Development Studies Commons^™

Organizational Planning Practices Under Uncertainty: The Case Of Ngos In Hadhramaut, Yemen, Khulood Taleb Alamodi

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hadhramaut, Yemen plan and operate under conditions of fragility and uncertainty. Although strategic planning is often presented as a formal and structured process, NGOs in fragile settings face ongoing disruption, unstable funding, and weak institutions. This study asks how planning takes place in practice under these conditions. The study uses qualitative data from 22 semi-structured interviews with NGO leaders, staff, and external actors. A conceptual framework combining contextual fragility, resource dependence, organizational capacity and resilience, and legitimacy and networks was used to examine how these factors shape organizational planning. The findings …

Circulating Futures: Infrastructure, Value, And The Making Of Contemporary Egypt, Yasmine Abdeldayem

Theses and Dissertations

Since 2014, Egypt has undertaken an unprecedented expansion of its road network as part of a broader project of territorial development and national renewal. Roads are presented in this project as the connective infrastructure through which new cities, investment zones, and desert territories are brought into circulation. Yet their developmental effects are often difficult to discern: infrastructure is rapidly built but unevenly maintained, while projects justified in terms of mobility, growth, and public benefit can produce dispossession, exclusion, and new forms of risk. This thesis argues that roads cannot be understood solely through the developmental outcomes they are intended to …

Beyond Emergency: Charting Pathways To Sustainable Development In Fragile And Conflict-Affected Settings: A Case Study Of Yemen, Sharif Abdurabu Salem Farid Alsahbool

Theses and Dissertations

For nearly a decade, Yemen's eastern governorates of Hadramawt, Shabwah, and Al‑Mahrah have been relatively stable, yet the international aid system has kept delivering short‑term humanitarian relief like food baskets and water trucking instead of shifting to sustainable development that could rebuild people's lives, create jobs, fix infrastructure, and strengthen local government. This thesis investigates why this transition has taken so long. Based on 21 interviews with government officials, international NGO staff, and local NGO managers in these three governorates, the study develops a new way of understanding the problem. It introduces three ideas: the 'emergency mentality', which is a …

Keeping It Together: Assessing The Wellbeing Of Project-Based Development Practitioners In Egypt, Amira Ahmed Abdallah Fekry Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the wellbeing of project-based development practitioners in Egypt, revealing how systemic pressures—bureaucracy, job insecurity, and fragmented workloads—undermine both wellbeing and productivity. The study employed a mixed-approach, combining 10 in-depth interviews with subject matter experts and practitioners and 75 surveys with development practitioners in Egypt. Data revealed that while many practitioners are driven by purpose, structural challenges erode resilience and motivation over time. Social support networks and personal coping strategies help but cannot replace institutional protections. The study argues that wellbeing must shift from being treated as an individual concern to a structural responsibility. Reframing organizational models around …

A Virtual-Reality-Based Dental Simulator For Endodontics With Automated Formative Feedback, Yousef Salah Abo El Ela

Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and haptic technology are transforming the landscape of medical and dental education, offering new avenues for safe, immersive, and repeatable training experiences. Within dentistry, endodontics presents unique challenges for preclinical education due to anatomical complexity, limited access to extracted teeth, ethical concerns, and the shortcomings of conventional plastic models. Despite endodontics specific plastic teeth being available, they fall short of replicating the hardness of real extracted teeth, are relatively costly compared to generic plastic teeth, and are ultimately a disposable item which makes them inadequate as a sustainable long-term solution. Extracted teeth do a much …

Elite Cohesion And Its Historical Sources: Analyzing Its Impact On Democratization In Nigeria And Botswana, Aliaa Magdy Aboutera

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the divergent democratization trajectories of Botswana and Nigeria, focusing on the role of colonial legacies and post-colonial elites in shaping elite cohesion. While both countries experienced British colonial rule, their transitions to democracy in the post-independence period have differed significantly. This study argues that elite cohesion, although insufficient on its own, is a critical facilitating factor in democratic consolidation that warrants greater attention in the democratization literature. This cohesion is largely shaped by the sociology of political elites, with historical contexts influencing how elites organize. Through process tracing, the thesis argues that colonialism in Botswana did not …

Redefining Roles In Displacement: The Asylum Journey Of Sudanese Women In Faisal, Cairo, Majeda Abdin Mahasneh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how Sudanese refugee women, who arrived in Faisal, Cairo, after April 2023 experience gender-based violence (GBV). The research investigates the types of GBV these women encountered during their journey from Sudan to Cairo, how their gender roles changed in the asylum context, and their vision for the future regarding safety and support. A qualitative approach was employed, using in-depth interviews with four Sudanese refugee women, complemented by field notes and observations made during visits to the Faisal neighborhood. The analysis focused on the personal stories shared by the women, highlighting the various forms of violence they experienced, …

Rural Entrepreneurship In Upper Egyptian Communities: Exploring The Intervention Of Agri-Tech Startups, Marwa Wael Abohamda Hulail

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change and economic disturbance have changed the state of the world and increased the dependence on digitization in running people's daily life. In Egypt, the economic instability and climate change have affected people’s standard of living, making it challenging to sustain their life, especially in the agriculture sector. Farmers have been affected by the risks of climate change, economic shocks, and trends of digitization, which have impacted their profit, employability, and livelihood.

Several Egyptian Agri-tech startups were launched to support the farmers in the digital revolution that came to agriculture, attempting to make a change in the Egyptian farming …

Integrated Agricultural Interventions And Women’S Empowerment\ A Case Study Of “She Feeds The World” – “Aysheen Bekhirha” Program In Egypt, Pakinam Shibl

Theses and Dissertations

“She Feeds the World” program is a program that empowers women in farming communities by integrating them into the agricultural value chain. With increased access to essential resources such as land, seeds, water, and technical training, women are expected to actualize their full potential and generate more income. This paper explores the intersection of societal mobilization and economic development through a case study of the “Aysheen Bekhirha” program. By drawing on primary sources, the researcher aims to provide insights into the program’s multifaceted approach and its impact on economic and social outcomes. The analysis focuses on the significance of women’s …

Assessing The Effects Of Climate Change On Vulnerability To Poverty: The Case Of Heat Waves And Construction Workers In Egypt, Rachad Bani Samari

Theses and Dissertations

“Doomsday, humanity’s extinction, the end of days”. Apocalyptic adjectives abound to highlight the danger looming over the planet, as the earth is warming up due to global warming and climate change. The picture painted over the canvas has consistently projected a gloomy image of low-income countries and of the poor. As the earth is gently boiling with heat, low-income groups in the Global South are predicted to be most affected. However, most of such warnings and studies focused on sectors directly dependent on suitable weather conditions such as agriculture, and sea tourism. While the climatic phenomena of heat waves may …

Investigating The Association Between Gut Bacteria And Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Maha Abdo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. However, it’s believed to be a multifactorial condition. Several studies suggest the involvement of gut and oral microbiome in the predisposition of ASD symptoms. Understanding the pathophysiology could aid in developing better treatment strategies that improve the quality of life of ASD individuals and their caregivers.

Aim: The current study aims at characterizing the gut and oral microbiome composition of ASD children compared to their healthy siblings and mothers as control groups.

Methods: Stool and saliva samples were collected from fourteen families at Ain Shams University Hospital, Outpatient Clinic. The …

Unpacking Challenges And Reinforcing Evaluations In Bilateral And Multilateral Development Organizations In Egypt, Fatema Elghonemy

Theses and Dissertations

The research examines evaluations conducted in bilateral and multilateral development organizations considering programs that are funded by governments or international organizations. The Egyptian Government partners with development partners to receive technical assistance in various fields, such as industrial development, technical education, environmental protection, health improvement and refugees’ empowerment. The thesis explores the interlinkage between the development goals and the results framework to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). It then goes on to examine the evolution of the function of evaluation and its historical development into becoming a standalone field that serves the decision making, extension and expansion of interventions. As …

Navigating Complexity Of Serving Displaced Communities: A Study Of Yemeni Community-Based Organizations In Egypt, Alya Mohammed Al-Mahdi

Theses and Dissertations

Forced displacement is a global crisis that poses challenges for nations like Egypt. Despite international NGO support, escalating displaced individuals have overwhelmed existing capacities. Refugee Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have emerged as a natural response from the communities themselves to bridge the gap between the state and NGOs and the refugee community. However, CBOs in Egypt face challenges that impact their operation and continuity. Through qualitative research, this study aims to explore the experience of the Yemeni CBOs. Through interviews with seven people from six CBOs conducted through field visits and online calls, this research uncovers the dynamics of Yemeni CBOs …

Architectural And Heritage Experience Through Playful Learning (An Interdisciplinary And Exploratory Action Research Focused On The Egyptian Context), Atheer Ahmed Salama

Theses and Dissertations

“The lack of awareness of the value of heritage and the lack of opportunities to engage in preserving and safeguarding heritage in the public sphere not only puts the heritage in risk of being irremediably lost. It also impoverishes the younger generation’s sense of identity and belonging within its respective socio-cultural continuum, and thus limits its ability to engage and contribute meaningfully to society at large” (UNESCO, 2021). With conducting this research, the researcher believes that heritage-themed analog games may carve the younger generation’s memory of heritage, allowing them to boost their sense of identity and belonging; thus, widening their …

Hearing The Global South In Climate Convos, Zeinab Shaker

Faculty Journal Articles

If progress on climate change is to be made, voices from the most vulnerable Global South and African countries must be heard and included in conversations at climate conferences.

Cop27 And The Sustainable City: Global Climate Solution Or Mirage?, Patrick J. Bohlen

Faculty Journal Articles

The COP27 meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh highlighted the gap between climate policy goals and climate reality. In the MENA region and globally, cities are key to advancing climate goals

Factors Affecting Consumers’ Purchase Intentions Towards Recycled Products, Sherine Esmat

Theses and Dissertations

The work executed addresses the status of recycling industry in Egypt and its relation to the current sustainability trends as well as climate change issues. It also identifies the main concerns of consumers when purchasing recycled products. Consequently, identifies the key pillars that need to be applied or communicated with the target consumers to enhance the concept of selling recycled products and increase its market share. Since this industry is significantly broad, the focus of the study was only on recycled PET plastic bottles (rPET), this is to ensure attaining accurate and reliable results.

An interview and a site visit …

Promoting Secure Attachment In Children Without Parental Care In Egypt, Manar Nada

Theses and Dissertations

In Egypt, if not living with extended family members, the majority of children without parental care are placed in care homes. Research shows that children without parental care, particularly those raised in care homes, generally receive low-quality care. This can lead to adverse effects on their mental health, physical health, developmental growth, sense of belonging, intimacy, social and behavioral competence, and academic performance. Studies also relate institutionalization to problems in attachment and caregiver-infant relationships. The Secure Base Model is a therapeutic caregiving framework that target children who were abused and neglected or experienced loss and separation. The model has five …

The Role Of Civil Society Organizations In Youth Inclusion Reforms In Post-Uprising Tunisia, Amal Tobich

Theses and Dissertations

Tunisia has a large youth population; more than half of the population are youth aged between 15-30 years in 2011. Tunisia has long faced challenges adopting serious reforms for youth inclusion and participation. Young people, especially since the Arab Spring, are driving social and economic innovation, challenging policies, and representing governments. More connected than ever, young people exert a greater influence on their fellow citizens and their country and youth inclusion is a central aspect of the post-2015 global development agenda. This study seeks to determine the role of Civil society Organizations in youth inclusion by drawing on extensive literature …

Inclusive Employment For Persons With Disabilities Post Covid-19 In Egypt: Digitization As The Way Forward, Rana Al Gazzaz

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on businesses and jobs whereas many employees were furloughed and laid off. While the global pandemic had a significant negative impact worldwide, it presented a unique opportunity to revolutionize employment for persons with disabilities. Employers’ willingness to rapidly adapt to the changing work environment by transitioning businesses to remote work and flexible working schedules can facilitate an inclusive work environment for persons with disabilities, especially in communities that also face significant geographical barriers to access employment.

The aim of this study is to understand the underlying challenges facing persons with disabilities in …

State Fragility And Sustainable Development Goals In Egypt, Mahmoud Elmakkawe

Theses and Dissertations

This study discusses the problem of state fragility in Egypt and its relationship with sustainable development goals from 2006 to 2016 through utilizing data from relevant literature and reports. Qualitatively analyzing the indicators of the two main variables: fragility and sustainable development goals, the study concludes that Egypt remains politically fragile despite various relative advancements on sustainable development goals recorded. While some progress has been made on multiple socioeconomic indicators throughout the period specified, Egypt still shows an alarming level of fragility, particularly, when it comes to political aspects of democratic governance that include security, justice, rule of law, and …

Executive Summary- Social Protection In Egypt: Mitigating The Socio-Economic Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Vulnerable Employment, Dina Makram-Ebeid, Amr Adly, Nadine Sika, Hania M Sholkamy, Samer Atallah

Faculty Journal Articles

This is the executive summary of an interdisciplinary project between the fields of development economics, political economy, labor sociology, development anthropology and public health. It reviews the social protection available to vulnerable employees and their households in Egypt and suggests ways to adapt them in light of the COVID 19 pandemic. The research focuses on four areas a) employment security b) social assistance c) health insurance d) gendered mitigations. The project will map the impact of the crisis on vulnerable employees and their households and propose policy interventions to alleviate the socio-economic effects of the pandemic through the publication of …

Egyptian Women’S Agriculture Contribution; Assessment Of The Gender Gap For Sustainable Development, Noha El Khorazaty

Theses and Dissertations

Women’s contribution to the agriculture sector in developing countries is undeniable, yet they do not have equal access to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. Sustainable development entails inclusive and effective management of natural resources, this entails gender equity in agriculture. Bridging the gender gap in agriculture far exceeds the benefits of the individual. According to the latest estimates bridging the yield gap in agricultural productivity could possibly decrease the numbers of undernourished people in the world by around 100 – 140 million people. Sustainable agriculture development and gender equity necessitate policy interventions targeting the gender …

Gendered Entrepreneurship Contextualization In Egypt: An Empirical Study On Policies For Women Entrepreneurship Empowerment, Sarah El-Fiky

Theses and Dissertations

The proportion of women entrepreneurs has increased dramatically over the past decade, not just in the developed world but also in developing countries. This led to a significant increase in the governments’ attention towards designing and implementing female-focused policies to allocate adequate resources for empowering women entrepreneurs in Egypt. This paper examines one main question: How does the Egyptian government empower women entrepreneurs through key policy interventions? This is only possible through testing the proposed research hypotheses and investigating Egypt’s publicized policies and governmental interventions. Based on a gender-lens perspective, this research tries to close the gaps in previous research …

An Interplay Between Formal And Informal Development:A Case Study Of Two Neighborhoods In The Tenth Of Ramadan City, Mennat Allah Mohamed Awad Mansour

Theses and Dissertations

The over-congestion of the Nile valley and Delta region led to the political conclusion that new desert cities were necessary to attract the ever-growing population and reduce the pressure on existing Nile Valley cities. The new desert cities that were meant to house a total population of 12 million people, today, four decades after the initiative started, only house a fraction of this target population, failing to attract residents in spite of the countless housing units left vacant. It is important to study the underlying factors that led to this urban problem and population gap to inform the planning process …

Evaluating The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (Undaf) As A Strategic Programming Tool At The National Level, With Special Reference To Egypt, Rasha Mahmoud

Theses and Dissertations

The unique character of the United Nations (UN) imposes strategic challenges on the organization’s leadership and management structures at the national and the international level. In response to these challenges, the UN reform efforts, introduced in 1997, paved the way for the UN system effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. Emerging from the reform, the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) engages various development stakeholders in identifying and achieving national development priorities. This review found that the UNDAF is an effective strategic instrument that well-positions the UN at the national level and it enhances national capacities and supports national governments in identifying …

Microfinance And Poverty Alleviation: A Case Study Of Al-Darb Al-Ahmar District In Cairo, Egypt, Noran Mohammed Farag

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis tests whether microcredit offered by MFIs succeeded, from the perspectives of beneficiaries, in reducing the poverty of borrowers in poor areas in Cairo using the example of First Microfinance as a case study. The data was gathered using a tailored questionnaire on a sample of 151 beneficiaries. A linear regression model is used with the dependent variable as the difference in wealth indices before and after acquiring the loan and a set of independent variables. Microfinance showed a positive effect on poverty reduction but with a small magnitude. The results show that the lack of training provided to …

Role Of Development Nongovernmental Organizations In Empowering Individuals And Communities As A Prerequisite To Social Development In Egypt, Bakry M. Eljack

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Medium-Term Impact Of Microcredit Schemes On Business And Household Welfare: A Case Study From Manshiet Nasser, Cairo, Else Kathrine Nesmoen

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of The Challenges To Aid Coordination And Aid Effectiveness In The Reconstruction Of Postconflict Societies: A Case Study Of The Postconflict Reconstruction And Development Of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Ahmed Berray

Archived Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.