Beyond Professionalization

This chapter examines foreign donor assistance to the Palestinian territories and El Salvador in the post settlement period. It begins with an overview of funding patterns and discusses how the respective political settlements shaped different donor priorities in each case. It then provides more detailed examination of USAID funding program priorities, funding to civil society and democracy promotion, and funding to the women’s sector in each case.

Foreign Donor Assistance and the Political Economy of Settlement Outcomes

This chapter explains how the respective political settlements came to shape associational and civic life in each case. It begins with an overview of the political settlements in each case. It then explains how the respective political settlements shaped the emergence of the different political tendencies, as well as the institutional openings of the legislative council and local government in each case. It concludes with an examination of electoral outcomes since the start of the conflicttopeace transitions in the Palestinian territories and El Salvador

Different Levels of NGO Engagement and Reactions of the Government: Assessing the Sri Lankan Experience

Sri Lankan governments have a history of contradictory forms of engagement with NGOs and foreign donors, on the one hand embracing opportunities to work with and coordinate NGO donations for development, and on the other discouraging and rejecting more localised NGO activities. Successive governments have welcomed NGO and foreign donor funds for large scale construction projects. At the same time, with the support of Sinhala nationalist groups, governments have also portrayed NGOs and foreign donors as imperial agents. This criticism has been used against NGOs involved in the promotion and protection of human rights, especially in the war affected areas. This inconsistent behaviour of governments towards NGOs and foreign donors reflects opportunistic politics. Some NGOs and foreign donor agencies have successfully managed to navigate these contradictory government positions. Based on research in the southern and eastern provinces in Sri Lanka, this paper analyses effective NGO engagement at the local level during the post-tsunami and post-war situations. It focuses on those NGOs that have maintained government backing while also positively supporting local governance, community development and human rights.

Efficacy and Safety of Corneal Transplantation Using Corneas from Foreign Donors versus Domestic Donors: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Purpose. To assess the efficacy and safety of corneal transplantation using corneas from foreign donors.Methods. One hundred and eight patients needing therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty were randomly divided into 2 groups (54 cases/group): foreign group using foreign donor corneas and domestic group using domestic donor corneas. Clinical outcome and incidence of postoperative complications were compared between groups.Results. No significant difference with respect to the therapeutic outcome and postoperative Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and neovascularization by final follow-up was observed between the two groups. The graft thickness in the foreign group was statistically higher than the domestic group at 1 month postoperatively, but not at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Corneal endothelial cell density in the domestic group was statistically higher than in the foreign group at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Corneal epithelial abnormalities in the foreign group were significantly higher than that in domestic group. The primary graft failure, incidence of graft survival, and postoperative complications such as immunologic rejection, graft infection, and secondary glaucoma were not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusions. Corneal transplantations using foreign donor corneas are as effective and safe as those using domestic donor corneas.

A Study on NGO-Donor Relations in Basic Education Sector: Case of Pakistan

NGOs gained the importance in the last decades all over the world and the same is true with the case of Pakistan. NGOs are participating in the education sector. This paper studies the involvement of NGOs in the basic education sector, being dependent on the foreign donor agencies. NGOs have to follow the agenda of donors that can create tension with the government. This paper applies qualitative research methodology to study the relationships between donors and NGOs. The findings of this study show that donors are mostly following market-based approach and neo-liberal agenda that results in inequalities for people. Therefore, to perform their duty rightly, NGOs should look for sustainable sources of finances.

Long-term follow-up of porcine male germ cells transplanted into mouse testes

SummaryThis study investigated the effect of increased phylogenetic distance on the outcome of spermatogonial transplantation, with porcine donors and mice recipients. It was designed to develop a technique for detecting foreign donor cells in recipient animals. Porcine male germ cells were harvested from postnatal male testes and incubated with the lipophilic membrane dye PKH-26. For transplantation, approximately 106 PKH-26-labelled porcine male germ cells were injected into the efferent ducts of mouse testes. Animals were sacrificed at post-graft days 1, 10, 30, 45, 60 and 150 (n = 5 each). Serial frozen sections of explanted testes were prepared for detecting labelled cells. Transplanted porcine donor cells were easily detected in the recipient tubules for 8 weeks. After transplantation, we could detect both incorporation into the basement membrane and differentiation of grafted porcine donor cells by our double detection system, using PKH staining and slide PCR. However, our RT-PCR and apoptosis results revealed that most of the grafted porcine male donor cells could not differentiate past early-meiotic spermatocytes. We could induce partial differentiation of xenografted porcine donor cells in mouse testes, but not full induction of spermatogenesis. We have developed a very reliable technique for detecting foreign donor cells in recipient animals using a combination of PKH staining and slide PCR methods. Our results provide a valuable experimental model for applying and evaluating this technology in other species.