These former USAID staff are working to match donors to urgent, lifesaving aid projects that had their funding slashed
The organization, Action Against Hunger (ACF), is running a project to combat malnutrition that had been relying on funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to procure much-needed therapeutic food sachets. But the project was intermittently suspended, leaving ACF unable to procure enough of the nutrient-rich food during the peak season of malnutrition.
It's one of the many urgent, lifesaving aid projects left in limbo and in need of additional resources following the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID.
But now, a group of former USAID staff has come together to connect big donors with cost-effective projects like this, which desperately need cash to carry out operations already in the pipeline.
The primary goal is 'to save as many lives as possible,' said Robert Rosenbaum, a former USAID portfolio manager and one of the people spearheading the initiative, which they are calling Project Resource Optimization (PRO). 'At this point, there really are people who are dying as a result of these (budget) decisions and this halting of the work.'
Rosenbaum said that thinking about cuts to American programs tackling things like malnutrition, extreme poverty and disease prevention was keeping him up at night after he lost his job earlier this year.
So, he and other laid-off USAID workers decided to do something. They began vetting projects being carried out by USAID partner organizations, which had abruptly lost their funding earlier this year.
They gradually built a spreadsheet – dubbed the Urgent & Vetted Projects list – and started matchmaking, setting up meetings between the most critical and cost-effective programs and donors who wanted to help, but didn't know where to start.
The spreadsheet was first inspired by reach-outs from a few small family foundations seeking expert guidance on where to best put their dollars, amid the initial uncertainty surrounding US government aid cuts. But it quickly grew into something bigger.
It became clear to Rosenbaum that there was an opportunity to 'expand the overall pool of private philanthropy' and bring in donations from people who might not have considered giving to international aid projects until this year.
'There have been a handful of folks who have come out of the woodwork and literally written us an email that's like, 'I set aside $100,000, $200,000, a million dollars… And this is exactly how I want to think about giving… So, help us figure out how to do this,'' he said.
Earlier this week, the PRO team also launched a tool for smaller donors to contribute online, crowdfunding for some of the most critical aid projects.
Now, anyone can give a one-time or monthly contribution to the team's 'Rapid Response Fund' to support vetted projects in Sudan, Haiti, Nigeria and more.
'For most of the humanitarian projects that we've talked to… sometime this summer, if the funding doesn't come through, the lights will go off and it will be very hard to stand back up,' Rosenbaum said.
'Part of what we're offering for funders is that the fixed cost of standing these projects up has already been taken on by the US government. The staff has already been hired, they're trained, they're in place. The commodities, in many cases, have been procured and are sitting in a warehouse,' Rosenbaum said. 'There's all these efficiencies.
'But the flip side is that the cost of shutting them down is extraordinarily high,' he added, noting that typically it takes years for local organizations to build trust with authorities, leaders and communities.
In Mali, an organization called the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) was at risk of shutting down a project that delivers medical care to children under five, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, as well as providing mobile health clinics to internally displaced people.
'We were forced to suspend activities and reduce activities at different points,' said Carlota Ruiz, the organization's head of grant management, adding that more than half ALIMA's operating budget in Mali had come from USAID. 'One of our main concerns in terms of navigating suspensions or project closures was the risk to our credibility and our relationships with the Ministry of Health and the communities that we work with.'
Weeks ago, the organization was facing the prospect of shutting down vital services, but now a new grant will allow ALIMA to provide 70,000 medical consultations to people in need and treat more than 5,000 children with severe acute malnutrition.
'We had a foundation reach out to us, saying that they were interested in funding our project in Mali, and that they had based this decision in large part on the analysis that the PRO had done,' Ruiz told CNN. 'That was just a huge relief and a breath of fresh air for all of us.'
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, ACF says it is close to securing funding to keep one of its malnutrition projects going, after coordinating with the PRO team.
The funding will go towards procuring more ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF). The timing was 'extremely critical,' according to an ACF staff member on the ground.
'June, July, and August, including part (of) September, are the highest months in Nigeria in terms of malnutrition and food insecurity,' the staff member, who asked not to be named, told CNN. 'So having these supplies in a situation where the (other) funding mechanisms are stalled… will make a big difference in terms of continuity of lifesaving activities.'
But the funding will only go towards that one project. ACF also supports programs in northern Nigeria that provide food assistance, clean water and sanitation, and support hundreds of health clinics.
'It will be very meaningful, and it will be really very useful to ensure continuity of activity and save the lives of thousands of children,' the ACF worker said of the grant about to be finalized. 'But this project cannot address all the other aspects of our work.'
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News24
3 hours ago
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Dr Criselda Kananda, chairperson of the Malibongwe Arts Festival Foundation, global health advocate and social entrepreneur Dr Criselda Kananda has been a recognisable face in the world of changemaking. She holds an honorary doctorate in social work and is inspired by trailblazing women like former First Ladies Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Zanele Mbeki. What does it mean to you and for your legacy of uplifting women and the arts to be announced as the ambassador for the Tribute to Women concert and chairperson of the Malibongwe Arts Festival Foundation? 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Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
NY Times' erroneous cover photo of Gazan child joins series of media blunders framing stories against Israel
The New York Times recently attempted to downplay a significant error that was plastered on its front page. But when it comes to the legacy media's coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, the Gray Lady is in good company. Last month, the Times ran the somber headline, "Young, Old and Sick Starve to Death in Gaza: 'There Is Nothing.'" Accompanying it was a grim image of a malnourished infant and his mother. The caption read, "Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, about 18 months, with his mother, Hedaya al-Mutawaq, who said he was born healthy but was recently diagnosed with severe malnutrition. A doctor said the number of children dying of malnutrition in Gaza had risen sharply." Critics quickly called out the Times for prominently featuring Mohammed, whose image was featured by numerous other media outlets, without mentioning that he has a genetic disorder. New York Times Admits Using Misleading Cover Photo Of Emaciated Gaza Child The Times finally addressed the major omission on Tuesday with an editors' note buried underneath the lengthy story that had already circulated for more than four days. "This article has been updated to include information about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza suffering from severe malnutrition. After publication of the article, the Times learned from his doctor that Mohammed also had pre-existing health problems," the editors' note stated. Read On The Fox News App A spokesperson for the Times released a statement saying, "Children in Gaza are malnourished and starving, as New York Times reporters and others have documented. We recently ran a story about Gaza's most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is about 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition. We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems. This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation." "Our reporters and photographers continue to report from Gaza, bravely, sensitively, and at personal risk, so that readers can see firsthand the consequences of the war," the statement added. Notably, that statement was shared by the Times' communications account, which has less than 90,000 followers on X, and not the Times' main account, which has more than 55 million followers. The Times wasn't alone. Outlets across the globe, including the BBC and NPR, similarly promoted such images without the context of the child's genetic disorder. Ever since Hamas carried out its gruesome terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, news organizations have largely framed the war as the Jewish State carrying out a disproportionate military response and being responsible for the suffering among the civilians in Gaza. And in doing so, several reports were walked back for various errors that all side against Israel and for the benefit of the Palestinian cause. Within days of Oct. 7, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry claimed that Israel bombed Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital through an airstrike that resulted in over 500 civilian casualties. Subsequent reporting and intelligence found there was an explosion in the hospital's parking lot stemming from a misfired rocket fired by Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, resulting in a death toll a tiny fraction of what Hamas had first alleged. Media Has Egg On Its Face For Allowing Hamas To Set Initial Tone Of Gaza Hospital Coverage Without Skepticism The New York Times published the headline "Israeli Strike Kills Hundreds in Hospital, Palestinians Say." The paper later admitted it "relied too heavily on claims by Hamas, and did not make clear that those claims could not immediately be verified." CNN similarly pushed the narrative, running the headline, "Israel hits hospital and school in Gaza as blockade puts healthcare system in state of 'collapse.'" The headline was later changed to "Hundreds likely dead in Gaza hospital blast, as Israeli blockade cripples medical response." CNN, too, issued a correction. "This article on the Gaza hospital blast initially did not clearly attribute claims about Israel's responsibility to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza," CNN's correction read. "Israel later said a 'misfired' rocket by militant group Islamic Jihad caused the blast and produced evidence to support its claim. US President Joe Biden said the Israeli position is backed by US intelligence. CNN's forensic analysis of images and videos suggests a rocket fired from within Gaza caused the blast, not an Israeli airstrike." As documented by journalist Drew Holden, a slew of news outlets fell for Hamas' falsehood, including The Associated Press, Reuters, CBS News, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Politico, Axios and the BBC. Some never issued corrections. The Washington Post had a similar front-page blunder in July 2024 in its coverage of the Israel-Hezbollah escalation that occurred at the time. The Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon launched its deadliest assault against Israel since the Oct. 7 attack on the northern town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, resulting in at least 12 dead and dozens injured, all of them children and teens who were playing on a soccer field. The Post's cover featured a large image of Israelis mourning the death of 11-year-old Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din. However, underneath the image, the Post ran the headline, "Israel Hits Targets In Lebanon," referring to Israel's retaliatory strikes against Hezbollah. Wasington Post Blasted For Distorting Israel-hezbollah Escalation On Front Page After sparking outrage on social media, the Post issued an editors' note. "The headline and subheadline that accompanied a July 29 Page One photo and article about Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon did not provide adequate context. The headlines should have noted that the Israeli strikes were a response to a rocket strike from Lebanon that killed 12 teenagers and children in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The photo depicted mourning for one of those victims, as the caption noted," Post editors wrote. In January, the Post quietly edited a report after it was asked about its citation of a pro-Palestinian group that the United States government had designated a "sham charity" for a terrorist organization. The "Democracy Dies in Darkness" paper published a story about the Palestinians who were released from Israeli custody as part of the hostage agreement made with Hamas. "According to Samidoun, an activist network supporting Palestinian prisoners, the group includes journalists, activists, teachers, students and close relatives of high-profile Hamas figures," the Post wrote, including a link to a Samidoun article published earlier in the week. Washington Post Cites Pro-palestinian Group Us Government Declared A 'Sham Charity' For Terrorist Organization Samidoun, however, was singled out by the Biden administration last October as being financially linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which has been designated as a terrorist organization by numerous countries, including the U.S. and the European Union. The Post article had referred to the PFLP as a "small leftist armed group." "Organizations like Samidoun masquerade as charitable actors that claim to provide humanitarian support to those in need, yet, in reality, divert funds for much-needed assistance to support terrorist groups," said Bradley T. Smith, the then-Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "The United States, together with Canada and our like-minded partners, will continue to disrupt those who seek to finance the PFLP, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations." Among the prisoners released and reported on in the article was Khalida Jarrar, a PFLP member accused by Israel of supporting terrorism. Fox News Digital inquired about The Washington Post's citation in January. After an exchange with a spokesperson about a deadline for an official response regarding the newspaper's language, The Washington Post updated and added a "clarification" to the story without informing Fox News Digital. "Those released include journalists, activists, teachers, students and close relatives of high-profile Hamas figures, according to Samidoun, a group supporting Palestinian prisoners that the United States says is a fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is under U.S. sanctions," the report now reads. The "clarification" at the bottom of the report states, "A previous version of this article referred to Samidoun as an activist network that supports Palestinian prisoners. However, it failed to note that the United States says the group is an international fundraiser for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Washington has placed under sanctions." In February, the BBC aired a documentary called "Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone," featuring narration from a 13-year-old boy named Abdullah, but the film failed to disclose that Abdullah was the son of senior Hamas official Ayman Alyazouri. The BBC pulled the documentary from its online streaming platform just five days after it was aired, and issued an apology. "Since the transmission of our documentary on Gaza, the BBC has become aware of the family connections of the film's narrator, a child called Abdullah. We've promised our audiences the highest standards of transparency, so it is only right that as a result of this new information, we add some more detail to the film before its retransmission. We apologise for the omission of that detail from the original film," the BBC said in a statement at the time. Bbc Report Finds Gaza Documentary Narrated By Hamas Terrorist's Son Breached Editorial Standards An internal review concluded last found that the BBC was unaware of Abdullah's lineage prior to the documentary's broadcast, but three members of the production company Hoyo Films did know that the boy's father was a Hamas official. The probe, however, criticized the broadcaster for not being "sufficiently proactive" with its due diligence ahead of broadcast, and admonished it for a "lack of critical oversight of unanswered or partially answered questions" regarding the documentary ahead of broadcast. It claimed that the use of the Hamas-linked narrator did not influence the content of the film, but said the inclusion of the boy was "not appropriate." "We are owning where we have made mistakes, finding out what went wrong, acting on the findings, and we've said we're sorry," BBC News CEO Deborah Turness told the BBC's Radio 4. The BBC vowed to take steps to address the failure, including issuing new guidance on the use of narrators in documentaries centering on controversial topics, the creation of a new leadership role focusing on documentaries and a new review process that ensures that "no high-risk long form programs can be formally commissioned until all potential compliance considerations are considered and listed." Leading to another media fiasco in May, United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher offered a dire warning to the world about the health crisis in Gaza as truckloads of aid were being stalled. "Let me describe what is on those trucks. This is baby food, baby nutrition. There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them," Fletcher told BBC's Radio 4. "This is not food that Hamas are going to steal." That claim quickly spread like wildfire. NBC News posted on X, "Around 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if many more aid trucks do not reach Gaza, the U.N.'s humanitarian chief says." The claim was repeated on MSNBC by NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley, telling anchor Ana Cabrera that "14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if the status quo in terms of humanitarian aid persists." "The UN warning that as many as 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours, Israel blocking all food and medicines now for nearly three months, saying it's trying to pressure Hamas to release hostages, including, of course, the four Americans believed to be dead," ABC News chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell told "Good Morning America" co-host Robin Roberts. "The urgent warnings tonight about the humanitarian crisis worsening in Gaza. The U.N. now warning 14,000 babies could die within 48 hours," ABC's David Muir teased viewers on "World News Tonight" before turning to Pannell. A UN spokesperson went on to clarify that 14,000 babies were actually at risk of suffering "severe acute malnutrition" if aid wasn't brought to Gazans, not of death, as Fletcher asserted. The BBC, NBC News and ABC News later issued clarifications. Ny Times Reporter Walks Back Post About 'Randomness' Of Israeli Strikes On Iran In June, when Israel carried out targeted strikes against top Iranian military generals and nuclear scientists in Tehran, New York Times UN bureau chief Farnaz Fassihi shared images of the aftermath, suggesting the attacks were random. "A friend in Tehran sent me this video, apartment complex housing university professors attacked directly across the street from her house," Fassihi wrote. "The randomness of strikes in residential neighborhoods have terrified Iranians." Critics railed against Fassihi as Israeli forces used such remarkable precision to prevent mass civilian casualties. The Times journalist was forced to clarify her comment. "About my tweet yesterday, I meant to say the sense of randomness caused by the strikes in residential neighborhoods has terrified Iranians. As we've reported, Israel has said the strikes are targeted," Fassihi said. Fox News' Brian Flood, David Spector and Rachel del Guidice contributed to this article source: NY Times' erroneous cover photo of Gazan child joins series of media blunders framing stories against Israel Solve the daily Crossword
Medscape
6 hours ago
- Medscape
Can Treating Siblings Aid Azithromycin's Effect on Infants?
TOPLINE: Mass administration of azithromycin to both infants aged 1-11 months and children aged 12-59 months reduced infant mortality compared with treating infants alone. Although the interaction effect was not statistically significant, mortality appeared to be lower among infants living with treated older siblings. METHODOLOGY: In this secondary analysis of a cluster-randomized trial, researchers evaluated whether mass azithromycin administration reduced infant mortality and examined how that benefit varied when an older sibling in the same household also received azithromycin. They included 98,969 infants aged 1-11 months with a minimum weight of 3 kg and no known macrolide allergies who received biannual 20-mg/kg doses of oral azithromycin or placebo from November 2020 to July 2023 in Niger. Participants were divided into three arms: infants and children aged 1-59 months on azithromycin (child arm), infants aged 1-11 months on azithromycin and children aged 12-59 months on placebo (infant arm), and children aged 1-59 months on placebo (placebo arm). The primary outcome was the community-level rate of all-cause mortality among infants aged 1-11 months after 2 years of azithromycin distribution, stratified by the presence or absence of older siblings (12-59 months) in the household. TAKEAWAY: The mortality rate of infants per 1000 person-years at risk was lowest in the child arm at 18.5 deaths (95% CI, 16.7-20.4) compared with 22.3 deaths (95% CI, 20.0-24.7) in the infant arm and 23.9 deaths (95% CI, 21.6-26.2) in the placebo arm. In communities receiving azithromycin vs placebo, mortality among infants aged 1-11 months declined by 23% (95% CI, 11%-33%). Of this reduction, 23.5% (95% CI, 1.2%-72.7%) was attributable to treating infants directly, while 76.5% (95% CI, 27.3%-98.8%) resulted from also treating children aged 12-59 months. Among infants with older siblings, the incidence rate ratio comparing child and infant arms was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.65-0.93), while it was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.73-1.15) for those without siblings (P for interaction = .26). IN PRACTICE: 'The main trial results support implementation of azithromycin MDA [mass drug administration] to infants and children aged 1-59 months to achieve the greatest benefit. The analyses presented herein further support this conclusion and suggest that the spillover mechanism may include treating older siblings,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Ahmed M. Arzika, MPH, Centre de Recherche et d'Intervention en Santé Publique, Birni N'Gaoure, Niger. It was published online on July 10, 2025, in JAMA Network Open. LIMITATIONS: Limited statistical power restricted the detection of interaction effects in subgroup analyses. Even in high ‐ mortality settings, deaths remain too infrequent to reveal significant differences between subgroups. The large simple trial design prevented the evaluation of cause-specific mortality. Thus, analysis of specific causes of death likely associated with spillover effects of the mass administration of azithromycin could not be determined. DISCLOSURES: This study received support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. Pfizer Inc donated the azithromycin and placebo used in the trial. A few authors reported receiving grants from the funding organization. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
