AN INTERNSHIP REPORT CARRIED OUT AT THE COORDINATING UNIT OF ASSOCIATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

As a means to earn a degree in Public Administration, University of Buea students are obliged to carry out an internship for capacity building. In fulfillment of this academic obligation, I carried out an intensive internship at the Coordinating Unit of Associations Of Persons With Disability in Southwest Buea [CUAPWD] from September 1st to October 1st 2022. The focus of this report is to chronologically present the activities which embodied this one month internship.

1.1 PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of my report is to help me develop written communication skills and an opportunity to reflect on the professional aspects of my internship experience and the skill that i learned.
1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PLACEMENT
 To get familiars with the Humanitarian and development sector that is to know how different clusters operate within the Humanitarian mailer.
 To learn, to master the process of disability mainstreaming and be treated in an inclusive environment.
 To understand government policy towards furthering disability mainstreaming in the society
1.3 DURATION OF PLACEMENT
The internship program was been carried out within the period of one months at the
Coordinating Unit of Associations for Persons with Disability in the Southwest
1.4 DEFINITION OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
An NGO is an organization consisting of private individuals who believe in certain basic social principles/ obligations and who structure their activities to bring about development to communities that they are servicing. “NGO include groups and institutions that are entirely or largely independent of Government and that have primarily humanitarian rather than commercial objectives. They are non-profit making, voluntary and service oriented organizations working on various issues like Environment protection, Save the Planet Earth, Disability, Science and Technology, Health, Agriculture, Animal welfare, Art and Culture, Education.

NGOs are known by different names: Voluntary organizations (VOs), Voluntary Agencies (VAs), Voluntary Development Organizations (VDOs) and Non-Governmental Development Organizations (NDGO). NGOs vary greatly according to their philosophy, purpose, programs, approach, and orientation, scope of activities, expertise and structures. To a layman, NGO is a social institute; it is non-governmental and has a purpose of charity. Following are the different definitions of NGOs to have a better understanding of NGOs:

The World Bank defines NGOs as “Private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community development.” In wider usage, the term, NGO‟ can be applied to any non-profit organization which is independent from government. NGOs are typically value based organizations which depend, in whole or in part, on donations and voluntary service
The United Nations describes an NGO as: Any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level, task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest. NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions which bring

citizens’ concerns, governments, monitor policies and
Encourage political participation at the community level. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements
In simple terms, NGOs can be defined as “self-governing, private, not-for – profit organizations that are geared to improving the quality of life for disadvantaged people” (Vakil, 1997)
Professor Peter Willets, from the City University of London, defines an NGO as “an independent voluntary association of people acting together on a continuous basis for some common purpose other than achieving government office, making money or illegal activities.
Duggal (1988) defines NGOs in his study.

According to him, (a) NGOs are registered as public trusts or societies; (b) Programs adopted by NGOs are welfare programs and many a time it is government funded rural development programs;
NGOs as a rule do not generate their own funds completely but rely on external financial assistance from government agencies, both national and international; (d) NGOs are private organizations, but their nature makes them somewhat different from what one gradually refers to the private sector. Thus, they are not supposed to make any profit
1.5 TYPES OF NGO
Different classifications of the NGOs are mentioned in literature. The classification of NGO retrieved from different sources
1. NGO type by orientation
Charitable orientation: It often involves a top – down paternalistic effort with little participation by the “beneficiaries”. It includes NGOs with activities like food, clothing, and housing of needy. Such NGOs may also undertake relief activities during a natural or manmade disaster.
• Service orientation: It includes NGOs with activities such as the provision of health, family planning or education service in which the program is designed by the NGO and people are expected to participate in its implementation and in receiving the service.
• Participatory orientation: It includes NGOs with participation of local people in organization’s activities. It is characterized by self – help projects where local people are involved particularly in the implementation of project by contributing cash, tools, land, materials, labor, etc.
• Empowering orientation: It is where the aim is to help poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own potential power to control their lives.
2. NGO type by level of Operation
• Community-Based Organization: CBOs arise out of people’s own initiatives. This includes sports clubs, women’s organizations, and neighborhood organizations, religious or educational organizations.
• City Wide Organization: It includes organizations like Rotary or A bigger lion’s Club, Chamber of Commerce and industry, coalitions of business, ethnic or educational groups and associations of community organizations. Some exist for other purposes, and become involved in helping the poor as one of many activities, while others are created for the specific purpose of helping the poor.
• National NGOs: It includes organizations such as Red Cross, YMCAs / YWCAs, professional organizations, etc.
• International NGOs: These ranges from secular agencies such as CARE, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations to religiously motivated groups. Their activities vary from mainly funding local NGOs, institutions and projects, to implementing the projects themselves.
1.6 CHARACTERISTICS OF NGOs