In an interview with NBC Washington, Katherine Williford, chief development officer at Plan International USA, shared what it feels like to see decades of progress unravel in real time. “Honestly, it’s heartbreaking,” she says. “I think all of us in the sector are walking around feeling nauseous.” Plan USA has lost $38 million in funding from USAID and has already been forced to cancel key projects focused on protecting girls’ rights.
Williford explains that the programs being cut are not theoretical — they’re the difference between a girl staying in school or being forced into early marriage. “We know that when girls in developing nations get access to education, their communities thrive, their economies thrive,” she says. The organization is now scrambling to fill the gap through private donations in order to continue supporting girls when they need it most.
Read the full article here: USAID cuts could lead to millions of deaths, researchers warn
