NGO Board will this month launch an online platform dubbed myNGO where among other things non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be able to register and members of the general public will be able to file complaints against NGOs.
The launch is scheduled to take place at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe and will be graced by Minister of Gender, Community development and social welfare Patricia Kaliati.
Speaking during a press briefing at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe on Thursday, NGO Board Chairperson for Economic and Monitoring Service Sub-Committee Arthur Chingoka said among other things, the system is a game changer in as far as timely provision of credible NGO data is concerned
“The system has 10 modules including the registration module that will help organizations to register online without any travelling cost, Reporting and renewal module will help registered NGOs to submit their annual reports to the board and their annual licenses will be generated from the system.
“There is also a Case management module that the general public through the leadership of the areas development committee and council will be able to submit complaints against NGOs and feedback on the status of the complaint will be timely provided through the system,” He said
Other modules are Projects module that will help government and development partners at all levels to make well-informed decisions regarding the work of NGOs and the reports module that will help the general public and researchers to access information regarding works of NGOs.
In his remarks NGO Board Director of Economic and Monitoring service Geoffrey Chimwala said the board will provide user rights to at most three officials per NGO and new NGOs will be entering the information themselves and the board will only give guidance when needed.
Chimwala said NGOs that are already registered by the board; their information will be pre-entered into the system by the NGO Board team using the submitted annual returns and if the NGO wants to update any information, they will do so during the submission of annual returns.
According to Chimwala, after the launch, the Board will intensify orientations and trainings to the NGOs and other stakeholders on the management of the system.
Founder of He Matters organization Temwa Gondwe said it is good that NGO Board is embracing technology and that the platform will enable local NGOs to easily access information from other organizations including funding opportunities.
NGO Board is a statutory body established by an act of Parliament of 2001 with the sore mandate of registering and regulating the operations of Non-Governmental Organizations in the country.
