So what is USAID and what exactly does it do?

Established in 1961 by President Kennedy, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent government agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance in scores of programs around the world.

What are some of the programs that have been shuttered by the administration’s funding freeze?

Preventing and Treating HIV/AIDS Worldwide

PEPFAR (established by President George W. Bush in 2003) provides HIV testing and education around the world, along with HIV/AIDS medications for more than 20 million people.

Providing Critical Humanitarian Support to Ukraine

USAID has been the primary means of America’s non-lethal/non-military support of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion three years ago. Programs range from humanitarian aid for displaced families to digital support to keep Ukranian government services up and running.

Fighting Malaria Across Africa

Local programs in Uganda, Kenya, and elsewhere have been forced to stop the spraying of insecticide and ceased shipments of bed nets to pregnant women and young children.

Food Assistance Programs Support US Farmers

USAID’s Food for Peace and other development programs bought more than one million metric tons of food from US producers in 2023 – many of them small, family-run farms.

Supporting Poverty-Reduction Efforts

USAID provided financial assistance to 70 of the 77 low- and lower-middle-income countries around the world, including more than $10B in humanitarian aid, and $7B in health and medical aid (in 2023).

Okay, so where can I read more about this?

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