Trump's USAID freeze will lead to deaths, refugees warn

Thousands of South Sudanese refugees working with aid agencies in Bidibidi camp in northern Uganda lost their jobs overnight after U.S. President Donald Trump froze government aid funding, paralysing humanitarian programmes.

Yesua Aliki, 28, a refugee advocate in Bidibidi - one of the world's biggest camps - warned that the stoppage would lead to a big rise in malnutrition and more deaths.

Trump, who ordered a 90-day freeze after taking office on Jan. 20, wants to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which he considers wasteful and out of step with his "America First" agenda.

Bidibidi is home to about 205,700 refugees – roughly the population of Salt Lake City. Most have fled conflict in neighbouring South Sudan.

Aliki, who has lived in Bidibidi since 2016, runs the Reliable Refugee Storytellers Association, a non-profit which provides media training.

His brother was killed during South Sudan's civil war, so Aliki supports both his brother's family and his own. He spoke to Context about the repercussions of the funding freeze.

Were refugees surprised when Trump suspended aid?

People are very worried about the future. They're already struggling after a fall in global aid last year so this will make life even harder. Most organisations working in Bidibidi get U.S. funding so they will have to pack their bags if this continues. That will impact food aid, healthcare, education, livelihoods - everything.

How have refugees been affected by the USAID freeze so far?

It has had a huge impact. Many refugees earn money working for aid agencies. Some are staff and others are "volunteers" who get a small stipend - less than $55 a month - that they depend on to support their families. Thousands have now lost their income and don't know how they will put food on the table.

Many people here are not entitled to food aid because they have these jobs. Others, like me, only get limited rations. Some of us have wives who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Very soon we'll see a big increase in malnutrition because families no longer have money to buy food.

How has your family been impacted?

I get a small monthly ration of cereals, beans and cooking oil from the World Food Programme (WFP). It only feeds my family for one week, but we've heard rumours that even this may stop because the WFP relies heavily on U.S. funding.

I have a three-year-old girl and a baby, and my wife is breastfeeding. I'm also supporting my parents and my brother's family. The responsibility is overwhelming.

I have many friends and neighbours who have had their contracts ended or their jobs suspended. They worked for big aid agencies like IRC and Windle International doing community liaison jobs and teaching.

How will healthcare for refugees be affected?

Health facilities have lost staff and volunteers. Before the stop-work orders, refugees worked as interpreters. Many South Sudanese don't speak English so without interpreters they may get the wrong diagnosis or treatment.

Some facilities run by aid agencies will shut down, which will allow private operators to move in and charge a lot more for drugs. So, the freeze will lead to more people dying or suffering unnecessary pain because they can't afford to go to the doctor or buy expensive medicines.

There are a lot of health issues here. Many people have ulcers from poor diet and stress. Typhoid is another problem because of contaminated water. I'm very worried that if our baby gets sick there won't be any medical services or drugs.

What about education for refugees?

Some aid agencies have handed over kindergartens to parents to run, but if they can't pay the teachers they'll stop working. Primary and secondary schools are still open, but assistant teachers are being laid off.

Parents have to pay a school fee of 72,000 Ugandan shillings  ($19.60) a term for stationery and other expenses, but the freeze means this will go up. If parents can't afford the increase, schools may shut. I'm paying for my brother's eight children to attend school. It's expensive, but it's crucial they have an education for their future.

Could the aid freeze force people to leave the camp?

Yes, if we cannot survive here the only option would be to try to go back to South Sudan, but that would be extremely risky. Moving around the country is dangerous and you might get attacked or killed.

I come from Morobo County in the south. A lot of villages like mine have been destroyed and there are no houses left. But some families have already started going back because they can no longer survive after last year's aid cuts. This freeze will force more to leave.

What would you say to Trump?

I would say, Mr President, sustaining U.S funding in camps like Bidibidi is not just a moral duty but a strategic investment in global stability and security. It demonstrates American leadership.

I'd ask him to have some mercy, have some heart. This will cause a lot of malnutrition in the camps in Uganda, and impact education. We need educated, healthy people to rebuild South Sudan when it's safe to return home.

It is true that aid does not always get to the people it's intended for, but the answer is not to stop aid, the answer is to build in more accountability.

($1 = 3,675 Ugandan shillings)

(Reporting by Emma Batha; Editing by Jon Hemming.)