US Aid Impact & Challenges - US aid prevented 92 million deaths in 133 countries over 20 years (2001-2021), including 25 million from HIV/AIDS, 11 million from diarrheal diseases, 8 million from malaria, and 5 million from tuberculosis [2] - Gutting American aid is projected to cost millions of lives, impacting access to life-saving medicines and emergency food [3][4] - A historic drought in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia (2020-2023) put 40 million people on the path to humanitarian aid, with US taxpayers providing 70% of the necessary aid [9][10] - In 2022, US aid for the drought cost approximately $2 billion, or $6 per average American household [11] - Independent experts estimate that American aid prevented between 21% and 39% million deaths during the drought, half of whom would have been children under 5 [12] Waste & Inefficiency Concerns - Millions of vaccine doses donated to Sierra Leone were wasted due to the cancellation of a distribution program [5] - The current administration is contributing to waste despite claiming to target waste, fraud, and abuse [5] Communication & Perception - US Aid failed to effectively communicate the impact of American aid to the public, creating space for criticism and potential budget cuts [7] - The withdrawal of US aid raises concerns about who will fill the vacuum and the impact on the world's poorest populations [8][9]

[Music] Good morning everybody. I'd like to introduce you to my pebble. This pebble is a funny size.It's very thin, not much color. But if I drop it in a pond of rippling water, the ripples far exceed the size of this pebble. Our lives are the same.When we take an action, the action we take, however great or small, far exceeds our immediate circle. Today, I'd like to take a moment to share when I and others around me have thrown a pebble into the waters of our society and brought about some positive change. ...

What is it like to go there and treat these kids knowing they can't leave but knowing that you can. It's heartbreaking. I was there when the first evacuation from Kunas happened.There was a line of cars 5 kilometers long. But what caught me the most was that I was walking past a garbage dump and there was a family of maybe six, seven, eight that were looking in that garbage dump. And for a moment I thought they were looking to try to throw stuff, you know, trying to dispose of stuff because there's been not ...

The Nick unit in Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Ya is just 4 days old, born premature, suffering liver failure, and totally reliant on formula, which is in short supply. We're relying on the supplies that we have extremely limited.They're rationing every day. Doctors here, including several visiting American volunteers, say Gazins are starving because Israel, which controls all access to Gaza, only lets in a trickle of food and that getting to it can be deadly. It's a common term. It's a death trap. It's a slaugh ...

Aid Distribution & Safety Concerns - The current aid distribution process in Gaza, including designated routes, endangers civilians seeking limited supplies [3] - Gazan authorities report over 100 Palestinian deaths while attempting to access aid [1] - Videos show people gathering hours before dawn and scrambling for supplies, indicating a chaotic "Hunger Games" situation [8][9][10] - Reports of violence outside aid sites continue almost daily, with troops opening fire on at least five occasions [18] - At least 23 people died while going to get aid on one morning [17] Organizations & Operations - A US-based civilian company distributes tens of thousands of food packages daily [1] - The aid system is run by American security contractors instead of the United Nations, as part of larger Israeli plans for Gaza [3] - Key entities involved include the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), a new company with unclear selection criteria [5][6] - The director of GHF resigned before the new system launched, questioning its humanity and neutrality; the organization is now led by Johnnie Moore, a vocal supporter of Israel [6] - GHF has opened four distribution sites built by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), all in areas deemed dangerous combat zones [7] - The United Nations-led system previously had close to 400 distribution sites, compared to the current four planned centers [21] Israeli Military Involvement & Response - The IDF initially denied firing at civilians near the distribution site but later acknowledged firing warning shots one kilometer away [14][15] - The IDF released a video claiming to show armed attackers shooting at people collecting aid, but the video was geo-located eight kilometers away from the GHF aid site [15][16] - The IDF confirmed troops have opened fire outside aid centers on at least five occasions [18] - An Israeli military official described the rollout as a "learning process" with difficulties expected to be smoothed out over time [20]