U.S.A.I.D. staff in the Congo had to flee for their lives and watch on television as their own home was destroyed and their kids’ belongings attacked. And then when they called for help and backup, they could not get it. I spoke to staff involved in one woman’s case, a pregnant woman in her third trimester, in a conflict zone. They have maternity leave just like everybody else there. But because the contracts had been turned off, they couldn’t get a flight out, and were not guaranteed safe passage, and couldn’t get care for her complications, and ended up having to get cared for locally without the setup to address her needs. One person said to me, as she’s enduring these things, “My government is attacking me. We ought to be ashamed. Our entire system of checks and balances has failed us.”
This story was originally published by an anonymous USAID employee on www.usaidstopwork.com/stories.
You Can Still Do Something
We need to make this a political crisis for the people causing the humanitarian one. And that starts with pressure.
Call your members of Congress right now and tell them to restore USAID funding and hold this administration accountable. Call them with the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Then help us elect a new wave of pro-aid Democrats and hold the GOP accountable. Donate to our campaign here to register 100,000 new Democrats and replace the cruelty with compassion.
And finally, if you want to keep up with how we're fighting back, sign up for our newsletter at Alliance for American Leadership.
Because the food is there. The people need it. The only thing missing is courage.
What true American values are all about.
But behind every meeting, every voice, and every victory is the operational engine that makes it all possible — and right now, we need your help to keep it running.
We must raise $20,000 to sustain the operational infrastructure that powers this movement. That means funding our digital outreach and empowering the young, diverse, and working-class leaders who are too often left out of the fight. Your support keeps the lights on, the teams moving, and the pressure on Congress at full force.
If you want to stand with us:
Write for our think tank or blog
