Bridging the Gap: An Update on Our Response to the Funding Freeze

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan’s Baghlan Province, a teenager plans a harrowing escape from his village in hopes of migrating abroad. On the brink of his departure, a team of nonprofit workers visits his school to gather data about trafficking and exploitation among migrant youth. The information they share is just enough to give him pause.

Half a world away from Matoh and Baghlan, a decision is made that turns everything upside down. In January 2025, the U.S. Administration froze all U.S. foreign assistance, ordered project activities to stop, and terminated the majority of USAID-funded projects just a few weeks later. 

The mobile clinic for pregnant women abruptly stopped. Carefully collected trafficking data hung in limbo.

One Day’s Wages immediately reached out to our grassroots partners to assess the impact. Among our current partners, 25% lost USAID funding for their programs, and another 25% work in vulnerable communities that lost U.S.-funded food aid, medications, and health services.

We called on our community of everyday donors for support, and you responded. With established partnerships already in place, we wired stopgap funds directly to three partners most significantly affected by the funding freeze and terminations.

In Cameroon, maternal health services have resumed. At least, for a few more months. Our partner is using the emergency funds from ODW to train traditional birth attendants and provide antenatal care for 100 pregnant women.

Community health workers in Cameroon learn about safe birthing practices.

In Afghanistan, trafficking prevention and support for survivors can continue. Our ODW partner is now able to complete an assessment of the trafficking landscape in rural communities, with recommendations for future anti-trafficking initiatives. Stopgap funds are also supporting another ODW partner to provide temporary shelter and trauma-informed care for 103 boys in Kabul who are survivors of trafficking and exploitation, with the goal of reintegrating the children back home.

A safe home in Kabul offers psychosocial support for survivors of trafficking and exploitation.

Amidst the vast global needs that remain unmet, our contributions can feel like a drop in a bucket. But we remain as confident as ever in local leaders doing exceedingly brave and strategic work, even with very limited resources.

Now more than ever, our work is needed. 

Will you join us in bridging the gap? Give today to help us continue funding urgent, community-led responses in places where the need is greatest and the resources are few.