Proteins. Important in everyday food. We may skip carbohydrates, but not proteins.
NGOs. Non-Government Organizations, for public good. Independent not-for-profit voluntary groups/organizations outside government control, or influence. At local, community, sub-district, district, state, national or global level. Variety of themes, hybrid and/or multiple. With various approaches of work and orientation – self-help, charity, service, participatory, empowerment, professional common interest et al; community-based, geographic. Variety of forms including unincorporated, society, trust, and section 8 company. Political parties, trade unions may not be considered as NGOs. Associations, societies, or clubs providing services; humanitarian and social service; research, learning, and education; advocacy of rights, entitlements, and policy. Some could be supporting cutting-edge NGOs. Some could be implementing projects. With some paid staff, full-time, part-time, and some volunteers. Funded on their own, by their members and citizens, or surpluses from sale of goods and services, crowdsourced, or by corporates, donors, and governments. Quite a lot of funds come from Governments and donors. Some are registered (under FCRA) to receive foreign contributions. Some have charitable status (12AA) and may be tax exempt. More than 1.5 million in the US; more than 3 million in India – one per 400 people. Only 10% of them may have serious, significant activities. We too have: 15 million self-help groups of women, elders, disabled and other PVM, and their federations at higher levels; a million collectives of PVM. These apart from 3 lakh PRIs/ULBs.
Various names, nuanced organizations: Non-Government, Non-Government Development, Nonprofit, Civil Society, Voluntary, Private voluntary, Grassroots, Grassroots support, Environment, Social, Social Movement, Social Benefit, Social Change, Self-help, Technical support, Non-state, Quasi-autonomous, Citizen groups, Youth, Students, communities, community-based, membership-based, etc. International, Transnational. INGO, TNGO, BINGO, DNGO, GONGO, QANGO, TANGO, etc.
Large-scale Civil Society Organizations or Initiatives date more than 200 years. These include: Brahma Samaj (1829); Aligarh Scientific Society movement (1864); Arya Samaj (1875); Theosophical Society (1875); Trade Unions since 1890 including AITUC (1920), INTUC (1947); Swadeshi Movement (1905); Servants of India (1905); Bhoodan Movement (1951) that redistributed 4 million acres to landless; Central Social Welfare Board (1953); Panchayati Raj Institutions (1958); Chipko Andolan (1973); Microfinance institutions (1980s); NABARD (1982); Narmada Bachao (1985); and SHGs (‘90s); Rights – Information, Education, Food, Employment Guarantee (‘00s); and CSR (2013).
NGO-CSO space is dwindling. Foreign and local funding is declining in a big way. 50% FC Registrations have been cancelled. Governments are establishing their missions taking over NGO space. PVM Communities, collectives are increasing and are expanding their support activities. Identity-based, rights-based collectives are emerging. Corporates are taking up work for their own CSR Foundations. Successful NGOs are transformed into support organizations, service organizations. They provide consulting and related support to Donors, Government Missions, CSR teams, Community Collectives, Education, Health and other implementation institutions, etc.
Can we offer ourselves, our time, energy, and KSTR into this dwindling space? In our own ways.
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. In support of the communities. In N? sanirvartanayoga for 7L.
Click here for a compilation of Yogakshemam updates.