A Study of Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Community Development Process in Rural Areas in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Community development is a significant development strategy which has been discussed in the development discourse to address small social groups in the society. Community development is a social process of where community members come together to take collective action, planning and making decisions to generate solutions to common problems. But, it is not a sole effort of the community and government intervention is significant to provide and improve structural resources and infrastructure facilities in the process of community development. Government often get provision for that through foreign aids and foreign loans. In this matter, it is essential alternative institutional interventions in the development process and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are one of significant alternative intervention in the modern scenario of development path. NGOs have efficient administrative structure and specialized skills and strategies to closely work with the community. Therefore, it is important to identify contribution of NGOs in the community development process. Accordingly, this study mainly intended to identify operational patterns of NGOs in the process of community development and to study about the effects of programmes which launch by NGOs for the uplifting sustainability of standards of living of the people. Survey method and functional methods were used to investigate operational patterns and effects of community development programmes of NGOs. The empirical study was conducted in two Grama Niladari Divisions of Nawagaththegama Divisional Secretariat Division in Sri Lanka. Data were collected from 50 households based on purposive sampling. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation were used as primary data collection techniques. Programmes related to livelihood health and nutrition, education and empowerment and also community effects of them and relationship between government and NGO sector for implementing those programmes have been analyzed critically through this study. Based on the findings, it has suggested that programmes related to empower human potentials and skills to sustain livelihood of people are significant to introduce rather than focusing social welfare and effective integrated approach between state and NGO sector is important in order to absorb full potentials of community members into development discourse through empowering capacities, skills, and strengths