate-fundraising-campaign/# (accessed in May 2023)

(6) https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/organize-a-charity-run (accessed in May 2023)

(7) Cote, C. (2021), Data Storytelling: How to Effectively Tell a Story with Data, Harvard Business School Online at https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/data-storytelling (accessed in May 2023) 

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

17 May 2023

 

Post No. 300

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action (From Wednesday 17/05/2023)

• Activity 3 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Advocacy/Campaign on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and their Contributions to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty (From Week Beginning 15/05/2023)

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty

 

CENFACS does not only work in bringing and lighting a Blaze of Hope for the victims of destructive wars, natural disasters and other major crises (like the coronavirus shock or the cost-of-living crisis).  CENFACS takes the process of working with these victims further in helping them  to overcome underlying poverty and hardships induced by these events as well as supporting them to build their future.

CENFACS works with them and or their representative organisations to alleviate poverty and hardships as the lack of hopes and expectations.  In the process of relieving poverty as the lack of hopes and expectations, the next step or phase of our advocacy is Rebuilding or Renewing Lives.  We call it Rebuilding Africa.

 

• • The Focus for this Year’s Rebuilding Africa

 

This year, our Rebuilding Africa advocacy will focus on how Africa is trying to recover itself from polycrises and build forward better under the context of insufficient economic growth conditions to reduce extreme poverty.

Indeed, there are stories and evidences of economic growth slowing down in Africa compared to the levels of the same growth of the pre-pandemic period.  For instance, the World Bank (1) argues that

“Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa slowed to 3.6% in 2022, from 4.1% in 2021; and economic activity in the region is projected to further slow down to 3.1% in 2023…Growth conditions, however, remain insufficient to reduce extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity in the medium to long term.  The slow recovery of per capita income growth, at 1.2% next year and 1.4% in 2025, still falls short of accelerating poverty reduction to the region’s pre-pandemic path”.

Likewise, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2),

“In 2023, Africa is projected to expand 2.5 per cent, a drop from last year and at a pace insufficient to make a dent in poverty levels.  Like in other developing regions, weaker external demand and tighter financial conditions have made growth prospects gloomier for the region” (p. 13)

So, the above-mentioned economic conditions are the ones of Africa today and in the next two years.  In those conditions or contexts, we are trying to advocate for the Rebuilding of Africa.  But, where rebuilding is needed in Africa?

 

• • Where Rebuilding Africa Can Take Place

 

Rebuilding Africa can take place in any place in Africa that needs to be rebuilt or built forward.  CENFACS‘ Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) can be part of this rebuilding process.

Where countries (like the Democratic Republic of Congo) are expecting that elections and strengthening of democratic transition will improve poverty reduction outcomes and impacts, ASOs can play a supportive role in making the voice of the poor to be heard.

Where countries came out of destructive natural disasters, ASOs can lend their hands to reduce poverty caused by climate-driven humanitarian crises and help the victims of natural disasters to rebuild their lives.

Where countries are undergoing peace transition after destructive wars (like the current process in the Central African Republic), ASOs can assist in the making of this transition process.

Where countries are searching for way to remake themselves from the hunger brought by the cost-of-living crisis, ASOs can participate in this remaking hunger-free process.

The above examples indicate where rebuilding Africa can take place as well as ways in which ASOs can play their bit in the rebuilding process of Africa.

So, there are many places where rebuilding work is needed and where our ASOs can be part of this rebuilding work.

Further details about this advocacy work on Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty can be found under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• All in Development Stories Telling Serial 3: Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action (From Wednesday 17/05/2023)

 

Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places Human Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action are the narratives of using fairness and justice as a basis for further development of respect for any human beings.  They are also the tales of fairness and justice being an essential part of any rules and processes.  To understand these stories, one may need to know the meaning of the following key concepts: human rights, human dignity, moral and legal framework.  Let us briefly explain these key concepts.

 

•  •  Key Concepts

 

• • • Human rights

 

Human rights can be perceived from many perspectives (i.e., moral, political and legal conceptions).  Without discussing these different conceptions, let us simply define these rights.  To explain them, we are going to refer to the definition of the International Justice Resource Centre (3), which states that

“Human rights are those activities, conditions, and privileges that all human beings observe to enjoy, by virtue of their humanity.  They include civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.  Human rights are inherent, inalienable, interdependent, and indivisible.  This means we have these rights no matter what the enjoyment of one right affects the enjoyment of others; and every human right must be respected”.

Most of these rights were consigned by the United Nations (4) in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.  What matters is not only to know these rights, but also to build on their moral and legal framework.  And if one has a personal story about how they are trying to build on this framework, they can share it.

 

• • • Moral and legal framework

 

Moral and legal framework will be approached here by looking at the difference between moral and legal.  Talking about this difference, the website ‘reasonandmeaning.com’ (5) specifies that

“Legal prohibitions incorporate most of our ordinary moral rules such as those against lying, killing, cheating, raping, and stealing.  This suggests there is some connection between the moral and the legal”.

The website ‘reasonandmeaning.com’ also suggests that

“Law codifies morality.  In other words, the law formulates the culture’s morality into legal codes… Not every legal code refers to a moral issue, but most laws do have some moral significance”.

Knowing the moral and legal framework of human rights can help to advance this framework when making plans and taking actions.  Sharing the stories of this advancement can inspire others, especially those trying to defend human dignity.

 

• • • Human dignity

 

Just like human rights, human dignity has been recognised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (op. cit.) in its Article 1 stating that

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

To explain this further, ‘humanrightscareers.com’ (6) expresses that

“Human dignity is the belief that all people hold a special value that is tied solely to their humanity.  It has nothing to do with their class, race, gender, religion, abilities, or any other factor other than them being human”.

Put it simply dignity is something all humans are born with.  Having human dignity as an essential part of rules and guidelines to take actions can help to build forward better from crises like the cost-of-living crisis.  And telling stories of respect for human dignity in any policy and action can motivate others.

 

 

• • Kinds of Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights

 

Amongst the stories of Human Rights to Raise Human Dignity, we can mention the following:

 

√ the histories of humanitarian assistance to protect human rights (e.g., in the context of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in places of wars and civil violence)

√ the storylines of demand to be treated with proper respect

√ the accounts of guaranteeing life, liberty and freedom from torture

√ the tales of protecting individuals against dangers associated with use of physical force or abuse of power

√ the narratives of providing assistance to individuals to promote human protection and dignity

√ the tellings of securing protection for individuals at risk when their State or those who are supposed to protect them fail to live up to their responsibility

√ the anecdotes of recognising human dignity and universality of human rights

√ the episodes of standing on one’s dignity

√ the plots of guaranteeing individual rights and security as well as of enabling freedoms of movement and thought

√ the articles about rights to peace and sustainable development

√ the fables, written or spoken, made of words, voices, infographics and tones of equal opportunities

etc.

 

Although some of these stories are also linked to groups/communities or their self-determination, the rights and stories we are talking about are attached to individuals.  This is why we would like to hear individual stories.

 

• • Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights to Support CENFACS Community Members

 

Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights coming from our members and others, once shared, can support CENFACS Community members.  They can achieve support in the following ways:

 

√ they can keep our members feel respected, fairly treated , happy and in peace

√ they can encourage and inspire them while helping them in the fight against threats to their rights and dignity as well as assist them to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development

√ they can contribute to the development of storytelling and listening skills to better negotiate their way through poverty reduction and out of poverty

√ these stories can send a message of hope to our members that there is a possibility to Build on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights that Places their Dignity at the Heart of Policy and Action

√ above all, they can reassure them that poverty linked to the lack of respect for their rights and dignity can be reduced and ended.

 

Those members of our community who have Stories of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights to tell, they should not hesitate to share them.  Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can tell them to CENFACS.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of Building on the Moral and Legal Framework of Human Rights, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Activity 3 of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Advocacy/Campaign on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and their Contributions to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty (From Week Beginning 15/05/2023)

 

Before highlighting the aim and components of this advocacy or campaign, let us remind that the Rights of Indigenous Peoples are backed by the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (7), which is a legally non-binding resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007.  This Declaration, which was published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (8), reaffirms that indigenous peoples and individuals are free and equal to all others and have the right to be free from any kind of discrimination based on their indigenous origin or identity.

To explain this advocacy or campaign, we have organised our notes around the following points:

Aim of Activity 3, Basic Definitions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, Constituent Elements of Activity 3, and Contributions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.

 

• • Aim of Activity 3

 

This is a campaign or advocacy activity aiming at restoring and securing rights of indigenous people and local communities to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems.  This activity will also enable these peoples and communities to stand up for their rights by speaking to the power, to reduce deforestation, store more carbon and increase biodiversity while lowering poverty.  But what are indigenous people and local communities?

 

• • Basic Definitions of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

 

According to the the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (op. cit.),

“There is no singularly authoritative definition of indigenous peoples under international law and policy and the Indigenous Declaration does not set out any definition… The identification of an indigenous people is the right of the people itself – the right of self-identification – and a fundamental element of the right to self-determination”.

As to local community, the meaning we have selected is from ‘definitions.net’ (9) which explains that

“A local community is a group of interacting people sharing an environment.  In human communities, intent, belief, resources, preferences, needs, risks, and a number of other conditions may be present and common, affecting the identity of the participants and their degree of cohesiveness”.

The above-mentioned two definitions will used in our advocacy or campaign to support indigenous peoples and local communities.  Our advocacy/campaigning messages are highlighted below.

 

• • What does Activity 3 Consist of?

 

It consists of

 

∝ recognising indigenous ethnic minorities where there has been denial of their existence or where they been referred as ethnic minorities

∝ stopping the marginalisation of ethnic minorities, including indigenous minorities

∝ accounting them in performance measures be it economic or social or environmental

∝ protecting indigenous rights and local communities

∝ improving their access to education and employment opportunities, decision making and access to justice for indigenous women and youth

∝ stopping social exclusion of indigenous communities

∝ protection indigenous lives during conflicts, wars and natural disaster events (for example, many indigenous people have been displaced because of conflicts, civil wars and natural disasters)

etc.

 

• • Contributions Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Nature-based Solutions to Poverty

 

Indigenous peoples and local communities can and do provide long-term solutions to adaptable climate change.  They contribute in working with nature to address societal challenges.  They can participate in the works of ecosystem-based adaptation, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, etc.

In this respect, this advocacy/campaign is also voicing the positive contribution that indigenous peoples and local communities are making in providing solutions that are nature friendly.

For those who would like to engage with Activity 3 or our advocacy/campaign for indigenous people and local communities, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

For those who would like to find out more about Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Ways to Submit or Give Your Story

• Permission to Share a Story with CENFACS

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

 

 

• Ways to Submit or Give Your Story

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

 

Before submitting your story, it is better to check our Short Story Submission Rules.

 

• • Short Story Submission Rules

 

Basically, these rules request any storyteller or giver to proceed with the following:

 

∝ Check CENFACS submission guidelines and deadlines

∝ Be mindful of CENFACS storytelling terms and conditions

∝ Include a short pitch of your story (approximately 32 words)

∝ Be concise and simple.

 

• • Means or Ways in which You Can Submit or Donate Your Story

 

There are many means or ways in which you can submit or donate your story or impact story.  In the context of this Serial 3, there are ways that one can use to do it, which include written text options, phone calls, audio storytelling and listening, short film experiences, and video options.  Let us highlight each of these means.

 

• • •  Written text options

 

You can write your story in a textual format.  You can use email, mobile phone, text messing system and CENFACS’ contact form; and send your story in the form of text.  To do that, you need basic typing skills, not special skills.

 

• • • Phone calls

 

You can call CENFACS and give your story via phone.

 

• • • Audio storytelling and listening

 

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

 

• • • Short film experiences

 

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

 

• • • Video options

 

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

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

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

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

If you know you are going to tell your story via video calling or conferencing option and you want CENFACS to participate or join in, you need to let us know at least three days before your story calling or conferencing start so that we can plan ourselves.

You need as well to inform us about the date, time and possibly participants.  You can email, phone, text or complete the contact form to let us know as we are busy like you.

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

 

 

• Permission to Share a Story with CENFACS

 

Generally, when we ask people’s stories, we also seek permission to share their stories.  This is because telling us your story does not necessarily mean that you have given us the permission to share it.  Your permission could be verbal or written.

We review the conditions of permission in the light of the law.  Our story telling and sharing policy includes as well images or any infographics making these stories.  Our story telling and sharing policy is available to story tellers on request.

To keep our Story Month within the spirit of this policy, we are dealing with copyright law, permissions and licensing in order to share your story contents.  We are particularly working on copyright permissions that story donors need to give to us in order for us to share their stories.

Working on copyright permissions is about staying copyright compliant as far as permissions to share your story is concerned.  In simple terms, it means we will ask you whether or not, you agree for us to share your story including imaging or infographic parts of your story.

We are as well responding to any questions linked to copyrights relating to sharing stories.

For those who may have any issues to raise with story telling and sharing in the context of CENFACS’ AiDS Telling and Sharing Programme, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

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

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

 

As part of CENFACS’ All Year Round Play Project (that is, CENFACS Poverty Reduction League), we can work together to support you (as a gamer) create your league table as you play.  To create a league table, there are steps or tasks to undertake.

 

• • Process and Procedure for Creating a League Table

 

You can create a poverty reduction table showing the following:

 

√ Your selected African team countries

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

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

√ How many of them they average

√ How many of them they under-perform

√ How many of them they score against the opposition

√ How many of them they concede against the opposition

√ Points they earn or share for each game.

 

By systematically and continuously recorded the results, scores and actions of your game fixtures via this table, you will in the end know which African country that would best reduce poverty by the end of 2023.

To process and proceed with a league table, one needs to have some economic indicators as criteria for measuring the performance of each country making CENFACS’ League of Poverty Reduction.

 

• • Example of Poverty Reduction Indicators to Create a League Table

 

For example, those who would like to go extra miles in the workshop, they can work with us using classes of indicators (that is, input, process and impact) for monitoring the poverty reduction performance as provided by the World Bank (10).  Poverty indices like headcount index, poverty gap index and squared poverty index can be utilised when dealing with your league table.  They can also include rural terms of trade and unskilled wage index in their table.

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

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Façons de soumettre ou de donner votre histoire

Ce qu’il faut faire pour que vos histoires atteignent le CENFACS et d’autres membres de la communauté

Il existe de nombreux moyens ou façons de soumettre ou de donner votre conte ou votre histoire d’impact.  Il existe des moyens que l’on peut utiliser pour le faire, notamment des options de texte écrit, des appels téléphoniques, la narration et l’écoute audio, des expériences de courts métrages et des options vidéo.  Soulignons chacun de ces moyens.

• • Options de texte écrit

Vous pouvez écrire votre histoire dans un format textuel.  Vous pouvez utiliser le courrier électronique, le téléphone portable, le système de messagerie texte et le formulaire de contact du CENFACS; et envoyez votre histoire sous forme de texte.  Pour le faire, vous avez besoin de compétences en dactylographie, pas de compétences spéciales.

• • Appels téléphoniques

Vous pouvez appeler le CENFACS et raconter votre histoire par téléphone.

• • Narration audio et écoute

Vous pouvez utiliser la capacité audio pour raconter votre histoire de bénévolat.  La narration audio (avec de courts récits numériques, la baladodiffusion, les médias sociaux et la diffusion en ligne) peut aider à créer et à partager l’impact du changement que vous avez apporté ou que vous apportez.

• • Expériences de courts métrages

Vous pouvez faire des courts métrages pour soutenir vos expériences de narration et créer un impact social.   Vous pouvez faire un film sur votre téléphone intelligent avec un contenu vidéo.  Tourner des entretiens avec les participants à l’histoire peut également aider à créer des expériences qui maximisent les médias sociaux et les contenus essentiels de l’histoire.

• • Options vidéo

Vous pouvez utiliser les appels vidéo audio haute définition (par exemple, les appels vidéo Skype ou Google Meet pour les options de vidéoconférence) pour raconter et partager votre histoire avec le CENFACS et d’autres.

Si vous allez utiliser des options vidéo, il est préférable d’utiliser une option gratuite et un programme à but non lucratif, car ils sont accessibles à tous à la maison ou où qu’ils soient, surtout en cette période de crise du coût de la vie.

Certains de nos usagers et membres peuvent ne pas être en mesure de payer pour certains types d’options vidéo sur le marché.  C’est pourquoi il est préférable d’utiliser quelque chose qui est accessible à la majorité des gens.

Aux fins de la protection des données, veuillez utiliser les conseils de sécurité joints à l’option choisie.

Si vous savez que vous allez raconter votre histoire par appel vidéo ou par conférence et que vous souhaitez que le CENFACS participe ou se joigne à vous, vous devez nous en informer au moins trois jours avant le début de votre appel ou de votre conférence afin que nous puissions nous planifier.

Vous devez également nous informer de la date, de l’heure et éventuellement des participants.  Vous pouvez envoyer un courriel, téléphoner, envoyer un texte ou remplir le formulaire de contact pour nous le faire savoir car nous sommes occupés comme vous.

Si vous avez une histoire, vous pouvez la raconter et la partager avec nous et d’autres personnes par les moyens susmentionnés.  Et si cela ne vous dérange pas, nous diffuserons – avec votre permission – vos histoires au sein de la communauté CENFACS.

 

 

Main Development

 

• Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty

 

The following three sub-headings explain our advocacy about Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty:

 

a) Rebuilding as a Next Step after Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope

b) Rebuilding Projects

c) Rebuilding Activities.

 

Let us briefly explain the contents of these sub-headings.

 

• • Rebuilding as a Next Step after Bringing and Lighting a Blaze of Hope 

 

As argued above, Rebuilding is the next step in our process of helping in reducing the impacts and effects of war and natural disaster events or any other major crises.  Saying that we are going to rebuild Africa, it does not mean that we are going to remake all the sectors of Africa from scratch.

Rebuilding in the context of our poverty relief work has to be placed in the perspective of working with and helping poor people and their organisations to overcome the ill effects of wars and natural disasters or any other major crises (like the coronavirus, the cost-of-living crisis).  It is down to Africans to rebuild Africa, not CENFACS.  CENFACS as a charity just gives a helpful hand to them to reduce or better end poverty.

 

• • • What Rebuilding Africa is about

 

Rebuilding Africa addresses the legacies left by destructive wars and natural disaster events or any other major crises like the coronavirus and the current cost-of-living crisis.  Every year, many human and wild lives as well as other ways of life have been destroyed as a result of wars, armed conflicts, economic shocks  and environmental disasters.  These events often lead to humanitarian catastrophes, emergencies, contingencies, crises and responses.

What’s more, where there is destructive war, there is always a destruction of the environmental life.  Examples of these Destroyed Lives are what happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Chad, in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali, etc.

Rebuilding Africa initiative tries to respond to these events by undertaking projects planning and development activity within CENFACS and in association with our Africa-based sister organisations.

 

• • • What this Projects Planning and Development is about

 

Project planning can be approached in many ways.  According to ‘coursera.com’ (11),

“Project planning is the second stage of the project management lifecycle.  The full cycle includes initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and closing.  Project planning refers to the phase in project management in which you determine the actual steps to complete a project.  This includes laying out timelines, establishing the budget, setting milestones, assessing risks, and solidifying tasks and assigning them to team members”.

In terms of Projects Planning and Development process within CENFACS, this process enables us to know the needs on the grounds and reach out to those in most need in Africa.  It also assists to improve our way of doing development work, to rethink and exchange new ideas, avenues, approaches, theories and projects to better respond to the following:

√ New economic pressures and influences that can lead to the destruction of human and wild lives as well as other livelihoods or ways of life

√ New emerging threats and risks (like the coronavirus, geo-economic confrontation and the current cost-of-living crisis)

√ New types of needs to rebuild destroyed lives (including infrastructures) in Africa

√ Future risks and crises that are likely to happen and to cause human sufferings or impacts (like failure to climate change adaptation, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse).

This planning and development process is within the context of enhancing our African Rebuilding and Sustaining Infrastructures and Lives programme.  More details about this programme can be found from CENFACS.

 

• • Rebuilding Projects

 

Rebuilding Projects are responses to assist in Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty.  In this respect, projects planning and development for responses include environmental and war events as well as near future risks and crises.  In other words, we undertake projects planning and development linked to three events: wars, natural disasters, and future risks or crises.

 

• • • Project developments linked to environmental events

 

Project developments linked to environmental events may respond to the following:

 

∝ Short-term environmental strikes

(E.g., Recent deadly floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in the Democratic Republic of Congo that created around 400 fatalities)

∝ Disasters linked to climate change cycles

(E.g., Drought in the Horn of Africa in 2022 that destroyed crops and livelihoods)

∝ Long-term environmental storms and catastrophes.

(E.g., The prospect for oil spills to poison agriculture, waterways, and the atmosphere with hazardous chemicals in oil exploiting African countries; the risk of freshwater sources to be contaminated in some parts of Africa by viruses, germs, parasites and pollutants creating water scarcity; the likelihood of further amplification of pressure on biodiversity because of continued deforestation for agricultural processes with an associated demand for additional cleared cropland, especially in subtropical and tropical Sub-Saharan Africa with dense biodiversity)

 

• • • Project developments linked to war events

 

Project developments linked to war events may try to deal with the following:

 

∝ Short-term crises and armed conflicts and disputes

(For instance, the propensity of escalation of conflict between state and non-state armed groups over territory and natural resources in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo leading to worsening humanitarian conditions and heightened regional conflicts; the intensification of violence and worsening of humanitarian crisis in the Sahel particularly in the tri-border of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger)

∝ Wars linked to economic trends and business cycles 

(For example, the possible geo-economic tensions between African Continental Free Trade Area and other trading blocs; the attempt of the United States of America to rival economic influence of China in Africa or the bid of Russia to curtail the French and British interests in Africa)

∝ Long-running and permanent wars and structural warfare.

(E.g., African State system as the underlying cause of conflict, a system made of juridical statehood, neo-patrimonial politics and strained centre-periphery relations as described by James J. Hentz (12); the deterioration of the conflict situation in Sudan with the possibility of long-running civil wars).

 

• • • Project developments linked to future risks and crises

 

Project developments linked to future risks and crises that are likely to happen and to have catastrophic impacts, may try to deal with the following:

 

∝ Natural disasters and extreme weather events leading to conflicts (for example, climate change has led to the emergence of terrorist groups and conflicts in Africa)

∝ Infectious diseases (for instance, the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease outbreaks like coronavirus, Ebola, cholera, dysentery, yellow fever, meningitis and other zoonoses that can contribute to morbidity and mortality)

∝ Natural resource crisis (such as rising prices of energy and food due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; crop yields falling in volume and nutritional value due to heat, changing weather patterns, dry and wet precipitation extremes)

∝ Geo-economic confrontation or interstate economic relations fracture as a consequence of Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has partly led to the current cost-of-living crisis and the weaponization of economic policy between globally integrated powers

∝ Failure to mitigate climate change (for instance, to make less severe deadliest weather disasters in Africa)

∝ Failure to climate-change adaptation (e.g., as climate changes through time, there will be shifts to the distribution of insects, pests and diseases.  Failure to adaptation by these organisms can make them have problems with their surrounding environments)

∝ Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse (for example, extensive farming techniques, fast urbanisation, infrastructural development and illegal trafficking pose threats to Africa biodiversity).

∝ Economic and financial crises (e.g., any crises arising from a sovereign debt default, currency free falls and collapse of output that can severely impact our users and ASOs).

Project developments linked to environmental, war and future events will be a process of projects planning and development that has a triple response to environmental, war and future events for short, medium and long running crises.  This planning will include also the organisation of specific activities to help the rebuilding process.

 

• • Rebuilding Activities 

 

Rebuilding Activities are the tasks to be undertaking to help Rebuild Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty.  Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty as advocacy includes four types of activities:

∝ Activities to end the bad past (or bad systems and structures) that led to the current crises (Advocacy to manage endings)

∝ Activities to manage transition (to turn endings to new beginnings)

∝ Activities to manage new beginnings

∝ Activities to manage the future.

 

• • • Activities to end the bad past (Advocacy to manage endings)

 

To build forward better with communities and ASOs, it is better to successfully manage the end of or close any thing that was not good.  In other words, it is better not to return to or not to build back the systems and structures (e.g., endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities) that led to the current problems or crises.

However, building better is a backward and forward process.  Even if one is in the process of building forward, they can still refer to the good things of the past to check if there is any link with the process of building forward.  It is about curating your activities by leaving behind what did not work and taking forward what did work.

In this process of ending the bad past, we can refer to what Dr David P. Helfand (13) suggested in his book about career change.  He outlined four coping mechanisms for coping with an ending, which include disengagement, disidentification, disenchantment and disorientation.  These individual coping strategies can be extended to the area of dealing with endings of bad systems and structures that led to the cost-of-living crisis for many people.

For example, if one wants to rebuild Africa by ending the bad past of the cost-of-living crisis, they can break away from the context that brought it, look for a new self-identification, recognise disenchantment, and create a new vision and new orientation for Africa.

 

• • • Activities to manage transition (to turn endings to new beginnings)

 

The activities to manage transition will include the three stages of transition as described by the Centre for Creative Leadership (14), which are:

“accepting the ending, living in the neutral zone and reach your new beginnings”.

These activities will help to turn endings to new beginnings.

To conduct these activities, we are going to look at transition cycle.  We shall as well recall the Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (15) change curve; in particular where changes can be integrated in renewed individuals.

By referring to her model of change, we can argue that people have already accepted and integrated the cost-of-living crisis in their mind sets as the 1960s theory of the five stages of grief or model of change curve by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross tells us.  We have accepted that change is inevitable; so we could now return to where we were before the cost-of-living crisis with changes rather than against them.  We can now move on with change and transition.

These advocacy activities to manage transition will be based on wellbeing economy, inclusiveness and safety to manage the process of coming out the cost-of-living crisis.

For example, we can advocate with ASOs so that they are not left behind in Africa’s recovery efforts from the negative effects of the polycrises (i.e., the lingering effects of the coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, climate change catastrophe and human insecurity).  Our advocacy message could be that talks about financial recovery should include ASOs.

 

• • • Activities to manage new beginnings

 

The activities relating to the management of new beginnings will help to work with communities and ASOs to set up new goals, to identify opportunities and threats in the new development landscape (like the post-cost-of-living-crisis era).  We shall work with them via advice, tips and hints to manage a new beginning.

For example, we can revisit ASOs’ mission and vision in the new era of post-cost-of-living reconstruction and in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty.

So, the activities to manage new beginnings will empower communities and ASOs to navigate their ways to improve in those areas where polycrises have brought a new window of opportunities and scope to learn and develop.  It is an advocacy work to freshly start and plan future.

 

• • • Activities to manage the future

 

By using futuring and visioning methods, it is possible develop scenarios, horizon scanning and trend monitoring/analysis to help build forward better.  These activities will enable us to better equip to minimise the likely harmful impacts of future risks and crises.  As Stephen Millett (16) puts it

“[But] building future planning into your everyday practices is not only vital – it’s eminently doable”

The activities will be conducted to help communities and ASOs to meet their goals of building forward together greener, cleaner and safer.

For any enquiries and queries about any of these activities, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

For further details about  Rebuilding Africa in the Context of Insufficient Economic Growth Conditions to Reduce Extreme Poverty, please also contact CENFACS.

 

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/overview (accessed in May 2023)

(2) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (2023), Trade and Development Update: Global Trends and Prospects at https://unctad.org/publications/trade-and-development-report-update-april-2023 (accessed in May 2023)

(3) https://ijrcenter.org/ihr-reading-room/overview-of-the-human-rights-framework/(accessed in May 2023)

(4) https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights (accessed in May 2023)

(5) https://reasonandmeaning.com/2016/03/31/the-difference-between-the-moral-and-the-legal/ (accessed in May 2023)

(6) https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/definitions-what-is-human-dignity/ (accessed in May 2023)

(7) https://www.ohchr.org/en/indigenous-peoples/un-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples (accessed in May 2023)

(8) https://www.ohchr.org/about-us/high-commissioner (accessed in May 2023)

(9) https://www.definitions.net/definition/local+community# (accessed in May 2023)

(10) https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentationdetail/27201468765605934/indicators-for-monitoring-poverty-reduction (accessed in May 2023)

(11) https://www.coursera.org/articles/project-planning (accessed in May 2023)

(12) Hentz, J. J. (2019), Toward a Structural Theory of War in Africa at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19392206.2019.1628449?journalcode=uafs20 (accessed in May 2023)

(13) Helfand, D. P. (1995), Career Change: Everything You Need to Know to Meet New Challenges and Take Control of Your Career, Careers Series/VCM Career Horizons, the University of Michigan

(14) Centre for Creative Leadership at https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/adapting-to-change-its-about-the-transition/ (accessed in May 2023)

(15) Kübler-Ross E., 1969: On Death and Dying, New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc.

(16) Millett, S. at https://www.triarchypress.net/managing-the-future.html (accessed in May 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

10 May 2023

 

Post No. 299

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• All in Development Stories Serial 2: Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor (Starting from Wednesday 10/05/2023)

• Goal of the Month: Make Poverty Reduction through Stories

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 12: Impact Evaluating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• All in Development Stories Serial 2: Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor (Starting from Wednesday 10/05/2023)

 

Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor are the tales of demolition of the building or fabric of discrimination that holds back those in need or exacerbate poverty.  To understand and better share these tellings, one may need to know the structures of discrimination they want to be dismantled.  It could also be interesting to find out that after dismantling these structures, how this dismantling result is going to help the poor.  In other words, it is not enough to argue for dismantling discrimination structures.  To complete the work, one needs to explain how this is going to support the poor.   Completing the work in this way can also provides opportunity to those (the poor) who benefited from the dismantling process of discrimination structures to provide their stories of benefit from the result of this process.

Additionally, it could be helpful to explore the relationship that may exist between dismantled discrimination and poverty reduction since we are dealing the poor.  Learning and knowing this relationship can make easy to explain people, in particular but not exclusively the members of the CENFACS Community, why it is important for them to provide stories, if they have any, on the matter of dismantled discrimination and disadvantage filling gap matters.  This learning and knowledge will better contribute to stories donation as giving a story for them will be more than just narrating their accounts.  It will be about empowering them from the spaces and opportunities they can seize from dismantled structures of discrimination.

More about the stories of dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor is given under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Goal of the Month: Make Poverty Reduction through Stories

 

Our poverty reduction goal for May 2023 is Making Poverty Reduction Happen through Stories.  It is about telling and sharing stories that can pitch or lead to poverty reduction and sustainable development for the poor and those CENFACS Community members who may need inspiring and motivational stories to find their ways out the problems they have.  In other words, by listening, viewing and learning from inspiring stories they can develop their own strengths to gradually find their own pace and tune towards the reduction of poverty and sustainable development.

To put this into perspective, Pullanikkatil and Shackleton (1) give the example of Poverty Reduction through Non-Timber Forest Products.  Referring to the work of Pullanikkatil and Shackleton, Sarah Feder (2) explains that

“Stories can amplify the voices of people who are not often heard, and make their experiences relatable to people in wildly different contexts”.

Likewise, Angela Wood and John Barnes (3) are in favour of

“Amplifying poor people’s voices by combining alternative media such as community radio, oral testimonies and community theatre with the involvement of the media”.

It is possible to deduct from these two quotations that stories can have the following attributes:

σ to amplify poor people’s voices

σ to provide a voice for the voiceless people

σ to create opportunity for these people to narrate from their own perspective

σ to learn lessons to be used in poverty reduction policies, practices and strategies

σ to create and sustain poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Those who can help to make poverty reduction through stories, they can be supportive of this goal.  We expect our supporters and audiences to support this goal as well.

For further details on this goal including its support, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 12: Impact Evaluating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

In Step/Workshop 11 of your Play, Run and Vote Projects, you conducted an outcome evaluation by measuring your behaviour, participation to and achievement following the delivery of these projects.  Now, you can proceed with an impact evaluation.  An impact evaluation will help to evaluate the effect of your Play, Run and Vote Projects on you and the environment surrounding you.  But, what is an impact evaluation?

 

• • Basic Understanding of an Impact Evaluation

 

The definition we have chosen to understand an impact evaluation comes from ‘betterevaluation.org’ (4).  According to ‘betterevaluation.org’,

“An impact evaluation provides information about the impacts produced by an intervention.  The intervention might be a small project, a large programme, a collection of activities, or a policy”.

The same ‘betterevaluation.org’ states that

“A impact evaluation can be undertaken to improve or reorient an intervention (i.e., for formative purposes) or to inform decisions about whether to continue, discontinue,  replicate or scale up an intervention (i.e.,  for summative purposes)”.

In other words, an impact evaluation tries to measure the difference between outcomes with an intervention and without it in a way that can attribute the difference to the intervention, and only the intervention.  For instance, an impact evaluation of  your Run Project will assess changes in your wellbeing that can be attributable to your Run Project.  The figure below is an impact evaluation exercise showing how your all-year-round project can impact on you.

 

 

To carry out an impact evaluation, one needs to answer/know the why, when, what and who to engage in the evaluation process.  Also, one can base its impact evaluation on a particular way of thinking or a theory.

 

• • Theories to Be Used in Your Impact Evaluation 

 

To simplify the matter, an all-year-round project beneficiary will use a theory of change that will guide them to causal attribution or to answer cause-and-effect questions; meaning that changes in outcome are directly attributable to an intervention (here your Play, Run and Vote Projects).  Therefore, you need to better plan and manage your impact evaluation.

 

• • Example of Planning and Managing the Impact Evaluation of Your All-year Round Projects

 

To better plan and manage the impact evaluation of Your All-year Round Projects, you can proceed with the following:

 

σ Describe what needs to be evaluated

σ Identify and mobilise resources for your evaluation

σ Decide who will conduct the evaluation and engage it

σ Set up an evaluation methodology/approach/technique

σ Manage your evaluation work

σ Implement your evaluation work

σ Evaluate the result/impact of Your All-year Round Projects on you and/or others

σ Share your evaluation results/report.

 

The above is one of the possible ways of impact evaluating your All-year Round Projects.  For those who would like to dive deeper into Impact Evaluation of their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

To conclude this 12-week workshop programme, we would like to thank those who have been engaged with it.  We would like as well to ask to those who can to measure the impact and effectiveness in working with them/you on how to plan, execute and evaluate your All-year Round Projects.  They/you can state that on overall they/you have positive or negative impacts from this programme.  They/you can send your statement to CENFACS‘ usual contact details as given on this website.

 

Extra Messages

 

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty – From Week Beginning 08/05/2023: Workshop on Effective Management Processes for Land and Sea Use Change (Activity 2)

• Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)/All Year-round Projects (AYRPs) Activity: Tell and Share your TVI/AYRP Story

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and Data-based Stories of Build Forward Better

 

 

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty –

From Week Beginning 08/05/2023: Workshop on Effective Management Processes for Land and Sea Use Change (Activity 2)

 

a) Aim of Activity 2

 

Activity 2 is about working with participants to raise awareness and/or re-learn processes that help to conduct careful land use planning and management to preserve resources and qualities of land from biodiversity loss, which could be the result of agriculture expansion.

 

b) What does Activity 2 Consist of?

 

Activity 2 consists of learning ways of conducting careful land use planning and management.  Before introducing the elements of this Activity 2, let us remember what Patrick Greenfield and Phoebe Weston (5) argued in 2021.  The two authors wrote in 2021 that

“Reducing food waste and eating less meat would help cut the amount of land needed for farming, while researcher say improved management of existing croplands and utilising what is already farmed as best as possible would reduce further expansion”.

There could be a debate about their argument.  However, their statement/argument just confirms what many experts in the field of climatology keep saying, which is changes in land and sea use are one of the causes of biodiversity loss.  If one wants to reverse this loss, then they need to act.

The workshop is about action on the following:

√ how to use threat-based and outcome-based approaches to reduce the amount of threat posed to land and sea use change

√ how to reduce the widespread form of land-use change especially used to grow crops or farm animals

√ How to influence developers to stop or reduce significant changes to the natural landscape and resources

√ How to reduce the introduction and development of invasive species

√ How to lower land-based impacts on coastal areas

Etc.

For those who would like to engage with Activity 2, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

For those who would like to find out more about Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty, they can also communicate with CENFACS.

 

 

• Triple Value Initiatives (TVIs)/All Year-round Projects (AYRPs) Activity: Tell and Share your TVI/AYRP Story

 

On 19 April 2023, we asked the users of TVIs/AYRPs to journal (that is, to write an introspective and reflective record of) their TVIs/AYRPs.  The journaling goal was basically to explore and enrich one’s TVI/AYRP activity and experience through creative writing.

Alternatively, users can tell the story of their TVIs/AYRPs.  You can tell and share what you are doing as TVI/AYRP user or beneficiary.  Telling and sharing their TVI/AYRP story (i.e., a systematic recitation of their TVI/AYRP event or series of events) can have some benefits.

 

• • Benefits of Story Telling and Sharing about your TVI/AYRP

 

We can list the following benefits:

 

√ To interact via words and actions to reveal the elements and infographics of what you are doing as TVI/AYRP

√ To track progress made so far and improvements you may need about what you are doing as TVI/AYRP

√ To learn and develop on what you are doing as TVI/AYRP

√ To motivate others who are working on similar or complementary TVI/AYRP

√ To make your story positively impact deprived lives and reach out to the needy communities

√ To record and celebrate achievements made so far of what you are doing as TVI/AYRP

√ To develop strengths and better practices to solve problems encountered in implementing what you are doing as TVI/AYRP

√ To inspire and motivate others on the road of change for better change via TVI/AYRP

√ To encourage others take up roles and positions as well as engage with your TVI/AYRP.

 

Briefly, telling and sharing your TVI/AYRP story will enable assess the value of your engagement with TVI/AYRP while helping you to know what has worked and not worked so far before its deadline of 23/12/2023.

To tell and share your TVI/AYRP story, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Africa-based Sister Organisations and Data-based Stories of Build Forward Better

 

Our All in Development Stories Telling Programme includes the stories or experiences that our Africa-based Sister Organisations (ASOs) are having with their local people.  They can share with us their stories of:

 

(a) reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities

(b) dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor

(c) building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action

(d) positively transforming their relationships with nature.

 

As we are in CENFACS’ Stories Month, we would like to include their tales or experiences as they are trying to build forward better from the polycrises (that is, the coronavirus disaster, the cost-of-living crisis, climate catastrophe, insecurity in war-torn areas of Africa, etc.) they face.  We would like them to tell us their stories with data (i.e. textual, numerical, infographic, audio and visual data).  There are advantages deriving from telling and sharing these types of stories.

 

• • Advantages of Sharing Data-reliant Stories of Build Forward Better

 

Stories can help their local people to get back on their feet and move forward.  They can accompany them in their process of building forward better.  They can as well assist in mobilising resources, capacities and other types of support to help deal with the issue of poverty at this challenging time.

For any of ASOs that would like to submit or donate their data-based stories of building forward better, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Le thème de cette année pour le projet ‘Histoires de Tous dans le développement’

Cette année, le thème du projet ‘Histoires de Tous dans le Développement’ portera sur les histoires de mieux construire ensemble à partir de la crise du coût de la vie.

Ces histoires seront…

a) sur la façon dont les personnes et les communautés tentent ou ont essayé de mieux construire ensemble pour sortir de la crise du coût de la vie

b) de

∝ réduction des désavantages structurels endémiques et des inégalités

∝ transformer positivement nos relations avec la nature

∝ démantèlement des structures de discrimination désavantageant les pauvres

∝ s’appuyer sur le cadre moral et juridique des droits de l’homme qui place la dignité humaine au cœur des politiques et des actions.

Ce sont les histoires de la construction physique, sociale, environnementale et économique de mieux en mieux, au lieu d’aller ou de reconstruire les structures, les systèmes et les modes de vie qui ont conduit à la crise actuelle du coût de la vie.

Les inscriptions pour ces histoires de mai ont été ouvertes depuis mars dernier, lorsque nous avons annoncé le thème général de Secours printanier 2023, qui est « Construire mieux ensemble plus propre, plus vert et plus sûr ».  Jusqu’à présent, certaines personnes ont manifesté un certain intérêt.  Pour ceux/celles qui n’ont pas encore soumis ou raconté leurs histoires, c’est le mois pour le faire.

Pour faciliter et organiser la manière de raconter ces histoires, nous allons le faire à travers une série ou un programme ou une chronologie de scénarios. Pour plus d’informations sur cette série, l’accent et les scripts de narration de cette année, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Pour raconter votre histoire de changement pour le changement au CENFACS, veuillez communiquer avec le CENFACS pour connaître les termes et conditions de narration.

 

 

Main Development

 

• All in Development Stories Serial 2: Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor (Starting from Wednesday 10/05/2023)

 

The notes highlighting this Serial 2 will be developed under the following headings:

 

∝ Key Working Concepts Used in the Serial 2

∝ Theories of Discrimination

∝ Relationships between Dismantled Discrimination and Poverty Reduction

∝ Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor

∝ Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination to Support our Community Members.

 

Let us see what each of the headings contains as notes.

 

• • Key Working Concepts Used in the Serial 2

 

There are three concepts that underpin the contents of Serial 2.  These concepts are structural discrimination, positive discrimination and disadvantaged.  Let us briefly explain each of these concepts.

 

• • • Structural discrimination

 

Before one can understand structural discrimination, they need to first know discrimination.  In Chambers Combined Dictionary Thesaurus (6), discrimination means

“Unjustifiably different treatment given to different people or groups” (p. 369)

One of the contentious areas of discrimination is the employment.  In relation to this area, Christopher Pass et al. (7) explains that

“Discrimination is inequitable treatment of employees of which the main forms are: (a) sex discrimination where men and women are treated differently by their employer; (b) race discrimination, where people are treated differently to their colour, nationality, race or ethnic origins” (p. 179)

There has been a number of legislations in the UK to deal with discrimination, legislations which include the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976 and so on.

Knowing discrimination, it is possible to define structural discrimination.

Literature review about structural discrimination provides many definitions.  Amongst these definitions is the one given by ‘activescreening.com’ (8) which is

“Structural discrimination (also referred to as indirect discrimination or institutional racism) refers to practices, norms and behaviours within institutions and social structures which have the effect of denying rights or opportunities to members of minority groups, keeping them from achieving the same opportunities available to the majority group.  Structural discrimination can occur both intentionally and unintentionally”.

From this definition of structural discrimination, one can think of ways or stories of demolishing the above-referenced practices, norms and behaviours in order to create opportunities and possibilities for the discriminated people or minority groups.

However. theories and practices draw distinction between positive and negative discrimination.  In our storytelling programme, we are interested in stories of dismantling structures of discrimination as well as the narrations of positive discrimination.  What is positive discrimination?

 

• • • Positive discrimination

 

Referring to the Oxford Dictionary of Sociology written by John Scott and Gordon Marshall (9), positive discrimination is

“Policies and practices which favour groups (mainly ethnic groups and women) who have historically experienced disadvantages (usually in the fields of employment and education)” (p. 581)

What we are interested in are stories of positive discrimination or stories of dismantling negative discrimination that disadvantage the poor.  Who are the disadvantaged poor?

 

• • • The disadvantaged

 

Using a dictionary definition like ‘dictionary.com’ (10), disadvantaged is defined as

“lacking the normal or usual necessities and comforts of life, as proper housing, educational opportunities, job security, adequate medical care, etc.”.

In the context of structural discrimination, the disadvantaged include minorities, indigenous people and migrants or refugees.  To tell how these groups are disadvantaged and their stories, one may need to back what they are saying with a theory or a series of ideas and general principles as well as facts and evidence.

 

 

• • Theories of Discrimination

 

The theories of discrimination we are using in constructing these notes are the structural-level theories, not individual- and organisational-level ones.  Structural discrimination approach focuses on broader societal structures.  Besides that, we refer to theories of segmented or split labour markets when we deal with structural discrimination in the labour market.  We include as well theories of relationships between sexes when speaking about positive discrimination.  Using these structural or standard macro-led theories does not conflict with people giving their individual stories.

 

• • Relationships between Dismantled Discrimination and Poverty Reduction

 

There are many studies or analytical works that suggest that there is a relation between discrimination and poverty.  For example, the ‘borgenproject.com’ (11) claims that

“Discrimination affects global poverty by breeding an environment of inequality that limits one’s access to fundamental rights and basic needs.  Discrimination against people or groups based on race, religion, ethnicity or other factors can foster segregation, which impoverishes the particular population who cannot obtain access to fundamental needs for basic living”.

After dismantling structures of discrimination, it is possible to open up space and opportunities for poverty reduction to happen and flourish.  If this happens, we can have Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor.   However, one needs to prove this relationship with matching rigorous statistical or quantitative evidence.

 

 

• • Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor

 

From what we explained above, Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination Disadvantaging the Poor are those of

 

√ Ending policies and practices that contribute to the systematic disadvantage of the poor members of society or certain groups

√ Combating structural discrimination

√ Awareness raising against prejudice and discrimination

√ Outreaching the discriminated

√ Promoting diversity

√ Anti-discrimination of the information about job and funding opportunities towards the minority ethnic groups and particular locations

√ Allowing the poor to reach the next step in the employment process

√ Genuine equal opportunities policies and practices in areas such as recruitment, selection, training, etc.

√ Helping disadvantaged children access educational opportunities to tackle educational poverty

√ Proactively engaging and acting against discrimination as well as helping the discriminated to claim their rights

√ Demolishing discrimination against disabled people

√ Data-based about the promotion of disadvantaged groups

Etc.

 

The above are the stories of building forward better as they are trying to remove the structures that unfairly treat the poor while opening up for them possibilities, opportunities and spaces for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

 

• • Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination to Support our Community Members

 

Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination coming from our members and others, once shared, can support CENFACS Community members.  They can encourage and inspire them, help them in the fight against disadvantage and assist them to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.  These stories can send a relieving message to our members that there is a possibility to turn disadvantage into their advantage to win over poverty induced by discrimination.

Those members of our community who have Stories of Dismantling Structures of Discrimination to tell, they should not hesitate to share them.  Any other interested party who may have these stories, they can tell them to CENFACS.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor, please contact CENFACS.

 

_________

 

• References

 

(1) Pullanikkatil, D. and Shackleton, CM. (2019), Poverty Reduction Through Non-Timber Forest Products: Personal Stories, Sustainable Development Goals Stories, Springer at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75580-9 (Accessed in May 2023)

(2) Feder, S., (2020), The Power of Stories: Poverty Reduction Through NTFPs at https://medforest.net/2020/02/26/that-power-of-stories-poverty-reduction=through-ntfps/ (Accessed in May 2023)

(3) Wood, A. and Barnes, J., (2007), Making Poverty the Story: Time to Involve the Media in Poverty at https://gsdrc.org/document-library/making-poverty-the-story-time-to-involve-the-media-in-poverty-reduction/# (Accessed in May 2023)

(4) https://www.betterevaluation.org/methods-approaches/themes/impact-evaluation (Accessed in May 2023)

(5) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/14/five-biggest-threats-natural-world-how-we-can-stop-them-aoe (Accessed in May 2023)

(6) Chambers (1999), Chambers Combined Dictionary Thesaurus, Martin Manser & Megan Thomson (Eds.), Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh

(7) Pass, C., Lowes, B., Pendleton, A. & Chadwick, L. (1991), Collins Dictionary of Business, HarperCollinsPublishers, Glasgow

(8) https://www.activescreening.com/blog/structural-discrimination-ban-box-help-hurt-cause/ (Accessed in May 2023)

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

(10) https://www.dictionary.com/browse/disadvantage (Accessed in May 2023)

(11) https://borgenproject.com/discrimination-affects-global-poverty/ (Accessed in May 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

03 May 2023

 

Post No. 298

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• May 2023 Stories – All in Development Stories: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

• All in Development Story Telling Series/Programme 2023

• Activity/Task 5 of the Influence (i) Year/Project: Encourage People to Tell Their Stories of Poverty Reduction

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages

 

• May 2023 Stories – All in Development Stories: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

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

 

• • Why do we tell and share stories? 

 

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

 

• • How do we tell and share these stories?

 

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

 

• • This year’s theme for AiD Stories project

 

This year, the theme for AiD Stories project will be about Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis.

These stories will be…

 

a) about how people and communities are trying or have tried to build forward better from the cost-of-living crisis

b) of

∝ reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities

∝ positively transforming our relationship with nature

∝ dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor

∝ building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action.

 

They are the tales of physical, social, environmental and economic building forward better, instead of going to or building back the structures, systems and ways of life that led to the cost-of-living crisis.

Entries for these May Stories were opened since last March when we announced the general theme of Spring Relief 2023, which is “Build Forward Better Together Cleaner, Greener and Safer”.  So far, some people have shown some interests.  For those who have not yet submitted or told us their stories, this is the month to do it.

 

• • Underlying principle of AiD Stories project

 

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

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

 

• • Criteria for the theme of AiD Stories project 2023

 

~ 1st Criterion

For this year’s AiD Stories project, we are mainly interested in Stories of building forward better together cleaner, greener and safer from the cost-of-living crisis, as mentioned above.  They are the stories of those who hit rock bottom of poverty because of the cost-of-living crisis and are trying to bounce forward in a sustainable way.

 

~ 2nd Criterion

We are registering people’s personal experiences of being or at risk of being left behind in the process of building forward from the cost-of-living crisis.  Experiences show that in many crises, there is always a possibility that aid/help to the crisis does reach everybody or if its does it does not reach them proportionally or equally.  For those who have not been reached, their personal stories need to be heard as well.

Additionally, we would like to select amongst submitted stories the best ones.

 

• • Selecting the top real true story of the month

 

This year, we would like to select the top three stories of poverty reduction of the month and the real true story of poverty reduction of the month.  To do that we will use impact story approach.  This approach is often used when monitoring and evaluation are restricted.  What do we mean by that?

We mean what ‘civicus.org’ (1) says about impact stories, which is:

“Impact stories are a useful way to systematically documenting anecdotal evidence that expected activities occurred, and the perceived results thereof”.

Our storytelling assessors will try to capture elements of storytelling that respond to our storytelling criteria.  Stories that build inclusion and inspire people to change have more change to win more votes/points than other ones.

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

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

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

 

 

• All in Development Story Telling Series/Programme 2023

 

The 2023 series of AiDS Telling Programme starts from the 3rd of May 2023, every Wednesday afterwards and will last until the end of May 2023.  These series, which are part of May 2023 Stories, are a timeline of scripts or a set of notes arranged in line to tell and share Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis.

To arrange this programme, we referred to what the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (2) states about building forward better, which is

“Building forward means not only that no one is left behind but that people living in poverty are actively encouraged and supported to be in the front, engaging in informed and meaningful participation in decision-making processes that directly affect their lives”.

The same Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations explains that

“People living in extreme poverty … do not support a return to the endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities.  Instead, they propose building forward by transforming our relationship with nature, dismantling structures of discrimination that disadvantage people in poverty and building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action”.

From the above statements, we can organise our stories line.  There is no single logic or model of organising a story.  We thought that to make it easier, our storytelling series will follow these four sequences:

 

(a) reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities

(b) dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor

(c) building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action

(d) positively transforming our relationship with nature.

 

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

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

 

 

• Activity/Task 5 of the Influence (i) Year/Project: Encourage People to Tell Their Stories of Poverty Reduction

 

Not everybody feels like or has the power to tell their story.  Those who can can do it themselves if they have been given the opportunity to do so.  Those who cannot, they may need some sort of encouragement and possibly a space to tell their stories.

As an influencer of poverty reduction, one can encourage people to tell their stories.  But how do you influence them?

 

• • Example of way of encouraging prospective storytellers

 

Let say you have been tasked to encourage people (e.g., a group of homeless people) to tell and share their stories of poverty linked to homelessness so that through their stories you can explore ways of helping them out of homelessness.  How do you encourage them?

Selena Rezvani and Stacey A. Gordon (3) provide us with some clues by suggesting what you can do when you open storytelling forums for your team.  They suggest the following 5 tips which are:

1) Bringing a beginner’s mindset

2) Receiving diversity stories with empathy and warmth

3) Not asking storytellers to ‘over-verify’

4) Thanking people for sharing

5) Checking in about continually improving safe spaces.

One can refer to what Selena Rezvani and Stacey A. Gordon say in order to encourage prospective storytellers.  Alternatively, one can use their own model of encouraging people to share their stories.

The above is our Activity/Task 5 of the Influence (i) Year/Project.   This task can be undertaken by those members of our community who are interested in it.

To work with us via this Activity/Task 5, please contact CENFACS.

 

Extra Messages

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 11: Evaluating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Working Plan for the Second Series of Nature Activities

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Discusses Conflict in Sudan, Poverty Reduction and Africa-based Sister Organisations

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 11: Evaluating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

Normally, at the beginning of a project or activity, planners of this project or activity will indicate how they plan to evaluate it.  What is project evaluation for them?

 

• • Basic understanding of project evaluation

 

To simplify the matter, we are referring to what Anna Allen and Catriona May (4) say about it, which is:

“Evaluation is a process of assessing what an activity or project achieves, particularly in relation to the overall objectives” (p. 36)

Let us exemplify this.

 

• • Example of Evaluating Your All-year Round Projects

 

Let us assume that one of our users decides to organise a 4-Km-a-day Run Project to raise money for CENFACS’ one of its noble causes of poverty reduction, which is to support Africa-based Sister Organisations currently helping displaced persons in the south borders of Sudan. 

In order to evaluate the 4-Km-a-day Run Project, our all-year-round project user will proceed with the following:

∝ Ensure that their project is on course and identify the problems as they come up

(Type of problems could be if everybody taking the run manages to run 4 kilometres or not)

∝ Measure progress towards their objectives

(E.g., if one of the objectives was to raise £500 on a particular day, they will check fundraising progress about this objective)

∝ Seize new window of opportunities

(For instance, if more people turn up than initially expected, our all-year-round project user can think of the possibility of running the activity again another day)

∝ Deal with any challenges during project implementation

(Like to organise a networking/talk session for the extra number of attendees who could not take part in the run because there is a restriction on the number of runners)

∝ Recognise success and failure

(I.e., our all-year-round project user will find out what went wrong or well during the Run Project)

∝ Give some recommendations for the future run of the project

(I.e., ask participants to make suggestions or tell them how you will improve the project if you decide to run it again)

∝ Keep all records

(Of the number of participants/runners, all the people involved, money raised, incidents, accidents, etc.)

∝ Conduct a progress review

(If it is the second time to run your project, you will review the progress made in comparison with the previous run)

∝ Complete evaluation in due course

(I.e., remember to tick all the boxes of you evaluation sheets/forms when you finishes your project).

The above is one of the possible ways of evaluating your All-year Round Projects.  For those who would like to dive deeper into Evaluation of their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Working Plan for the Second Series of Nature Activities

 

The second series of these activities, which already started from the 1st of May 2023, falls under the scope of target 1 of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (5) adopted at the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

The summaries of the second series of the new generation of nature activities to be carried out are given below.

 

• • Summaries of the second series

 

Activity 1: Participatory Integrated Biodiversity Inclusive  Spatial Planning

 

This is an arts and design activity consisting of drawings that integrate biodiversity targets into spatial planning processes.  Participatory Integrated Biodiversity Inclusive  Spatial Planning has to be understood as the International Work Group for indigenous Affairs (6) explains it.

 

Activity 2: Effective Management Processes for Land and Sea Use Change

 

This is a workshop activity about processes that help to conduct careful land use planning and management to preserve resources and qualities of land from biodiversity loss, which could be the result of agriculture expansion.

 

Activity 3: Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and their Contributions to Nature Solutions to Poverty

 

This is a campaign or advocacy activity aiming at restoring and securing rights of indigenous people and local communities to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems.  This activity will also enable these peoples and communities to stand up for their rights, to reduce deforestation, store more carbon and increase biodiversity while lowering poverty.

 

Activity 4: Bringing Lost Areas of Biodiversity Close to Net Zero.

 

This is an e-discussion activity on offsets as a conservation tool.  Through this e-discussion, participants will learn how to use biodiversity offsets to achieve no net loss or a net gain in biodiversity for deforestation and forest loss.

The contents of above-mentioned four nature activities stem from the first target of nature goals making the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (op.cit.), which was agreed in December 2022.  The above-mentioned action plan specifies the type of activities to be carried out.  The first activity – which is Participatory Integrated Biodiversity Inclusive  Spatial Planning – has already kicked off.

Let us further explain Activity 1.

 

 

• • Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty –

From Week Beginning 01/05/2023: Arts and Design Work on Participatory Integrated Biodiversity Inclusive  Spatial Planning

 

a) Aim of Activity 1

 

Activity 1 will help guide participants to engage with planning processes and spatial tools in the form of arts and design to include biodiversity in any spatial planning process.  Participants can apply these processes and tools on their own city and local area.  In this activity, it could be for them to include poverty reduction.

 

b) What does Activity 1 Consist of?

 

This activity consists of using creative skills to prepare a plan or drawing or model showing how to integrate biodiversity and ecosystems functions and services in spatial planning across cities, landscapes and seascapes to conserve, enhance, restore and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services.

Through this arts and design activity, participants will learn how to promote integration between policy sectors,  to adaptively respond to changing societal and political conditions, to involve and engage citizens in decision-making processes, in brief to develop the capacity to promote integrated adaptive and collective planning decisions.  In this integration process, one should not forget to include the needs of poor people.

For those who would like to engage with Activity 1 and/or any of the above-mentioned activities, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

For those who would like to find out more about Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty, they can also contact CENFACS.

 

 

• CENFACS’ be.Africa Discusses Conflict in Sudan, Poverty Reduction and Africa-based Sister Organisations

 

As the conflict in Sudan continues and starts to have some economic ramifications in terms of supplies of basic necessities on the bordering southern areas of Sudan (like borders with Central African Republic, Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia), CENFACS’ be.Africa is discussing the economic and poverty-relieving impacts of the conflict in the hotspot south cross borders of Sudan.  In particular, CENFACS’ be.Africa is debating the following:

∝ The needs of the innocent victims of the conflict and the displaced persons of this conflict, and how to meet them

∝ How to best help the innocent victims of the conflict and those fleeing the conflict in the region and seeking refuge in neighbouring countries/areas

∝ The kind of support that Africa-based Sister Organisations working in these areas need in order to better help the victims of this conflict

∝ How to avoid that the pressing poverty-relieving and humanitarian needs on the ground expand beyond the current areas of hunger linked to this conflict

∝ The kind of influence that is needed so that economic peace can be secured in those parts of Africa threatened by or prone to deepening poverty and humanitarian crisis because of the Sudanese conflict

∝ The appropriateness of advocacy to work with those who may bear the brunt of this conflict, particularly women, children and the elderly people

Etc.

This discussion is part of Building Forward Better Together with Communities and Africa-based Sister Organisations.  Those who may be interested in this first discussion of May 2023 can join in and or contribute by contacting CENFACS’ be.Africa, which is a forum for discussion on matters of poverty reduction and sustainable development in Africa and which acts on behalf of its members in making proposals or ideas for actions for a better Africa.

To communicate with CENFACS regarding this discussion, please use our usual contact details on this website.

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

Le Forum d’idées et d’actions pour une meilleure Afrique du CENFACS discute du conflit au Soudan, de la réduction de la pauvreté et des organisations sœurs basées en Afrique

Alors que le conflit au Soudan se poursuit et commence à avoir des ramifications économiques en termes d’approvisionnement en produits de première nécessité dans les régions frontalières du sud du Soudan (comme les frontières avec la République centrafricaine, le Tchad, le Soudan du Sud et l’Éthiopie), le Forum d’idées et d’actions pour une meilleure Afrique du CENFACS discute des impacts économiques et de la réduction de la pauvreté du conflit dans le point chaud du sud au-delà des frontières du Soudan.  En particulier, le Forum d’idées et d’actions pour une meilleure Afrique du CENFACS débat de ce qui suit:

∝ Comment aider au mieux les victimes innocentes du conflit et celles qui fuient le conflit dans la région tout en cherchant refuge dans les pays/régions voisins

∝ Le type d’aide dont les organisations sœurs basées en Afrique travaillant dans ces domaines ont besoin pour mieux aider les victimes de ce conflit

∝ Comment éviter que les besoins urgents de réduction de la pauvreté et humanitaires sur le terrain ne s’étendent pas au-delà des zones actuelles de la faim liées à ce conflit

∝ Quel type d’influence est nécessaire pour assurer la paix économique dans les régions d’Afrique menacées ou sujettes à l’aggravation de la pauvreté en raison du conflit soudanais?

∝ L’opportunité du plaidoyer pour aider ceux/celles qui pourraient être les premières victimes de ce conflit, en particulier les femmes, les enfants et les personnes âgées

Etc.

Ceux/celles qui pourraient être intéressé(e)s par cette première discussion de mai 2023 peuvent se joindre à nous et / ou contribuer en contactant le Forum d’idées et d’actions pour une meilleure Afrique du CENFACS, qui est un forum de discussion sur les questions de réduction de la pauvreté et de développement durable en Afrique et qui agit au nom de ses membres en faisant des propositions ou des idées d’actions pour une Afrique meilleure.

Pour communiquer avec le CENFACS au sujet de cette discussion, veuillez utiliser nos coordonnées habituelles sur ce site.

 

Main Development

 

• May 2023 Stories – All in Development Stories:

Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

The items making the contents of May 2023 Stories include the following:

 

∝ What is All in Development Stories Project?

∝ May 2023 Stories: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

∝ Story Telling Sequences or Series

∝ Nature-based Solutions inside your Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

∝ AiDS Serial 1: Stories of Reduction of Endemic Structural Disadvantages and Inequalities (Starting from Wednesday 03/05/2023)

∝ Further Information about May 2023 Stories.

 

Let us highlight each of these elements.

 

• • What is All in Development Stories Project?

 

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

 

√ AiDS is a telling and sharing story

 

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

 

√ AiDS is a learning and development process

 

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

 

√ AiDS is an inspirational and motivational support network

 

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

 

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

 

It is the art of poverty relief telling story that enables us to get up-to-date information, knowledge and thinking in the fields of poverty reduction and sustainable development from those who went on the grounds to learn and experience real-life development works.  They return with volunteering stories to tell and share.  As the National Storytelling Network (7) puts it in these terms:

“Storytelling is the interactive art of using words and actions to reveal the elements and images of a story while encouraging the listener’s imagination”.

This year’s storytelling and sharing will be about Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis.

 

 

• • May 2023 Stories: Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

• • • What are Stories of Building Forward Better?

 

They are

 

• the sequencing tales of effectively moving towards long term recovery from the cost-of-living crisis, and achieving tangible sustainable outcomes

• the narratives of lowering structural disadvantages and inequalities

• the histories of bringing down structures of discrimination

• the tellings of the use of human rights as a basis for promoting human dignity

• the accounts of positively transforming our relationship with nature in this building process in order to revitalise life and move towards a just and net zero world in the current context of cost-of-living crisis and after the crisis.

 

These stories will be presented via AiD Story Telling programme.

We are running 4 series of AiD Story Telling programme during this month of May, programme that will revolve around the process of building forward better from the cost-of-living crisis.

For those who want to tell their stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis; they can choose among the following sequences to tell their stories.

 

• • Story Telling Sequences or Series

 

AiD Story Telling Series: Starting on 03/05/2023 and after every Wednesday until the end of May 2023

The following series or sequences have been planned for this month of storytelling (May Stories).

 

σ Serial 1: From Wednesday 03/05/2023: Stories of reducing endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities

These are the stories of not going back to original or near conditions of structural disadvantage and inequality, of not returning lives and things to a former uneven status.  In other words, they are the tellings of increasing equal rewards, treatments and opportunities for different individuals within a group or groups within a society.

 

σ Serial 2: From Wednesday 10/05/2023: Stories of dismantling structures of discrimination disadvantaging the poor

These are the tales of demolition of the building or fabric of discrimination that holds back those in need or exacerbate poverty.

 

σ Serial 3: From Wednesday 17/05/2023: Stories of building on the moral and legal framework of human rights that places human dignity at the heart of policy and action.

These are accounts of upholding human rights and values when designing policies and taking actions.  There are also the stories of treating every human being with proper respect.

 

σ Serial 4: Week beginning 24/05/2023: Stories of positively transforming our relationship with nature.

 

They are the experiences or anecdotes of building forward better while  making sure that this building process or move does not conflict or upset the nature and its components.  These stories are in fact those of re-learning to live in harmony with nature.

 

• • Nature-based Solutions inside Your Stories of Building Forward Better from the Cost-of-living Crisis

 

There are many solutions or recipes in order to build forward from the cost-of-living crisis.  In the context of AiD Stories, we would like to hear stories of building forward better using nature-based solutions.  What do we mean by nature-based solutions?

There are many ways of defining nature-based solutions.  The EU Commission (8) defines nature-based solutions as

“Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions”.

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

 

 

• •  AiDS Serial 1: Stories of Reduction of Endemic Structural Disadvantages and Inequalities (Starting from Wednesday 03/05/2023)

 

To approach this first serial, it is better to understand what structural disadvantages and inequalities mean.

 

• • • What do structural disadvantages and inequalities mean?

 

The focus here is societal factors which impact on people’s experiences of disadvantage and inequality.

 

• • • • Structural disadvantages

 

Social disadvantage occurs when disadvantaged groups or member of group experience societal devaluation, material hardship and restricted opportunities.  According to Hurriyet Babacan et al. (9),

“Structural disadvantage refers to the disadvantage experienced by some individuals or families or groups or communities as a result of the way society functions (how resources are distributed, how people relate to each other, who has power, how institutions are organised)”.

The authors provide four key areas causing disadvantage or where disadvantage is experienced.  These areas include the lack of power over resources, the lack of power over decision-making, the lack of power over relationships, and the lack of power over information.

Structural disadvantage can be a serious problem within a society, especially when it becomes endemic or regular.

 

• • • • Structural Inequalities

 

There are many ways of perceiving structural inequality as it brings competing views (like Marxist, liberal, functionalist, structuralist, gender views, etc.).  One of its perceptions comes from the website ‘definitions.net’ (10) which states that

“Structural inequality is defined as a condition where one category of people are attributed an unequal status in relation to other categories of people.  This relationship is perpetuated and reinforced by a confluence of unequal relations in roles, functions, decisions, rights, and opportunities”.

Structural inequality can be viewed from an economic perspective as well.  From this perspective,  ‘thebalancemoney.com’ (11) thinks that

“Structural inequality occurs even in a free market economy because of the laws and policies that form it.  Those laws regulate government contracts, bankruptcy and property ownership.  They create advantages for some and disadvantages for others.  When the laws work against specific groups, inequality becomes part of the structure of the market”.

Structural inequality could be problematic if it is become endemic or distinctive feature within a particular society or market.

Knowing what endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities mean, it is possible to reduce them.  When their reduction happens, it could be good to tell and share the stories of their reduction.

 

• • • What are stories of reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities?

 

Let us distinguish stories of reduction of endemic structural disadvantages from those of endemic structural inequalities. 

 

• • • • Stories of reduction of endemic structural disadvantages

 

They are the tales of not returning lives and things to their original condition or unimproved condition of disadvantage. 

They are the stories of reducing the inability to access services (e.g., childcare), removing institutional barriers and difficulties in settlement, and ending disadvantage linked to the fact that  one belongs to a culturally diverse community. 

They are also the accounts of people (e.g., refugees) who become included, empowered and active members of the community.

 

• • • • Stories of reduction of endemic structural inequalities

 

These stories help to inform our story readers and listeners how inequality was reduced in various areas of life (like education, healthcare, housing, race, gender, income, employment, etc.).

These stories will elucidate how we are not trying to go back to structural inequality that could bring us crisis.  Instead, they will show how we are trying to build forward better. 

Also, because we are interested in stories of poverty reduction and sustainable development, the storytellers need to highlight aspects or ramifications of their story to poverty reduction.

 

• • • Kinds of stories of reduction of endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities

 

These are the tales of what, when, where, why, who and how structural disadvantage and inequality happen.  These stories connect us or our audiences with those who reduce disadvantage and inequality .  Then, what are those stories?

They are

 

√ transition stories of critical life-course transitions from structural inequality to equality, unfairness to fairness, disadvantage to advantage

√ the fables, written or spoken, made of words, voices and tones of lowering material hardship within the society we belong to

√ the storytelling infographics of dealing with restricted opportunities

√ the anecdotes of helping disadvantaged group members to cope with the negative psychological impacts of stressful life experiences 

√ the tales of reducing psychological effects of social devaluation 

Etc.

 

Although we said that the focus is societal factors, these stories are given by individuals/people.  If you are a member of our community and have this type of story, please do not hesitate to tell and share your story with CENFACS.  If you are not our member, you can still submit your story.

To donate, tell and share your storying gift of reducing endemic structural disadvantages and inequalities, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • Further Information about May 2023 Stories

 

• • •  2023 Story Areas of Interest

 

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

 

• • •  Contexts of Stories

 

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

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

They could finally be an experience of everyday life.

  

• • •  Call for 2023 Entries 

 

As said above, the 2023 Edition of AiDS has already kicked off.  For those who want to enter their stories of life renewal, please note you are welcome to do so.

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

We await your responses to our call.

 

• • •  Annotated Timetable for Story Submission in 2023

 

∝ Start of online (e-mail) and paper-based submission (01/05/2023)

∝ Story submission deadline (31/05/2023)

∝ Notification of receipt/acceptance (by 17/06/2023)

∝ Submission of revised stories (01 to 31/05/2023)

 

• • • Storytelling Check List

 

Before submitting, please check that your story meets the following:

 

√ Relatable

√ Relevant

√ Engaging

√ Inspiring

√ Building inclusion

√ Poverty-relieving

 

• • •  CENFACS Story Telling & Sharing Terms

 

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

 

√ who you are

√ where and when your experience took place 

√ and of course the story itself.

 

You could also

 

√ text

√ twit 

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

 

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

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

 

• • • CENFACS story telling, sharing and learning terms:

 

1) We welcome both told and untold stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10) We greatly consider stories building on inclusion, inspiring people to change, containing poverty-relieving elements and highlighting nature-based solutions to poverty and hardships.

 

For further clarification, contact CENFACS.

 

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

CENFACS is looking forward to engaging with you through your story.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to CENFACS at facs@cenfacs.org.uk.

_________

 

• References

 

(1) https://www.civicus.org/monitoring-toolkits/toolkit/impact-story/ (Accessed in May 2023)

(2) https://www.un.org/en/desa-time-build-forward-together# (Accessed in May 2023)

(3) https://hbr.org/2021/11/how-sharing-our-stories-builds-inclusion# (Accessed in May 2023)

(4) Allen, A. & May, C. (2007), Setting Up For Success – A practical guide for community organisations, Community Development Foundation, London (Great Britain)

(5) https://www.cbd.int/article/cop15-press-release-final-19dec2022 (Accessed in May 2023)

(6) https://iwgia.org/en/convention-on-biological-diversity-cbd15147-iw-2023-cbd.html# (Accessed in May 2023)

(7) https://storynet.org/what-is-storytelling/ (Accessed in May 2023)

(8) https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/environment/nature-based-solutions_en (Accessed in May 2023)

(9) Babacan, H., Gopalkrishman, N. & Trad-Padhee, J. at https://researchonline.jeu.edu.au/17935/1/Babacan_Achieving_Structural_Change.pdf# (Accessed in May 2023)

(10) https://www.definitions.net/definition/structural%20inequality (Accessed in May 2023)

(11) https://www.thebalancemoney.com/structural-inequality-facts-types-causes-solution-4174727# (Accessed in May 2023)

 

_________

 

• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.

 

Welcome to CENFACS’ Online Diary!

26 April 2023

 

Post No. 297

 

 

The Week’s Contents

 

• FACS Issue No. 79 of Spring 2023 Titled as Financial Education, Information and Communications for and with the Poor

• Protection Key Note 4 for Week Beginning 24/04/2023: Income Protection from Insurance Organisations

• Supporting Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023

 

… And much more!

 

 

Key Messages 

 

• FACS Issue No. 79 of Spring 2023 Titled as Financial Education, Information and Communications for and with the Poor

 

Financial education is not a new topic in the field of development or as a way of working with part of the population who is not financially educated.  Although it has been around quite a while, it does not reach all the poorest sections of the population, particularly but not exclusively in Africa.  Financial information and communications do not cover everybody as well.

For several reasons or factors, a large proportion of poor people do not receive the amount of financial educational skills, information tools and communication settings they need in order to make jumps or leaps in poverty reduction.  They may not always have access to financial information they need which apparently could be available.

In the 79th Issue of FACS, we are looking at the three areas of poor people’s financial empowerment (that is; financial education, information and communication) in the current setting or landscape of development in Africa.  We will explore ways of making financial information designed with and for the poor reach them.  In other words, we shall look at the handicaps or hurdles that prevent poor people in Africa from getting the financial educational skills, information resources and communications tools they need in order to move out of poverty.

The Issue will focus on the basic functional financial educational skills, the financial information market and the travel of this information to the poor in Africa.  In this respect, the means of transportation of financial information  and how it is consumed by the poor will also be highlighted and revealed.

Furthermore, the Issue will feature how Africa-based Sister Organisations are working with their local poor to bridge the gaps in financial education, information and communication.  This is without forgetting the problems they are encountering in trying to reduce poverty linked to the lack of functional financial skills, financial information and financial communications.  Of course, this will be done without ignoring the needs of the financial educationally needy, financial uninformed or under informed and communication poor people.

To gain more insight into this new Issue, please read the summaries of its pages provided under the Main Development section of this post.

 

 

• Protection Key Note 4 for Week Beginning 24/04/2023: Income Protection from Insurance Organisations

 

In this last note of Protection Month’s Programme, we are going to explain what we mean by Income Protection from Insurance Organisations and how CENFACS can work with its community regarding this type of income protection.

 

• • Income Protection from Insurance Organisations

 

It is simply about buying income protection insurance policy directly from an insurance company or indirectly from an independent financial adviser.  If you do not have income protection insurance through your employer or a combined insurance policy or savings, you can consider taking out income protection insurance from an insurance company.  There are insurance companies and brokers on the market offering different insurance services and products at competitive prices.  What one needs to do is to check their terms and conditions, in particular their eligibility criteria.

However, to buy such a policy one needs to have income in order to meet insurance providers’ purchasing requirements.   Those members of our community who can afford can buy such policy.  Those who cannot, they may require some support to purchase the policy.  Regardless of the affordability problem, CENFACS can work with all its members needing some support about income protection provided by insurance organisations.

 

• • Working with the Community Regarding Income Protection from Insurance Organisations

 

Without pretending that CENFACS can do everything including dealing with income protection sold by insurance companies, CENFACS can provide some general and limited support to its members or users who are able to purchase an income protection policy.  Our limited and targeted service consists of:

 

σ Making income protection enquiries on behalf of our members

σ Comparing and contrasting income protection prices between different insurance providers by using online comparison websites and web views

σ Providing leads about the cheapest premiums or insurance providers or policies.

 

Besides the above-mentioned ways of supporting, we are opened for enquiries for those who have matters to raise regarding their income protection covers from insurance organisations.

As indicated above, Protection Key Note 4 is the last one of our Protection Month’s Programme.  However, it does not conclude our Month of Protection since we still have the Protection Day to deal with.

As a way of summarising the four Protection Key Notes presented so far, we would like to remind our users and supporters that protection is above all about preventing and responding to threats and risks of any kinds to the members of our community.  Working with our members so that they can find ways of improving or building income protection is part of delivering protection with them.

For those members of our community who are struggling to improve or get income protection insurance they need, they can work with CENFACS on this matter.

For any other queries and enquiries about CENFACS‘ Protection Month, the theme of ‘Income Protection’ and Protection Key Note 4; please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

 

• Supporting Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023

 

The Month of Protection within CENFACS is also a giving one towards protection.  It is the month of supporting CENFACS’ Networking and Protection project.  To support this project, one may need to understand it.

 

• • What is CENFACS’ Networking and Protection project?

 

It is a child poverty reduction initiative designed to help and support the vulnerably poor children from HARMS, THREATS and RISKS from any forms of exploitation, neglect and abuse in Africa through the improvement of the flow of information, knowledge development, self-help activities, the increase and diversification of opportunities and chances together with and on behalf of these children.  One can back this project by Supporting Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023.

 

• • What Supporting Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023 is about

 

It is about the following:

 

√ Improving the flow of information with and amongst the vulnerable people and communities for poverty relief

√ Preventing and responding to any forms of vulnerability threats and risks coming from close and global environments

√ Re-empowering the vulnerable by increasing and diversifying opportunities and strengths amongst them.

 

• • What Your Support Can Achieve

 

It will help

 

√ To raise awareness and improve the circulation and dissemination of information for poverty relief

√ To prevent human exploitation (particularly child exploitation) and respond to child protection and safeguarding issues

√ To re-empower and re-strengthen poor people and communities’ capacities to protect young generations

√ To widen and diversify opportunities to the vulnerable to escape from poverty

√ To develop a well-informed base to reduce information gap and other types of vulnerabilities linked to the lack of networking, interconnectedness and protection.

 

• • How to Support Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023

 

You can DONATE, PLEDGE AND MAKE A GIFT AID DECLARATION for any amount as a way of supporting Networking and Protection against Poverty in 2023.

To donate, gift aid and or support differently, please contact CENFACS.

You can donate

 

*over phone

*via email

*through text

*by filling the contact form on this site. 

 

On receipt of your intent to donate or donation, CENFACS will contact you.  However, should you wish your support to remain anonymous; we will respect your wish.

 

 

Extra Messages

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 10: Terminating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

• Goals Combination: Reduction of Holiday Poverty and of Poverty as a Lack of Income Protection

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Working Plan for the Second Series of Activities

 

 

• All-year Round Projects Cycle (Triple Value Initiatives Cycle) – Step/Workshop 10: Terminating Your Play, Run and Vote Projects

 

There are various reasons that can lead to project termination.  ‘Taskmanagementguide.com’ (1) states that

“Failure and success are two basic reasons for terminating projects”.

The same ‘taskmanagementguide.com’ explains that success happens when project goals and objectives are accomplished on time and under budget, while failure occurs when project requirements are not met.

The above reasons for project termination can be related to the types of project termination to a certain degree; types which could be termination by addition or by integration or by starvation.  In the end, what is project termination?

 

• • Defining Project Termination

 

There are similarities in the definition of project termination.  To simplify the matter, let us refer to the definition of ‘taskmanagementguide.com’, which is

“Project termination is a situation when a given project is supposed to be closed or finalised because there’s no more need or sense for further continuation”.

Similarly, Project Management Institute (2) argues that

“Projects by definition are time bound, and must terminate”.

However, to effectively finalise a project, one needs to follow project closure procedures.

Let us follow project closure procedures to close out one of our all-year-round projects.

 

• • Example of Terminating Your All-year Round Projects

 

Realistically speaking, any of your All-year Round Projects close out just a week before 23/12/2023.  As explained above, there is a procedure for terminating them.  This procedure can be simple or complex depending on project.  Let say, you want to finalise your Play Project.  To do that, we are going to use a 8-step model of terminating a project as provided by ‘taskmanagementguide.com’ (op. cit.)

To terminate your Play Project, you need proceed with the following:

 

a) Close any agreements you made with any third parties (e.g., if you borrow materials from the library to research on poverty reduction performance of African countries, you need to close the given borrowing agreement by returning the materials, which can be a book, video, tape, etc.)

b) Handover responsibilities and accountabilities (i.e., transfer assignments to your play mates)

c) If you have been playing with friends and family members, you will dismiss them

d) Release the resources used (e.g., returning books to the lending library)

e) If you open a project book to record your results and accounts, you need to close it

f) Record and report your lessons learnt and experiences

g) Accept or reject your result which in this case should be the best African country poverty reducer

h) Share your result with the community and CENFACS by 23/12/2023.

 

The above is one of the possible ways of terminating your All-year Round Projects.  For those who would like to dive deeper into Terminating their Play or Run or Vote project, they should not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Goals Combination: Reduction of Holiday Poverty and of Poverty as a Lack of Income Protection

 

Our Season’s Goal is the Reduction of Holiday Poverty or Poverty Linked to the Lack of Means to Enjoy a Decent Holiday Whether at Home or Away from Home.  Our Goal for April Month of Protection is the Reduction of Poverty as a Lack of Income Protection.

This week, we are combining the two lacks as they both fall under the problem of not having or having less means to protect against loss of income and to finance holiday budget/plan.  It is also the combination of efforts to find solutions to fund both protection and holiday.  Both protection and holiday are basic life-sustaining goods or needs; and failure to satisfy them can be seen as an symptom or indication of poverty and financial hardship.

The above is our combined goal which we expect our supporters and audiences to support.  For further details on this goals combination including its support, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

• Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty: Working Plan for the Second Series of Activities

 

This week, we are announcing the second series of activities that feature the new generation of Nature Projects and Nature-based Solutions to Poverty.  The second series of these  activities, which will be covered in 4 weeks in May 2023, include the following:

Activity 1: Participatory Integrated Biodiversity Inclusive  Spatial Planning

Activity 2: Effective Management Processes for Land and Sea Use Change

Activity 3: Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and their Contributions to Nature Solutions to Poverty

Activity 4: Bringing Lost Areas of Biodiversity Close to Net Zero.

The above-mentioned activities will start from week beginning Monday 1st of May 2023.  Details of each of them will be released next week.  For any further information before their release, please do not hesitate to contact CENFACS.

 

 

Message in French (Message en français)

 

• Soutenir le réseautage et la protection contre la pauvreté en 2023

Le Mois de la Protection au sein du CENFACS est également un mois propice à la protection.  C’est le mois du soutien au projet de réseautage et de protection du CENFACS.  Pour soutenir, il serait mieux d’avoir une idée de ce projet.

• • Qu’est-ce que le projet de réseautage et de protection du CENFACS? 

C’est une initiative de réduction de la pauvreté infantile conçue pour aider et soutenir les enfants vulnérables et pauvres contre les MÉFAITS, les MENACES et les RISQUES venant de toute forme d’exploitation, de négligence et d’abus en Afrique par l’amélioration de la circulation de l’information, le développement des connaissances, les activités d’auto-assistance, l’augmentation et la diversification des possibilités et des chances avec et au nom de ces enfants.  On peut contribuer à ce projet en soutenant le réseautage et la protection contre la pauvreté en 2023?

• • Comprendre le soutien au réseautage et à la protection contre la pauvreté en 2023

Il s’agit de ce qui suit :

√ Améliorer la circulation de l’information entre les personnes et les communautés vulnérables pour lutter contre la pauvreté

√ Prévenir et répondre à toutes les formes de vulnérabilité, menaces et risques provenant d’environnements proches et mondiaux

√ Redonner du pouvoir aux personnes vulnérables en augmentant et en diversifiant les possibilités et les forces entre elles.

• • Ce que votre soutien peut accomplir

Votre soutien aidera à

√ Sensibiliser et améliorer la diffusion et la dissémination de l’information pour la lutte contre la pauvreté

√ Prévenir l’exploitation humaine (p. ex., l’exploitation des enfants) et répondre aux questions de protection et de sauvegarde de l’enfance

√ Redonner aux pauvres les moyens d’agir et de les renforcer à protéger les jeunes générations

√ Élargir et diversifier les possibilités offertes aux personnes vulnérables pour échapper à la pauvreté

√ Développer une base bien informée pour réduire les lacunes en matière d’information et d’autres types de vulnérabilités liées au manque de réseau, d’interconnexion et de protection.

• • Comment soutenir le réseautage et la protection contre la pauvreté en 2023

Vous pouvez FAIRE UN DON, PROMETTRE ET FAIRE UNE DÉCLARATION D’AIDE AU DON pour n’importe quel montant afin de soutenir le réseautage et la protection contre la pauvreté en 2023.

Pour faire un don, donner de l’aide ou soutenir différemment, veuillez contacter le CENFACS.

Vous pouvez faire un don

*par téléphone

*par e-mail

*par texte

*en remplissant le formulaire de contact sur ce site.

Dès réception de votre intention de faire un don, le CENFACS communiquera avec vous.  Cependant, si vous souhaitez que votre soutien reste anonyme; Nous respecterons votre souhait.

 

 

Main Development

 

• FACS Issue No. 79 of Spring 2023 Titled as Financial Education, Information and Communications for and with the Poor

 

The contents and key summaries of the 79^th Issue of FACS are given below.

 

• • Contents and Pages

 

I. Key Concepts Relating to the 79th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

II. Links between Financial Education, Financial Information and Financial Communication (Page 3)

III. Potential Beneficiaries of Financial Education, Information and Communication Making the 79th Issue (Page 3)

IV. Making Financial Information Reach the Poor in Africa (Page 3)

V.  How Poor People Consume Financial Information in Africa  (Page 4)

VI. What Handicaps or Prevents Poor People in Africa from Having Financial Access (Page 4)

VII. Financial Education for Female-owned Micro-enterprises in Africa (Page 4)

VIII. Les organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leur travail pour combler les lacunes en matière d’éducation, d’information et de communication financières (Page 5)

VIX. Expériences africaines en éducation financière : les cas congolais en République Démocratique du Congo (Page 5)

X. Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et la réduction de la pauvreté liée au manque d’éducation, d’information et de communication financière (Page 6)

XI. Les marchés de l’information financière et les pauvres en Afrique (Page 6)

XII.  Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Financial Education, Information and Communication (Page 7)

XIII.  Support, Top Tool, Information and Guidance on Financial Education, Information and Communications for the Poor (Page 8)

XIV. Workshop, Focus Group and Enhancement Activity on Financial Education (Page 9)

XV. Giving and Project (Page 10)

 

• • Key Summaries

 

Please find below the key summaries of the 79^th Issue of FACS from page 2 to page 10.

 

• • • Key Concepts Relating to the 79th Issue of FACS (Page 2)

 

There are three financial concepts that will help the readers of FACS to better understand the contents of the 79th Issue.  These concepts are financial education, financial information and financial communication.  The working definitions selected for these concepts are those that can apply to the types of people listed in the 79th Issue – the poor.  Let us look at each of these concepts.

 

• • • • Financial Education

 

Our working definition of financial education comes from ‘wealthdiagram.com’ (3) which states that

“Financial education is the ability to understand how financial resources work.  It helps someone to manage the expenses and planning for the future.  It is broad and includes financial literacy, economics and others”.

The website ‘sciencemystic.com’ (4) goes further by giving the components of financial education.  According to ‘sciencemystic.com’,

“Financial education generally includes the ability to (a) manage money and assets (banking investment), credit insurance and tax (b) time value and money distribution in basic investments (c) plan, implement and evaluate financial decisions.  In other words, financial education means understanding the importance of money and money use or getting information about it”.

Arguing about the status of financial education in Africa, Messy and Monticone (5) think that

“Well-designed financial education initiatives can reduce demand-side barriers to more effective financial inclusion and can empower vulnerable individuals economically so that they can better manage household resources and develop income generating activities”.

The above-mentioned definition of financial education and its elements will be applied to the poor.

 

• • • • Financial Information

 

Financial information can be perceived in many ways.  To limit ourselves, we are going to refer to what ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ states about it.  From the perspective of ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ (6),

“Financial information refers to information that involves money.  Non-financial information is any other information that can be availed of an individual or company and is unrelated to money”.

The website ‘wallstreetmojo.com’ provides various sources of financial information which include banks, financial statements of companies, financial data, credit card statements, etc.  Put it simply, for both individuals and companies, financial information is gathered in financial statements like balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, etc.

 

• • • • Financial Communication

 

Like financial education and information, financial communication can be approached from different perspectives.  From the view of ‘scribd.com’ (7),

“Financial communication is a process whereby financial information is enclosed in a package and is channelled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium.  All forms of financial communication require a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, however the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender’s intent to communicate at the time of communication in order for the act of financial communication to occur.  Financial communication requires that all parties have an area of communicative commonality.  There are verbal means, such as speech, song, and tone of voice, and there are non verbal means through media, i.e., pictures, graphics and sound, and writing”.

Although this definition is long, it nevertheless provides a thorough understanding of financial communication.  To this definition, we can add what ‘communication.iresearchnet.com’ says about financial communication in terms of its implications.  The website ‘communication.iresearchnet.com’ (8) mentions that

“Financial communication entails all of the strategies, tactics, and tools used to share financial data and recommendations with investors and other interested parties”.

As one can notice, the three key concepts (i.e., financial education, financial information and financial communication) have some links or can be linked when it comes to dealing with poverty and poor people.

 

 

• • • Links between Financial Education, Financial Information and Financial Communication (Page 3)

 

Financial education, financial information and financial communication are the three factors or elements that can predict financial behaviour of people, and amongst these people are the poor.  There could be relationship between these three factors and financial behaviour.  But, reliability and validity testing needs to prove this relationship.  In other words, the extent that a measurement tool measures what anyone who wants  to use to measure this relationship needs to prove it.

As part of research sample on this relationship, we shall develop a questionnaire to check it amongst our community members.  The evaluation of content of this questionnaire will help to prove or disprove it within our community.   Perhaps, the month of creation and innovation (June 2023) will be the right one to ask our members to participate in this research.

Those members of our community who will be interested in taking part in this research and development work, they can let CENFACS know.

 

• • • Potential Beneficiaries of Financial Education, Information and Communication Making the 79th Issue (Page 3)

 

Amongst the types of people in need who could benefit from financial education, information and communication as defined above are:

 

√ The unbanked and those relying on cash economy

√ Those with inadequate personal finance education

√ The financially uneducated to control their finances

√ Those who cannot manage their income and expenses

√ People who need increased awareness of financial communication

√ The financially excluded

√ Those with little money which is unstable, unpredictable and hard to manage

Etc.

 

In short, most of the types of people mentioned above will need some form of capacity building or support to improve either their financial education or financial information or financial communication.

 

• • • Making Financial Information Reach the Poor in Africa (Page 3)

 

Making Financial Information Reach the Poor is about expanding the means to carry financial information to the poor in Africa.

One the means is mobile phone.  Expanding the mobile phone usage is a way to reach them with financial information.  Indeed, mobile phones can help to reduce poverty linked to the lack of financial communication means.

Another means is working with the poor to move away from cash economy to embrace digital economy.  For example, at the moment many people in Africa are using account-based digital payments.

Briefly, there are sorts of initiatives that can help to carry financial information to the poor in Africa or anywhere else as well as to offer them uplifting opportunities.

 

• • • How Poor People Consume Financial Information in Africa (Page 4)

 

Like any consumer, poor people would like credible source of financial information and having clear level of assurance.  For a good consumption of this financial information, it is better to have a standard, context, boundary and credibility about financial information to be consumed by them.  For example, any financial reports or bills or statements need to have those features. Where there is a problem to understand the message sent, it could be a good idea to explain to the receiver  the encrypted or encoded financial message.

 

• • • What Handicaps or Prevents Poor People in Africa from Having Financial Access (Page 4)

 

Financial education, information and communication play a vital role in most people’s lives.  Lacking a bank account, financial services, financial products (like insurance, savings products and pensions) can result in financial exclusion.   Therefore, working with the poor so that they can have financial education, information and communication will enhance their financial access.  As Julie Birkenmaier et al. (9) put it in the Encyclopaedia of Social Work,

“Financial inclusion, the goal of financial access, broadly refers to the ability of all people in a society to access and be empowered to use safe, affordable, relevant, and convenient financial products and services for achieving their goals”.

The types of beneficiaries of the 79th Issue of FACS may not have this access or power.  That is why some efforts can be done to remove barriers to financial access.

 

• • • Financial Education for Female-owned Micro-enterprises in Africa (Page 4)

 

As part of gender equality and women’s empowerment in Africa, promoting financial education, information and communication for women who are engaged in income-generating activities to reduce poverty can be a positive drive.  In this respect, improving the attainment in financial education for those women entrepreneurs would not only help them but also their family and community.  This type of financial inclusion of women can have other positive effects such as improvement of productivity for their micro-enterprises and the economy in which they are working.

 

 

• • • Les organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et leur travail pour combler les lacunes en matière d’éducation, d’information et de communication financières (Page 5)

 

Depuis le début des années 1990, lorsque l’éducation financière (en particulier la littératie financière) a fait ses débuts dans les politiques de développement, nous voyons de plus en plus d’organisations en Afrique travailler pour aider leurs membres et les populations locales à acquérir des connaissances dans ce domaine.  Les organisations sœurs basées en Afrique qui travaillent avec le CENFACS ont également emboîté le pas.

Nos organisations sœurs encouragent les peuples autochtones à acquérir des connaissances financières non seulement pour gérer leur vie respective, mais aussi pour comprendre le cadre financier dans lequel ils vivent et opèrent quotidiennement ainsi que l’avalanche d’informations financières qui abondent dans les nouvelles. Ces connaissances leur permettent de tenir un compte familial, de comprendre les changements financiers tels que le taux de change, les fluctuations de la monnaie locale, le taux d’intérêt, le taux d’épargne, etc., et comment ces facteurs ou variables économiques et financiers affectent leur vie.

Cependant, ces organisations ont des limites de capacité.    Cela étant dit, elles ont besoin de soutien pour poursuivre leur mission d’éducation, d’information et de communication financière auprès des populations locales.

 

• • • Expériences africaines en éducation financière : les cas congolais en République démocratique du Congo (Page 5)

 

Il existe plusieurs cas ou expériences relatifs à l’éducation financière en Afrique.  Ce sont des cas ou des expériences de croissance inclusive, équitable et durable en Afrique.

Dans le cadre de ce 79ème numéro de FACS, nous voulons évoquer les trois cas congolais suivants:

σ Le Fonds pour l’inclusion financière en République Démocratique du Congo (FPM)

σ Le Programme d’Education Financière et Numérique (PEFD)

σ Le Programme National d’Education Financière (PNEF) qui a été mis en place en 2016 par la Banque Centrale du Congo.

Comme le montrent les documents publiés par ces programmes et fonds, ces initiatives ont des objectifs communs qui incluent de doter les populations congolaises locales des connaissances, des compétences et de la confiance nécessaires à une gestion optimale de leurs finances; de soutenir le taux d’inclusion financière; de promouvoir l’adoption des moyens de paiement existants sur le marché, etc.  Ces initiatives permettent non seulement de sensibiliser et de former les populations à la gestion de leurs finances, mais aussi de soutenir ces mêmes populations avec des outils pour réduire la pauvreté et la précarité.

Pour plus d’informations sur ces initiatives, il serait préférable de les consulter.

 

• • • Organisations sœurs basées en Afrique et la réduction de la pauvreté liée au manque d’éducation, d’information et de communication financière (Page 6)

 

Travailler avec les populations locales pour acquérir des compétences, de l’information et des communications; c’est une chose.  Aider ces mêmes populations à sortir de la pauvreté, c’est autre chose.

Nos organisations sœurs basées en Afrique travaillent avec leurs adhérents pour que ceux-ci deviennent capables de lire et de comprendre l’information financière.  Ce travail permet à leurs adhérents ou bénéficiaires de réduire une partie de leurs problèmes.  Être capable de lire, de comprendre et de communiquer des informations financières apporte plus à ces personnes.  Néanmoins, cela peut ou ne pas suffire à réduire réellement la pauvreté.

C’est pourquoi nos organisations sœurs tentent d’aller au-delà en travaillant davantage avec leurs bénéficiaires afin de trouver de vraies solutions contre la pauvreté.  Pour y parvenir, elles ont besoin de soutien car elles fonctionnent avec des moyens très limités; les moyens qui ont été parfois détruits par les polycrises (c’est-à-dire la crise du coût de la vie, la pandémie de coronavirus, la crise climatique et d’autres crises en Afrique).  Les aider financièrement à continuer leur travail sera un grand salut.

 

• • • Les marchés de l’information financière et les pauvres en Afrique (Page 6)

 

Comme tout marché, les marchés de l’information financière répondent à la loi de l’offre et de la demande.  Et ceux ou celles qui ont les moyens de payer les prix du marché ont plus de facilités pour accéder à l’information qu’ils/elles veulent.  Ceux ou celles qui n’ont pas de moyens comme les pauvres ne peuvent pas s’attendre au même type et à la même qualité d’information que les autres.

L’information financière ne fait pas exception à cette règle du jeu économique.  L’information financière circule souvent entre ceux/celles qui la fournissent et ceux/celles qui la consomment.  Ceux/celles qui produisent ou fournissent l’information sont, par exemple, les banques, les gestionnaires, les institutions financières, les compagnies d’assurance, les caisses d’épargne, la presse, etc.   Ces acteurs/actrices transmettent ou font circuler des informations financières.

En raison de très faibles moyens, les ménages pauvres n’ont souvent pas la possibilité de consommer un certain type d’informations qui peuvent être vitales pour peser sur la balance.  Ce manque de consommation d’information peut perpétuer la pauvreté dans la mesure où ils ont l’objet de ce manque.  Et pourtant, en veillant à ce que les pauvres fassent partie intégrante des marchés de l’information, cela peut avoir des effets bénéfiques sur eux et améliorer leurs conditions de vie.

En gros, si l’on veut réduire la pauvreté liée au manque d’information, il y a lieu de faire en sorte pour les pauvres ne soient pas marginalisés dans les marchés de cette information.

 

• • •  Survey, Testing Hypotheses, E-questionnaire and E-discussion on Financial Education, Information and Communication (Page 7)

 

• • • • Survey on the impact of geographical factors and cultural barriers to financial education, information and communication

 

The purpose of this survey is to collect information from a sample of our user households regarding the impact of geographical factors and cultural barriers to financial education, information and communication.

Participation to this survey is voluntary.

As part of the survey, we are running a questionnaire which contains some questions.  Three of these questions are:

 

√ How can geographical factors (like living in remote areas) and cultural barriers (such as family customs) contribute to the lack of or less financial education? 

√ How can geographical factors (like living in remote areas) and cultural barriers (such as tribe customs) contribute to the lack of or less financial information? 

√ How can geographical factors (like living in remote areas) and cultural barriers (such as ethnic group customs) contribute to the lack or less financial communication? 

 

You can respond and directly send your answer to CENFACS.  

 

• • • • Testing Hypotheses about causal relationships between the access to and use of financial education, information and communication on one hand; and poverty reduction on the other hand

 

For those of our members who would like to dive deep into the impact of financial education, information and communication on poverty reduction, we have some educational activities for them.  They can test the inference of the following hypotheses:

 

a.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): There is a relationship between financial education and poverty reduction

a.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): There is not a relationship between financial education and poverty reduction

b.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): There is a positive relationship between financial information and poverty reduction

b.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): There is not positive relationship between financial information and poverty reduction

c.1) Null hypothesis (Ho): There is a positive relationship between financial communication and poverty reduction

c.2) Alternative hypothesis (H1): There is not a positive relationship between financial communication and poverty reduction.

 

In order to conduct these tests, one needs data on financial education, information and communication about a particular population or community.

 

• • • • E-question about experience sharing on financial education

 

Does financial education improve your ability to apply financial skills (like financial literacy and numeracy skills) in real life?  Please tick (√) as appropriate.

YES  [   ]

NO   [   ]

If your answer is YES, please share your experience with CENFACS and others within the community.

If your answer is NO, CENFACS can work with you via its Advice-giving Service (service which we offer to the community for free) to find way forward to apply your financial education or skills in real life.

 

• • • • E-discussion on the effects of financial education, information and communication on financial wellbeing

 

Some of the people making our community are or get financially educated.  Others are financially informed.  Others more are equipped with financial communication.  Does being financially educated or being financially informed or being equipped with means of financial communication grow financial wellbeing?

For those who may have any views or thoughts or even experience to share with regard this matter, they can join our e-discussion to exchange their views or thoughts or experience with others.

To e-discuss with us and others, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • Support, Top Tool, Information and Guidance on on Financial Education, Information and Communication for the Poor (Page 8)

 

• • • • Ask CENFACS for Support regarding financial education, information and communication

 

For those members of our community who would like to improve their financial education or financial information or financial communication but they do not know how to improve them, CENFACS can work with them to explore ways of doing it.

We can work with them under our Advice-, Guidance- and Information-giving Service as well as through various financial campaigns we run (like Zero Income Deficit, Financial Controls, etc.) and our tools box of poverty reduction.  Our support will help them to make good financial decisions such as investment decision, credit decision, saving decision, tax decision, etc.

If you are a member of our community, you can ask us for basic support regarding the problems you have to improve your financial education, information and communication.

 

• • • • Top Tool of the 79th Issue of FACS: Young Persons’ Money Index

 

One of the tools we find that could be useful for our community members is Young Persons’ Money Index.  What is it?

The London Institute of Banking and Finance (10) states that

“Young Persons’ Money Index is an annual survey that tracks the take-up of financial education in UK schools”.

In other words, this index examines the delivery of financial education in schools and the financial capability of young people in the UK.  This tool can help find the experiences of surveyed people regarding financial education matters such as feeling about money, learning about money, access to financial education, receiving financial information, etc.

For example, research found that 68% of young people surveyed said their financial understanding and knowledge mainly come from their parents, according to March 2023 news from the London Institute of Banking and Finance (11).

Those of members of our community who would like to gain more insight into about the index, they can find a lot of information online about it.  Those who would like to discuss the relevancy of this tool and its application, they can feel free to contact CENFACS.

 

 

• • • • Information and Guidance on Financial Education, Information and Communication for the Poor

 

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

 

a) Information and Guidance on financial education and training

b) Tips and hints to improve users’ experience about financial information and communication

 

• • • • • Information and Guidance on ways of improving and developing via financial training and education 

 

Financial Training and education can enhance beneficiaries’ financial skills (like financial numeracy and literacy skills).

Those members of community who are looking for financial training and education and who do not know what to do, CENFACS can work with them (via needs assessment) or provide them with leads about organisations that can help them.

 

• • • • • Tips and hints to improve users’ experience about financial information and communication

 

For those who need some tips and hints to improve their experience about financial information and communication, we can provide this support via a number of services and activities we run.  Our financial campaigns (like Financial Controls) and resources (such as Summer Financial Updates) will help them.

More tips and hints relating to the matter can be obtained from CENFACS‘ Advice-giving Service.

Additionally, you can request from CENFACS a list of organisations and services providing help and support in the area of financial information and communication for the poor, although this Issue does not list them.  Before making any request, one needs to specify the kind of organisations they are looking for.

To make your request, just contact CENFACS with your name and contact details.

 

• • • Workshop, Focus Group and Enhancement Activity about Financial Education (Page 9)

 

• • • • Mini Themed Workshop

 

Boost your knowledge and skills about financial education via CENFACS.   The workshop aims at supporting those without or with less financial education gain the skills make responsible financial decisions and own financial choices, to improve their ability to manage money and assets.

To enquire about the boost, please contact CENFACS.

 

 

 • • • • Focus Group on the Promotion of Financial Education within the Community

 

You can take part in our focus group on ways of encouraging needy people to learn and know about financial products available for them and adopt them as their way of living.

To take part in the focus group, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • • Spring Financial Confidence Building Activity

 

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

 

σ How confident are you with the financial educational skills you possess, financial information you receive and financial communication you have to deal with any economic hardship issues?

σ How do many of you feel confident in their financial knowledge?

σ How do many of you turn to financial professionals for financial guidance?

σ How do many of you understand the basic financial principles?

 

Those who would like to answer these questions and participate to our Spring Financial Confidence Building Activity, they are welcome.

To take part in this activity, please contact CENFACS.

 

• • • Giving and Project (Page 10)

 

• • • • Readers’ Giving

 

You can support FACS, CENFACS bilingual newsletter, which explains what is happening within and around CENFACS.

FACS also provides a wealth of information, tips, tricks and hacks on how to reduce poverty and enhance sustainable development.

You can help to continue its publication and to reward efforts made in producing it.

To support, just contact CENFACS on this site.

 

• • • • Financial Education, Information and Communication Project (FEICP)

 

FEICP, which is a basic financial capacity building initiative, aims at reducing poverty linked to the lack of financial education, information and communication in Africa.  FEICP will help to reach those who are financially uneducated or less educated, uninformed or less informed and lacking financial communication or with less financial communication. 

Through this project, it is hoped that beneficiaries will improve their financial skills, knowledge and wellbeing.  They will also enhance their means of living and enterprise so that they can increase the way contribute in their community or society.

To support or contribute to FEICP, please contact CENFACS.

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

The full copy of the 79^th Issue of FACS is available on request. 

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

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• References

 

(1) www.taskmanagementguide.com/glossary/what-is-project-termination-.php (Accessed in April 2023)

(2) https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/project-termination-delay-1931 (Accessed in April 2023 )

(3) https://wealthdiagram.com/finance/whats-the-difference-between-financial-education-and-financial-literacy# (Accessed in April 2023)

(4) https://sciencemystic.com/what-is-financial-education/ (Accessed in April 2023)

(5) Messy, F. and Monticone, C. (2012), The Status of Financial Education in Africa, OECD Working Papers on Finance, Insurance and Private Pensions, No. 25, OECD Publishing

(6) https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/financial-information/ (Accessed in April 2023)

(7) https://www.scribd.com/document/2922625433/What-is-Financial-Communication# (Accessed in April 2023)

(8) communication.iresearchnet.com/strategic-communication/financial-communication/ (Accessed in April 2023)

(9) https://oxfordre.com/socialwork/display/… (https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1331 (Accessed in April 2023)

(10) https://libf.ac.uk/study/financial-education/young-persons-money-index (Accessed in April 2023)

(11) https://www.libf.ac.uk/news-and-insights/news/detail/2023/03/10/demand-for-financial-education-in-schools-jumbs-by-10 (Accessed in April 2023)

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• Help CENFACS keep the Poverty Relief work going this year

 

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

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

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

Donate to support CENFACS!

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

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

Thank you for visiting CENFACS website and reading this post.

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

We look forward to receiving your regular visits and continuing support throughout 2023 and beyond.

With many thanks.