NGO Field Workers-Important Enablers; But, are they enabled?

In the past few decades, the work of NGOs has become extremely important and crucial for the development sector in India. The work carried out by the NGO field workers has been immense. Hence, they are a very important force to be acknowledged and developed. But on the contrary, literature review reveal that they are undervalued and they themselves face various social and other problems. The present research study conducted among 100 NGO field workers in Bangalore, explored the social problems faced by the NGO field workers and the coping styles adopted by them. Results revealed that the NGO field workers faced problems mostly in the areas of finances, housing conditions, fatigue, poor social contacts and problems with relatives/spouses and coping with children. Women workers faced dissatisfaction with work-life balance, faced role conflict and gender discrimination at work place. However, the NGO field workers are in general coping well with their situation, though they are facing severe stresses and strains.