Fears Grow Over Future of USAID as Lives Hang in the Balance

As USAID faces significant funding cuts amidst criticisms from President Trump and Elon Musk, individuals across Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Iran express urgent concerns over the life-saving aid these programs provide. Activists and healthcare professionals warn that halting foreign assistance could severely jeopardize public health and human rights efforts in the regions they serve.

 

"I'm alive thanks to USAID," Dmytro Sherembey states, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his 24 years living with HIV in Ukraine. This agency, which has been instrumental in combating the virus's spread, faces an uncertain future as U.S. President Donald Trump has launched efforts to review and potentially cut foreign aid. Sherembey emphasizes, "Every second HIV-positive person in Ukraine was identified thanks to this program."

In the wake of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, USAID quickly procured replacement HIV medication after warehouses were bombed. Sherembey chairs "100% Life," Ukraine’s largest patient-led organization, and highlights the distressing reality that aid could cease due to a single governmental decision.

USAID, founded in 1961 with around 10,000 employees and a budget close to $40 billion, has been a cornerstone of international assistance, tackling various needs from food distribution to health services. The agency's vast network relies on local organizations to implement its programs, which span across more than 60 countries.

However, individuals like Sherembey are growing increasingly anxious. With plans for potential funding freezes, he fears for his life and the precarious situation facing other HIV patients. "It is barbaric that we have returned to the Stone Age," he laments.

Outside USAID's Washington D.C. headquarters, protesters expressed their alarm this week. Critics like Musk have labeled the agency a "criminal organization," echoing Trump's claims about wastefulness. Amid this climate, health workers in Afghanistan reported being ordered to stay home as funding dries up, jeopardizing services critical for mothers and children's health.

In addition to health services, USAID also funds initiatives supporting democracy, such as an Iranian activist’s organization that protects online identities in repressive environments. The imminent funding halt jeopardizes their essential work in safeguarding personal security and human rights.

The uncertainty surrounding USAID's fate has left, among others, students like Mohamed Ashraf in limbo. Once a top achiever in Egypt, he now confronts a bleak future as his scholarship hangs in uncertainty.

While Trump has characterized foreign aid as a poor investment for taxpayers, any comprehensive shutdown of USAID would necessitate congressional approval, an uphill battle given the slim Republican majority. In the meantime, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signaled intentions to absorb USAID into the Department of State—which could further disrupt its operations.

As the potential for cuts looms, for individuals reliant on this aid, the stakes are alarmingly high as they face an uncertain future without the aid they so desperately need.