Introduction Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are very important organizations in every society, as they perform various functions that are generally for the benefit of the society. The NGOs mainly deal with work, which is related to poverty and social justice in a community, although they also deal with work supposed to be done by the government. Oftentimes, due to the nature of the government and difficulty in administration, the government may delegate the duties to the non-governmental organizations. These activities include provision of healthcare services, provision of education and activities which lead to poverty eradication. Generally, these organizations achieve their objectives either through direct involvement with the community in the provision of the specific services or through advocating for programs that lead to the achievement of their objectives. Because non-governmental organizations are involved in various activities, they may have varied legal definitions depending on the locality in which they operate, and they may as well have varied aims and objectives; however, a simple definition of the term NGO would be hard to find. The simple definition of NGOs is mainly derived from the main activities that most of the nongovernmental organizations are involved in; however, it is important to note that, the definition does not apply to all the non-governmental organizations due to the diverse nature of their activities and different legal definitions. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), sometimes referred to as non-governmental development organizations (NGDO), have the following main features:   * They are not profit oriented ventures: non governmental organizations main aim is not generating profits even though they may be involved in some activities which generate revenue to the organization;   * They are voluntary: the NGOs are formed voluntarily and their participation is voluntary;   * Independence: the NGOs are independent in nature and do not have affiliations to either governments, political parties or any commercial ventures. NGOs are only accountable to its members and the donors who fund its activities;   * Formal ventures: NGOs are formal ventures and have some sort of documentation to govern their existence and their activities. The documentation clearly outlines the objectives, mission, and vision of the NGO and its management structures (Anon, 2000 p 3). Even though the basic characteristics of NGOs are the same, the size and area of operation vary greatly. Some NGOs may be based within a state whereas there are others that may be global and have operations in various continents. The sources of funding of the NGOs are also varied; however, most of the NGOs obtain their funding from governments and other international agencies such as the UN. The NGOs may also be involved in income generating activities to fund their activities. However, most non governmental organizations depend on the external funding to undertake its activities. NGOs as agents of development The main objectives of the NGOs are varied. However, a common feature of all the main objectives of different NGOs is the fact that they tend to empower people in the areas in which they operate and improve the quality of life of the recipients of the services that the NGO offers. Development can be classified in various forms.   * Economic   * Political   * Social NGOs as agents of economic development The economic development is one of the main objectives of the NGOs. Most NGOs have specific objectives which aim to reduce the poverty lev