I've had a front-seat view of the impacts of the administration's destruction of the USAID foreign aid agency that has run development and health programs all over the world since the Kennedy era. In particular, the disruption of the anti-AIDS "PEPFAR" program has been devasting and is already leading to loss of life in Africa.

America has quickly gone from "good guy" to "bad guy" in many parts of the world where affordable and effective USAID funded programs were in place to fill the gaps in public safety nets. The journalist Nicholas Kristoff has been on the ground in East Africa and reports powerfully on the impacts. It's heart breaking stuff.

As you may know, this is near to my heart as for many years I sponsored a young woman in Kenya who has become like a daughter to me. After completing her Master's in Human Resources, Mercy Akumu has devoted her career to helping others on the ground at remote villages where people have so little. 

Mercy and her son Berwin flying over to visit Tim and Raizelah last May.

Sadly, Mercy was recently laid off from her position at the nonprofit NGO Save the Children as most of their funding comes from USAID. While I can't help all of the many, many people affected by this I am trying to help Mercy so she can continue to do her good work.

If you've heard some of my stories of Mercy, or perhaps met her when she was in town for Raizelah's and my wedding, I invite you to consider a contribution in the GoFundMe campaign I put together to replace 3 months of her salary at Save the Children - this should buy her the ease to re-establish livelihood.

While she won't be able to work in the public service sector for now, I know she'll return to it as soon as that's possible. Like most people in the developing world (and so many here in the U.S.), Mercy has little by way of reserves. People work hard to keep afloat and getting beyond paycheck to paycheck is extremely difficult there. Remember that our U.S. dollars go far in places like Africa.

With love and a deep bow,
Nomon Tim

p.s. I'm glad to report that we have been able to find a 90-day supply of antiretrovirals for Mercy's sister, who is HIV positive. Without this medication - formerly provided by PEPFAR - she is likely to die. Many others aren't so fortunate.