Our history

The National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO) is a non-party political, non-profit making and non-denominational coordinating body of NGOs in Zimbabwe. It was founded in 1962 as a welfare organisation under the name Southern Rhodesia Council of Social Services predominantly for social welfare organisations.

In 1980 there was an increase in the number of NGOs focusing on social, economic and political development of the Zimbabwean people thus the organisation was renamed Voluntary Organisations in Community Enterprise (VOICE). The organisation was renamed ten years later to the present National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO).

NANGO takes pride in operating as the country’s largest membership based organisation with over a thousand registered member organisations. It has taken a leading role in facilitating the harmonization and collaboration between and among NGOs with their stakeholders including public and private sectors towards national development goals.

Over a period of 40 years, NANGO has actively fought for the interest of the poor, the marginalised and the vulnerable by advocating for a positive and enabling operating environment for NGOs.

Our vision

" Vibrant, pro-active, and creative NGOs that are responsive to the social, economic and political needs of men, women, and children in Zimbabwe"

Our mission

NANGO is guided by the following mission:

"To create space and identify opportunities for non governmental organisations to pursue their visions and missions and to facilitate the building of members capacities, resource bases and synergies"

Our objectives are

•  To facilitate the building of members organisations’ capacities and resource bases so that they can effectively intervene in social economic, and political development needs of men, women and children in Zimbabwe
• To promote the creation of enabling environment for NGOs to operate effectively and to represent the interests of members nationally and internationally.
• To promote and coordinate the active participation of NGOs in Zimbabwe, in policy formulation, implementation and review. 
• To facilitate the development of partnerships and synergies amongst NGOs and with stakeholders in the public and private sectors.
• To promote information exchange between and amongst members organisations, the public and the state as well as provide relevant information useful for policy decision making processes

Our concerns

• Enabling NGO and civil society laws and policy framework
• Mainstreaming of gender and HIV and AIDS by all NGO sectors
• Negative perception of the work and role of NGOs in Zimbabwe
• Effective participation of NGOs in policy processes and national development initiatives
• NGO corporate governance
• Policy and structural causes of poverty
• Sustainability of NGO operations
• Common and shared development goals

Our Programmes

• Training and capacity building
• Information and networking
• Research, analysis and development
• Advocacy
• Membership interest/needs

Our flagships products and services of NANGO

• Hosting of the Annual NGO Expos
• Resource centre with cutting edge information on various development topics
• Producer of NGO Donor Directories
• Periodic state of the NGO sector reports
• coordinates the NGO Directors forum and the Annual Leadership Development camp
• Research reports on topical development issues

Our Membership

NANGO is owned by its members. This means that the general assembly is the supreme organ of NANGO and shall comprise an official delegate of all members' organisations with voting rights.

Ordinary membership

Any properly constituted organisation, registered locally under the Private Voluntary Organizations Act or as aTrust and operating in Zimbabwe can apply for membership and have voting rights. The procedure is as follows:

• Complete an application form obtained from NANGO offices
• Attach constitution
• Pay an annual membership fee for subscription (subject to review)

Associate membership

•             Any organisation, which is not Zimbabwean in respect to its final governing authority but is a branch or agency of a constituted body
•        Honorary membership
•       Is given to persons of outstanding contribution in the community who has given notable services consistent or in support of the objectives of NANGO

 Benefits of being a member

• Training and capacity building of member organisations
•  Forum for networking, collaboration and coordination
•  Facilitate NGO input into policy formulation
•  Linking members to resources, training/capacity building and other opportunities
•  Creation of an enabling environment- voice of NGOs
•  Storage of information from members
•  Free access to the NANGO resource centre and provision of information on what other NGOs are doing
•  Dialogue with various stakeholder including private sector, international community and governments on behalf of NGOs
•  Publicity of member activities through various channels including e-mail, NANGO magazine, internet, press and print media
•  Facilitate input into regional and international debates, conventions and discussions

NANGO is not

• a funding organisations
•  registrar of NGOs
•  party political, profit making or denominational 

"Vibrant, proactive and creative Non Governmental Organisations responsive to the social economic and political development needs of men, women and children in Zimbabwe"