P. A. Chacko SJ
The 2025 theme is: “Empowering grassroots movements for a sustainable future.”
NGOs help the world going on a smoother path. Their role is to create ways and means to facilitate a viable way of development.
Some do charity work to let people at least to survive. Some help people to see the point of self-help and saving. Some NGOs animate people to understand their need to attain or claim their human and fundamental rights. Some help people with legal matters. Some organise seminars, meetings, or awareness sessions for different groups of people. Some work with children, some with students , some with old age people. Some with animals and even with street dogs.
Many are at the grassroots to strengthen people’s institutions and people’s democratic functioning .
So there is variety. The overall aim is to enable, facilitate, and promote a liveable world. Even animal welfare, environmental welfare, green cover welfare , etc. are also taken up by some NGOs.
Where angels fear to step in, NGOs are there to impart guidance, solace and comfort. Where governments fail in practical ways to administer for people’s progress, NGOs have a vital role.
Some governments are suspicious of NGOs. Some suppress them. Some block their sources of funds. Some cook up false cases and land the NGO personnel in uncomfortable legal skirmishes or even in jail.