The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent U.S. federal government agency that partners with groups worldwide to build infrastructure, promote global health, and offer humanitarian assistance in five regions of the world: sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Eurasia, and the Middle East. Since its creation in 1961, USAID has provided financial and advisory support to help nations develop infrastructure, build an agricultural base, improve access to healthcare, and stabilize government. USAID also offers emergency disaster relief.

Building Infrastructure, Saving Lives

U.S. foreign assistance has traditionally had a dual purpose of encouraging democracy worldwide while also improving the lives of those in developing nations. USAID was established with these goals in mind when the Foreign Assistance Act was signed into U.S. law in 1961. Today, USAID supports projects in 100 developing countries through partnerships with businesses, organizations, local populations, universities, and other U.S. government agencies.

USAID has working relationships through contracts and grant agreements with more than 3,500 companies and more than 300 U.S.-based private voluntary organizations. Past projects supported by USAID span a wide range of relief approaches, including technical assistance and capacity building, training and scholarships, food aid and disaster relief, and infrastructure construction. As of January 2009, results from USAID relief efforts have included the following:

• Distribution of $2.06 billion in emergency food assistance to 26 countries, including $129 million designated to buy food locally in Somalia, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Tajikistan in 2008.
• Response to 77 disasters affecting more than 94 million people in 57 countries in 2007.
• Support for the treatment of 6.6 billion liters of water using point-of-use water purification products in Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. In Madagascar, a related 2007 campaign reached 1.35 million households with water, sanitation, and hygiene messages.

Empowerment Through Training

Many of the programs supported by USAID provide job-skill training, healthcare outreach, and/or social services to help populations improve and sustain their quality of life. Some examples of USAID-supported programs include the following:

• In Timor-Leste, the USAID small grants program has helped more than 400 farmers improve their skills in horticulture, animal husbandry, and marketing. In some areas, the projects have helped farmers double their rice and corn volume. Separately, the USAID small loan project has financed projects worth almost a quarter of a million dollars to provide credit to more than 1,000 women and their families in the region who might not otherwise receive financial assistance.
• In Haiti, honey is a key part of the traditional diet. When blight eliminated more than three-quarters of the Haitian bee population, it all but destroyed the bee industry. The USAID Farmer to Farmer program, administered by Partners of the Americas, conducted seminars and field visits to teach basic bee maintenance and bee nutrition in the dry season, and proper beehive construction. A year after the Farmer to Farmer program began in Haiti, more than 1,000 beekeepers returned to raising bees and more than 300 hives were restructured. Honey production increased from three to seven gallons per hive, generating significant income for Haitian beekeepers. In addition, beekeepers are now working together to form beekeeper associations in order to increase profits and reduce costs.
• In the West Bank, USAID sponsors a mobile clinic that reaches out to Bedouins who otherwise would not have access to medical treatment. The mobile clinic team provides health education, medical testing, blood testing, first aid training, and social support services. The mobile clinics serve more than 5,500 people at 50 Bedouin camps in the Jericho area.

Planting Today for a Brighter Future

USAID projects are making a difference around the world--but there is still much to be done. USAID remains committed to providing the support and training required to build infrastructure, seed agriculture, and stabilize regions. Planned projects include the following:

Investing $130 million in 2009 to support the production and trade of staple foods including corn, wheat, cassava, sorghum, and millet for distribution in West Africa.

Working with the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Pakistan on a three-year, $24 million energy efficiency and capacity building project that will focus on energy conservation in the nation.

Supporting the planting and distribution of 50,000 high-yield grapevines and fruit trees in Iraq to rejuvenate the nation’s orchards.