Here's the good USAID did and what it won't do now
This month marked the end of my 16-year career with the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. Like thousands of other federal workers, I was dismissed without warning or explanation.
In my time at USAID, I led response teams helping people during wars and after natural disasters around the world, on behalf of the U.S. government and the American people. My teams were the face of lifesaving U.S. assistance to affected communities, nonprofit organizations and other donor countries. I hosted Republican and Democratic members of Congress and their staff overseas. My colleagues and I have put our lives at risk in order to save lives around the world, in service of both Democratic and Republican administrations.
Since Jan. 20, USAID has been painted as wasteful and excessive.
Here’s the truth: What USAID does is actually the minimum. USAID’s humanitarian bureau lets people know they aren’t alone during their worst moments, helps them survive and helps them fare better the next time disaster strikes. Remember the worst time in your life: Did you lose your home, or a family member, or survive a flood or a fire? Do you remember what helped? Maybe it was someone giving you a place to stay until you could get back on your feet or a neighbor bringing food so you didn’t have to cook in your grief. Or maybe it was someone offering a gift card for the grocery store, someone saying, “Your kids are safe,” while you went to find work or shelter, or someone feeding your kids because what you could afford wouldn’t be enough to go around.
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-heres-the-good-usaid-did-and-what-it-wont-do-now/
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