Boards key feature of good governance for NGOs

I Ntoday’s article, we will look into some of the primary reasons for the absence of good governance and accountability among non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This sector attracts interest from people with various objectives. Others are legitimate social investors, who seek to use NGOs as a medium to bring about interventions that bring positive change to society in an array of areas. Others see this sector as a lucrative sector that has the potential to enrich them.

The latter group, from the onset, ventures into this sector, instead of private sector business and looks for opportunities to exploit the opportunities.

They do that with the mindset of financial gain in mind. From the get go, this sets the organisation on a path of dishonesty, the antithesis of integrity and good governance, which are very key in running such organisations.

It is important for it to be understood that NGOs are exactly what the name suggests. They are not money-making schemes. Those desiring to make money need to enter the world of commerce and open businesses, where profit is the primary objective.

To have legal personality, the first step in the process of establishing an NGO is filing an application with the Ministry of Commerce under the Registrar of Companies. This is done through a prescribed form and is a relatively straight-forward process. After considering the application and perusing through the objectives, the registrar will then either refuse or permit the registration. If the application is successful, a certificate of incorporation is then issued and the outfit is ready to start operating. In the application, all the authorities require are the particulars of the directors. In most cases, the directors that are registered usually do not even have an interest in the organisation being incorporated. They just volunteer to have their names used.

They might never even play a role in the life of the organisation after it is registered.

The next step becomes the establishment of a Board which has an important supervisory function, among others.

This is a very important stage which

Jrequires the exercise of prudence and use of best practices.

Typically, the vision-bearer(s) will be the one(s) that embark on the exercise to scout for Board members. Other organisations, in a quest to be transparent, advertise to members of the public to be Board members. Prospective members are then interviewed and selected. This is not very common in Eswatin though, yet it has many benefits.

In most cases, the pioneers simply pick from people they know or who have been recommended to them. The latter method is prone to many shortcomings though because that is where some founders pick family members and friends, who they know they can manipulate.

This has the net effect of undermining principles of good governance in future, in the running of the organisation. Having a functional Board is a very important element of corporate governance.

CORPORATE

Corporate governance encompasses four underlying principles. These are; accountability, transparency, fairness and responsibility.

The next issue will elucidate how all these principles play themselves out in the day-to-day running of the organisation. It is very important that to underscore that while not-for-profits organisations are not money-making entities, they need to be run like businesses in order to be successful.

As such, form an operational point of view, they borrow a lot from principles and best practices of private business.

In the founding of an organisation, it is critical for the founders to understand

ESUS was such a great leader, who more than anything, did the most in creating a modus operandi for today’s believers. Sometimes we encounter battling thoughts as Christians and that is for sure the enemy tempting us to sin.

As believers, we are in a continuous warfare with satan as written in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” that when they establish it, they should know that it is an entity that is separate and distinct from them as individuals who establish them. They must allow the organisation to be bigger than them and have the potential to outlive them. Following best practice in the establishment of a Board sets an organisation on a path of good governance and success.

ORGANISATION

The Board will help guide the organisation through policy direction and play an important supervisory role over the secretariat of the organisation.

Putting in place a credible Board, that is able to play its role without fear or favour, creates a good reputation for the organisation and puts it in good stead with stakeholders and funders, prospective and existing.

In the establishment of a Board, founders must look for people who have interests and values that resonate with what the organisations stand.

That way, they are able to keep the organisation within its mandate, thereby avoiding instances of corruption and maladministration, do so without fear or favour. To achieve that, a Board must be made up of people with diverse skills of different and educational backgrounds and experiences.

For most not-for-profit organisations, Board members are typically not entitled to remuneration. They usually get modest sitting allowances for Board meetings and sometimes, other small pecks. It is very important that prospective Board members are made aware of this prior to their engagement.

Well in the midst of all temptation and warfare, we have been shown by Jesus Christ how to overcome.

Jesus Himself overcame the enemy by rebuking him with the word of God, in Matthew 4:4, “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Imagine, after a 40 days and 40 nights fast-of hunger and thirst, when he was lured by the enemy to eat, He said no, and not because he did not want

That helps manage expectations and clarifies their role. If this does not happen, the lines between the funds of the organisation can get blurred and create problems for the organisation. Many organisations have been victims of misuse of organisational funds by Board members who felt entitled to them. Funds of the organisation are meant to finance programmes of the entity and pay for operational costs, as informed by budgets.

If money was not set aside in the budget for the benefit of Board members in whatever form, that money should not be touched. In the exercise of its function, some designated members of the Board, normally the chairperson and the treasurer will typically have the power to sign off on expenditure.

Depending on the size of the organisation, sometimes there will be substantial amounts of monies involved.

Without proper understanding, some Board members may not take it well to see so much money passing through their hands without having legitimate access to it.

This is when directors at the executive level get pressured to give Board members money, sometimes in the form of loans, which may never be returned. To curb this, it is important for not-for-profit organisations to invest in induction and ongoing training for Board members so that they understand their role clearly and not have unrealistic expectations. It is also helpful that an organisation puts in place a charter and/or code of conduct which set out, inter alia, the principles and values of the organisation and circumscribes the roles of Board members.

to but because it was coming from satan. This shows us that as believers we should not take any word or thought that comes our way, we should be able to check to discern if it is from the Holy Spirit and if not, we should rebuke it with the word.

Well, when we are looking at the scripture in Matthew 4, we see that Jesus rebuked satan with what was written in the word of God, ‘IT IS WRITTEN!” This is because Jesus knew the word of God.

As a Christian, it is, therefore, a mandate to know the word of God because if you don’t, you are in to lose.

Our daily victory is sponsored by the word of God. The word of God is a weapon, “For the word of God is living and active.

SHARPER

Sharper than any double-edged sword…”Hebrews 4:12. It doesn’t matter how long we have been saved or what position we hold in our denominations, the devil doesn’t care about that. Look, Jesus could have told Satan that He is the son of the Most High God, that He is part

S Otoday I’m so much glad and sincerely want to share my journey as a first-year student at University of Eswatini. Yes, I’m doing Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) my favorite thing. Honestly, I never thought classes can be so frustrating and demanding but a change of scenery is never a bad idea. As for me, I truly enjoy it.

In the past years, I figured something quite different about me when it comes to a crowd, of people I feel intimated by them and my mind loses a few buttons...lol. but I don’t do well with a crowd so on my first day at University, I trembled and I ended up forgetting directions to which class I have to be. To my surprise, they gave us a tour during orientation, but silly me totally forgot. The place is huge and the Journo student lost her way, imagine!

DRAMA

In all the drama that transpired that day, atleast I learnt one lesson and that is what I’m going to share with you. All my life I feared what people think of me, do they see and notice all my flaws. All that mattered is the next person and not me. Unfortunately, I can’t point out what occurred but you should know it was not something cool. In everything I doubted myself and my capabilities but Abe Lincoln once mentioned that if you don’t push enough, you’ll never know your capabilities. And yes, you will always have the fear that you can not do it not knowing you can stand out and excel in it.

TRAUMATISE

I may not know what traumatise you but do you know that as long as you entertain that, you’ll always fear it... all your life! . Adding years doesn’t have to be a pin that links to your fears. A simple thing to do; face your demons, I know it something that isn’t easy to deal.

An illustration, you get bullied at school then that means you’ll nolonger attend school? You’ll be an illiterate because of someone who thinks in a stupid manner? I don’t think so. I think it is time you fasten your belt and start moving. You can’t be in one place for the rest of your life just because you are scared of something. I realised that I’m a human, I can’t be scared of me...how ridiculous! It took me longer to understand that and now I’m forever grateful to my first day at varsity as it played a huge role in helping me face my fears. Now is the time for everything.

For comments mkhabelanamhla@ gmail.com

of the Trinity of God but no He put the Word forward and told the devil to shake it off because of what the word said. I don’t care who or what you are but when you are a woman/ man of the word you remain victorious. You can’t rebuke the devil with what you don’t know but with what you know.

The Holy book is full of words of encouragement to keep us in the ft so that we know itThat’s why even in the book of Joshua after the death of Moses, God made promises to Joshua, which included that no one will ever be able to stand against him all the days of his life and then. He gave him a condition, ‘‘Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” -Joshua 1:8.

We ought to meditate on it as well.

Isn’t beautiful to know that our victory guaranteed.

The enemy may think he has got you and I, but I assure you that if we have got the word of God with us, we will continue to overcome for IT IS WRITTEN! is