Why cry about the trails of the USAID?

The Trump administration has informed that it is pulling almost all U.S. Agency for International Development workers off the job and out of the field worldwide, moving to all but end a six-decade mission. The administration believes that the Agency has been wasteful. No matter the outrage and anxiety this action has sparked in Washington and overseas, it is a matter of justice to evaluate whether the Agency is in any way achieving the vision and objectives for which it was established.

For years many have argued and highlighted the injustices in the aid industry, especially with the USAID. Many have argued that the Agency has failed in its mission and goals. It is a matter of experience that in most cases those who are privileged to be benefiting from a system do not see anything wrong with it. Some observe that the action of Trump in this regard is hurting humanitarian aids. While others claim that by shutting USAID, Trump is hurting US soft power. This view seems to mean that this soft power could only be achieved through USAID.

Of course, no reasonable person would fault the vision and mission of USAID. Nonetheless, the challenge is whether it has in any appreciable sense lived up to its founding objectives. It is in this light any objective assessment of the action of the Trump’s administration should be made.

We have been a charity with strong community-based roots, many of us hear about the huge sums of money through the media but can hardly point to anywhere in any of the communities where we serve where this money has impacted any individual or community.

It has been common knowledge that local partners and local communities in the recipient countries have been lamenting how they are constantly shortchanged in the disbursement and management of the aid said to be for them. It is no secret that communities at the frontline get the last droppings of foreign aid, less than 2%.

In its Localization Progress Report, FY 2023, the USAID reported that the percentage of funding going directly to local partners declined from 10.2% to 9.6%, against a target of 25%.

Tragically, the fact is that 90.4% of US funding to Africa was spent by contractors, intermediaries, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) and associates to cater for their salaries, administration, consultancy, logistics, workshops and conferences, travels and other nuisances of delivering aid to communities.

The Trump administration might have done a great service to recipient countries to begin to look inward for their own development and progress. We believe there is no country in the world that does not have enough natural and human resources to take care of its needs. In other words, the action of the US government might be a blessing in disguise.

Let’s take for instance Nigeria, the foreign aid that comes in is, but a drop compared to the billions of dollars that end up in private pockets of government officials, political leaders and their cronies every year. Our hope is that Trump’s administration will set up a more justice based and efficient agency that would truly live up to the vision of a world in solidarity for a better world.

SpringAid International Development since its inception in 2008 has worked with local people and communities to lift themselves out of poverty.

SpringAid Nigeria will remain committed to its vision and mission to giving marginalised and poor people especially women and girls the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty and create the life they want for themselves.

We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to change the world by creating ample opportunities for people to have a livelihood for themselves and their families. We know our members and supporters are the magic ingredient that makes everything we do possible, so thank you for all you’ve already brought to this work and all that is to come.

There is really no need to cry about the action of Trump’s administration. True charities working with marginalised people for a better life must now devise other meaningful and productive ways of creating income streams to support their social goals.It is time to re-imagine the new international model that is just and serves communities with dignity and respect.

Teddy Ihens

C.E.O.

SpringAid Nigeria