Imagine this – Donald Trump’s decision to cut over 80% of U.S. funding for foreign humanitarian aid could cause the deaths of more than 14 million people over the next five years! Yes, you read that right – 14 million! And this isn’t some apocalyptic movie plot, but a serious study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. One-third of those at risk of premature death are children under five. These aren’t just numbers; these are real lives on the brink of collapse due to political decisions made far from the public eye.
According to researchers, slashing USAID funding – the U.S. Agency for International Development – by 83% could have consequences comparable to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict. USAID has so far prevented around 91 million deaths in developing countries, and now that aid is being cut to the bone.
In Kenya, in refugee camps, people are slowly starving as food rations have been reduced to the lowest levels ever. The BBC reported on a baby in Kakuma hospital who was so malnourished that she could barely move, with peeling, wrinkled skin. This isn’t a scene from the past; it’s happening now while the world watches and stays silent.
The Trump administration has, among other things, accused USAID of supporting liberal projects and reduced the number of federal employees. Although U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed programs would still be effectively implemented, the reality on the ground is far from that.
This decision not only wipes out decades of progress in health and aid for vulnerable populations but also sends a message that millions of lives are less valuable than political and ideological interests.
If you think this is far from us, think again. Global humanitarian aid is a network that holds the world together, and tearing it apart could have consequences spilling over into other parts of the globe.
So, what do you think about this? Is it okay for millions of lives to be lost due to political games? Or is this just another dark moment in history that will be forgotten? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just say – is this really possible in the 21st century?
Because if we don’t react now, who knows how many more lives will be lost while the world turns its back.
