Since the 1980s, sub-Saharan Africa has seen a veritable boom of non-governmental organizations (NGO) and their numbers are increasing. After more than 30 years of NGO activities, it is often the case that more is believed than known about NGOs in sub-Saharan Africa. In much of sub-Saharan Africa, where poverty is widespread and other forms of social protection are absent or near-absent, family, kin and clan make up the constituent elements in society. Civil society in sub-Saharan Africa has often been idealized. The ‘economy of affection’ is present everywhere in sub-Saharan Africa but more so in remote than in accessible areas. Civil society in sub-Saharan Africa is almost as old as mankind. In eastern and southern Africa, rather than being a response to a felt need, this was a forced birth and many NGOs were hastily set up in order to make use of the new opportunities.