Starting all over... comparison between corporate and NGOs

Hi all,

Here I am again after quite sometime.. but as the title says, I have started all over again.

As I have previously mentioned in my last post (which I made ages ago) I worked as an intern in a corporate PR agency in Malaysia. I was not too happy there, because I had not much to do there except for media monitoring everyday.. so I am not sure if it was luck or anything.. but I had to leave them after 24 uneventful days (with the exception of one event), due to a family emergency at home...

Now I am in Maldives, continuing my internship at the PR section of a national NGO. Though an NGO, it is one of the biggest non-profit organization in Maldives and is involved almost every possible health and social issue facing the country.

The work here is completely different from what I did before in Malaysia. The organization itself is the client in this case. The PR team has to deal with a variety of stakeholders such as investors, philanthropists, international organizations, government and the public, and come up with new strategies, proposals, events and such to attract the public and get them involved in what the organizationn does, as well as attract philanthropists and other sponsors so that the activities being carried out by the organization does not stop.

So far the past four weeks have been hectic. As an intern, I had not only done the usual media monitoring and brainstorming sessions, but written and sent project proposals to two International organizations so that funds could be generated, organized workshops for media and for school teachers (which also included the press kits, writing of releases), made questionair surveys and analyzed it to find out the public reception of the organization and its services and I am told more is to come.

I feel at home here compared to where I was before, and I feel that I am contributing to something worthwile and my efforts are appreciated. Having experienced both, I have to say the corporate world is not for me. Here, I am not only working on the events management side and technical level, but I am also working on the strategic level, actually generating ideas and project proposals not only for long term public health awareness and social services, but also as means of generating funds to keep the NGO going.

Well, thats all for now.. I promise to write more frequently with more news.. If anyone have any question about NGO work, please don't hesitate to ask.

Best Regards,
Imaan
LUCT Malaysia.