NKUMBA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

NAME : KABEGA JOSEPH

STUDENT NUMBER: 1900102457

INDEX NUMBER 2020/FEB/BPAM/B226415/DIST

COURSE UNIT: NGO AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

LECTURER: MR SEBUUMA BEN

COURSEWORK: THE ROLE OF NGO (AIR) IN POVERTY

REDUCTION AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE
TENSION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND NGOs.

Keywords: NGO, Poverty

Kabega Joseph Page i

Executive summary.............................................................................................................. iv
Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Defining poverty............................................................................................ 1
1.2 Defining NGO and Africa International Rescue (AIR)................................. 2

2. Africa International Rescue Registered success in Alleviation of Poverty......... 2

2.1 AIR channels funding from the West countries............................................ 2
2.2 AIR increases the value of efficiency of educational program beneficiaries 3

2.3 AIR education program created job opportunities for beneficiaries.............. 3

2.4 Beneficiaries persuade others to be educated and/or skill-oriented............... 3
2.5 AIR offers low cost education for skill gain by masses.................................4
2.6 AIR offers tailored skill and educational to meet specific skill needs........... 4
2.7 AIR educational workshops........................................................................... 4
2.8 Communication facilitation, upward to government.................................... 5

2.9 AIR intervention in the reduction of infant mortality rates........................... 5

2.10 AIR community health financing...................................................................6

3. Africa International Rescue (AIR), Challenges in Alleviation of Poverty.......... 6

3.1 Pull out of donors.......................................................................................... 7
3.2 Inability to obtain sustainable funding.......................................................... 7
3.3 Extreme poverty of program beneficiaries.................................................... 7
3.4 AIR promotes dependence instead of self–sufficiency................................. 7

3.5 AIR depends on charismatic leadership........................................................ 8

3.6 AIR operates on a different set of rules and pursues different priorities...... 8
3.7 AIR’s poverty mission limited by political sensitivity in region.................. 8

4. Causes of Conflictual Relationship between Government and NGOs’.............. 9

4.1 Interference of NGOs in the politics of Uganda........................................... 9
4.2 NGOs interference in government policies....................................................9

4.3 The accountability problem of NGOs........................................................... 9

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 4.4 NGOs tend to impose their own agenda and become self-interested actors 10
4.5 Lack of transparency on the part of NGOs.................................................... 10

4.6 Failure to balance information sharing........................................................ 10

4.7 NGOs biased to the interests of the influential donor than government...... 10
4.8 Ugandan government seeks to intervene in the affairs of NGOs.................. 11
4.9 NGOs take government bilateral aid..............................................................11

5. Mechanism for improving relationship between Government and NGOs’....... 12

5.1 Ensure a shared responsibility for and authority over decisions................... 12

5.2 Accreditations and certifications of all NGOs in Uganda............................. 12

5.3 NGOs should promote accountability to the Central Government................ 12
5.4 NGOs’, need to conduct due diligence when partnering with organisations 12
5.5 A level ground needed in the project implementation process...................... 13
5.6 NGOs should desist from political interference...........................................13
5.7 Government should use locally available resources to fund NGOs.............. 13

5.8 Government to increasingly try to regulate NGO activities.......................... 13

5.9 Formation of communication strategies btn NGOs and Government........... 14
5.10 involving Government in NGO project implementation............................... 14

6. Conclusion............................................................................................................... 15

7. References................................................................................................................. 16

List of Abbreviations:
AIR Africa International Rescue
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
DFID Department For International Development
UN United Nations

CHF Community Health Financing

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Executive summary: An overwhelming body of literature claims that Non-Governmental
Organizations are an important engine of poverty alleviation and development. They are
considered to be the “third sector” to the State and the market. This paper identifies Africa
International Rescue (AIR) poverty reduction programs in the local community and elaborates
on the registered success in alleviating poverty. The paper also accounts for the tensional
relationship between Uganda government and NGOs and suggest mechanisms for improving
such relationship. The Africa International Rescue NGO program(s) try to alleviate poverty by;
channeling, the huge funding coming from the west countries, investing in education to
accumulate human capital, the educational program beneficiaries persuading others to
persuading others to be educated and/or skill-oriented, training women in craft making,
reducing infant mortality rates and community health financing. The conflictual relationship
between NGOs and Ugandan government are caused by; lack of NGO transparency and
accountability, interference in government politics and policies, NGOs imposing their own
agendas and becoming self-interested actors, NGOs being biased to the interests of the donors,
and competing for bilateral aid with Ugandan government. To harness the relationship between
NGOs and Ugandan government, it’s suggested that there should be a shared responsibility for
and authority over decisions. Also NGOs should conduct due diligence before partnering with a
new organisation, be accredited and certified and accountable to government. Lastly,
government needs to use locally generated fund to fund NGOs.
Key Words: Poverty; Non-Governmental Organisation

Kabega Joseph Page iv

1. Introduction:

The world today is faced with a paradox: the increasing wealth of multinational corporations
owned by very few individuals concurrent with increasing poverty among millions worldwide
(Colenso, 2012). Massive destitution is rising alongside increasing plenty. This destitution is
generally called “Poverty”. The thirst of this paper is to identify an NGO poverty reducation
program in the local community and elaborate on its registered success in alleviating poverty.
The paper also intends to account for the tensional relationship between Uganda government and
NGOs and suggest mechanisms for improving such relationship. However, the paper starts with
the conceptual definition of poverty and NGO.

1.1 Defining Poverty

There is no precise and generally agreed definition of poverty because it has different meanings
to different people. World Bank defines poverty on the basis of material consumption. For
instance, it argues that a person is poor if his/her income or expenditure is below a defined
poverty line (Colenso, 2012). On the other hand, the basic needs approach defines poverty
beyond income and material requirements. It incorporates other basic human requirements, such
as education, health, housing, safe drinking water, and sanitation. Nevertheless, (Momo) refutes
the basic needs approach as an extension of the subsistence concept.

According to Robert Chambers, (2011), the material and basic needs are not enough to define the
concept of poverty. He stresses that poverty is more than lack of income because it also involves
a feeling of powerlessness to break out of the cycle of poverty and insecurity of persons and
property. This is in line with the report by UNICEF (2004) which shows that vulnerability to
poverty assumes four major dimensions: poor physical wellbeing, a constrained social network,
powerlessness, and gender inequality. The definition of poverty, therefore, needs to encompass
all the aspects as income, basic needs, social aspects and power relations in order to understand
how to deal with it and get solutions to the phenomenon (Robert Chambers, 2011).

In all, one could argue that while the definition of poverty has been changing because of its
dynamic character and the dynamics of its causes, it still implies lack of the capacity to access
the basic requirements such as food, fuel, clothing, accommodation and health. In developed
capitalist countries, it also denotes lack of opportunities for labour to be employed in process of
wealth accumulation and in so doing earning income.

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1.2 Defining NGO and Africa International Rescue (AIR)

An NGO is a voluntary grouping of individuals or organizations which is autonomous and not-

for-profit sharing; organized locally at the grassroots level, nationally or internationally (Dorril,
2012). The primary purpose is to enhance the legitimate economic, social and cultural
development or lobbying or advocacy on issues of public interest or interest of a group of
individuals or organizations” UNICEF (2004).

They can also be defined as non-profit and sometimes international organizations independent of
governments and international governmental organizations (though often funded by
governments) that are active in humanitarian, educational, health care, public policy, social,
human rights, environmental, and other areas to affect changes according to their objectives.

This paper is about Africa International Rescue (AIR), an NGO that focuses on its program
initiatives in the areas of, education sponsorships community financing, health care program and
child survival, and capacity building initiatives to improve literacy levels of their beneficiaries to
reduce income poverty and have improved quality of life and social wellbeing.

2. Africa International Rescue (AIR) Registered success in Alleviation of Poverty

The success of AIR educational program and other programs in reducing poverty in the local
communities is explained through several efforts and positive outcomes as follows:

2.1 AIR channels funding from the West countries

Africa International Rescue NGO has provided a unique contribution in channeling, the huge
funding coming from the west countries and international institutions such as International
Monetary Fund, the World Bank and UN agencies to local communities. According to the Africa
International Rescue 2019 annual report, Africa International Rescue received and channeled
over $990,000 in the 2019-2020 financial years. This money was invested in community
development activities (projects) like hand crafts making, thus helping the beneficiaries to
improve on their standards of living and attain basic services.

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2.2 AIR increases the value of efficiency of educational program beneficiaries

Africa International Rescue invested also in basic education for the local community.
Investment in education has contributed to the accumulation of human capital, which is
essential for higher incomes and sustained economic growth. The education program has
contributed to poverty reduction by increasing the value of efficiency of the beneficiaries or
labour force and as such not only increasing the sources of earning or wages for the beneficiaries
on the program, but also has improved the income level of households by 12%, according to
Africa International Rescue (2021). This is in line with the Human capital theory, more
specifically the rates of return on education, which assumes that education can both enhance an
individual’s productivity and thus improve their earnings and contribute to the economic growth
of the country as a whole (Robert Chambers, 2011)

2.3 AIR education program created job opportunities for beneficiaries

Also of the 123 beneficiaries who were on the higher education program in 2020, 25% (30.75)
got employment as a result of the education imparting knowledge and skills, thus improving the
scale of their job opportunities, which also lead to higher wages, thus improving household
income to fight poverty. In other words, the education program led to improvement in household
income for those who later on got an opportunity for employment. This made the achievement of
basic necessities becomes easier and raised the living standard which surely means the fall in
human poverty (Africa International Rescue 2021).

2.4 Beneficiaries persuade others to be educated and/or skill-oriented

The beneficiaries of the educational program have also persuaded others to be educated
and/or skill-oriented, thus creating a multiplier effect in the role of the program in skill
acquisition in the communities. According to Africa International Rescue (2021), 54
beneficiaries on the education program in the year 2019, were referred by those who already
went through the educational program and knowledge and skills in business management and
book accounting, animal husbandry, tailoring and crafts making were attained thus promoting
different economic activities to fight poverty.

Further, according to UNICEF (2004), the education program directly contributes to worker
productivity and is seen as fundamental to the creation of a competitive, knowledge-based

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individual, for the direct production of the critical mass of scientists and skilled workers that
every country requires.

2.5 AIR offers low cost education for skill gain by masses

Africa International Rescue offers low cost education to its beneficiaries, for skill gain later on
employment in both formal and informal sectors (DFID, 2012). This has fought poverty in the
regions AIR concentrates through improvement in daily income of beneficiaries and their
households. According to Africa International Rescue (2020), it’s estimated that over 56% of its
beneficiaries are employed in the informal sector earning from the skills gained. The private
sector education is expensive as is usually driven by profits and charge high fees that are out of
the reach of the poorer segments of the population. In contrast, NGOs like Africa International
Rescue subscribe to altruistic values, funded by worldwide contributions, and seek to serve as
catalysts for promoting sustainable educational development for everyone within the
communities they serve.

2.6 AIR offers tailored skill and educational to meet specific skill needs

According to Africa International Rescue (2021) Africa International Rescue met more than
60% of the educational tailored needs of her beneficiaries, with more than 200 graduates
from universities with AIR’s background education offers. Among the tailored education for
specific skill needs include; book accounting, animal husbandry, brick laying, and tailoring
Africa International Rescue (2021). The report also indicates that out of its 200 graduates, 55%
attained an income generating skill from Africa International Rescue education projects, hence
improving their quality of life and chances for employment. Similarly, Africa International
Rescue has also imparted vocational skills at higher levels; on-the-job training and work-related
continuing education to update those skills (AET, 2011). Such skills have been vital in job
creation for the youth within the local communities, thus reducing poverty.

2.7 AIR educational workshops

Africa International Rescue also holds several educational workshops to train women craft
making, in order to fight poverty. For instance the Africa International Rescue 2019 annual
report shows that 57 women improved their livelihood through getting involved in the Africa
International Rescue hand craft project which earns them substantial income to also improve
their families’ welfare. During the same workshop, they receive micro-finance training, which

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equips them with financial management skills, vital for managing the finances they get from sell
of their hand crafts (Africa International Rescue, 2020).

2.8 Communication facilitation, upward to government

Africa International Rescue has contributed to poverty reduction by facilitating communication

upward from people to the government and downward from the government to the communities
(Africa International Rescue annual report 2020). Communication upward involves informing
government about what local people are thinking or services they demand while downward
communication involves informing local people about what the government is planning and
doing for them. For example, the government “Emyooga” poverty reduction program was
communicated to the communities partly through the NGO. The communities quickly organised
themselves into SACCOS and were funded under different economic activity categories. As a
result, 57 SACCOS registered a growth in members’ income and savings

In other words, Africa International Rescue is a spokesperson or ombudsman for the poor and
has attempted to influence government policies and programmes on their behalf (AET, 2011).
This has been made possible through a variety of means ranging from pilot projects to
participation in public forums and the formulation of government policy and plans, to publicizing
research results and case studies of the poor (Africa International Rescue annual report 2020).
One could therefore argue that Africa International Rescue plays roles from advocates for the
poor to implementers of government programmes to fight poverty

Similarly, Africa International Rescue effectively plays advocacy roles by attempting to

influence policy development in favor of poor and marginalized communities (Africa
International Rescue, 2020). The NGO conducts rallies, stages demonstrations and were possible
participates in policy formulations. For example, Africa International Rescue participated in
government policy formulation that led to the capacity building courses for the disabled, for
their empowerment purposes. All these efforts are intended to promote a favorable
environment for poverty reduction among the marginalised communities.

2.9 AIR intervention in the reduction of infant mortality rates

Africa International Rescue has also been a great intervention in the reduction of infant
mortality rates through initiatives like Africa International Rescue’s Child survival program as
a key contributor to the improvement of the local communities’ social economic situation. For

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instance, in the local communities, the child mortality rate is registered to have dropped to 2% in
2021 from 10% in 2019, through AIR community education on infant mortality (Africa
International Rescue, 2020). Similarly, according to the DHR (2021), Africa International
Rescue intervention in Child survival programs had contributed towards the reduction of
Neonatal mortality rates, Post neonatal mortality, Infant mortality, as well as Child mortality
rates which greatly contributes to people’s quality of life. In fact, Infant and child mortality rates
were basic indicators of a country’s socioeconomic situation and quality of life; (UNICEF,
2004). Similar to Africa International Rescue’s Child survival program is its medical outreach
and health care program, with more than 200 children and adults from needy families and
child-headed families who have been assisted to receive medical care through partnership with
private medical care providers. Some needy with severe cases that can’t be handled locally are
referred abroad for better management, Africa International Rescue annual report (2019).

Similarly, AIR supports nutrition education and care within the household, and Community
mobilization to promote the adoption of healthy nutrition behaviors and increased public
awareness of the centrality of improved nutrition to community to reduce prevalence of
malnutrition among infants and young children, expectant and lactating mothers.

2.10 AIR community health financing

Africa International Rescue’s Community health financing program has also ripped good
results (Africa International Rescue, 2019). The program’s scale of operation exceeded over the
years to reach 10 districts. By the end of 2020, Africa International Rescue had created 70
running community health financing (CHF) schemes covering over 1032 beneficiaries and a
network of 25 healthcare providers. That said, one could argue that Africa International Rescue
has supported the communities health to promote poverty reduction.

3. Africa International Rescue (AIR), Challenges in Alleviation of Poverty

However, NGOs like Africa International Rescue, are not a remedy to poverty reduction in the
country. Instead, NGOs like Africa International Rescue are becoming puppets of foreign donors
on whom they rely for funding opportunities. They are dependent, elitist, less accountable to the
beneficiaries and more answerable to their foreign financial benefactors.

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3.1 Pull out of donors

Africa International Rescue is highly dependent on external sources of funding for their
programmes/agendas and activities. Invariably this undermines their independence and the
sustainability of their programmes. As a result when some donors pulled out, some of its
poverty reduction programs (for example, free basic education and community health financing
programs) could not be fully implemented as planned to fight poverty in the local communities.
(Africa International Rescue, 2020)

3.2 Inability to obtain sustainable funding

Similarly, Africa International Rescue ability to alleviate poverty is challenged by obtaining

sustainable funding for ongoing educational and health program initiatives within their
respective communities. For instance Covid-19 pandemic created a significant barrier in
funding for his organization, thus creating a barrier in as far as how many children could enroll
on the Africa International Rescue educational program, thus affecting skill gain for poverty
alleviation.

3.3 Extreme poverty of program beneficiaries

The Africa International Rescue report also shows how extreme poverty can prevent some
from continuing their education, despite the support provided by Africa International Rescue
NGO. For some people, “to earn bread today is more important than to get knowledge and skills
needed for future job opportunities and self-employment. For instance in the year 2019, Africa
International Rescue had a drop of 7% in beneficiaries on the education program with the major
cause being engagement in activities like; scrap collection, sports betting, selling of polythene
bag during market days and chasing of birds in maize plantation.

3.4 AIR promotes dependence instead of self–sufficiency

Africa International Rescue also attracted complaints that it has promoted dependence instead
of self–sufficiency in the communities where it operates. This has led to some areas failing to
develop and truly reduce poverty, even though Africa International Rescue has been helping
them for now a decade.

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3.5 AIR depends on charismatic leadership

Some of the Africa International Rescue programs depended on charismatic leadership or

dedicated volunteer, so when the charismatic leader left, some of its poverty reduction programs
collapsed, thus affecting the full realization of poverty reduction in the communities. Looking at
the Africa International Rescue education sponsorships program in particular, it’s lacking
continuity because it was so much dependent on donors and who of recent registered bankrupt,
thus negatively impacting its contribution to poverty reduction in the communities.

3.6 AIR operates on a different set of rules and pursues different priorities

It’s also argued that sometimes Africa International Rescue operates on a different set of rules
and pursue different priorities than local leaders think appropriate for socio-economic
development of the communities to reduce poverty. For instance Africa International Rescue is
known to sometimes engage in politically sensitive areas that are not directly tied to poverty
reduction. No wonder, this has been an area of tension between Africa International Rescue and
officials from the central and local government.

3.7 AIR’s poverty mission limited by political sensitivity in region

Furthermore, while AIR has intervened in situations that could have been worse without NGOs,
it is confronted in the “play it safe” scenario that greatly limits its agenda for greater missions
for social economic development and poverty reduction (Africa International Rescue, 2020). For
instance, Africa International Rescue is discouraged from performing roles that are considered
“politically sensitive”. This so called “sensitivity” limits its role in working for meaningful
change that would lead to better economic development for poverty reduction.

The above, elaborated on how Africa International Rescue’s education programs and others have
helped in alleviation of poverty. It is reflected that the education program and other programs try
to reduce poverty in the communities, though there are also challenges to the cause. The
following section discusses the causes of tension or conflictual relationship between Ugandan
government and NGOs operating in Uganda.

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4. The conflictual relationship between Government and NGOs’ in Uganda

The relationship between NGOs and governments has been hostile seen the origins of NGOs in
the developing world (Yates and Chester 2006). There are plethora of causes of tension
(conflict) between NGOS and the governments wich inlcudes; accountability problems with
NGOs, lack of coordination, lack of transparency, poliltical interference by NGOs, tension in
terms of information and responsbility and NGOs imposition of their own agendas and become
self-interested.

4.1 First and foremost, the interference of NGOs in the politics of a nation causes tension
between NGOs and government. NGOs undermine the centrality of the state in developing
countries. There has been a shift away from a focus on the state institutions and towards more
privatized forms of development intervention which rely on NGOs. NGOs facilitate neoliberal
policy change either by participating in the de facto privatization through the contracting out of
public services or by taking responsbility of clearing up the mess left by policies such as
structural adjustment, which disproportionately affect the poor. The state government relations
across the globe have occassionaly been tense where a government has been fearful of being
substituted by NGOs and or exposed, for lack of accountability and transparency with donor or
public funds.

4.2 Similarly, NGOs’ interference in government policy has promoted tensions between
the Ugandan government and the NGOs. NGOs’ tend to influence government policies so that
those policies become more pro and supportive of the poor (Save the Children, 2013). Due to
their status as mass based organisations, they do pressurize the Ugandan government to change
its policies if the NGOs think they are not appropriate for the poor. As a result, tension develops
between the host country (government) and the NGO. A case in point was the 1990s’ medical
cost sharing between government and the public. However, these costs were later on abolished
by NRM government.

4.3 There are also some critiques that center on the accountability problems of NGOs. For
instance, in the context of Bangladesh, Robert Chambers, (2011), raised concerns about a
franchise state in which key services were increasingly being delegated to local NGOs with
unclear lines of accountability to citizens

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4.4 Another area that builds conflicial relationships with government is that NGOs tend to
impose their own agendas and become self-interested actors, at the expense of the people
they are in theory supporting. For instance, NGOs may sap the potential of more radical
grassroots action from social movements or organized political opposition by drawing such
activity into the safe professionalised and often depoliticized world of development practice.
Yates and Chester 2006) suggest that some NGOs have become the end points of domesticated
socia lmovements that have lost their political edge.

In the field of humanitarian action and response, there have also been strong criticisms of NGOs
which have not lived up to expectations in providing assistance in emergency situations, with
critics pointing to institutional self-interest by individual NGOs, a lack of coordination leading to
duplication of effort, limited understanding of local circumstances among international NGOs
and a somewhat naïve approach to the underlying causes of conflict and instability (Save the
Children, 2013).

4.5 One source of potential conflict (tension) with govenrment is the lack of transparency
on the part of NGOs, about their activities. The case of Uganda, district medical personnel
expressed resentment of NGOs which did not share information about their budgets and work
plans. The consensus among NGOs seemed to be a willingness, even a desire to discuss and
coordinate actitives coupled with a reluctance to divulge financial details. Reticence about their
resources from NGOs known to have funding from overseas may eventuallly prompt the
government to institute regulations defining the kind of information which district officials are
entiled to know from NGOs.

4.6 Another conflictual area is failure to balance information sharing and responsibility
between central government and district. For instance, a bilateral donor embarking on a new
maternal and child health programme in ten districts, by passed the ministry of health altogether,
which offended the ministry. Altogher the donor argued that the day to day running of the
programme was managed at the district level and not the central level (Ministrial). However, one
could argue that decentralisation does not mean cessation or breaking off the central government.

4.7 Also, NGOs tend to be biased to the interests of the influential donor rather than
government (Yates and Chester 2006). The NGOs are continually redefining their objectives
and goals, and which triggers the change of the relationship with the beneficiary government and
donors. This shift means that NGOs are forced to be biased to the interests of the influential
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donors rather than the host governments in the recipient countries. As a result, tension develops
between the host country (government) and the NGO as the NGOs struggle to fulfill the donor
preferences have been reported in

4.8 Sometimes Ugandan government seek to intervene in the affairs of NGOs or even to
dissolve them, hence causing tension and conflict betweent the host government and the NGOs.
Precisely, governments legitimately claim that they need to ensure that NGO governance and
finances are monitored to ensure probity and that there is proper coordination of activities
between government and non-governmental agencies, and among NGOs themselves (Momo) As
a result, the relationship between NGOs and the government often become tense and unstable.

On the one hand, NGOs also tend to favor an operating context that provides what Robert
Chambers, (2011), calls an ‘enabling environment,’ in which the Government provides sound
management of the economy, provides basic infrastructure and services and maintains peace and
the democratic rule of law. As a result, again, the relationship between NGOs and the
government often become tense and unstable.

4.9 Moreover, NGOs take their bilateral aid which makes governments tend to feel
threatened by NGOs. In otherwords, if governments perceive that international resources,
previously provided as bilateral aid, are now being given to NGOs instead, tension between the
government and NGOs tends to develop. One could therefore argue that the conflict between
governments and NGOs is especially in contexts where NGOs and government are competing
for the same donor resources. Further, the government may feel threatened if its legitimacy is
brought into question through work by NGOs, which reveals government agencies’ inability to
deliver (Save the Children, 2013). The result may be that the government tries to take credit for
successful NGO work if it brings increases in living standards to certain sections of the
population. As a result, again, the relationship between NGOs and the government often become
tense and unstable.

One could also argue that the privatization of previously state owned resources, the paradigmatic
shift away from the state towards NGOs, has created a set of oppositional views of NGOs and
governments. One result of the dualistic view of states and NGOs and governments is that NGOs
have been increasingly used by donors to implement public policy through sub-contracting
arrangements. Hence the roll back of the state has been accompanied by a growth in NGO

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service provision and the replacement of government structures by informal, non government
arrangements.

5. Mechanism for improving relationship between Government and NGOs’

There are a number of ways in which the capabilities of the government and NGOS can be more
effectively harnessed. The following are explained.

5.1 There should be a shared responsibility for and authority over decisions spread
between government and NGOs. This will make resource allocation more important as it will
give the government the opportunity to be connected to what obtains within the target
communities. This creates an open door for more straightforward and better correspondence
among government and NGOs of which will go far to enhance relations between these two
parties (DFID 2012).

5.2 Accreditations and certifications of all NGOs in Uganda, is also important if NGOs’
relations with the Ugandan government are to improve. Certification here refers to an external
agency certifying that a given NGO complies with a set of norms and policies. Accreditation
ensures that the NGO has been evaluated by a third party and fulfills the nationally
recommended standards and policies, in this case Uganda’s standards and policies (Oxfam,
2013).

5.3 The NGOs should also promote accountability to the Central government. This is
possible through publishing annual reports and financial reports regularly to ensure that the NGO
is fulfilling the required activities responsibly, for which it was licensed to operate. The annual
report would provide the government with the details about all the activities the NGO took in a
particular year. The financial reports would indicate the income and expenditure on a monthly,
quarterly and annual basis. This would help the NGO address government queries about sources
of funds after an extensive external audit is done.

5.4 NGOs’ operating in Uganda, need to conduct due diligence before partnering with a new
organisation. They need to conduct in-depth research of a new partner firm before entering in a
partnership. Its common knowledge in Uganda today that tensions between Government and
NGOs is sometimes created by NGOs partnering with political threats to the sitting government
(Oxfam, 2013). Thus, due diligence would help the NGO in selecting reliable partners who have
a clean record and background and have not been involved in fraud or anti-social activity. This

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would reduce the tensions (conflicts) between government and NGOs. Similarly, the NGOs
could appoint a rating agency or watchdog firm. The rating system by the firm could be
applied to various activities and functions of the NGOs operating in Uganda.

5.5 It is essentially still of extraordinary significance for the government and NGOs to have
some level ground, correspondence, understanding, and when vital, full consideration in the
project implementation process. This is because government develops policies and furthermore
still keeps up control in different courses over NGOs and anytime can simply discover
approaches to prevent or constrain NGOs to stop the activities they are doing.

5.6 NGOs should desist from political interference and coming up with their own
agendas that are self-serving. They should focus on the very purpose that granted them a
license. For instance provision of relief and humanitarian aid to provide people with food and
medical services and carng for the displaced persons. This is government interest as it supports
government efforts in protecting its own citizens (DFID 2012).

5.7 It’s also, recommended that Ugandan government should uses locally available
resources to fund NGOs and to sustainably and accountably induce development. It would be
difficult for NGOs to criticise the government and lead to tensions if they are part of the financial
structure of government and receive funds from the government. So partnering with government
for financial support is a logical solution to tensions between government and NGOs. Granting
full educational support, invoJving beneficiaries in all decision making and demanding for
accountability and greater partnership with local government authorities would also create
synergy between nongovernmental and governmental development interventions at the district
level and indeed the whole country.

5.8 The government needs to increasingly try to regulate NGO activities. One step that
needs to be taken in response to growing government criticism of NGOs is promulgating the
NGO law, in a bid to ensure greater transparency and accountability, as well as to improve the
quality of assistance provided by NGOs. The NGO can be supported by the national NGO
policy to guide and control their activities. For instance the policy could state that; NGOs will
dependably stay subordinate for their 'space for the move' on the type of government, which they
end up dealing with at, global, national or local levels (Oxfam, 2013).

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5.9 Also NGOs should form and establish connections and communication strategies with
the governments where they are working. Perhaps NGOs could make a point of maintaining
regular contact with central authorities, by arranging meetings once or twice a month to inform
the government of their activities. Precisely, NGOs should work to involve government
personnel by informing them about their intended programmes and plans and by inviting them to
events such as trainings and project inaugurations/celebrations. Whilst NGOs might have the
best intentions and want to get a project underway rapidly in order to meet the needs of
beneficiaries, it is very important that they consult with the ‘right’ people beforehand so that the
government doesn’t feel undermined or sidelined (DFID 2012). These simple formalities and
shows of respect can have an immeasurably positive impact on NGO-government relations.

5.10 Similarly, it is extremely important for NGOs to involve the government when
implementing projects. NGOs should include the government in their activities, invite them to
events, to see different projects. One could argue that in order to promote good government-
NGOs relations, NGOs must keep governement informed of their programmes, future plans and
essentially kept them in the picture.

In order for government and NGOs to forge a better and more productive relationship the
government is called upon to be very sensitive to the role the NGOs play and have the skills and
capacity not only to listen but to forge an effective program to engage.

According to Oxfam, (2013) NGOs and governments could improve relationship in the
following four ways. Firstly, NGOs might be registered and have their activities monitored.
Secondly, there might be coordination of NGOs which may involve actual interventions in the
activities of NGOs. Third, the government may seek to co-opt the NGOs, and finally, there could
be the active discouragement of NGOsactivities or NGOs working against government policies
may be outlawed altogether.

Achieving coordination and cooperation will require an attitude of give –and-take on the part of
both governement and NGOs. There will be times when it is difficult to reach a common position
and times when NGOs and governments will have to agree to disagree.

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6. Conclusion:

Africa International Rescue (AIR) and other NGOs are a key instrument in the socio-economic
development and poverty reduction in the local communities. However, NGOs may be less
capable of reducing poverty than has been theorized and idiosyncratically propagated, because
they come with pre-planned agendas with strings attached, are donor dependent and depend on
charismatic leadership. Further, they develop tensions with government due to lack of
accountability, competing for bilateral aid with government and interference in politics and
government policies. In other words the relationship between Governments and NGOs are rarely
as clear as those assumed within theories on NGOs-government relationships.

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7. References:

AET (2011). Empowering Village Education, Improving Enrolment and Retention of Girls in
Schools in Uganda. London: Africa Educational Trust.

Africa International Rescue (2019) Annual report

Africa International Rescue (2020) Annual report

Africa International Rescue (2021) Annual report

Brophy, M., Bird, P. & Omona, M. (1997). Vocational Training for Refugees from the Horn of
Africa: An Evaluation and Review. London: AET.

Colenso, P. (2012). Donor Policies: The Evaluation and Development of DFID’s Commitment to
Education in Fragile States (2000–10). In Z. Karpinska (Ed.) Education, Aid and Aid
Agencies. London: Continuum. pp. 51-70.

DFID (2012). Business Case for the Girls Education, Uganda (GOSS) Programme. London:
DFID.

Dorril, S. (2012). MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service.
New York: Free Press.

Obvious, K. Prospel (2008), Challenges Encountered by the World Vision in providing aid to the

Oxfam (2013). Oxfam Annual Report 2012–2013. Oxford: OXFAM

Republic of Uganda, (2000), Uganda Participatory poverty assessment process (UPPAP), PP 13-
30

Robert Chambers, (2011), Rural Development: Putting the Last First, New York, Longman

Save the Children (2013). Leave No Child Behind, Annual Report for 2013. London: Save the
Children.

UNICEF (2004). The Human Rights Approach, Annex B, The State of the World’s Children.
Washington: UNICEF.

Yates, A. and Chester, L. (2006). The Troublemaker. London: Aurum Press.

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Kabega Joseph Page 17