From aid to madness

This photograph captures a perception of the aid industry. USAID becomes 'USMAD' in a small coastal town in Sri Lanka. This known logo of development has been reclaimed in a local context. The trickling of funds into communities appears not to be winning wide public favour. In this setting, notions of aid effectiveness and efficiency are further questioned. What is effectiveness? What is efficiency? And to what extent is the construction of these managerial concepts tied to recipient sentiments?