K K Tripathi, chief coordinator of Butterflies, says, ``Job satisfaction would depend on one's aspirations and expectations. One should join an NGO only if one wants to do something for society. For instance, the satisfaction that I get from rehabilitating a child cannot be valued in terms of money.''

Shweta Gandhi, MSW from Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), says she joined the institute because she ``wanted to work for street-children'', but wonders if ``salaries have to be poor and work conditions unhealthy'' in such situations.

With the entry of qualified professionals in the NGO sector, the generalemployment terms in this field are changing. In India, social work tends to get intertwined with religious faith and philanthropy. But that's changing with professional training in social work getting formalised.

``Social work as a profession is undergoing change. It is no longer mere social service. The service itself has become professionalised. Further, with the coming up internationally funded NGOs, the demand for professionally qualified professionals in this sector has gone up,'' says Dr D N Mukherji, ex-director, TISS, and currently director, Council for Social Development (CSD).

But this has not pushed up the salary levels in the sector. As a result, many qualified social workers feel dissatisfied with their pay packets, perks and working conditions as compared to the corporatesector.

NGOs play a key role in a developing society. ``They have a dream. Perhaps, even the government may not be able to achieve what many of these organisations have realised in specific areas,'' says Radha ofCRY.

``NGOs are people's organisations. They are the product of people's involvement,'' says Dr Sanjay Bhatt, reader, Delhi School of Social Work. ``Professionalism should not be confused with charity. It is a matter of doing one's job with firm belief and efficiency,'' he says, and adds that ``international agencies do pay well''.

Some NGOs did crop up with the sole objective of making profits. But their lack of social purpose led to their demise, he says.

Professionals like Tripathi of Butterflies, Taveen Sharma and Radha of CRY and Indrani Roy of Helpage believe that working with an NGO is challenging and adventurous. ``It is a great feeling that we are working towards high goals,'' they say.

Radha in fact left a well-paying job at an advertising agency to join CRY. ``It is easy to say that children who beg on the streets are not my concern. But for me, that was not the case. I wanted to do something for them,'' she says.