Effectiveness of NGOs in Addressing Social Problems and Their Critisms (Essay Sample)

Effectiveness of NGOs in addressing social problems and their critisms
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NGO is an acronym meaning nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations set up by citizens of a country. These organizations may be funded by foundations, government or can be run purely by volunteers. Nongovernmental organizations are diverse, run several activities, and are have distinct forms in several countries (David 2009). Examples may be charitable, political, or registered to be exempted from tax for social purpose.
Non-governmental organizations have led to improved health services. NGOs are involved in the provision of general health services, including the provision of drugs and sundries, training health workers, and health education of communities on domestic hygiene, water, and sanitation. Often, the presence of NGOs improves access to health care through construction of NGO health units and stocking these with drugs. Some NGOs have further enhanced physical access through the construction or repair of roads (Issa 2007). This has led to reduce the mortality rates and led to improved health of many people across the world. At these health units, family planning services are provided and high-risk patients are screened for referral. Also provided are immunization and health education services, education on nutrition for mothers and their children, personal and domestic hygiene, water and sanitation activities and control of diarrhea diseases through the preparation of oral rehydration salts (ORS).NGO-related health education efforts had mobilized and sensitized the community on the importance of preventive behaviors such as immunization and family planning. Mothers regularly attend clinics; more mothers give birth in the NGO-supported health unit.
Non-governmental organizations have also led to the reduced HIV infection rate through HIV testing and counseling, offering treatment of people living with Aids and social support. NGOs are involved in various AIDS activities, including preventive education on HIV transmission, provision of condoms, care of people with AIDS (PWAs) through treatment, counseling, and home visits as well as support to AIDS orphans. This has reduced the stigma associated with Aids and has created awareness campaign on its transmission, prevention and treatment of the virus (David 2009).
NGOs help reduce poverty. Some nongovernmental organizations offer credit and saving services to its community members through education, and provision of loans. This help build up the society by encouraging members of a community invest and save among themselves. This helps reduce overdependence people to the NGO and increases family income of community. NGOs also help provide for needy groups with shelter, food, and clothing. This results into improved living standards of the community members.
Nongovernmental organizations with evangelism as their main objective help spread the gospel. They educate the community on the importance of religion and sell the gospel to them. Communities are brought together through one religion and they begin believing in God. They then set on a mission to spread and educate the religion among themselves. This builds there unity and cohesiveness among themselves (David 2009). Nongovernmental organizations have improved the standards of education both formal and informal. NGOs have been known to support needy students and help in building schools. Most nongovernmental organizations facilitate proper education of needy students through busaries, sponsorships and help develop and even build classrooms. This has helped educate the community and improve the status of the communities.
Non-governmental organizations help boost agriculture, nutrition and environmental Services. These NGOs are involved in environmental protection activities, especially tree planting of fast growing trees such as eucalyptus. The timber is subsequently sold and the proceeds shared or used by members in the construction of their own homes. The Nongovernmental organizations help educate communities on the modern farming methods and offer advice to farmers on agribusiness. This results in increase yields and reduces the dependance of community member on food aid (David 2009).
NGO performance and effectiveness in obtaining its goal is highly criticized (Issa 2007). Nongovernmental organizations are said to have lost their way initially started as developing partners on a grass root level. The NGOs have been seen to turn into a depoliticized and bureaucratic organization that only work for their donor’s interest instead of the people’s interest. Nongovernmental organizations could no longer be seen as earlier presented and questions are now raised on their sustainability and legitimacy. Many individual NGO projects have been judged ‘successful’, work done by NGOs still often falls short when it comes to sustainability, participation and significant improvements in social economic conditions or political empowerment. These ‘doing more harm than good’ critisms are among the most damaging for NGOs and they have a wider impact on ...