What's the context? The leader of the Practical Action charity in Sudan states that funding reductions from USAID have resulted in communities lacking electricity and water supplies during Ramadan.
With over three decades of work as a humanitarian aid provider in Sudan, Muna Eltahir believed she had witnessed every possible challenge.
The northeast African country has recently experienced large-scale public demonstrations and military takeovers and is now entangled in an nearly continuous conflict. two-year civil war This conflict has opposing the Sudanese army against the rebel Rapid Support Forces.
During these chaotic times, Eltahir's charitable organization, Practical Action, has persisted in assisting communities as they grapple with the intensifying impacts of climate change.
Sudan is highly vulnerable to global warming , experiencing more frequent droughts, unpredictable rain patterns, and recurrent floods, all of which impact agriculture, livelihoods, and food security.
However, Eltahir points out that U.S. President Donald Trump's latest choice to stop aid For some of the world's least developed nations, such as Sudan, working with Practical Action has presented their most significant hurdle yet.
What kind of work does Practical Action carry out in Sudan?
Currently, we are operating in the Kassala and Gedarif regions where irregular precipitation makes these areas susceptible to drought. To assist local populations, we supply them with drought-tolerant seeds, equipment, and agricultural education to cultivate crops like millet for both sustenance and additional earnings through sales.
We assist communities in building water points like tanks, connecting them via pipelines to proximate water sources including rivers and lakes.
Furthermore, we supply solar panels to these communities via an accessible pay-as-you-go system. These solar panels not only provide illumination but also drive water pumps for crop irrigation.
Before the USAID cuts were announced in January, we were assisting approximately 400,000 individuals.
How has the reduction in USAID funding affected your operations?
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated $2.5 million towards a project backed by the World Food Programme (WFP). This initiative aimed to provide residents of Kassala and Gedarif with seeds, solar energy systems, and water storage facilities. In total, this effort was supporting approximately 126,000 individuals.
On January 25th, early in the day, I got an email from WFP instructing me to halt all activities related to the project. This meant halting every contract and putting employees on notice for potential layoffs. It was challenging—we ended up losing 11 out of our total 51 team members.
The communities anticipated having solar lighting and improved water accessibility via the new water tank prior to Ramadan, which filled them with great excitement.
I needed to go to the communities to clarify what occurred—it was extremely difficult for me, and I struggled with insomnia in the nights leading up to my meetings where I would have to discuss the circumstances with them.
Many crises have occurred in Sudan, impacting the operations of the humanitarian sector; however, the USAID funding reductions stand out as the most severe situation I have witnessed.
How have the communities you're assisting responded?
When we thoroughly explained the entire scenario to the communities, they demonstrated great comprehension. They understood that this decision originated from the U.S. government and did not lie within our control.
Fortunately, we had already handed out the seeds and tools to the farmers, who had started sowing, but all our additional gear like solar panels, water tanks, pipes, among others, has been entrusted to the care of the communities for now, pending decisions on their future use.
What actions will Practical Action take next?
We are currently seeking donors to bridge the funding shortfall. All the potential donors we've spoken with have responded quite positively.
We are grateful for the varied sources of funding from multiple donors, which means we're not solely reliant on USAID. However, since they provided around 25% of our support in Sudan, their withdrawal will significantly impact the communities we serve—though we can still proceed with some initiatives.
The interview has been revised and shortened for clarity.
(Reported by Nita Bhalla; Edited by Ellen Wulfhorst.)
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