wages

i'm doing the civil service, then it's ok (maybe). but i have some colleagues (in my ngo and in many other italian ngos, it's a common choice) who are paid 900, 1000, 1100 euros per month. how can they send here someone to risk his life and pay him less than 1000 euros per month? they have no shame.
apart from that, concerning job matters, local staff is always taken only for the lenght of a specific project (one year or two years usually). after, if there is an other project, maybe the ngo offers them an other contract. this system do not guaranties a stable life to them, i guess, but neither is the best system to create in them a true engagement in favor of the ngo.