NGOs play a crucial role in development

 

NGOs have contributed to the education, health and

agricultural development since 1986

when the NGO Forum was created

 

By Elvis Basudde

Non Government Organisations (NGOs) are increasing by the day and their impact in community development cannot be ignored.
They started emerging after 1986, following the establishment of the National NGO Forum, which gave a conducive environment for NGO formation and operation.

In 1986, the forum’s statistics showed less than 200 NGOs. In 2000, the number had skyrocketed to 3,500, and by the end of 2003 there were 4,700 registered NGOs.

 

There were five thousand five hundred by the end of 2005 and the number is presently estimated at 8,000.

The Uganda National NGO Forum executive director, Richard Ssewakiryanga, says a survey done in 2003 by the Office of the Prime Minister suggested the sector could be smaller, as only between 15 - 30% of NGOs that register, go into operation.

Some NGOs operate without registering with the NGO Board. Scholars say the NGO sector grows rapidly in countries that are recovering from war.

When the NRM came to power, it inherited a collapsed economy and a government with no structures. They did not have the capacity and resources to offer services at the time.

Consequently, NGOs were given the green light to supplement government efforts. NGOs played a major role in the recovery process of the country and the restoration of the rule of law and constitutionalism may also have contributed to the increase in the number of NGOs.

“Policy making was liberalised and made more participatory. This also constituted an enabling environment for NGOs to flourish and participate in policy making,” says Arthur Larok, the director of programmes at Uganda National NGO Forum.

NGOs are formed for various reasons, some of which are selfish. These have been labelled ‘briefcase’, ‘kavera’ or ‘flash disk’ NGOs.

Ssewakiryanga says in a society where life is becoming increasingly difficult, partly because of the failure of the state or the private sector to provide adequate opportunity for citizens, such phenomena are not surprising.

“As the National NGO Forum, while we acknowledge the existence of such entities but we are inspired more by the positive things about NGOs. There are empirical studies which established that a great number of NGOs were formed and driven by altruistic reasons.

 

They thus work day and night to see a better future for humanity,” he says.
However, some wonder why many Ugandans wallow in poverty when there are a number of NGOs fighting poverty. Some studies put poverty levels in Uganda at 35%.

Ssewakiryanga says poverty is a condition perpetuated by several factors like ill health, illiteracy, disempowerment, conflict, bad leadership and governance.

 

Other factors that fuel poverty are depletion of natural resources and the environment, inequitable development opportunity, marginalisation and unemployment.

He says NGOs have been the catalysts for global campaigns on debt relief and access to essential medicines.

It has been acknowledged that the achievement of MDGs will require involvement of NGOs (because) of their unique knowledge of local realities.
NGOs provide a wide range of services where the state and the market have been overwhelmed, failed or simply ignored the problem, partly because often they are party to the problem.

 

Relief and rehabilitation in humanitarian emergencies; anti-corruption work; conflict resolution and employment creation have been spear headed by NGOs.

In Uganda, NGOs have traditionally been involved in education, health and agriculture. For example in Uganda, it is estimated that NGOs and faith-based organisations have been contributing about 40% of services to the health sector.

More recently NGO’s contribution is significant in environment, microfinance and HIV/AIDS.
The Civil Society Index puts their impact at 2.3 out of 3.
Powerful local NGOs have become a well recognised element of local development, where they speak with authority on issues affecting the poor and marginalised and are able to influence the highest level of national and international reaction. NGO impact has been felt mainly at the grassroots.

The work of Gulu Support the Children Organisation in Northern Uganda has been crucial to formerly abducted children in Northern Uganda. The Kabarole Research and Resource Centre’s work is empowering the people in the Rwenzori Region, while the work of Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme is changing the lives of many people in Kagadi, Kibaale district.

“As the National NGO Forum, we strongly believe that many Ugandans need to understand the value and contribution of NGOs to changing the lives and providing opportunity for many marginalised citizens,” Ssewakiryanga explains.

He says most times, NGOs are portrayed negatively, partly because society and the media are more attracted to the negative things in life. .
The National NGO Forum was legally registered in 2001 with the NGO Registration Board in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The core agenda at the time of formation was for the National NGO Forum to provide an avenue through which NGOs could engage collectively in policy advocacy on a united front and achieve greater success.

After 10 years of being, in 2007/08 the National NGO Forum went through a rigorous reflection process to chart out its agenda for the future.

This process led to the launch, in September 2008, of a strategic plan which lays out and strengthens the identity of the National NGO Forum.

Ssewakiryanga says the National NGO Forum exists to provide a sharing and reflection platform for NGOs to influence governance and development processes in Uganda and enhance NGO operating environment.