In Asia, life in the villages can be difficult as there are no jobs and thus no ability to purchase food and the basic necessities of life. People then flock to the city to look for work. They live in difficult conditions in the city and in most cases they become day laborers or if they are lucky, they will find work in factories. At least in the city, a few will be able to access assistance from non-profit organizations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
With the global economic crisis hitting Southeast Asia, layoffs across the region are growing everyday. The author of the article, Safety of countryside attracts Asian jobless, in the International Herald Tribune this weekend, found that many workers in the city are returning to their villages.
"The crisis is still in its early states in Southeast Asia. But as conditions worsen, many economists and governments are forecasting, factory and construction workers, waiters in fancy restaurants in Bangkok and the chambermaids in Jakarta’s hotels will have little choice but to return to their villages if they lose their jobs."
The remittances that these workers were sending home will now cease. These remittances paid for many basic necessities including food, health care and school fees for immediate and extended families. While families are re-united and they can practice the self-sufficiency they think exists in the villages, these returnees will also create social and economic imbalance. The population in these villages will increase and with few people able to find work, the strain on village resources will gradually begin to grow.
Unfortunately, there are very few NGOs working in these villages and the increase in needs will also strain their ability to provide the required services. NGOs are also affected by the economic crisis and funding is getting more difficult to obtain. In many circumstances, NGOs will find it difficult to respond quickly to the changing needs of the people and the environment. It is my hope that funders and donors begin to understand and track how economic conditions are affecting the movement of people and anticipate the potential needs. I also hope they can allow for some flexibility in re-defining grant and donor requirements so that NGOs can respond to the needs of collateral victims of the economic crisis.
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