What are NGOs How do they help and hinder development - Essay Example

rity organizations, and while their social aims may have political undertones, or political support, they are not created or run for political purposes (Ahmed & Potter, 2006) NGOs can be aimed towards a very diverse array of aims, ranging from environmental benefits, social benefits, poverty alleviations, awareness campaigns, health benefits, or educational reform. They can be very large, ranging across cities or countries, or they can be small, run by and consisting of only a handful of people.

For example, in his book Three Cups of Tea, author and NGO worker Greg Mortenson describes his efforts at working in areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan, aiming to alleviate poverty and in particular focus on educating young girls. The benefit of NGOs is that they are very easy to set up and do not require government grants or tedious official proceedings in order to set up. Mortenson, who was initially a nurse and mountain-climber before directing his efforts towards social benefits, managed to educate over sixty thousand children, out of which more than 50,000 were girls, a remarkable feat in a place where women are rarely allowed to leave their houses, much less acquire education (Mortenson, 2007).

As a result, one can conclude that NGOs maximize developmental efforts for two reasons. Governments tend to focus on geographically significant areas, that is, either areas that are significantly underdeveloped, or areas that are significantly developed. NGOs, being more personal in nature, can focus over a wider array of areas and subjects, which the government might not otherwise be able to focus on, owing either to a lack of resources or distribution of priorities. Secondly, they can be set up on any scale, and provide help on any level, be it small or big.

Because it is the vision of common, dedicated individuals, not obligated by their jobs or other responsibilities, yet choosing to do so anyway, they are able to focus in a more converged environment and seek out greater