The Harsh Reality of NGO Work: Don’t Expect Every Beneficiary to Give Back

This article is for anyone building an NGO and thinking they could rely on the beneficiaries to come back and support the organization later. In 2015, we started the JTD Foundation with the hope and belief that every beneficiary would turn into a supporter. We thought our efforts would create a cycle of giving, a continuous loop where the students we supported would, in turn, give back to their communities and help the next generation thrive.

In fact, last year, I took a one-year career break with a very idealistic assumption: if we supported 100 students, we would create an army of inspired individuals who would carry the mission forward in their respective communities. Volunteers at JTD worked tirelessly, day and night, to identify and support these students, and 50% of them are still diligently working through their full stack web development course. They are hardworking, dedicated, and on their way to becoming future professionals.

But here's the hard truth: very few will go on to support the next generation or the foundation itself.

Why the Disconnect?

There are many reasons for this. One of the most significant is the absence of certain values instilled from their parents or their immediate surroundings. It’s not entirely their fault. The society they live in molds them, often focusing on survival rather than giving back. It's not a matter of blaming them, and we don’t take a holier-than-thou stance on this. The reality is much more complex. The weight of societal pressures, personal struggles, and a lack of foundational values for paying it forward contribute to this outcome.

We've learned, after 10 years of working in this space, that you cannot expect every student you support to turn around and offer that same support to others. It’s a humbling lesson but one that every NGO builder needs to embrace. The expectation that every person you help will, in turn, help you or others, is simply not realistic.

The Bright Side: The 1%

But there is a silver lining. While many won’t return to support, there are always those few—about 1%—who inspire and motivate us to continue. They are the ones who make the work worth it, who demonstrate a level of resilience, dedication, and vision that defies the odds.

These 1% are the students who, despite coming from severely underprivileged backgrounds, don’t let those circumstances define them. They go above and beyond. They don’t cave under pressure, and their desire to give back is authentic and relentless. The impact they are set to have on society is nothing short of immense. They keep us going, even on the hardest days when we wonder if our efforts are in vain.

A Call for Realistic Expectations

So, if you’re thinking that every student you support will eventually give back, change your mindset. They won’t. At JTD, we’ve supported hundreds of students. Many of them were in desperate situations—parents needing medical care, students needing life-saving surgeries, families facing educational challenges. We provided interventions that changed the course of their lives, but it’s painful to admit that many of them have since moved on without expressing gratitude or paying it forward.

Again, this isn’t a rant—it’s a reality.

Build Your Strategy Around the 1%

If you want to create long-lasting, meaningful change in society, you need to rely on that 1%. And there’s no easy way to find them. It’s only through time, patience, and relentless dedication that you’ll discover who they are. These are the individuals who will carry your work forward, and their impact will be profound.

So, as you build your NGO, don’t lose heart when the majority don’t give back. Focus on that 1%. They are your real legacy.