The catastrophic situation with USAID just got worse - why the EA community should care

<p> If you don’t typically engage with politics/government, this is the time to do so. If you are American and/or based in the U.S., reaching out to lawmakers, supporting organizations that are mobilizing on this issue, and helping amplify the urgency of this crisis can make a difference.</p><p> Why this matters:</p><ol> <li> Millions of lives are at stake</li><li> Decades of progress, and prior investment, in global health and wellbeing are at risk</li><li> Government funding multiplies the impact of philanthropy</li></ol><p><strong> Where things stand today (February 27, 2025)</strong></p><p> The Trump Administration's foreign aid freeze has taken a catastrophic turn: rather than complying with a court order to restart paused funding, they have chosen to terminate more than 90% of all USAID grants and contracts. This stunningly reckless decision comes just 30 days into a supposed 90-day review of foreign aid. This will cause a devastating loss of life.</p><p> Even beyond the immediate [...]</p> <p>---</p><p><strong>Outline:</strong></p><p>(00:45) Where things stand today (February 27, 2025)</p><p>(03:22) Some of the few lifesaving programs that were terminated are:</p><p>(04:42) Why this matters for the future of global health & wellbeing</p><p>(06:56) Your action and engagement is needed NOW</p> <p>---</p> <p><b>First published:</b><br/> February 27th, 2025 </p> <p><b>Source:</b><br/> <a href="https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/TbZAkjJQn8kPDodXG/the-catastrophic-situation-with-usaid-just-got-worse-why-the?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Source+URL+in+episode+description&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/TbZAkjJQn8kPDodXG/the-catastrophic-situation-with-usaid-just-got-worse-why-the</a> </p> <p>---</p> <p>Narrated by <a href="https://type3.audio/?utm_source=TYPE_III_AUDIO&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_content=Narrated+by+TYPE+III+AUDIO&utm_term=ea_forum&utm_campaign=ai_narration" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TYPE III AUDIO</a>.</p>