VOLUNTARY SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

DEFINATION:

According to Asian Development Bank the term non-governmental organization or voluntary social organization refers to organization

o Not based in government.o Not created to earn profit.

"The diversity of voluntary social organization strains any simple

definition. They include many groups and institutions that are entirely

or largely independent of government and that have primarily

humanitarian or cooperative rather than commercial objectives. They

are private agencies in industrial countries that support international

development; indigenous groups organized regionally or nationally;

and member-groups in villages. Voluntary social organization includes

charitable and religious associations that mobilize private funds for

development, distribute food and family planning services and

promote community organization. They also include independent

cooperatives, community associations, water-user societies, women's

groups and pastoral associations. Citizen Groups that raise awareness

and influence policy are also NGOs"

(World Bank)

United Nations defines it “NGOs are private organizations that

pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interest of poor,

protect the environment, provide basic social services or undertake

community development”

It is an organization of private individuals who believe in certain basic

social principles and who structure their activities to bring about

development to communities that they are servicing.

Organizations established by and for the community without or with

little intervention from the government; they are not only a charity

organization, but work on socio-economic-cultural activities.

Basically NGOs role is to prepare people for change. They empower the

people to overcome psychological problem and opposition of oppress. Its

role cannot be denied.

TYPES OF NGOS

Types of NGOs can be understood by their level of orientation and level of

cooperation.

1. Types of NGOs by the level of orientation.

It has further types as under,

i. Charitable orientation.

It often involves a paternalistic effort with little participation by

’’beneficiaries’’. It includes the NGO’s which directed the people

towards meeting the needs of poor and help them by gaining

them food, clothing, medicine, provision of housing etc.such

NGO’s may also undertake relief activities during natural or

manmade herds.

ii. Service orientation.

It includes with NGO’s with activities such as the provision of

health, family planning or education services. in which the

program is designed by the NGO’s and people are expected to

participate in its implementation and in receiving the services.

iii. Participatory orientation.

It is characterized by self-help projects where local people are

involved particularly for example in the implementation of a

project in any village by contributing,cash,tools,land,materials

and labor etc. this type is basically cooperation based and on

limited scale.

iv. Empowering orientation.

The aim of these NGOs are to help poor people an d develop a

clear understanding of the social, political and economic factors

which are effecting their lives, and aware them how can they

solve their problem by using their resources and purpose to

mobilize the people or self mobilization. In any case there is

maximum involvement of the people with NGOs acting as

facilitators.

2. Types of NGOs by the level of operation.

It has further types which are as following.

i. Community based organization (CBOs)

When people start feelings that what are their needs and how can

they fulfill them. These NGO’s arises out of people’s own initiatives.

These can includes sports clubs women organizations

neighborhood organizations, religious and educational

organizations. Some supported by NGO’s, national and

international NGO’s and other independent outside help. Some are

devoted to raising the consciousness of urban poor or helping them

to understand their rights in gaining access to needed services

while others are involved in providing such services.

ii. Citywide organizations.

These NGO’s are organized for some major or personal purpose.

For example chambers of commerce and industry, coaliation of

business, educational group. Some exist for other purposes and

become involved in helping the poor as one of many activities,

while others are created for the specific purpose of helping the

poor.

iii. National NGOs.

It includes organizations such as the Red Cross, YMWCAs,

YWCAs; professional organizations etc.Some of these has state

branches and assists local NGOs.

iv. International NGOs.

These range from secular agencies such as REDDA BARNA and

save the children organization, CARE, UNDP, and UNICEF. Their

activities vary from mainly funding local NGOs institutions and

projects and implementing the projects themselves.

ROLES OF NGO OR VOLUNTARY ORAGANIZATION IN SOCIO-

ECONOMIC DEVELPOMENT OF PAKISTAN

NGOs play a critical role in all areas of development. People and policy

makers are agree on one thing that voluntary social organization or NGOs

play a very important role in development. Socio economic development is

a shared responsibility of both i.e. government and NGOs.

The major development roles ascribed to NGOs are to act as:

Planner and implementer of development programmers,

Mobilizer of local resources and initiative,

Builder of self reliant sustainable society,

Supporter and partner of government programmes in activating

delivery system implementing rural development programmes, etc.,

Agents of information,

Factor of improvement of the poor, and

Facilitator of development education, training, professionalization, etc.

SERVICES OF NGO’s OR VOLUNTARY SOCIAL

ORGANIZATIONS

These are the following service performed by the NGO’s or voluntary

social organization, which can help in the social and economic

development of Pakistan.

1. PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

Almost one billion men and women are illiterate today. Women are

more frequently than men. More than hundred million children have no

hope of formal education. Illiteracy is robbing millions of families vital to

their basic well-being and the survival for the children.

In such condition NGO’s or voluntary social organization are

playing important role in providing educational facilities to

destitute ,orphans , and poor, physically handicapped free

of cost.

In this regard NGO’s have build many schools and colleges where

they provide free books other facilities to needy people of the

society, where they are able to get formal and informal

education and can become independent and effective member of

the society.

2. HEALTH SERVICES

   The health status of women in Pakistan is directly linked to women’s

low social status. There are also marked differences between the health

status of women and men in Pakistan.

NGO’s provide health services not only to women but to children

handicapped and helpless people.

NGO’s construct cancer hospitals, hospitals for blind and

handicapped, to help those people who cannot afford the

expensive of treatment.

These hospitals provide free of cost in cases of heart surgeries

and other major operations to poor patients.

They provide Health aid to all areas where Health facilities lack, to

promote the healthy life & environment in natives and provide

free Medicines, Vaccinations, Antibiotics.

These hospitals provide low-Cost Orthopedic workshop which

makes artificial limbs, mainly lower limbs. It will help the

handicapped and other ill people to adjust in the society and

function fully as other people do.

3. DESTITUTE HOME

NGO’s provide home for the mentally ill, destitute, orphans,

runaways, infirm, aged men, women and children having

no homes and are helpless.

All boarding, lodging, clothing, and logistic arrangements

are entirely free.

If a person dies within these homes, the burial arrangements

are made by the Foundation according to the religious rites of

the deceased (Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Christian, or any other

religion).

The residents are encouraged and trained to look after their

personal needs themselves.

This inculcates in them the spirit of self-help, and keeps

them engaged in beneficial activities.

Encouraging children to do their own work gives them self-

respect and makes them feel that the benefits they get in

return are not charity but reward for their efforts.

This helps in the rehabilitation, so that they can become the

productive members of the society rather than becoming a

burden on them and become socially and economically strong.

4. AMBULANCE SERVICES

Thousands of persons are disabled or killed in minor or major road

accidents throughout Pakistan. After any major accident, the seriously

injured persons lie on the site for several hours waiting for shifting to the

nearest hospital. Often, delay and apathy cause loss of valuable lives,

leaving many others injured, crippled and handicapped.

Voluntary social organization also provides the services of

ambulances in the country with an un-paralleled record of

quick response for the affecters’ of any disaster.

Its nation-wide network equipped with the latest

communication system now covers the remotest areas of

Pakistan.

Ambulances, field mobile units and rescue which comprise

this network, are maintained in a state of readiness to meet

any emergency in the shortest possible time anywhere in

Pakistan.

5. DRUGS AND BLOOD BANKS

Provision of blood in order to save human lives remains an essential

element of emergency services. In major accidents, natural calamities and

bomb blasts, etc., blood is supplied to the needy on an emergency basis. 

By keeping in view this need many NGO’s and welfare centers in

major cities of Pakistan regularly keep an updated list of donors

of all blood groups and conduct campaigns for enlisting

more donors for collection of blood.

Besides the blood provision free of costs drugs is the

important service of NGO’s.

6. MISSING PERSON SERVICS

Because of social problems a large number of children leave

their homes or get separated from their families during emergencies.

Similarly, mentally handicapped people who can't get back to their

homes, wander around the streets.

NGO’s uses its own wireless network, state radio and

T.V. channels or arranges local announcements,

advertisements in the press, and thereby manages to

return thousands of such people to their homes. 

In this way they perform social services towards society

and if there is no one to own those people then they are

rehabilitate by these NGO’s.

7. BURIAL SERVICES

Similarly, unidentified dead bodies are kept in cold mortuaries

and all efforts are made to identify the next of kin.

This services provide by different NGO’s is also available to

Pakistanis living abroad and is being co-ordinate through

Pakistan Embassies or offices of the Foundation abroad.

Coffin cloth and coffin boxes are provided free of cost to

those families who cannot afford or manage burial rites

themselves.

Non-Muslims are provided services according to their own

religious rites with the assistance of a church or local

temple.

In addition to the above, large air conditioned cold

mortuaries have been established to keep unidentified

bodies for a couple of days, and perform burial rites if the

next of kin is not traceable.

Such services of NGO’s also provide facilities for burial and

transportation of dead bodies from overseas.

8. VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTRES

Voluntary Social organizations help helpless, disabled, ailing and

needy people by giving them vocational training to make them

elf sufficient.

In this regard there are many vocational training centre’s are

established for children, women, youth and old age people for

their rehabilitation purposes.

This training centre’s trained in different skills like dress

making, cigar making, mobile repairing and so many things

from which they can earn their livelihood.

9. DAY CARE CENTRES

Keeping in view the problems faced by working mothers in larger cities

like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad where large number of women have been

forced to work outsides their homes, a Day-Care Centre has been

established.

To protect children of working mothers from anti-social

influences while they are away from their homes.

The Day-Care Centre established by NGO’s provides better

education and care to their children.

10. AWARENESS PRAGRAMMES

Our rural women need to be educated on variety of subjects like

primary health care, prevention of childhood disabilities, disability related

awareness and much more.

NGO’s try to educate our rural women by conducting seminars in

different parts of the country, especially in rural areas as well as

in big cities.

These seminars are of different important topics like

o Primary Health Care Education

Seminars                                        

o Prevention of Childhood Disabilities Seminars.

o  Disabilities Related Public Awareness Programs

o Print Electronic Media Involvement.

o Lectures from WHO experts.

o Lecture on HIV / Aids by an expert from local hospitals & etc.

11.RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

NGO’s besides providing vocational training and education they

provide recreational facilities through organized groups like boy

scouts, girl guides, sports activities, sports complex,

parks, playgrounds, community centre’s which help them to

become physically and mentally fit.

12. SUPPORT MARRIGES

NGO’s provides support for marriage of young girls from

impoverished families who cannot afford the marriage expenses. 

The support includes provision of furniture, jewellery,

clothes, utensils as well as the ceremony expenses.

Priority is given to orphans and the very poor.

They take the responsibility of providing the support in the form

of kind.

13.REHABLITION OF DRUGS ADDICTS

The Social voluntary organization is concerned to focus on well being

and uplift of the community and vulnerable groups in particular. It acts as a

catalyst agent for achieving the goal of social stability in the society leading

to create social climate conducive for socio-economic development.

NGO’s first started detoxification programme without

rehabilitation services has very few success stories as relapse rate is

very high.

The new approach which has better chances of the rehabilitation of

drug addicts and reducing relapse rate is to provide vocational

training and job placement facilities along-with detoxification

services now done by most of the NGO’s.

NGO does also try to change the attitudes of the society towards

them.

14.PRISONERS AID

Following services besides legal aid are provided by different NGO’s to

prisoners in different jails and remand homes

Food supplies. (Borstal and Central Jails)

Medical Facilities. ( Karachi Central Jail)

Gifts (on national events) on yearly basis.

Distribution of books and stationery.

Recreation. (Sports, TV, etc.)

Provision of items of daily use like wall clocks, articles of clothing and

blankets, etc.

Ambulance services.

Securities and bonds for release of prisoners involved in minor crime

15.VOLICENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDEN

In Pakistan the biggest problem is the violence against women and

children.

In this regard many NGO’s are playing an important role by

making them aware about their rights and law which helps them

to save from such situations.

NGO’s in collaboration with the media fight their cases and try to

get them justice.

They also rehabilitate them and try to raises their socio-

economic status.

16.PUBLIC KITCHEN SERVICES

Many NGO’s build public kitchens in major cities of Pakistan

where they supplies basic food to the poor, needy and in

drought-stricken areas.

17.HOMES FOR SHELTER OF ANIMALS

There are also some homes were animals that were cruelly treated by

their owners and had become lame or crippled or badly wounded, are

given shelter. These also include missing animals and unwanted house

pets which have no other place to go.

Some of the NGO’s with the increasing number of such animals

established a separate treatment unit which has now grown up

into a small zoo.

Veterinary doctors look after these animals along with other

volunteer staff.

These animals include peacocks, owls, deers, monkeys,

horses, mules, cats, and a number of domestic birds.

18.ELIMINATION OF POVERTY

Poverty is the biggest problem in Pakistan.

To overcome poverty NGO’s help by providing financial and

infrastructural help to the needy people.

The NGO’s arrange micro credit for poor people to start their

business.

Beside micro credit arranges job for them, so that they can

economically and socially become an effect member of the

society.

19.REHABLITATION WORK DURING NATURAL CALAMITY

When the earthquake, cyclones and floods struck any parts of Pakistan

many NGOs rushed to the site to provide emergency relief.

Blood Donation and Relief Camp are established to

rehabilitate the effecters of natural calamities by providing them

food, shelter, medical checkups and basic necessities of life.

20.NUTRITION

In Pakistan nearly 40% of children and women are malnourished.

NGO’s through its network is working on various aspects of Nutrition.

This includes Growth monitoring through clinics, dietary

management, and trials with local nutritious diet.

Promotion of exclusive breast-feeding is an important activity.

Weaning is advocated using nutritious weaning foods.

Mothers are provided information on types of diet to use.

Maternal nutrition is given special importance.

An ongoing survey of maternal nutrition and associated risk

factors is being conducted.

Health Workers in their house to house visits give nutrition

counseling for mothers and children.

Weekly assessments are done.

Group discussions are held with mothers.

Cost-effective alternate food sources are encouraged.

Trainings on nutrition are held for Community workers and

other health care providers including doctors.