In the times where food and shelter have transformed from basic necessities to a luxury and people are locked in any shelter they can afford, NGOs have taken the driver seat to help millions of empty stomachs. In this battle against the COVID-19, it is not just providing the medicine and cure and stopping the victims from dying. It is also about keeping the non-diseased alive.
NGO, the Inner Connection
In my experience with Cultural Organisations, an NGO is an inner connection area which connects the government and the commercial with the people and society. They fulfil the special functions to keep and protect the culture and the value concept to transform the two ecosystem’s energies. The gap between the two ecosystems is bridged to influence, enhance and empower human prosperity.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) the backbone of the NGOs
CSR is a format to reach and create corporate social value. It is now a common measure of how well a company communicates with both the local and global stakeholders and communities. During the COVID, CSR is very important as it is the only function that allows the inner connection, the NGO, to keep flowing instead of stopping or slowing down. CSR links and protects the NGO.
In my experience, supporting the collective social good has become almost as critical a goal as providing shareholder value and productivity to companies across all sizes, right up to the level of the company, in any vertical sector imaginable. CSR is important under the concept of NGO because it links the 4 parties of the stakeholders together, the Government, society, employee and the company. CSR delivers the value proposition within these small systems and transforms and links the ecosystem.
Culture: The Bridge of empathy for the NGOs
When we talk about Nationalism, we only talk about the specialty of the different nationalities. As a human being, we need to see the generosity of the other humans like the common good, how to support and respect each other, what is tolerance and empathy and resilience. This is the hope for human nature, culture NGO is in the position to protect all of these values in the ecosystem despite different nationalities.
The magnitude of the Battle in hand
As the coronavirus cases climbed in India, it was always going to be difficult to place a lockdown on 1.3 billion people. India has 176 million people living in severe poverty, according to figures from the World Bank for 2015. The country has had 46,433 recorded cases and 1,568 fatalities so far. But the restrictions on movement will prove economically devastating to the poor of India, who live in its vast rural areas.
It is uplifting to see that a number of NGOs across the nation have collected and raised money to either help the PM Cares Fund or to provide food and other essentials since the announcement of the Hon Finance Minister. Following his statement that spending of CSR funds for COVID-19 is eligible CSR activity, India saw a huge upsurge of companies participating in contributions. Companies are either directly contributing to the PM Cares Fund or are activating their NGOs.
CSR, the one-stop solution
While CSR remains a one-stop solution for any brand or business today, NGOs have risen to the rescue for the nation. NGOs across the country are engaged in providing the poor with vital items such as food, drugs, and personal care products during the lockdown. These crowd-funding efforts to help those in need have both spread empathy for those walking back home and brought the nation together.
As India stands united to fight the deadly virus, the spirit and the strength of the NGOs rise every day as the protagonists of this battle.
Government’s list of NGOs who have provided relief during COVID-19.
