The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s Borno state has deepened due to significant funding cuts by the Trump administration. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was once the backbone of humanitarian response in northeastern Nigeria, but the US cut more than 90% of its foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall assistance around the world.
As a result, programs serving children have been severely impacted, with thousands of children at risk of severe malnutrition and death. Yagana Bulama, a farmer from Dikwa, has lost two of her triplets to hunger and is now struggling to feed her surviving infant, who was also severely underweight. The Mercy Corps program that provided her babies with a calorie-dense paste has been terminated, leaving many children without access to treatment.
The consequences of the funding cuts are far-reaching, with 1 million children potentially missing out on treatment for severe malnutrition and 163,500 additional deaths per year. The UN’s humanitarian office in Maiduguri warns that vulnerable people may turn to violent groups to cope with the crisis.
Humanitarian organizations in Nigeria, including Intersos and UNICEF, are struggling to provide essential services due to funding constraints. In-patient services for malnutrition have been reduced, and many facilities are operating on minimal resources. The crisis extends beyond nutrition, with thousands of displaced families stranded without access to shelters or relocation support.
The US funding cuts are part of a larger global problem, with 40 out of 62 US-funded programs in various countries facing termination. This has devastating effects on vulnerable populations, particularly in Mozambique, where the government is seeking alternative funding to prevent collapse of health systems.
The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria highlights the need for increased international support and cooperation to address the root causes of displacement and poverty.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/children-die-after-usaid-funding-cuts-end-lifeline-for-displaced-communities-fleeing-violence