Impact of the NGOs on socio-economic Conditions in Bangladesh: A Study on Rajshahi District


Sheikh Kabir Uddin Haider


Dr. Sheikh Kabir Uddin Haider
Associate Professor
Department of Social Work
University of Rajshahi
Rajshahi -6305,Bangladesh
Email: hkabir@ru.ac.bd

Abstract

The study is a comprehensive evaluation of the activities of some NGOs on the changes in socio-economic conditions of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is known for its innovative approaches in combating poverty and its successes in such areas of micro-credit, primary education, health and family planning. However, a high level of poverty still remains with a set of social indicators figuring below other developing countries. This includes persistently low per capita income, low education level, high infant and maternal mortality rates, etc. This reflects some of the significant gaps yet to be filled in achieving the country's development goals. Government of Bangladesh is responsible for determining the general policy directions for the nation's development but cannot alone bring about sustained improvements in the lives of the poor. The extensive network of private voluntary development organizations that exist in Bangladesh offers a tremendous resource potential, which can be drawn upon to help tackle the nation's vast development needs. NGOs are universally recognized for their exceptional ability to reach the grassroots. The paper findings and statistical analysis of the study according to the data was directly collected from the field. The main objective of the study is to analyze the impact of NGO activities on socio-economic conditions of their beneficiaries in rural and urban areas of Bangladesh.

Key Words: NGOs, Socio-economic conditions, Rajshahi District, Impact

Introduction

The emergence of the Non-Governmental Organization sector is a significant phenomenon from the standpoint of development. By playing an important role in development, this sector has earned its own identity all over the world. Over the last several decades, the meaning, nature and scope of development have undergone considerable changes. The NGOs have emerged as "third sectors" with a view to addressing the needs of development (Holloway, 1995). NGOs have emerged as significant actors in Bangladesh's development scene only in the 1970s. During the course of the last three decades, they have made themselves inseparable from the country's economic, social and political development process.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh constitute the country's non-profit private sector in development. Their activities embrace various fields of development and are largely geared to alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development. In recent days, the role of NGOs, engaged in the developing countries of the third world, has become a highly discussed topic. Bangladesh is a country of villages, high population and rural economy. Most of its population is used to rural customs and manners. In today's world the lives of people are centered and oriented on the villages. Among all government, non-government involvement is vital. Over the last two decades the NGO sector in Bangladesh, like in many other places in the world, has performed as a major actor in facilitating the process of institution building of the poor at the grassroots (Clark 1991).

Voluntary works and undertakings of social works in respect of extending benefit to the less fortunate people had been here in Bangladesh. These beneficial tasks were mainly undertaken having been inspired by the religious spirits and also by the on-going, social and cultural values. Even the landlords and well-to-do persons though usurping poor people's rights, undertook several works inspired by the concept and spirit of voluntarism. These activities include establishment of schools, hospitals, mosques, markets etc. All the works were done for the benefit of the community. These traditional philanthropic activities have changed a lot in view of the gradual changes in the political and socio-economic spheres. Now social works involve professionalism, inquiries, management systems and invites specialization.

Concept of NGOs
Verbally, the term 'non-governmental' is the direct version of the classical Greek word for anarchist, which meant "without" or "non" government. Some leading European scholars including Godwin, Tolstoy, Proudhon and Kropotkin promoted the usage of term to connote "freedom from external (government)" [control]. Anarchism in social affairs means "replacement of the authoritarian state by some form of non-governmental cooperation between free individuals" (Fonseka, 1991). In the contemporary era we find some formal and non-formal groups, communities, societies, agencies or organizations engaged in reducing the sufferings of the masses and they are known as NGOs. Thus NGOs are not only non-governmental but voluntary also. So in its simplest sense NGOs are referred to as "… any voluntary non-profit agency involved in the field of development cooperation or in education and policy advocacy activities" (Brodhead and Tim & others, 1988). Any agency that is not controlled by government can be regarded as an NGO. The NGOs are also defined as organizations that are " established and governed by a group of private citizens for a state philanthropic purpose and supported by voluntary contribution. (1)

Methodology of the study
Several methods and techniques have been applied to conduct this study. The methods and techniques applied for this study are interviewing, observation and schedule. Each and every method has been applied in times of need and situation of the study. After developing specific objectives of the study we selected the appropriate study design that included the selection of the study area, definition of the study unit, sampling design, preparation of the interview schedule, data collection. We also devised the major indicators in order to measure socio-economic conditions of the study population.

Study Area
Puthia UZ in Rajshahi district as a rural area (Map 3) and as an urban area we selected purposively Ward number -6, Ward number -25 in Rajshahi City Corporation (Map 2) as the study area. In fact, Rajshahi District is the study area of this research. Rajshahi is an important district of Bangladesh situated in the northwest of the country. This district could be treated as an ideal representative of the whole of Bangladesh as all of the socio-economic criteria of this country. All walks of people, rich and poor, educated and illiterate, rural and urban people, live in this district. So, this district could easily be treated as ideally representative of Bangladesh and we can get an idea about the socio-economic impact of NGOs in Bangladesh through studying this district.


Map 1: Bangladesh


Map 2: Study Area Rajshahi City & District


Map 3: Puthia Upazila

Indicators used to examine the socio-economic impact of NGOs
Changes in condition of homesteads, housing facilities;
Changes in education, training activities;
Changes in women participation in decision-making,
Changes in health, family planning, sanitation and other facilities;
Changes in employment and income earning, savings and expenditure activities;
Changes in land ownership pattern;
Changes in economic and social condition;

Development of NGOs in Bangladesh
After the independence of Bangladesh, the number of NGOs has increased drastically. The timing of their approaches of intervention have also changed, i.e. from relief operations to self-reliant development. In recent times, the NGO approach to development is essentially a target group approach. It has also been termed as a 'people centered development approach', 'process oriented approach', and others have called it an 'emerging reformist approach', as it has evolved from the choices of intervention by the NGOs. NGOs started their operations in Bangladesh as relief organizations after the 1970 cyclone. The war of liberation of 1971 followed immediately after the devastating cyclone of 1971 and a section of people and organizations participated in relief activities during the war (Saifullah,2001). Following independence many of these individuals and groups did not go back to their previous professions, but formed NGOs. A large number of international voluntary organizations also began their operations in Bangladesh after independence as the reconstruction of the war devastated economy attracted major inflow of resources from overseas. In many cases, branches of these international NGOs have gradually transformed themselves into indigenous NGOs and continued their pioneering role in the development of the country. The last two decades of the past century experienced enormous growth of NGOs all over the world. Bangladesh has been regarded as a land of NGOs (World Bank, 1995).

The mushrooming growth of NGOs in Bangladesh is partly due to the increase in foreign aid and humanitarian help to cope with many natural disasters that Bangladesh often experiences. Foreign funding is sometimes considered as a lucrative opportunity to collect resources for the NGOs. There are many sources of funding for NGOs; The NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh (NGOAB) keeps records of all foreign funds directly channeled to NGOs. (Shailo,1994)

NGOs in Bangladesh like to manifest themselves as advocates of social change. For bringing effective social change the first priority is to eradicate all kinds of discrimination in the society be it sexual, racial or any other kind. For effective social change in Bangladesh, empowerment of women is the first thing to do. No doubt, the poorest women are the most disadvantaged section in the society, especially because they do not have access to information and resources. So they are lagging behind in the process of development. NGOs would like to involve these women and enhance their participation in the development process.

Profile of socio-Economic background of the Respondents
Socio-economic background reveals the socio-economic condition of the respondents under the study area. Socio-economic status focuses the social-economic and cultural situation of the people and their way of life. The socio-economic condition is confined here in connection with the age structure of the people of respondents, their social class, family types and membership, composition of the family, marital status, level of education, land ownership pattern, occupation structure, income and expenditure, pattern of houses and types of living area of the respondents.


Table 1: Determinates of NGO Involvement to Residence and Gender

Table 1 shows the area, class, sex and involvement and no involvement in the NGOs. It can be observed that out of 60 respondents in the upper class only 1 male respondent in rural area are involved with NGOs, but in the lower class 37 males and 117 females are involved with NGOs. On the other hand, in the middle class 10 males and 38 females are involved with the NGOs. Therefore out of 460 respondents 226 are involved with NGOs and 234 are not involved with NGOs.

Major findings
In this section I have made an attempt to show the impact of the NGOs on the socio-economic condition of the people of the study area.

Enrollment of Children in school
In any society, education is a matter of paramount national important and considered as the potential human endowment. NGOs emphasise the spread of education for social development and play a vital role with government. In research data being collected for the children who aren't involved with the NGOs activities, there is a significant difference between the involved in NGOs and not involved with NGOs respondent child. Findings indicate that urban children enroll more than rural children. In all classes the involvement of a family's children indicates a more positive impact of NGOs. Daughters in urban area are found to enroll more. In conclusion we have seen that NGOs have a positive impact on school enrollment.

Area of living space and Involvement with NGOs
Living Space is an important factor in attaching socio-economic status in our society. Table 2 reveals that most of the beneficiaries (involved group) 74.69% and 40.95% are in living spaces of 500 square ft. and below 1000 square ft. On the other hand, in the involved group 25.31% and 59.05 % have 500 square ft. and below 1000 square ft. respectively. The Table shows that the involved people use an average .26 square ft. but the not involved with NGOs respondents use 1.42 square ft. space. The chi-square test result shows that beneficiaries (involved group) and not-involved are not homogeneous at all in terms of living space. The data indicates that there is a significant difference between involved and not-involved with NGO people according to the findings that use of space in square feet increase with the not involved but decreases with the involved.


Table 2: Social Conditions Change of the Respondents by Involvement with NGOs

Structure and nature of House
Socio-economic development of a country is not possible without improving housing conditions of the people. Table 2 provides information on the nature of the Houses of the NGOs beneficiaries (involved) and not-involved and that of their type respectively. Table 2 shows that a large majority of not involved (71.58) percent lived in paka (brick-built) floored houses but in the involved group 28.42 percent lived in paka floored houses, respectively. It seems that in wthe involved groups houses of paka 35.27 percent, Kacha 65.43 percent, straw 91.67 percent, Tin 50.00 percent, Fence 58.62 percent, Bamboo 100 percent were lived in, but in the not involved groups houses of paka were 64.73 percent, Kacha 34.57 percent, straw 8.33 percent, Tin 50.00 percent, Fence 41.38 percent, Bamboo 00 percent, were lived in. Again the small number of involved households had a house roof : 15.29 percent in paka, 60 percent in straw 41.03 percent of tin.. On the other hand of the involved households roofs were 84.71 percent in pak,a 40 percent in straw an 48.97 percent w of tin. However, the chi-square test results suggests that between the involved groups and not involved groups house nature and structure difference is statistically significant.

Kitchen of the respondent's house
Every family should have a kitchen to prepare their daily foods. Kitchens owned by the households are positively related with NGO involvement. It was seen in the Table 2 that 87.50 percent of respondents of the involved group had no kitchen and 12.50 percent of the not involved group had no kitchen. On the other hand, in the involved group 44.30 percent had a separate kitchen and in the not involved group 55.70 percent had separate kitchens respectively. We find from the Table in the involved groups 79.10 percent respondents had a share kitchen (joint with another house) kitchen, on the other hand 20.90 percent of the not involved groups had a share kitchen. It is also evident that the difference is statistically significant at a high level (0.000) with 2 DF.

Types of Latrine
Latrine is one of the household characteristics assessed when looking at socio-economic conditions. The types of latrine (toilets) being used by the household is an important indicator of access to health care facilities. We may have enough information about the health consciousness of the respondents of the target group (involved group) and control group (not involved) through reviewing their available latrines or toilet facilities from the Table. It is seen that 13 respondents in the target group had no latrine in the house and they used an open field for evacuation. On the other hand, 41.57 percent of respondents of the target group and 58.43 percent of the control group used a separated latrine. Again 75.73 percent of respondents of the control group and 24.27 percent of the target group used a common latrine. It is also evident that the difference is statistically significant at a high level (0.000) with 2 DF. So it can be stated that in the regard of using a hygienic latrine, the respondents of the control group (not involved) were in a better position.

House ownership
Dwelling is one of the basic needs of the human being and they make dwelling for their safe shelter. House ownership is the sign of security and solvency and ownership carries great prestige. The data reveals that 47.3 percent respondent of involved group lived in their own house but in the not involved group 52.9 percent of respondents lived in their own house also. On the other hand, out of 460 household heads 77.1 percent involved with NGOs, and 22.9 not involved with NGOs live in a rented house and 77.3 in the involved group and 22.7 percent of dwellers lived in Government property or slum areas respectively. The relationship found was statistically significant at a high level.

Income Generating Activities
The ability of a household to meet its basic needs is mainly dependent on its wealth, income, and employment. NGOs in Bangladesh like to manifest themselves as advocates of economic change. For bringing effective economic change the first priority is to eradicate all kinds of discrimination in the society, be it sexual, racial or any other kind. For effective economic change in Bangladesh increasing women's income is the first thing to do. Therefore women are the most chosen clientele in all NGO credit programs. The earner status in definite male and female categories is in Table 3. It is seen that out of 460 households 11 males (45.45 percent from involved group and 54.55 percent from not involved group) and 323 females (53.87 percent from involved group and 46.13 percent from not involved group) earnt no money. Again in the involved group 51.85 percent had male earners of 1-2 persons. On the other hand, in the not involved group 48.15 percent had male earners of 1-2 persons, but for female earners, in the involved group 43.80 percent had earners of1-2 persons. Again, in the not involved group 56.20 percent had female earners of 1-2 persons respectively. The difference is statistically significant in male earners. The difference in female income earning activities is statistically significant at a high level 0.05 high chi-square vale (3.91) with 1 Degree of freedom. It should be mentioned here that there is no positive impact on female income after involvement with NGOs.

Land ownership pattern
In an agrarian economy like Bangladesh the importance of land need not be overemphasized. Land is intimately linked with the social and economic well being of the vast majority of the rural and urban population. The distribution and control of land to a large extent underscores the pattern of rural income distribution as well as the power structure within the rural society.
The data related to cultivable land holding in rural and urban area shows (Table 3) that 68.59 percent of the involved group and 40.97 percent of the not involved with NGO group had no cultivable land in the rural area. On the other hand, 97.44 percent of the involved group and 53 percent of the not involved group had no land respectively. In terms of the average size of owned land, the involved and not involved are of unequal standing. The average size of land owned was .61 decimals for the involved group and 2.09 decimals for the not involved group in the rural area. On the other hand, land owned was .000 decimals for the involved group and .641 for the not involved group. The difference between these averages is significant statistically. However the chi-square test results suggest that in cultivatable land own in rural areas of the involved and not involved groups is statistically significant.

Click here for Table 3: Economic Conditions Change of the Respondents by Involvement with NGOs

Livestock
The necessary assets in Bangladesh include livestock. We found that the proportion of cows, goats, ducks and chickens owned by the involved and not involved with NGOs were almost same at the investigation (study) time. Table 3 shows that 48.55 percent had 1-3 cows and 51.45 percent had more than 4 cows in the involved group, but in the not involved group 52.45 percent had 1-3 cows and 51.13 percent had more than 4 cows respectively. Again in the involved group 60.12 percent had 1-3 goats and 40 percent had more than had 4 goats; on the other hand, in the not involved group 39.88 percent had 1-3 goats and 60 percent had more than 4 goats. In the involved group 55.17 percent had 1-3 ducks and chickens and 35 percent had more than 4 ducks and chickens, but in the not involved group 44.83 percent had 1-3 ducks and chickens and 65 percent had more than 4 ducks and chickens.

Solvency
Solvency means the family saves an amount of money. The ability of a household to meet its basic needs is mainly dependent on its wealth, income, and solvency. In the findings 28 household heads in the rural area and 50 respondents in urban areas were found to have no savings. According to Table 3, 22.08 percent of respondents of the involved group and 77.92 percent of the not involved group in the rural area had a surplus of money for maintenance of the family. On the other hand, 100 per cent percent of the not involved had a surplus of money in the urban area.

Again 58.97 percent of the involved group in the rural area and 41.03 percent of the not involved group in the rural area but 42.05 percent of the involved group and 57.95 percent of the not involved group had an easy going family. On the other hand deficits in families of both rural and urban area of the involved group is higher than that of the not involved group. The difference is statistically significant at a high level. NGOs should be viewed as the institution for development of the poor.

Expenditure
In the present study we tried to determinewhether expenditure of the beneficiaries remained, decreased or increased after participation with an NGO. Expenditure items of a family include food, clothing, education, treatment, recreation etc. The volume of expenditure varies from one family to another. Table 3 presents the structure of expenditure increases for the beneficiaries of females in both areas. As we see Table 3 shows the average percentage the beneficiaries were 40.00 percent of males in rural area and 60.00 percent of females in rural area said that their expenditure was the same as before participation of NGO. On the other hand in urban areas 75.00 percent of males' and 25.00 percent of females' income was the same as before.

Again in the Table it is seen that the beneficiaries in rural areas, 25.25 percent of mals and 74.75 percent of females expenditure has increased. On the other hand in urban areas, 39.19 percent of males' and 60.81 percent of females' expenditure 'increased. The relationship is statistically significant.

Findings indicate that the beneficiaries have improved their livelihood through NGO activities.

Conclusion
The present study is the most comprehensive of all the studies available on the impact of the NGOs who have promoted alternative approached to development, which is based on the grassroots level mobilization of the beneficiaries in the selected areas of Bangladesh. In this study I have intended to identify the changes of socio-economic condition of the NGOs beneficiaries. NGOs are engaged in the change of the socio-economic conditions of the beneficiaries and women. It is clearly revealed from the finding of the study that beneficiaries who receive different benefits from NGOs and who become NGO members are more likely to undertake income generating activities, raise their income and productivity, empower themselves, adopt family planning, raise school attendance, reduce child mortality, prevent childhood disease and attain self-reliance in meeting their socio-economic and other welfare needs, than those of their comparable non-beneficiaries. For example, analysis of the income data reveals that the average female involved with NGOs is 1.34 and non-members (not-involved) income is 1.26 respectively. This ndicates the NGO beneficiaries increase income from participation in NGOs activities.

Some limitations were observed in the NGO effort, like sub-divided working periphery, area based differences in activities, participating in commercial activities, supporting political parties etc. If NGOs can overcome these limitations then it can be hoped that they continue playing the role of savior of society and lead the country to sustainable economic growth and development. The contributions of the NGOs in Bangladesh to national development needs to be recognized. From their grassroots experiences, the NGOs can complement the government efforts to improve the condition of the poor. Collaboration can utilize the potentials and advantages of both the sectors. GOB recognizes the contribution of the NGOs and also accepts them as partners of development.

References
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