On Thursday in Cape Town, South Africa, health groups and charities were shocked and angry when they heard the Trump administration decided to cut 90% of foreign aid contracts from USAID. This means that important programs that help people with food, health, and emergency assistance around the world will lose funding, leaving millions in danger.
One group, InterAction, said this decision will hurt many vulnerable people, leading to hunger and disease. They warned that “women and children will go hungry, and families will struggle.” Instead of keeping people safe, this could create more problems like instability and migration.
The U.S. government is stopping about $60 billion in aid because they believe it doesn’t help American interests. This means thousands of contracts with NGOs will end, which many say is a huge blow to American foreign aid.
Liz Schrayer, a leader of a non-profit organization, said that this decision could allow countries like China, Russia, and Iran to gain more power and influence around the world.
In South Africa, health organizations mentioned that many programs aimed at treating HIV will end, affecting thousands of people. USAID plays a large role in fighting diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, and the cuts can put these programs at serious risk.
Critics, including Trump and his advisor Elon Musk, argue that foreign aid is wasteful and supports a liberal agenda. They are making deep cuts to these programs quickly, and many organizations have received letters saying their funding is being terminated because it doesn’t match U.S. priorities.
After the cuts, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced a waiver program to save some funding, but many essential services still lost support.
Many USAID workers received just a short time to clear their workspaces amid the cuts. This rapid change has left many programs and the people they help in a difficult position.
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