Community members in Evaton, south of Johannesburg, gathered at the Emthojeni Awareness Centre on Wednesday to collect food parcels donated by the U.S. Department of Social Development. This initiative, which aimed to support vulnerable individuals, has been deeply impacted by the recent freeze on U.S. foreign aid, a move that has caused significant anxiety among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their beneficiaries.
The Emthojeni Awareness Centre, a prominent NGO in the region, provides critical services to orphans and vulnerable children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It also offers programs designed to support women and youth in the community. However, like many other organizations in Africa, the Centre has been severely affected by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the broader freeze on foreign aid instituted by U.S. President Donald Trump shortly after his return to office. Trump signed an executive order that halted nearly all U.S. foreign aid, leaving organizations such as Emthojeni scrambling to sustain their work.
The U.S. has long been the world’s largest foreign aid donor, contributing approximately $60 billion in 2023, or about 1% of its federal budget. The decision to freeze aid, which affects a wide range of projects—including disease response, girls’ education, and food assistance—has created uncertainty for many African communities who rely heavily on this support.
Angelina Msimanga, one of the beneficiaries of the Emthojeni Centre, expressed her concern over the freeze. A person living with HIV, Msimanga previously struggled with medication adherence but found stability through the Centre’s support. Now, she fears the disruption of vital services. “I wish that the NGO could continue helping people living with HIV/AIDS for them to continue with their treatment and live a healthy life like other people and not default on their medication,” she said.
Emthojeni, which currently supports over 200 HIV-positive patients, employs 15 staff members who conduct regular patient visits. Harriet Mutle, a social worker at the Centre, voiced similar concerns, emphasizing the critical role that U.S. aid has played in ensuring the well-being of those affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis. “I would be happy if the American President, Donald Trump, stopped the whole crisis and takes things back to normal,” Mutle said. “I don’t think he is aware that the funding was helping us and the beneficiaries of the funding.”
The freeze on U.S. foreign aid has left many organizations grappling with diminished resources, potentially jeopardizing the health and safety of vulnerable populations. While the U.S. government is the largest global donor, the decision to halt aid has reverberated across many African nations, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing public health issues, education, and food insecurity.
As the Emthojeni Awareness Centre and other NGOs continue to serve their communities, the future of their funding remains uncertain. For now, the food parcels from the U.S. provide some relief, but many fear that without continued support, the gap in services for vulnerable populations will only widen.
