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Dear USAID friends,
Today is International Women's Day! At USAID we celebrate women every day, not just one day a year.
Supporting women and girls is not just about good governance, but also about smart development. From ending extreme poverty to countering violent extremism, we cannot succeed if half the population lacks opportunity. On International Women's Day, USAID is doing what it does every day — making gender equality and women's empowerment the core of all that we do. The past few months have been filled with accomplishments that advance development — including enactment of the Electrify Africa Act — as well as unprecedented global humanitarian crises that illustrate how critical the work of USAID and its partners is every day.
After five years of violence, Syrians continue to flee their homes for shelter, education and economic opportunities. The United States is the single-largest donor of humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees,contributing nearly $5.1 billion dollars in aid to date. And, just last month USAID invested an additional $290 million in education in Jordan and Lebanon.
Last week, USAID also dispatched a disaster response team to provide additional on-the-ground support to the more than 10 million Ethiopians who are in dire need of food aid due to an impending drought. Over the last several years, we have worked closely with the Ethiopian Government to help communities build resilient systems to endure severe weather. However, the weather phenomenon El Nino dealt this region a significant setback. And, despite significant actions taken so far, there won't be enough food to meet the needs of the people. The 1984 drought was devastating, but we have the opportunity to preserve recent development gains and avert a full-on humanitarian catastrophe from happening again.
In the months ahead, we'll be asking our partners — governments, NGOs, businesses, institutions and individuals — to redouble our collective response to these crises.Tomorrow, USAID Administrator Gayle Smith will be making remarks about the future of aid at an event on Capitol Hill. Follow the conversation on Twitter.
USAID is in a strong position to uplift those in need, and it will take partnership to get it done.
Sincerely,
USAID |
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Highlights
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#smartdev puts getting to 50-50 a 365 priority
At USAID, we believe that gender equality should be everyone's issue. On International Women's Day and every day join us in ensuring more opportunity for women and girls around the globe. Follow our #smartdev campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see progress in action. |
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More help heads to Ethiopia
Empty wells, no drinking water and dying animals. The drought in Ethiopia is real; 400,000 people died during the famine of 1984, but 2016 can be less detrimental if we act now. In addition to $532 million in humanitarian assistance since 2014, USAID sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to the country last week. See how you can take action here. |
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5th anniversary of crisis in Syria
Although it seems like the eyes of the world just awakened to the crisis in Syria, March marks five years since the country's civil war broke out. We're calling for our international partners to do more to help displaced people access food, shelter, security, education and more. See how you can help. |
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What do organic fruit, HIV-AIDS and a MacArthur Fellow have in common?
They're all topics that you can read about in USAID's latest FrontLines edition! Meet a former Microsoft employee who opened a school to train computer scientists in Ghana, an 80-year-old who survived HIV with the help of a "linkage expert" and farmers from Bangladesh who are going organic and seeing more green. Read these stories and more online. |
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New hub stories from Jordan and Côte D'Ivoire
At the heart of USAID's work are passionate people. People like Ako, a young Côte d'Ivoire leader who is using radio to promote peaceful elections and bring opposing groups together. And, individuals like Raghad and Ghusun, girls from Syria and Jordan, who formed a friendship that crosses borders and transcends war. Find the stories of many incredible individuals on the storytelling hub. |
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