Non-profits and NGOs

I am an idealist cynic.
i⋅de⋅al⋅ist /aɪˈdiəlɪst/ [ahy-dee-uh-list]
–noun
1. a person who cherishes or pursues high or noble principles, purposes, goals, etc.
2. a visionary or impractical person.
3. a person who represents things as they might or should be rather than as they are.
4. a writer or artist who treats subjects imaginatively.
5. a person who accepts the doctrines of idealism.

cyn⋅ic/ˈsɪnɪk/ [sin-ik]
–noun
1. a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
2. (initial capital letter) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.
3. a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.

I love how a idealist can be visionary (sounds very good!) or impractical!
Anyhoo, I am both. I want to work in the nonprofit sector or non-governmental sector and do work in international development. That is my ideal realm. Okay the faery realm is my ideal realm, but...
I believe that we can "save the world". I believe I am one of the ones to do it. As my sister would say "I know about the fish". It's a long story stemming from me trying to explain to my mom how I "know". What I know I can't explain. No it's not the matrix. It is the oh-too real world. However we were on the ferry, sitting by the kids area and my sis could see this funky fish and was thinking, does she know....
Again, anyhoo... I really believe the world can be changed for the better but not under this self-serving, bureaucratic, single-minded, selfish, ignorant, media-controlled model that we currently operate. I believe a complete paradigm shift is in order. It's not only highly recommended for human rights, etc but becoming neccesary because of environmental reasons. To me, all the "issues" are related and intertwined like a big tree with branches shooting out everywhere. (what is the root system made up of?)
But I am also doubtful. From volunteering with a range of nonprofits and looking at them during my field school in Tanzania, I have become cynical even of their motives. I liked to believe that people were motivated by philanthropic ideals. Which probably is true of the majority. However all too many are motivated by the massive funds that now pour into the nonprofit/NGO world especially in the fields of HIV, malaria and education. These are some of the biggies although there are others. I had an expat ask me whether I thought that he could raise more funds in education or HIV work. It was clearly not motivated by helping in either of those sectors. Also, if he had any experience or expertise to share in either field he wouldn't have to ask that quesiton.
I also think there are too many nonprofits. Many have overlapping mandates. And many of their mandates, in my humble opinion, are not that strong. While their mission statements may be bold, I think what many do in practice isn't that effective. There seems to be more and more springing up that simply deliver funds to various organization, but still eating up resources along the way. And some even seem to be involved in linking the orgs that work on the same issues. While obviously I think that is important, I also think that the funds should be just funnelled specifically to the purpose.
In other words, I am of the belief that we should put out less educational material regarding the environment and just get out there and pick up some garbage.
Instead of studying organizations that work on the downtown east side, go hand out some sandwiches and clean needles.