NGO Secret Societies

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amatuertrader
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NGO Secret Societies

Post by amatuertrader »

A few years ago I considered doing some work with a humanitarian NGO operating in Haiti and doing disaster relief.

I was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement that included surprising limits on my freedoms.

I wasn't allow to say anything negative about the NGO.
I wasn't allowed to discuss the inside workings of the NGO to anyone.
I wasn't allowed to write a blog.
I wasn't allowed to post on internet forums any of my activities.
I wasn't allowed to leave their compound alone or unsupervised.
I wasn't even allowed to keep a personal journal.

I thought that was insane and I never agreed to it and never worked with them.

I have a feeling there are NGO workers on this forum, maybe just lurking.

Would any of them care to shed some light on this practice?
Is it common in the NGO world?

I bet there are lots of interesting stories that go untold because of fear of lawsuits and loss of job and is possibly an NGO career killer if violated.
TWY
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by TWY »

Its pretty straight-forward. Many NGO's are all about the money...... for those supposedly "serving".

And they don't want any information to get out that details the lifestyle your donations support, nor the salaries, nor the perks.

I'm always amazed at the "charity" workers I see flying business class, staying at luxory resorts, living in the most expensive accommodations, sending their children to ridiculously expensive private schools, taking twice yearly 4-5 week holidays, etc etc.

Its not service, its personal enrichment - and that is all it is about for many NGO's and their employees.
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Alex
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by Alex »

I've met enough NGO types here in Bangkok to keep me from donating to most NGOs for a lifetime. Shady and lavish doesn't even begin to describe these maggots.
amatuertrader
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by amatuertrader »

Alex wrote: Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:23 pm I've met enough NGO types here in Bangkok to keep me from donating to most NGOs for a lifetime. Shady and lavish doesn't even begin to describe these maggots.

You forgot to mention arrogance.
A lot, maybe most, NGO management team have graduate school degrees.
I'm guessing NGO's are a haven for their cronies and graduate school classmates who are otherwise unemployable.

This is another example of highly educated people that are pretty useless to society.
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SternAAlbifrons
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

amatuertrader
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by amatuertrader »

I don't understand what you are trying to say AAlbifrons.
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atst
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by atst »

The last ngo I meet wouldn't be seen dead in a touk touk, kinda says it all.
I'm standing up, so I must be straight.
What's a poor man do when the blues keep following him around.(Smoking Dynamite)
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Doc67
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by Doc67 »

Where do I apply?

(I've never even met one, which probably says far more about me than it does about them)
khmerhamster
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by khmerhamster »

I’m sorry your experiences has been so negative.

I’m pretty active in NGO sector and none of this is familiar to me. I think many of the horror stories are urban legends, exaggerated on each telling. Admittedly there have been some bad apples but in my (fairly wide) experience here these are the exception rather than the rule.

Many NGO workers I know are volunteers and are self funded, and most work longer hours now than they did when in paid employment.
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Re: NGO Secret Societies

Post by khmerhamster »

atst wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2020 8:09 am The last ngo I meet wouldn't be seen dead in a touk touk, kinda says it all.
How would you fit an NGO in a Tuktuk?
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