Following the announcement earlier this year, that the country would go into a hard lockdown due to the global coronavirus disease, many organisations and institutions had no choice but to shut their doors as they found themselves plunged into unprecedented times due to the virus. Non-Governmental Organizations are staring at the same fate.

Community Chest CEO, Lorenzo Davids said donors have opted to pool their monies into the solidarity fund or postpone donations until after lockdown and this has caused NGO’s to be brought to its knees.

“I think the countries over two-hundred-thousand NGO’s are facing a severe crisis at the moment we find that many of them have less than 30 days’ worth of operational funds and that is a real problem, in addition to that the fact that they are not liquid is the crisis that many of the donors are at this stage unable to continue supporting them,” detailed Davids.

Apart from donating to coronavirus funds, Davids explained that many donors are ill informed of the need for monetary funds toward NGO’s.

“One of the biggest challenges is that donors are unable to get a proper assessment of where the need is most required,” said Davids.

Davids applauded donors for their sterling work but reiterated the needs that exist outside of dire covid needs.

“But listen, we still need to educate children, children still need food, children still need protection, women still need to be upskilled. It is estimated that by 2021 thousands of people will not be able to afford electricity due to a knock on effect of the economy. We have a hunger crisis in this country that we have not had since 1918,” detailed Davids.

Davids advised unless NGO’s are a crucial service by government and donors alike who are in favour of sustainable livelihoods programme for families, NGO’s are going to faller to an even deeper rut.

“Barriers to access is a key concern for NGO’s right now. These challenges have always been there and the remote connection between donors and NGO’s is the difficulty in sustaining these organizations,” stated Davids.

Davids declared without adequate communication donors will never understand the plight NGO’s are experiencing.

 “We need to create a culture and a system where NGO’s and donors are in far more frequent communication to talk about sustainible livelihoods,” encouraged Davids.

“Most of society doesn’t understand how crucial the interventions of NGO’s are at the points of crisis,” added Davids.

Davids implored donors to reach out to organizations.

“My appeal to the donors is ‘please get back to the desk right now!’ People need your help!” cried Davids.

VOC