Edesia had to leave 10 percent of her staff in March because USAID was dismantled; Salem says it took “many, many, many weeks” for the company to receive a partial payment owed by the US government, and that it still owes money for 2024 orders. “I believe Marco Rubio when he said, ‘we want to continue these programs,'” Salem says. “However, we did not have an order in the fiscal year.”
“We provide $ 40 million to UNICEF to deal with about 432,000 children with severe sharp malnutrition, and $ 80 million to the World Food Program to prevent 1.5 million children from becoming severely wasted,” a spokesman for a state department told Wired by email when asked about the effects of the court. “The administration is working with Edesia and other partners to broaden their partnership network, perhaps adding more US companies, at the same time improving shipping efficiency and cost -effective purchasing.”
Salem noted that the State Department did not communicate anything with Edesia, and called its statement to Wired “not accurate, to this day.” She says she remains “extremely hopeful” about the situation.
As a result of wider, drastic foreign aid in the United States, other nations have reacted assistance. “People may have expected other countries to push and fill the gap. We have seen the opposite,” says action against Hunger Associate Director Heather Stobaugh. “And when we look at the philanthropic world and private foundations, they are not enough to fill the gap.”
To date, in 2025, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, France and Canada are among the countries further reducing aid, according to Analysis from the anti-poor non-profit center for global development. Some private donors help; Mana, for example, received $ 250 million in gifts of philanthropist over the past several years, which has allowed it to move forward plans to expand Its warehouse space even in the middle of the disturbance.
The disruption to Rutf’s supply chain, along with other assistant financial courts, already has a great impact on Earth. Nkubizi sees this deployment primarily. As the larger withdrawal of funds meant that most of his staff were fired and many clinics closed, patients have to travel much further to get the help they need – often from 50 to 100 kilometers. As most travel on foot, some just can’t make the trip.
“Now mothers have to travel a long distance with their children,” he says. When these families reach their destinations, the RUTF supply decreases; After a trip thus, they no longer guarantee access to the prescription foods needed to stop death and further illness.
Nkubizi, who was born in a refugee camp in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after his family has fled conflict in Burundi, knows how it has a chance due to US funded RUTFs. “I grew up as a child who needed nutritional support,” he says, realizing that the United States help was regarded as a major force for good in the region. “Disaster – this is the feeling that happens here in Africa. People still hope they will wake up and the orders will be overturned.”
Stobaugh says the wider financial cuts have made this crisis even sharper.
“Further cuts to the health programs create a perfect storm, as undernourished children’s bodies have a weakened immunos system. They are not strong enough to fight common child diseases,” she says. “We have no malnutrition. We also do not have funding for TB, malaria, HIV -immune programs. With the combination of no nutritional response and no health -answer, these children have no chance.”
