USAID's Future in Jeopardy: Voices from the Ground

As the future of USAID hangs in the balance due to proposed cuts by the Trump administration, those dependent on the organization, like Ukrainian HIV activist Dmytro Sherembey, voice their fears for survival and the potential fallout for international aid and support.

"I'm alive thanks to USAID," declares Dmytro Sherembey, who has battled HIV in Ukraine for 24 years. He attributes the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) efforts to his survival and the prevention of the virus's spread in the nation. Sherembey asserts, "Every second HIV-positive person in Ukraine was identified thanks to this programme." However, USAID's future is uncertain as President Donald Trump has signaled possible cuts to foreign aid, recently freezing nearly all international assistance while claiming the organization is rife with fraud.

During the war initiated by Russia in 2022, vital warehouses for HIV medication were destroyed, and Sherembey highlights that it was USAID's timely assistance that facilitated the swift procurement and distribution of urgent medication. "USAID's slogan is that this is assistance from the American people. But it turns out that this aid could be stopped by the decision of one person," he laments. Protests outside the USAID headquarters have followed Trump's draconian measures.

Founded by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, USAID employs around 10,000 staff and manages a $40 billion budget, making it one of the central players in U.S. foreign aid initiatives. The agency operates in over 60 countries, conducting multifaceted relief work that includes providing immediate food assistance and managing systems to detect famine emergencies.

Recent criticisms led by Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who labeled USAID a "criminal organization," further complicate its future, potentially cutting off aid to critical projects globally. For instance, in Afghanistan, USAID is a primary health sector benefactor, and the pause in funding has worsened conditions leading to devastating impacts on maternal health services. A doctor involved in USAID projects voiced, "If the funding halt continues, mothers will be forced to give birth at home as the facilities are closed and it will increase mortality rates."

In Iran, USAID supports organizations that quickly act when activists face retribution. Yet, funding cuts threaten these vital operations too, as the activist added, "All of this work is now about to be stopped because of the funding freeze."

Students reliant on USAID scholarships are also gripped by uncertainty. "I feel like I don't know my fate," expressed Egyptian student Mohamed Ashraf. Trump's criticism stems from his long-held conviction that overseas expenditures are wasteful, and supporters believe shutting down USAID would require Congressional approval.

Recent reports suggest that Trump’s administration might merge USAID with the Department of State, alarming advocates like Sherembey, who articulated the urgent stakes involved: "My life is now at risk. If my hospital runs out of this medication, I will have to search for it elsewhere," he adds, stressing the chilling reality of living with HIV in Ukraine—“It is barbaric that we have returned to the Stone Age.”