ABSTRACT
Historically, non-governmental organizations (NGO) have actually been at the forefront of several important areas of Third World development, including primary health care, women's and gender issues, credit for the assetless and participatory approaches to development. During the first 'Development Decade' and into the 1970s, non-profit activities in the Third World were generally regarded by governments, and by bilateral and multilateral development agencies, as peripheral to development. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, interest in non-governmental organizations NGOs grew, reflecting a combination of factors: the growth and greater professionalism of the non-governmental or what is sometimes called the 'third sector' in the United States; and disenchantment with the large and often unsuccessful integrated rural development projects of the 1970s. The evolution of humanistic service varies in education, health and social services from country to country, over time, and according to the pace of development and the predominating ideology.
