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Purpose: The main objective of this study was to analyse factors influencing absorption of budgeted funds in the Kenyan ministries. Specific objectives were to establish the influence of budgeting and planning processes influencing the absorption of budgeted funds, to establish the effect of the ministries staff capacity on the absorption of budgeted funds, to establish the influence of private sector capacity on absorption of budgeted funds and to establish the influence of donor funding on absorption of budgeted funds. Methodology: Cross-sectional research design was used in this study. This research design was adopted since it leads to an indepth survey reviews, allows for the integration of writing and also carrying out a pilot study within the data collection process. For the purpose of this study, the target population was the 21 government ministries which are funded. Purposive sampling was used to arrive at the sample size. The sample was selected for ministries which had published their relevant information is readily available and those who finance their projects. A sample size of 21 ministries was used as ranked on the performance contract scores published annually. Secondary data was used in this study. The secondary data was collected from questionnaires; printed estimates and corporations published statements from Treasury and Division of Performance Contracting and the Ministry of Devolution and Planning. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version 29. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were conducted using SPSS. The study employed tests of significance at 95% and t-tests. Findings of the analysis were presented using tables and graphs. Findings: From the analysis of findings, strong and positive linear association was established between the independent variables (Budgeting process, staff capacity, private sector capacity, donor funding) and absorption of budgeted funds. An R-square value of 0.727 was established depicting that this relationship was very strong and the budgeting process, staff capacity, private sector capacity and donor funding accounted for 72.7% of the changes in the dependent variable i.e absorption of budgeted funds. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study prescribes that the National Government of Kenya ought to decrease the sum for donor funding each year and result to other forms of subsidies to fund both development and recurrent expenditure. Government of Kenya ought to plan compelling arrangements for establishing better source of financing their development and recurrent expenditure. They ought to receive cheaper sources of funds for their financing alternatives as they maintain a strategic distance from overreliance on donor financing. This study was grounded on agency, institutional and stewardship theories which supported each of the predictor and dependent variables. The government of Kenya should review anb re-design financing policies to ensure that the debt capital amount is reduced. They should be design effective mechanism to avoid the overutilization of the total debt financing. Government of Kenya should evaluate the available option and devise effective financing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines and vitamin A supplementation (VAS) are financed by donors in several countries, indicating that challenges remain with achieving sustainable government financing of these critical health commodities. This qualitative study aimed to explore political economy variables of actors' interests, roles, power and commitment to ensure government financing of vaccines and VAS. A total of 77 interviews were conducted in Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Governments and development partners had similar interests. Donor commitment to vaccines and VAS was sometimes dependent on the priorities and political situation of the donor country. Governments' commitment to financing vaccines was demonstrated through policy measures, such as enactment of immunization laws. Explicit government financial commitment to VAS was absent in all six countries. Some development partners were able to influence governments directly via allocation of health funding while others influenced indirectly through coordination, consolidation and networks. Government power was exercised through multiple systemic and individual processes, including hierarchy, bureaucracy in governance and budgetary process, proactiveness of Ministry of Health officials in engaging with Ministry of Finance, and control over resources. Enablers that were likely to increase government commitment to financing vaccines and VAS included emerging reforms, attention to the voice of citizens and improvements in the domestic economy that in turn increased government revenues. Barriers identified were political instability, health sector inefficiencies, overly complicated bureaucracy, frequent changes of health sector leadership and non-health competing needs. Country governments were aware of their role in financing vaccines, but only a few had made tangible efforts to increase government financing. Discussions on government financing of VAS were absent. Development partners continue to influence government health commodity financing decisions. The political economy environment and contextual factors work together to facilitate or impede domestic financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reliable and adequate healthcare funding is crucial in public healthcare service delivery. However, district hospitals in Malawi, face funding challenges as evidenced by poor service delivery. Aim: This study aimed at investigating funding challenges experienced by public district hospitals of Malawi in the provision of healthcare services and proposing strategies for improved funding. Setting: The research presented in this article evaluates funding challenges in the public healthcare sector in Malawi, a developing country. Method: An exploratory sequential mixed method design was used. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 purposively selected individuals and were analysed thematically. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires from 328 respondents. Quantitative data underwent factor and univariate analysis. Results: The study revealed that government funding is received late and is inadequate; donor funding was declining and earmarked for specific health activities; while income generation capacity of hospitals and Councils is weak. The study suggests that hospitals should introduce fees for service, government should be lobbied for increased funding allocations, and revenue–generating capacity of hospitals and Councils should be enhanced. Conclusion: The study concludes that there is an urgent need for government to prioritise the healthcare delivery sector and increase its funding. Hospitals and Councils should be innovative in order to generate additional funding for operations and the revenue generation capacity of hospitals and Councils should thus, be enhanced. Contribution: The study adds to the healthcare funding debate in developing countries by providing a context–specific analysis of healthcare funding challenges and suggesting improvement strategies.

The United States Agency for International Development, World Vision, and the Australian government established All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR GCD) to address problems that prevent children from gaining foundational reading skills. ACR GCD mobilizes the private sector, academia, and nongovernmental organizations in problem-solving dialogues that support the development, testing, and promotion of new solutions to these problems. It also advances EdTech innovation and research to improve reading outcomes for marginalized children in low-resource contexts to effectively build bridges over system constraints in ways that lower the risk of pilot-testing and eventual large-scale replication. This case study describes some of ACR GCD's funded innovations and its nontraditional approach to employing grant competitions (in which innovators propose solutions to broadly described problems) and prizes (in which innovators develop solutions to specifically identified problems). For innovations that have been evaluated, this article summarizes the findings on their impact on learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) is a cost-effective surveillance system designed to curb the inefficiency associated with vertical (disease-specific) programs. The study determined the existence and effect of vertical programs on disease surveillance and response in Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional study involving 14 State epidemiologists and Disease Notification Surveillance Officers (DSNOs) in 12 states located within the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Data was collected using mailed electronic semi-structured self-administered questionnaires. Response rate was 33.3%. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results Half of the respondents were males (50.0%) and State epidemiologists (50.0%). Malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other diseases were ongoing vertical programs in the States surveyed. In over 90% of cases, vertical programs had different personnel, communication channels and supportive supervision processes different from the IDSR system. Although less than 50% acknowledged the existence of a forum for data harmonization, this forum was ineffectively utilized in 83.3% of cases. Specific disease funding was higher than that of IDSR (92.9%) and only 42.9% reported funding for IDSR activities from development partners in the State. Poor data management, low priority on IDSR priority diseases, and donor-driven programming were major negative effects of vertical programs. Improved funding, political ownership, and integration were major recommendations preferred by the respondents. Conclusion We found that vertical programs in the surveyed States in the Nigerian health system led to duplication of efforts, inequitable funding, and inefficiencies in surveillance. We recommend integration of existing vertical programs into the IDSR system, increased resource allocation, and political support to improve IDSR.

Background: Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) is a cost-effective surveillance system designed to curb the inefficiency associated with vertical (disease-specific) programs. The study determined the existence and effect of vertical programs on disease surveillance and response in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 14 State epidemiologists and Disease Notification Surveillance Officers (DSNOs) in 12 states located within the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Data was collected using mailed electronic semi-structured self-administered questionnaires. Response rate was 33.3%. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: Half of the respondents were males (50.0%) and State epidemiologists (50.0%). Malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other diseases were ongoing vertical programs in the States surveyed. In over 90% of cases, vertical programs had different personnel, communication channels and supportive supervision processes different from the IDSR system. Although less than 50% acknowledged the existence of a forum for data harmonization, this forum was ineffectively utilized in 83.3% of cases. Specific disease funding was higher than that of IDSR (92.9%) and only 42.9% reported funding for IDSR activities from development partners in the State. Poor data management, low priority on IDSR priority diseases, and donor-driven programming were major negative effects of vertical programs. Improved funding, political ownership, and integration were major recommendations preferred by the respondents. Conclusion: We found that vertical programs in the surveyed States in the Nigerian health system led to duplication of efforts, inequitable funding, and inefficiencies in surveillance. We recommend integration of existing vertical programs into the IDSR system, increased resource allocation, and political support to improve IDSR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Early in South Africa’s HIV response, donor-funded organizations directly provided HIV treatment through Comprehensive HIV Care, Management and Treatment sites (CCMTs), using their own and government staff. From 2012 to 2014 the donor-funded CCMT model was phased out, leaving nurses in South Africa’s public clinics responsible for delivery of antiretroviral treatment (ART) services. We aimed to examine the impact on resources, staff workloads, and service delivery throughout this period of integration of HIV treatment into primary health clinics. Methods We conducted an Interrupted Time-Series Analysis (ITSA) using data from three public clinics, including one former CCMT site, in one administrative region of Johannesburg. The ITSA was complemented by visual inspection of the data in Excel. We compared trends in expenditure, clinical staffing levels, patient headcounts, and services rendered at the clinics during four periods: pre-CCMT (2004–2007), CCMT operational (2007–2012), CCMT closure (2012–2014), and post-CCMT (2014–2016). Data were drawn from the country’s District Health Information System, a national HIV treatment database, local budget and expenditure reports, National Health Laboratory Service charge records, and staff records. Results Closure of the CCMT differentially impacted the study clinics. As expected, ART services decreased at Clinic 1, where the CCMT was co-located, and increased at Clinics 2 and 3 possibly reflecting redistribution of patients. Despite a reduction in patient headcounts post-CCMT, Clinic 1 experienced a decrease in staff and a large increase in patients seen per clinical staff member per month. In contrast, Clinics 2 and 3 increased or maintained stable workforces, and staff workloads post closure were similar to pre-closure levels. Other primary care services—contraception and immunisations—seemed largely unaffected at Clinics 1 and 2. At Clinic 3, service delivery reduced, but this was accompanied by lowered patient headcounts generally, likely due to clinic renovations. Conclusions In this study, integration of HIV treatment into primary healthcare services did not result in large-scale reductions in overall service delivery. One facility did experience increased staff workloads, but we were unable to assess service quality. To mitigate potential problems, monitoring systems should be introduced in advance and acknowledge the disparate and decentralised management of various data sources.

Payment for results (PfR) funding approach, where donors reimburse the non‐profit organization (NPO) based on outcomes, is being increasingly adopted in the non‐profit sector. However, there is also concern expressed by many voluntary organizations that such a funding approach puts an undue financial burden on small NPOs and could actually be detrimental to social welfare. In this study, we build a theoretical framework to analyze PfR funding mechanisms. We use a sequential game to model the interaction between the donor and the NPO, with the donor as the first mover. This model captures how PfR funding is typically implemented in practice using social impact bonds (SIB), wherein social investors provide the upfront funding needed by the NPO to implement the project. The donor provides funding, based on the actual benefit delivered, at the end of the project and the investors are paid back using these funds. We find that higher targets set by the donor do not necessarily translate to higher expected utility or expected benefit delivered under PfR. When comparing the performance of PfR and traditional funding (TF) mechanisms, we find that the donor typically has a higher expected utility under the PfR mechanism when the probability of a negative outcome shock is either high or low, and is better off using the TF approach otherwise. When the donor's opportunity cost of funding the project is high, the donor is better off using a PfR mechanism when her belief about the NPO having low efficiency is sufficiently high. Interestingly, we find that for a large range of parameter values there is a mismatch between the approach that gives a higher expected utility to the donor and the approach that maximizes the expected social benefit delivered. Our model and analysis suggest that the optimal funding approach, and the optimal target set under PfR, depend on the NPO's financing cost from social investors and project outcome uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Nigerian government has made numerous commitments to expanding access to family planning services for its population yet has faced many challenges in implementing these commitments. Foreign donors provide support for expanding access to family planning in key populations. Objective: This study examines the family planning environment after donor funding has ended, including how government stakeholders perceive family planning services and their role in providing them post donor funding. Methods: The NURHI Sustainability Study used qualitative data to evaluate the sustainability of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), which focused on increasing the use of modern contraceptive methods, particularly among the urban poor. This study presents results from in-depth interviews with 16 key government stakeholders, selected using purposive sampling methods, in three cities: Ilorin (where NURHI Phase 1 programming discontinued in 2015), Kaduna (where programming continued under NURHI Phase 2), and Jos (a comparison city). A thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes related to government stakeholders’ perspectives on the family planning environment and sustainability of NURHI programming. Results: Respondents from all three cities highlighted local political leaders’ positive perceptions about family planning. All respondents were open to continued foreign donor support for family planning services while respondents in Kaduna and Jos emphasized the need for governments to lead efforts among all family planning actors. Stakeholders highlighted the benefits of a dedicated and implemented family planning budget line and encouraged continued state financial support. Respondents in Kaduna and Ilorin praised the positive influence of NURHI programming while those from Ilorin reflected on the need for future programs to gradually close-out their efforts to support sustainability. Conclusions: As donors look to transition to government ownership of family planning efforts, it is important for family planning programs to understand and incorporate government stakeholders’ perspectives into their sustainability planning efforts.

Abstract Background Skilled health professionals are a critical component of the effective delivery of lifesaving health interventions. The inadequate number of skilled health professionals in many low- and middle-income countries has been identified as a constraint to the achievement of improvements in health outcomes. In response, more international development agencies have provided funds toward broader health system initiatives and health workforce activities in particular. Nonetheless, estimates of the amount of donor funding targeting investments in human resources for health activities are few. Methods We utilize data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s annual database on development assistance for health. The estimates in the database are generated using data from publicly available databases that track development assistance. To estimate development assistance for human resources for health, we use keywords to identify projects targeted toward human resource processes. We track development for human resources for health from 1990 through 2016. We categorize the types of human-resources-related projects funded and examine the availability of human resources, development assistance for human resources for health, and disease burden. Results We find that the amount of donor funding directed toward human resources for health has increased from only $34 million in 1990 to $1.5 billion in 2016 (in 2017 US dollars). Overall, $18.5 billion in 2017 US dollars was targeted toward human resources for health between 1990 and 2016. The primary regions receiving these resources were sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania. The main donor countries were the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. The main agencies through which these resources were disbursed are non-governmental organizations (NGOs), US bilateral agencies, and UN agencies. Conclusion In 2016, less than 4% of development assistance for health could be tied to funding for human resources. Given the central role skilled health workers play in health systems, in order to make credible progress in reducing disparities in health and attaining the goal of universal health coverage for all by 2030, it may be appropriate for more resources to be mobilized in order to guarantee adequate manpower to deliver key health interventions.

The funding of faith-based organisations (FBOs) is often complex and at times unsustainable because of many factors that may render the FBO and its valuable work in serving the most marginalised vulnerable to fickle donor funding. Not least amongst such factors are that of the ‘faith factor’ – namely, the ways in which the religious dimension of an FBO works – which may be seen as too religious for secular donors such as corporates, government and other international funders. While there is a growing body of literature concerning the effects of donor funding on the work of FBOs, there has been no empirical study conducted in South Africa that specifically explores the issue of donor funding and relationships. This article, therefore, seeks to explore the nature of donor funding in South Africa with regard to the FBO sector, its challenges, sustainability and the role of faith identity regarding the relationship between donors and FBOs.

Background: The Nigerian government has made numerous commitments to expanding access to family planning services for its population yet has faced many challenges in implementing these commitments. Foreign donors provide support for expanding access to family planning in key populations. Objective: This study examines the family planning environment after donor funding has ended, including how government stakeholders perceive family planning services and their role in providing them post donor funding. Methods: The NURHI Sustainability Study used qualitative data to evaluate the sustainability of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), which focused on increasing the use of modern contraceptive methods, particularly among the urban poor. This study presents results from in-depth interviews with 16 key government stakeholders, selected using purposive sampling methods, in three cities: Ilorin (where NURHI Phase 1 programming discontinued in 2015), Kaduna (where programming continued under NURHI Phase 2), and Jos (a comparison city). A thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes related to government stakeholders’ perspectives on the family planning environment and sustainability of NURHI programming. Results: Respondents from all three cities highlighted local political leaders’ positive perceptions about family planning. All respondents were open to continued foreign donor support for family planning services while respondents in Kaduna and Jos emphasized the need for governments to lead efforts among all family planning actors. Stakeholders highlighted the benefits of a dedicated and implemented family planning budget line and encouraged continued state financial support. Respondents in Kaduna and Ilorin praised the positive influence of NURHI programming while those from Ilorin reflected on the need for future programs to gradually close-out their efforts to support sustainability. Conclusions: As donors look to transition to government ownership of family planning efforts, it is important for family planning programs to understand and incorporate government stakeholders’ perspectives into their sustainability planning efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at establishing the factors influencing the sustainability of nongovernmental organizations in Kenya. Specifically, it seeks to establish the influence of access to the donor funds, monitoring of the funds, resource and government policies on donor funding on the sustainability of NGOs. The study adopts a descriptive research design and has 288 NGOs in Nairobi County as the target population. The study's sample size is 167 employees from the NGOs who were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Analysis of collected data was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study finds that access to donor funds, monitoring of the funds, government policies on donor funding and resources are significantly related to the sustainability of NGOs. The study concludes that through resource accountability, the sustainability of NGOs is enhanced. The study recommends that NGOs through the management should ensure proper utilization of the donor funds and compliance with donor policies and government regulations to enhance their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The funding of faith-based organisations (FBOs) is often complex and at times unsustainable because of many factors that may render the FBO and its valuable work in serving the most marginalised vulnerable to fickle donor funding. Not least amongst such factors are that of the 'faith factor' – namely, the ways in which the religious dimension of an FBO works – which may be seen as too religious for secular donors such as corporates, government and other international funders. While there is a growing body of literature concerning the effects of donor funding on the work of FBOs, there has been no empirical study conducted in South Africa that specifically explores the issue of donor funding and relationships. This article, therefore, seeks to explore the nature of donor funding in South Africa with regard to the FBO sector, its challenges, sustainability and the role of faith identity regarding the relationship between donors and FBOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the funds allocation problem for a resource-constrained non-profit organization (NPO) that implements social development projects for public good. In addition to raising funds from donors who contribute prior to project implementation ('traditional donors'), the NPO uses a novel approach, which we term as the 'ex-post funding' approach, to also raise funds from donors who contribute based on the results delivered by the NPO ('ex-post donors'). In this approach, the NPO uses its initial funds to implement early phases of the project, creates 'results-certificates' from the completed phases, and invites ex-post donors to purchase these certificates. The donations raised from selling the results-certificates are used to recover the NPO's own funds used in the project implementation. Operationalizing this approach is complicated when the project must incur a large fixed cost before any benefits are delivered by the project and the total benefit delivered is time sensitive. We show that for a given amount of initial funds available, there exists a threshold amount of funds that the NPO should raise from traditional donors before implementing the project phases so as to maximize the total expected benefit delivered. Through numerical studies, we analyze how the threshold of funds raised from traditional donors and the total benefit delivered vary with donor characteristics such as donor willingness to give and the proportion of donors who contribute prior to project implementation. Our numerical studies suggest that even with relatively small amount of initial funds, the NPO can deliver substantially higher benefit by using the ex-post funding approach when compared to using a traditional approach that requires the NPO to raise all the funds required upfront. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine, empirically the relationship between organizational rationality, knowledge management (KM), risk management and successful implementation of donor-funded projects in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 195 project managers of donor-funded projects both managed within government systems and those outside government using a questionnaire. Zero-order correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Findings – The paper has two major findings: all the predictor variables are positively and significantly related to successful project implementation; and the relationship is strong enough to cause a 23 percent (R²) increase in the explanatory power in the presence of control variables. Research limitations/implications – The study focussed on selected donor-funded projects in Uganda and this limited the generalization of the findings. Moreover, there was also limited availability of local empirical literature with respect to implementation and performance of donor-funded projects. Practical implications – The results suggest that organizations that embrace organizational rationality, risk management and KM succeed in project implementation. Originality/value – There are many studies that investigate the practices adopted by organizations that implement donor-funded projects, however, this is the first study to the authors’ knowledge that examines the relationship between KM, rationality, risk management and successful implementation of donor-funded projects in Uganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to explain the concept of Open Educational Resources (OER) and how libraries can make a good case to donors to fund these types of projects. Design/methodology/approach – The literature reveals that donors have been willing to support projects that save students money on textbooks. Course reserves have traditionally been a popular model. More recently, libraries have found funding for OER initiatives. These types of initiatives are discussed and several case studies of donors currently funding OER projects are examined. Findings – Donors, internal and external to the library and to the university, have shown an interest in funding projects that reduce textbook costs for students. They have funded course reserves in the past and have begun to fund OER projects. There are both qualitative and quantitative methods to induce donors to fund these types of projects. Practical implications – Libraries have traditionally supported the mission of access to information and for academic libraries that has sometimes included access to textbooks. Course reserves are a limited solution, whereas when an OER replaces an expensive textbook, it is a viable solution for all students. Social implications – OERs have strong social implications. Any person, whether associated with an institution of higher learning, or not, can access the information in an OER and learn the associated content. Originality/value – There is some literature on specific OER projects. This paper aims to fill a gap in the literature, specifically on how to approach donors regarding OER initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the first year of the Secondary Teacher Training Environmental Education Project (St2eep) in Zimbabwe, project stakeholders, including lecturers, college administrators, local project coordinators, and donor representatives, expressed concern about the non-sustainability of the project due to its over-reliance on its international donor. In response to this challenge, a process of critical self-reflection through self-assessment workshops was started to give an opportunity for key project stakeholders to explore the challenge of project sustainability. Applying the principles of expansive learning theory to St2eep's reflection processes, this paper shows how the contradictions that emerge from the interaction between different project stakeholders can be powerful sources for learning. This has resulted in new forms of activity to address the challenge of project sustainability in St2eep. The insights of this paper may be useful for other donor-funded environmental education projects that are confronted with the challenge of project sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an empirical evaluation of adult HIV prevalence rates, foreign aid for HIV/AIDS programmes, and the amount of government spending on health care. It finds that there exists a statistically significant relationship between adult HIV prevalence rates and the amount of foreign funding for HIV/AIDS programmes, suggesting that need does in fact play some role in the allocation of HIV aid. It suggests there may be an additive relationship between foreign and domestic health spending, where governments turn the funding of their AIDS programmes over to foreign donors and instead put their own monies toward other parts of the health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past two decades have seen a drastic increase in the role and expectations of civil society organizations (CSOs) in international development, placing greater demands on the evaluation of CSOs and associated programs. While there is much potential in CSOs, it is important to recognize the distinctly political and economic realities in which they operate. CSOs face formidable challenges, the foremost being dependency on donor funding and the resultant threat to CSO autonomy and performance. Does donor- required monitoring and evaluation (M&E) enhance or compromise CSO performance? Drawing upon research from the United Nations Office of the Special Coordinator of Africa and the Least Developed Countries (UN/OSCAL) and the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UN-OSAA), this article presents an overview of African CSOs, exploring key issues that can inform the international M&E community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International requirements that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) adopt systems of monitoring, evaluation and reporting for their funded development work are generating surprising effects. Although such systems were introduced to enhance the accountability of NGO staff and to better guide implementation, her research in South Africa suggests that they often foster fear and deceit, resulting in systemic distortions of information and limited improvements of projects and their implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sub-Saharan Africa, health systems are fragile and staffing is grossly inadequate to meet rising health needs. Despite growing international attention, donors have been reluctant to undertake the significant investments required to address the human resources problem comprehensively, given social and political sensitivities, and concerns regarding sustainability of interventions and risks of rising donor dependency. In Malawi, one of the poorest nations in Africa, declining human resource levels have fuelled an accelerating collapse of public health services since the late 1990s. In an effort to improve health outcomes, in 2004 the government launched a new health initiative to deliver an Essential Health Package, including a major scale-up of HIV and AIDS related services. Improving staffing levels is the single biggest challenge to implementing this approach. Donors agreed to help the government develop an Emergency Human Resources Programme with five main facets: improving incentives for recruitment and retention of staff through salary top-ups, expanding domestic training capacity, using international volunteer doctors and nurse tutors as a stop-gap measure, providing international technical assistance to bolster planning and management capacity and skills, and establishing more robust monitoring and evaluation capacity. Industrial relations were a prominent consideration in determining the shape of the Programme. The combination of short- and long-term measures appears to be helpful in maintaining commitment to the programme. En Afrique subsaharienne, les systèmes de santé sont fragiles et les effectifs très insuffisants pour répondre aux besoins grandissants. Malgré une attention internationale croissante, les donateurs n'ont guère investi pour traiter globalement le problème des ressources humaines, en raison des sensibilités sociales et politiques, et des préoccupations concernant la viabilité des interventions et les risques d'augmenter la dépendance à l'égard des donateurs. Au Malawi, l'un des pays les plus pauvres d'Afrique, le déclin des niveaux des ressources humaines a accéléré l'effondrement des services de santé publique depuis la fin des années 90. En 2004, le Gouvernement a lancé une nouvelle initiative destinée à assurer un ensemble essentiel de santé, qui comprend un élargissement majeur des services liés au VIH/SIDA. La principale difficulté d'application de cette approche est l'amélioration des niveaux des effectifs. Les donateurs ont accepté d'aider le Gouvernement à préparer un programme d'urgence pour les ressources humaines avec cinq volets principaux : relever les incitations au recrutement et à la rétention du personnel par des primes salariales, renforcer la capacité nationale de formation, faire appel à des médecins et des tuteurs infirmiers bénévoles internationaux comme mesure temporaire, fournir une assistance technique internationale pour soutenir la capacité et les compétences en planification et gestion, et consolider la capacité de suivi et d'évaluation. Les relations professionnelles ont joué un rôle majeur dans la préparation du programme. La combinaison de mesures à court et long terme semble aider à maintenir l'engagement en faveur du programme. En África subsahariana, los sistemas de salud son frágiles y el número de empleados es muy inadecuado para cubrir las necesidades de salud. Pese a la creciente atención internacional, los donantes se han mostrado renuentes a emprender las considerables inversiones necesarias para tratar el problema de recursos humanos de manera integral, en vista de las sensibilidades sociales y políticas, y las inquietudes respecto a la sostenibilidad de las intervenciones y los riesgos de la creciente dependencia en los donantes. En Malaui, una de las naciones más pobres de África, la baja en recursos humanos ha exacerbado el acelerado fracaso de los servicios de salud pública desde finales de los 1990. En un esfuerzo por mejorar la salud, en 2004 el gobierno lanzó una nueva iniciativa en salud para hacer disponible un Paquete Esencial de Salud, que incluye la gran ampliación de los servicios relacionados con el VIH/SIDA. Para ejecutar esta estrategia, el mayor reto resulta incrementar el número de empleados. Los donantes acordaron ayudar al gobierno a crear un Programa de Recursos Humanos de Urgencia con cinco facetas principales: mejorar los incentivos para contratar y retener al personal mediante salarios adicionales, ampliar la capacidad de capacitación nacional, emplear médicos voluntarios y enfermeras tutoras internacionales como una medida provisional, brindar asistencia técnica internacional para reforzar la capacidad y las habilidades de planificación y administración, y mejorar la capacidad de monitoreo y evaluación. Las relaciones industriales fueron un factor prominente en determinar cómo anda el programa. La combinación de medidas de corto y largo plazo parece ser de utilidad para conservar la dedicación al programa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews a number of reports and articles on both the roles and purpose of Anti-Corruption Agencies or Commissions (ACC) to set the context for its empirical research. The research draws on field visits to two African countries (Ghana and Uganda) in 1999, and visits to these and three further African countries (Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia) in 20041 to study agencies whose remit includes anti-corruption work—to consider the relevance and reality of the issues and themes raised in the review. The visits to Ghana and Uganda offer, for the first time, longitudinal perspectives on the development of ACCs and donor involvement. While the research generally confirms issues raised in the review, this perspective provides the basis for the development of three hypotheses new to the study of ACCs. These are: is there, paradoxically, an adverse impact on the development of ACCs as a consequence of mounting pressure from donors for anti-corruption results; whether the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is the most relevant ACC model; and whether better results may be achieved with sequenced or less donor involvement using ACCs and other organisations? This clearly has practitioner and policy relevance for the future role and development of existing ACCs within current circumstances and for decisions on the creation of new ACCs.1The agencies visited in 2004 were those with a responsibility for addressing corruption: the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Malawi; the Inspectorate of Government (IG), Uganda; the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (GHRAJ) and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Ghana; the Prevention of Corruption Bureau (PCB), Tanzania; the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Zambia. The agencies in Ghana and Uganda were previously visited in 1999. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aside from Kruger National Park, no other suitable reserves of sufficient size exist in South Africa that will hold a viable population of wild dogs (Lycaon pictus). Consequently, conservation efforts have been focused on creating a metapopulation through a series of wild dog reintroductions into isolated fenced reserves. Additional potential exists for conserving wild dogs on private ranch land. Establishing the metapopulation was an expensive process, accounting for approximately 75% of the US$380,000 spent on wild dog conservation in South Africa during 1997-2001. The principal goal of the metapopulation project was to reduce the risk of catastrophic population decline. Now that this has been achieved, we developed a uniform cost-efficiency index to estimate the cost efficiency of current and potential future conservation strategies in South Africa. Conserving wild dogs in large protected areas was predicted to be the most cost-efficient conservation strategy (449 packs/$100,000 expenditure). Establishing the metapopulation has been less cost efficient (23 packs/$100,000), and expansion of the metapopulation was predicted to be even less cost efficient if predation by wild dogs results in additional costs, as is to be expected if private reserves are used for reintroductions (3-13 packs/$100,000). Because of low logistical costs, conserving wild dogs in situ on private ranch land was potentially more cost efficient than reintroducing wild dogs (14-27 packs/$100,000). We recommend that donor funding be used to reintroduce wild dogs into transfrontier parks, when they are established, to maintain the existing metapopulation and to establish conservation programs involving wild dogs on private ranch land. Investing in the expansion of the metapopulation should be limited to state-owned nature reserves willing to carry predation costs without compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten years after the International Conference on Population and Development finds the reproductive health community under threat from at least three sources: global initiatives, reforms of the health sector, and new financial modalities from donors and lenders. These challenges, however, mainly reflect the complete system failure in many low-income countries in providing basic reproductive health services to women, especially those who are poor and socially vulnerable. The reproductive health community can do a lot more to address the system failures and potential threats and take advantage of opportunities offered. The starting point should be an internal look at how the reproductive health community has performed in helping low-income countries. Understanding these changes and opportunities in the health sector is another important step, but understanding will only be effective if representatives of the reproductive health community in low-income countries are armed with the skills and tools needed to engage in health sector reforms, to take advantage of global initiatives and to effectively influence the implementation of new holistic forms of aid. Dix ans après la Conférence internationale sur la population et le développement, la communauté de la santé génésique est menacée sur au moins trois fronts: les initiatives mondiales, les réformes du secteur de la santé et les nouvelles modalités financières des donateurs et des prêteurs. Néanmoins, ces difficultés traduisent principalement l'incapacité totale de nombreux pays à faibles revenus d'assurer des services de santé génésique de base pour les femmes, en particulier les femmes pauvres et socialement vulnérables. La communauté de la santé génésique peut faire beaucoup plus pour corriger les lacunes des systèmes, se protéger des menaces potentielles et tirer parti des occasions offertes. Elle devrait commencer par analyser les résultats obtenus par la communauté de la santé génésique dans l'aide aux pays à faibles revenus. Comprendre ces changements et ces occasions dans le secteur de la santé est une autre étape importante, qui sera efficace seulement si les représentants de la communauté de la santé génésique dans les pays à faibles revenus possèdent les compétences et les outils nécessaires pour engager des réformes du secteur de la santé, profiter des initiatives mondiales et influencer efficacement l'application de nouvelles formes globales d'assistance. Diez años después de la Conferencia Internacional sobre la Población y el Desarrollo, la comunidad de salud reproductiva se encuentra amenazada por lo menos por tres elementos: las iniciativas mundiales, las reformas del sector salud y las nuevas modalidades financieras de los donantes y prestadores. No obstante, estos retos reflejan principalmente la ineficacia total del sistema en muchos paı́ses de bajos ingresos en prestar servicios básicos de salud reproductiva a las mujeres, en particular aquéllas que son pobres y socialmente vulnerables. La comunidad de salud reproductiva puede hacer mucho más para remediar las deficiencias del sistema y las posibles amenazas y beneficiarse de las oportunidades ofrecidas. El punto de partida debe ser practicar una evaluación interna de los esfuerzos de la comunidad de salud reproductiva para ayudar a los paı́ses de bajos ingresos. Entender estos retos y oportunidades presentes en el sector salud es otro paso importante, pero será provechoso sólo si los representantes de la comunidad de salud reproductiva en los paı́ses de bajos ingresos se proveen de las habilidades y herramientas necesarias para llevar a cabo reformas en el sector salud, con el fin de aprovechar las iniciativas mundiales y de influir de manera eficaz en la implementación de nuevas formas holı́sticas de ayuda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international aid system forms a powerful structural force impacting organizational landscapes and civil societies all over the world in complex ways we do not yet understand. Dominant NGO research has failed to properly address this crucial issue, because of a conceptual, theoretical, and ideological tradition that is itself embedded in this very same system's normative, rhetorical agenda. This paper suggests some conceptual and theoretical approaches that should encourage more comparative research on the role of the development NGOs in shaping national and global civil societies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine if implemented donor-funded health related-programs in Africa were sustained beyond the funding lifecycle and determine their facilitators and impeders. A systematic review was conducted after the documentation of a study protocol. A database search was done across three databases namely Google Scholar, PubMed, and Medline between January 27 and February 15, 2022. All peer-reviewed articles on sustainability of health interventions in Africa published between 2015 and 2021 that provided one or more context-relevant definitions of sustainability were included. Publications with no use of quantitative or qualitative methods and studies with no information on project evaluation after initial implementation were excluded. Screening of titles and abstracts was done, and the full texts of all relevant articles were retrieved. The risk of bias in systematic reviews (ROBIS) tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the systematic review. Overall, 4,876 articles were retrieved, and only nine articles were eligible for inclusion in the review following the removal of duplicates. Overall, sustainability was described in only three of the five regions in Africa. Donor-funded projects were sustained beyond the funding lifecycle in seven (77.8%) studies. Facilitators of sustainability in Africa included community ownership of the project through the engagement of community stakeholders in the design and implementation of such projects, use of locally available resources, sound infrastructure, and the constitution of interdisciplinary team to facilitate capacity building. Impeders to the sustainability of donor-funded projects included weak health systems exemplified in poor documentation and integration of records, lack of financial leadership, shortage of resources, political interference, poor feedback mechanism, and weak donor-community interactions. From the ROBIS tool, a low risk of bias existed in the studies included in the review. Although the included studies appropriately considered the review's research question, seven studies had a low risk of bias in the domains one to three, and two studies had high risk of bias in domain four. To derive maximum benefits from donor-funded health interventions, sustainability of such projects is key. During program planning phase, context-based facilitators of sustainability should be promoted, while impeders are immediately addressed., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Ilesanmi et al.)