KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
For such individuals, pers<strong>on</strong>al satisfacti<strong>on</strong> remains the main source <strong>of</strong> motivati<strong>on</strong>;<br />
it is no secret that the number <strong>of</strong> d<strong>on</strong>or-funded projects is now decreasing, and NGO<br />
funding is becoming increasingly problematic. This is why those who joined the NGO<br />
sector in search <strong>of</strong> well-paid positi<strong>on</strong>s so<strong>on</strong> left for the business sector. Those who<br />
remained are individuals who believe that they can be useful to the NGO sector and to<br />
the country. N<strong>on</strong>-governmental organizati<strong>on</strong>s certainly provide people with jobs and are<br />
a source <strong>of</strong> income, which (although sometimes unreliable) helps the NGO sector retain<br />
some <strong>of</strong> its popularity as a place <strong>of</strong> employment, especially in the provinces. However,<br />
people join an NGO not so much for the m<strong>on</strong>ey it provides but rather for the idea that it<br />
brings people together. Some leaders establish “family NGOs” to create additi<strong>on</strong>al jobs<br />
for family members, while others see NGOs as a route to self-actualizati<strong>on</strong> or– even more<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten– as a way to jumpstart their career. In other words, motivati<strong>on</strong>s for joining NGOs<br />
are not as clear as they may seem initially, so this topic merits a separate discussi<strong>on</strong>.<br />
Expectati<strong>on</strong>s from NGO Leaders<br />
Today’s world poses new challenges to NGO leaders. The qualities required <strong>of</strong><br />
an NGO leader include pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>alism, managerial and teamwork skills, and the<br />
ability to c<strong>on</strong>duct a dialog with the government and with other n<strong>on</strong>-governmental<br />
organizati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
In additi<strong>on</strong> to a proactive stance, NGO leaders <strong>of</strong> today must be competent, creative,<br />
and capable <strong>of</strong> strategic thinking.<br />
Importantly, today’s young NGO leaders face obstacles to obtaining additi<strong>on</strong>al<br />
training in effective management skills, NGO pers<strong>on</strong>nel management, social marketing,<br />
taxati<strong>on</strong> and accounting for n<strong>on</strong>-pr<strong>of</strong>its. This is related to the fact that very few programs,<br />
if any, focus <strong>on</strong> supporting the instituti<strong>on</strong>al development <strong>of</strong> NGOs. Furthermore, few<br />
d<strong>on</strong>ors <strong>of</strong>fer assistance to the organizati<strong>on</strong>al development <strong>of</strong> Kyrgyzstan’s NGOs.<br />
For this reas<strong>on</strong>, new NGO leaders do not have the educati<strong>on</strong>al, methodological, and<br />
advisory opportunities that were <strong>on</strong>ce available to their colleagues. This inevitably affects<br />
the functi<strong>on</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> n<strong>on</strong>-pr<strong>of</strong>it organizati<strong>on</strong>s. Therefore, the focus <strong>on</strong> improving NGOs’<br />
instituti<strong>on</strong>al capacity and relevant earlier programs must be revived, at least in part.<br />
A Charismatic NGO Leader: A Good Thing?<br />
Now, just as during the emergence <strong>of</strong> the n<strong>on</strong>-governmental sector, the nature <strong>of</strong> an<br />
NGO and its focal areas are largely c<strong>on</strong>tingent <strong>on</strong> the pers<strong>on</strong>ality <strong>of</strong> its leader. In other<br />
words, the functi<strong>on</strong>ing <strong>of</strong> an NGO is in many ways linked to and is supported by the<br />
efforts, skills, energies, and <strong>of</strong>ten the reputati<strong>on</strong> <strong>of</strong> its leader. This gives rise to specific<br />
associati<strong>on</strong>s in the public mind, such as “Edil Baisalov is the Coaliti<strong>on</strong> for Democracy<br />
and Civil Society.”<br />
Leaders <strong>of</strong>ten make the NGO recognizable, so it is especially important for n<strong>on</strong>governmental<br />
organizati<strong>on</strong>s to ensure that their activities are primarily linked to a high<br />
level <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essi<strong>on</strong>alism, successi<strong>on</strong> procedures, and instituti<strong>on</strong>al sustainability.<br />
When a successful, charismatic leader leaves an NGO, since he or she has usually<br />
been at the center <strong>of</strong> decisi<strong>on</strong>-making and coordinati<strong>on</strong>, this can transform the<br />
organizati<strong>on</strong>, or even end the NGO’s operati<strong>on</strong>s. Everything that the charismatic leader<br />
had accumulated–knowledge, skills, social networks, and organizati<strong>on</strong>al sustainability–<br />
either dissipates completely or mean that the organizati<strong>on</strong> can barely survive, rather<br />
than move forward.<br />
27