Realizing the growing importance and voice of NGOs in development, the NGO Café was set up on the internet as a think tank for NGOs to discuss, debate and disseminate information on their work, strategies and results.

The objectives of the NGO Cafe are:

• To assist NGOs in enhancing and improving their programmes and activities
• To effect a better understanding of NGOs in general
• To enable NGOs to network at local, regional and international levels, horizontally and vertically.

Description: "The NGO Cafe is a programme of GDRC, designed as a meeting place for NGOs around the world. In six distinct sections, the site defines the concept of NGOs and related organizations, provides tools and resources to implement effective programs, presents papers and documents of international interest, and gives news and web links."

Keywords: "NGOs, Non-governmental Organizations, development, low-income households, poverty, developing countries, non-profit, UN agencies"

"Non-Governmental Organizations" or NGOs are best understood by what they are not - they are not governmental, they do not make a profit, or are not partisan/sectarian. In general, an NGO is (a) formally or informally organized around shared purposes; (b) nongovernmental, and so not part of the state apparatus; (c) self-governing, rather than externally controlled; and (d) voluntary both in the sense of being non-compulsory, and involvement in their governance or operations.