Vishü Rita Krocha
According to the 2011 Census, there are 30,000 registered Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) in Nagaland, which would mean there is one NGO per every 66 persons in the state that had only around 20 lakhs population.
The number of organisations definitely does not end here. There would be several others that are not registered, yet. The ever-increasing number of organisations in the state is something that is really baffling—students, women, churches, youths, including that of unemployed educated youths, tribes, truckers, auto drivers, taxi drivers, entrepreneurs, medical practitioners, government unions, private unions, business communities and so on and so forth. Interestingly, even the groups listed here come in several shades and varieties.
So many organizations with notable missions and visions, almost always with the objective of uplifting a certain section of people or the other; we also see that many aspirations of our people can be found in these foundations. And yet, even with so many groups working for us and for the welfare of our people in different categories, we still continue to find our society in shambles. If we are to see the real execution of activities based in these groups, then, perhaps we would also have found some solution and achieved some of our goals.
It goes without saying that to be a leader, especially in a non-profit organization, one must be willing to sacrifice. He/she must be at least willing to sacrifice his/her time, service, and resources. It’s interesting to see how these organizations have survived, which also, only goes on to prove one thing- that we are passionate to serve our people in whatever capacity.
But the question is whether we have seen remarkable progress through these organizations. There have been numerous instances of the so-called leaders extracting outmost benefit from simply being executives of a particular organisation. That, even the expenses of their bad habits of chewing tobacco or drinking are conveniently billed to the organization they are attached to. If that is the case, what kind of examples do we leave behind for our younger generation?
Not to speak of the thousand and one donations for the countless organizations that keeps knocking on our doors every now and then. Donations for the welfare of this organization, for that cause, for the good of the community, the list goes on. Then, there is also the vanity of your names being inscribed somewhere for donating the most, or being recognized even by the church for your ‘valuable financial contribution’.
Does one contribute because they believe in the cause or because their names would be inscribed somewhere forever? Or do they contribute only because they are ‘forced’ to? After all, they would have to save their face.
For several years, the Naga Society has also made a hue and cry of ‘illegal taxation’. But if you really take a look at how you are compelled to “donate money” for numerous organisations in the state, it could really amount to the same thing.
Organisations continue to be formed, and the number continues to grow, but the formation of any group is meaningless if it does more harm than good to the society.
This is a guest editorial by Vishü Rita Krocha. She is the Publisher of PenThrill Publication and a senior journalist based in Kohima.
