Impact of NGOs on Socioeconomic Development in Developing Countries: The Case of Guinea-Bissau

NGOs have played a prominent role in the evolution of countries undergoing development, whether they be in Africa, Latin America or Asia. In many cases, it appears that they have been agents of change at the economic, political and social level. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the perception that Guineans have regarding the impact of NGOs on the socioeconomic development of their country. To this end, a questionnaire was developed and applied to identify the main NGOs operating in Guinea-Bissau, as well as to understand their main contributions in different sectors of activity (education, health, agriculture and sports). It was also intended to ascertain the degree of satisfaction of Guineans, in relation to the activities of the NGOs, as well as to verify whether their actions met the needs and challenges of communities. The data analysis allowed us to conclude that the activities of the NGOs have contributed to the satisfaction of some basic needs, within the sectors of activity under study, especially in education, health and agriculture. With regard to the sports sector, the perception is that there are no NGOs operating in this sector. The general perception is that NGOs have been the anchor for many Guinean families, thus contributing to the socioeconomic development of Guinea-Bissau.