The Perils of working in the NGO Sector

The not-for-profit sector in India is driven by visionaries and philanthropists who foresee a better community by solving problems that our society is plagued with. However, it has its own share of challenges; an important one being human resources. An NGO needs a dedicated workforce to manage innumerable tasks, leverage resources and build a friendly relationship with the recipients and donors. It faces various hurdles with the management of the HR function.

People have ingrained belief in working for corporate and government organizations with stable, secure and well-paid jobs. People in non-metro towns do not have enough corporate job options. For them, to choose a career in the social sector itself is a big step. There is a sense of insecurity with the job and salary when working at an NGO. Also, they wonder if they will be in line with society's idiosyncrasy while working with HIV infected people or the disabled. It is difficult to change this mindset.  Our government should pitch in with efforts to educate both, people at the grass-roots level and the leaders behind the NGOs, to adopt practical thought processes.

One would rarely find an exclusive HR department in an NGO. Neither does the founding committee allocate enough funds nor do they put in the required efforts on developing a HR team. The other employees lack organizational efficiency. Hiring is a time consuming process. It requires patience to sort applications and interview candidates. Also, young people join in to get NGO experience and leave with certificates. Some non-profits themselves term it as a good time to fill the gap in their summer leave. They must hire full time candidates. They have more time to imbibe the culture, adapt to the requirements and work productively. It would be wise to retain interns and those working on a project basis.

NGOs at grass-roots level are unable to manage funds and cash flow. They constantly need money and resources by funding which need to be utilized appropriately. Wages ought to be paid on time. They often have long working hours including outstation travel and stay. Employees work on different domains and across departments. NGOs must hire people who are self-motivated and willing to work out of their comfort zone; people who are able to strive for a goodwill cause.

Most NGOs lack proper facilities which make it more difficult to attract quality talent and volunteers. Scarcity of water, fluctuating electricity and unkempt surroundings make a bad work environment. There should be regulations on facilities and support for employees. It is crucial for NGOs to maintain hygiene and keep their employees motivated by ensuring access to these basic needs.

Non-profit trusts and organizations tend to give too much attention to raising funds instead of solving problems. There is a lack of communication to the lowest grade staff in the organizational structure, making them feel left out and lose trust. NGOs must keep everyone aligned to their vision and mission. Keeping governance systems in check would ensure everyone is on the same page and work in unison.

Child Soldiers and Indian Insurgency

India has no dearth of separatist movement and the one thing they all love to hate is the Indian state , accusing it of all manner of state sponsored terrorism , human right abuse, rape of their women and all manner of other atrocities. It therefore is interesting that in a development reported in NDTV, self righteous underground elements in North Assam , who are supposedly fighting the Indian state so that they can safeguard and protect their own people and culture from the marauding clutches of people in mainland India are using impressionable , young children , often under the influence of drugs to fight their battles. The culprits include well known outfits like the ULFA and the NSCN as well as smaller groups like the UNLF and the PLA. According to the NDTV report , The smallest boys are placed closest to the enemy, because their leaders say they are the most fearless. And when they are not, they are given helpful doses of drugs so that they can overcome whatever inhibitions they may have.
It is detestable indeed that young children are being exposed to death , destruction and violence at such a young and impressionable age and that too by groups who are supposedly the custodians of their peoples' well being and identity. Instead of creating a climate where in these children can finish their education , have a healthy childhood and then grow up be fulfilled citizens of their home land, they are being indoctrinated to kill , hate and destroy from their earlies years. The ideologues of these groups, mostly ensconced overseas , think nothing of using small children to fight their battles , all in the name of preserving supposedly unspoilt and pristine culture which the Indian state is supposedly destroying.
The consequences for society are obviously devastating. If the child soldier does survive this spell of “army service”, with negligible education, skill and indoctrinated with hatred and venom, they are rendered unsuitable for any constructive role in society and they often take the deadly route of drugs, HIV & AIDS and death and the society of the North East is demonstrating enough of the evidence where large sections of youth show no evidence of hope or any thing constructive and are caught up in a spiral of drugs, pleasure and an existence devoid of hope.
According to Amnesty International, the human rights group which has tracked this phenomenon closely reports that Often recruited or abducted to join armies, many of these children - some younger than 10 years old - have witnessed or taken part in acts of unbelievable violence, often against their own families or communities. Such children are exposed to the worst dangers and the most horrible suffering, both psychological and physical. What is more, they are easily manipulated and encouraged to commit grievous acts, which they are often unable to comprehend. Many girl soldiers are expected to provide sexual services as well as to fight.
The Indian government an state has several aberrations and human rights violations are certainly part of them but it has never intentionally taken such a grotesque approach to soldiering and policing and it does try to maintain internal checks and balances to minimize violations where ever they do take place. In fact, the government is trying for long to come to some settlement with groups like the NSCN-IM and the ULFA , so that resolution of differences occurs amicably , quickly and the government has approached these talks in a spirit of maximum compromise. So do these atrocities on children , who are given no choice but are thrust into a particular way of life figure in their discussions ? One can only hope so and expect that pert of the political resolution that the government is trying so hard to achieve will mean that children get to know what it is to be a child before being exposed to the harsh world of adults !