A Step Back for Us All: In Their Own Words, Youth Leaders Confront the Human Cost of Aid Cuts

This year has brought unprecedented cuts to foreign aid, rolling back hard-won progress. The headlines capture the numbers, billions lost from global budgets, but the reality goes far deeper. Behind every figure are classrooms without teachers, health programs forced to close, and climate initiatives left unfinished. Progress that took years to build is now unraveling, with consequences felt in communities across the world.

Young people are not looking away. They experience these cuts not as distant policy shifts but as lived realities that harm their futures, and they are raising their voices. In this blog, Girl Rising Student Ambassadors from India, Kenya, and the United States share what these decisions mean in their own lives and why the world cannot afford to retreat from global progress.

Foreign Aid Cuts Put Kenya’s Girls and Communities at Risk By Abigael Jepchumba, Kenya

In Kenya, foreign aid including USAID funding supports healthcare, education, agriculture, and humanitarian programs relied on by millions. Recent cuts have disrupted these services, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest. Maternal and child health programs, HIV/AIDS treatment, malaria control, and vaccinations have faced shortages, especially in rural communities. Smallholder farmers have lost support, and school programs for girls have been reduced hence  leaving mentorship, supplies, and learning support in short supply.

The effects are clearly visible. In Turkana County, nutrition programs have been curtailed, leading to increased child malnutrition. In Nairobi settlements like Kibera and Mathare, mentorship and after-school programs for girls paused, making it harder for them to stay in school. Health workers in Kisumu and Homa Bay report shortages of essential medicines, further straining communities.

Cuts also led to the loss of over 34,000 jobs among health workers and NGO staff, disrupting HIV/AIDS programs and access to life-saving medications. In Kilifi County, mentorship programs for adolescent girls have reduced sessions, leaving some at risk of dropping out due to early pregnancy or marriage.

Communities are responding through volunteer efforts and local sponsorship, but without consistent funding, these programs remain fragile. Foreign aid is not charity; it is a lifeline that sustains health, education, and economic development. When girls are left behind, entire communities suffer.

To world leaders and donors, the message is clear: restore and sustain foreign aid. Invest in programs that support girls and vulnerable populations, prioritize predictable and flexible funding, and recognize that cutting aid threatens lives, opportunity, and equality.

Why Foreign Aid Cuts Matter Even From Across the Globe By Rebecca Yang, US/Taiwan

At first glance, cuts to USAID and foreign aid may seem distant, especially to those of us living in the United States. In my local community, these reductions have not yet caused major disruptions. But the impact is felt deeply in my country of heritage, Taiwan, a nation in a fragile geopolitical position with the constant threat of China looming.

USAID had partnered with Taiwan to strengthen its alliances, build capacity, and reinforce its sovereignty. With recent aid cuts, the United States loses some of its influence and soft power, allowing China to expand its reach. Even living in the U.S., I have noticed a subtle yet tangible shift in the region. Military ships encircle Taiwan, alliances are tested, and tensions rise. This shows the indirect effects of USAID. Beyond immediate aid, there is a quieter, long-term loss of diplomatic influence and peace.

The cuts are also deeply concerning when it comes to education, especially for girls. Across the world, girls are often the first to be excluded when resources are limited. Reductions in foreign aid encourage institutions to reinforce existing barriers, widening the longstanding gap between girls’ and boys’ education. USAID has played a critical role in helping countries develop equitable, high-quality education systems. Without this support, these systems risk backsliding into traditional patriarchal patterns, leaving girls on the sidelines, especially in vulnerable populations navigating conflict.

Education, particularly for girls, is not a privilege. It is a fundamental right, as essential as food, water, and shelter. Knowledge is the tool we have to challenge entrenched systems of power and create meaningful change. To world leaders and organizations, my message is simple: do not take any concessions when it comes to girls’ education. Every curriculum, every teacher, every minute of instruction matters. Education is the first step toward building a fairer, more resilient, and compassionate world.

When Foreign Aid Cuts Hit Home: An Indian Student’s Perspective By Akshinta Das, India

Foreign aid cuts by the U.S. government are sending shockwaves across the globe, and India is no exception. The UN has warned that the cuts are creating crises worldwide. Only 11% of the $46.2 billion required for UN humanitarian response plans has been funded this year. Millions of people, especially women and children, are now at greater risk from hunger, disease, and violence.

In India, a program to explore the creation of a secure 5G Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) for India as part of the United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy, initiatives for clean air and water and sanitation, and dozens of health projects will come to a halt following a decision by the Trump administration (January 20 Executive Order titled “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid”) to end foreign aid and all but disband the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Halting these programs could seriously impact local communities in India. Slower technological development may limit access to advanced networks and economic opportunities. Cuts to clean water, sanitation, and health initiatives increase risks of disease and reduce access to essential services. Overall, these reductions worsen inequalities, slow development, and leave vulnerable populations, especially women and children, without resources critical to their health, education, and well-being.

For young people like me, these cuts are more than numbers; they threaten our education and future. When programs vanish, girls are often the first to be left behind. Access to school, health services, and essential resources shrinks, widening the opportunity gap.

Decisions about foreign aid may seem distant, but their effects reach our classrooms and communities. Cutting aid undermines the futures of girls abroad and the stability, equality, and prosperity of the global society. Supporting girls is investing in a stronger, fairer, and safer world and we cannot take these cuts lightly.

A Step Back for One Woman Is a Step Back for Us All By Jia Ni, US

Although it may seem like the USAID cuts don’t affect me as a U.S. citizen, they do affect me as a woman. Even if cuts to foreign aid do not affect my education in the states, a step back for women and girls anywhere in the world is a step back for all of us. When girls abroad are denied education, it weakens global economies, fuels instability, and worsens health and climate crises, all of which directly affect the United States’ security, economy, and future. Global well-being matters to every one of us!

One of my major concerns is how USAID cuts will affect access to menstrual hygiene products. The kits and resources USAID provides are often essential for girls to stay in school , especially given the period stigma entrenched in almost all communities around the world. Period poverty-related absences often lead to poorer academic performances and increased dropout rates.

When women and girls aren’t given the chance to thrive, the communities around them will not thrive. USAID cuts will inevitably affect women and girls’ ability to seek an education and pursue their dreams, directly or indirectly, and their communities will suffer as a result. To invest in women is to invest in the future—it’s time we start doing so.