As the U.S. government shutters USAID and absorbs its responsibilities into the State Department, Plan International’s director of policy, Justin Fugle, spoke to UPI about the devastating consequences for international aid programs. In the interview, he describes how life-saving work — including girls’ education efforts reaching hundreds of thousands of students — has ground to a halt without clear direction or support.
Fugle shares a candid assessment of what’s being lost: not just funding, but deep technical expertise and momentum built over decades. “The staff who knew how to do these things have to move on with their lives,” he says. “You won’t be able to bring the capability back.” With millions of lives on the line, he calls for an immediate extension of existing programs and long-term clarity on the future of U.S. foreign assistance.
Read the full article here: Aid organizations left in dark months after USAID cuts begin
