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Dear Colleagues,
Last week, I had the opportunity
to share my final reflections as USAID Administrator at an event hosted jointly by the American Enterprise
Institute and the Center for American Progress. The bipartisan support and heartfelt passion for our mission was evident in
the room that day, and it reminded me how fortunate we are to serve a mission bigger and better than ourselves. This mission
requires not only exceptional partners and staff, but also a strong, empowered, and accountable development agency. I ask
you to keep fighting for a strong, singular leadership voice that seizes bold opportunities in development, because our
national security depends on it and the communities we serve deserve it.
Whether you have worked with our Agency for many years or a few months, we will remain committed to partnering with you to
end extreme poverty. I am confident that Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt will continue to carry forward our new model
of development--one grounded in an embrace of new partnerships and a relentless focus on delivering real results.
I have been blessed every day for the last five years to serve alongside an extraordinarily talented community of
professionals. To honor their service, we interviewed staff from around the world and asked them to reflect on their experience at USAID. Not only did they share
invaluable lessons learned, but they gave a voice to how our staff has worked to transform our Agency in unprecedented ways.
In hearing directly from our staff, I hope you take a moment to reflect on their courage, talent, and commitment to the
American people and those in greatest need.
Best,
Raj Shah
USAID Administrator
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USAID In the News
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Despite a lack of attention, the American government's response to the Ebola crisis has been not just good; it's been
nothing short of spectacular. It happened fast. And it changed reality for the better not on one but on two fronts�both
domestically and in the three affected West African nations.
(THE DAILY BEAST)
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Bangladesh still sees 129,000 deaths of children under 5 each year, but in the last two decades, the mortality rate
has fallen from 144 deaths to 41 deaths per 1,000 births. USAID is supporting simple interventions to improve newborn care
in underserved districts.
(NPR)
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How's this for a tough first week on the job: An earthquake rocked Haiti just five days after physician Rajiv Shah
took over as head of the main U.S. agency for overseas disaster relief. The death toll was about 200,000. The U.S. was
scrambling to mobilize a response. And President Obama decided Shah should be the one to lead it.
(NPR)
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USAID is reinventing military war-gaming -- an ancient concept -- to prevent wars rather than win battles. Instead of
maneuvering virtual armies, the nation�s main foreign aid agency is staging peace games and deploying data to map the many
elements that can tip a country into chaos and war.
(BLOOMBERG)
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The U.S. government plans to donate $1 billion over the next four years to GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, to fund
immunizations for millions of children in developing countries. By far it�s largest pledge ever, USAID hope to see these
funds combat increasing vaccine costs and prevent the biggest childhood killers.
(THE WALL STREET JOURNAL)
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"This is the largest U.S. response to a global health emergency in history, and we are seeing remarkable progress,"
said Jeremy Konyndyk, �But the fight is far from over. We know based on previous outbreaks that it can be a long and bumpy
road to get to zero."
(THE HILL)
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After a strong response calmed the immediacy of the Ebola crisis, President Obama reported that "Our focus now is
getting to zero, because as long as there is even one case of Ebola that�s active out there, risk still exists. Every case
is an ember that, if not contained, can light a new fire. So we�re shifting our focus from fighting the epidemic to now
extinguishing it."
(PBS NEWSHOUR)
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Andrea Mitchell talks with outgoing USAID administrator Raj Shah about the progress made in the fight against Ebola�a
fight that still isn�t over.
(MSNBC)
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�For the past five years, Rajiv Shah served as the point person for America�s international aid and development
efforts. It�s a mission that�s encompassed everything from disaster response to managing critical civilian projects in war
zones and navigating controversy. Kojo chats with Shah about USAID�s evolving priorities as he prepares to step down from
his post later this month.�
(THE KOJO NNAMDI SHOW)
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Ahead of USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah�s final speech at the American Enterprise Institute(hosted jointly with the
Center for American Progress), Politico Playbook featured this excerpt: "First and foremost, we must celebrate our people as
national heroes. They do not wear uniforms or win medals, but they risk their lives in service to our country and our
mission of providing help to those in need. We know that achieving this mission not only requires exceptional people, but
also a strong, empowered, and accountable development agency."
(POLITICO PLAYBOOK)
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| .@rajshah & @USAID thank you for stepping up to
#reacheverychild with vaccines!
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