The NGOs (non-governmental organizations)

"NGOs" means the non-governmental organizations that try to solve the problems of the poor and helpless in the underdeveloped countries or the Third World.These organizations attend to rural problems,agricultural development,health care,education,women and children's problems,unemployment and other social matters.

The NGOs have a long history as many charitable organizations functioned in Europe and North America in the 6^th century and afterwards.These organizations were at first related to the church and had missionary aims.Later,educational organizations or institutions were established to educate the people in African and Asian countries under European rule.The American Medical Association was founded in 1847 and Save the Children was founded in England in 1919.These organizations remained engaged in socio-economic development,religious preaching,educating the people and providing them relief in emergencies like floods,fires and earthquakes.

A typical NGO is organized like a government department.It has its headquarters with the central offices and records.The officers and members of its staff sit and work in these offices.The staff usually includes native and foreign officers and workers according to the work they perform.Then there are field workers for outside activities.Their work extends to different parts of the province or country according to their assignments.An NGO's operational activities include making reports about its financial needs or funds,its plans or projects,its dealings with the local governments,its expenditures on its staff and its publications.

Let us have a pertial look at the NGO growth.The Red Cross was formed in 1863 to support war victims.The Save Children Fund was formed in the United Kingdom in 1919 to attend to the needs of children after the First World War.In Pakistan,the Islamic Ismaili sect has set up the Aga Khan Health service for large hospitals and village health centers.The Idara Kisan is a farmers organization that is operating in 109 villages of Kasur and Okara in the central Punjab.It provides help and guidance in farming and cattle growth to farmers and landowners.The APWA(All-Pakistan Women's Association) has acted creditably in setting up women's welfare organizations,colleges and schools all over the country.

We need to promote the NGO culture for the benefit of the common people.It is,however,necessary to have checks on the working NGOs to stop them from becoming purely commercial organizations.It is also important to see if they are working for national causes or have started serving foreign interests after getting funds from abroad.