Do you know what your government is doing?
Year-end inspiration from the agency you’ve never heard of
I find it nearly impossible to tell people what I do in 10 words or less. And it’s actually indicative of a bigger issue. Let’s break that down.
First there is the fairly nebulous title of content chief. In modern comms parlance, content includes the myriad ways organizations communicate publicly about what they do — stories, photos, essays, videos, graphics, GIFs … essentially, whatever it takes to get your attention and make you want to learn more.
The ‘where I do it’ part is tricker still. Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of USAID? USwhat? Let me guess: you’re not raising your hand.
USAID stands for the United States Agency for International Development. We are a small but scrappy government agency that uses a tiny fraction of the federal budget (less than 1%!) to do some pretty incredible things, with the help of thousands of incredible partner organizations, around the globe.
Things like: save millions of babies from dying each year from diseases — like malaria, HIV and pneumonia — that we know how to prevent. Things like give millions of farmers across the developing world the tools to grow more and better food. We respond to disasters — like typhoons in the Philippines, earthquakes in Haiti, and humanitarian crises in Liberia or in Syria. We help governments become more accountable to their people, and we give people the tools to hold those governments accountable too. We educate millions of children.
We help countries grow and power their economies, while also taking care of our environment. We empower women to have a greater stake in their futures. We do many many more things that make the world better, safer and more resilient.
We do so many incredible things, that it’s surprising that you’ve never heard of us. And we do it all on behalf of you — the U.S. taxpayer. Everything we do — from a new school or clinic built in Afghanistan, to bags of food aid delivered to the people South Sudan (and yes, even our rescue dogs) — proudly dons the tagline: From the American People.
Why do we do this? Because in many of the places we work, we are waging a war of ideas. There are some other groups fighting those wars too. But we think our ideas are better.
That’s why, as the year comes to a close, we’ve decided to break down some of our proudest moments and best stories into single words — 10 words to be exact — that will help you understand just a little better what we do.
As you ring in the New Year, wherever you are, please share our words and our stories. And be proud of what your government is doing around the world. We are doing it on behalf of you!
1. Peace
To the millions of people who live in violent, war-torn or unstable regions, peace can seem a distant concept. Jessel’s hometown in Honduras has been called “the murder capital of the world.” At 16, he nearly died when he was shot by a local gang member. That’s when he decided to turn his life around. Now, Jessel runs a group that promotes peace through some unorthodox methods — over four wheels!
Learn more about Jessel and his ‘Skate Brothers’ on our storytelling hub.
2. Hope
In a country that has struggled from shockingly high rates of infant mortality, health volunteers like Jharana are giving hope to new mothers. Until recently in Nepal, three in every 100 babies died before they were 28 days old, often from preventable infections. Why? Because in this Himalayan nation, a newborn’s umbilical cord has traditionally been cut with dirty household tools and then rubbed with turmeric or even cow dung to encourage “healing.” But a simple, low-cost antiseptic gel is changing this. Women like Jharana are leading the way.
Read more about how Jharana and how her fellow volunteers are changing minds and saving lives.
3. Love
What’s not to love about strawberries? Osama is a proud West Bank strawberry farmer — one of just 20 in the entire West Bank. But he’s also a proud father that would stop at nothing to make his teenage daughter happy. Osama’s love for his family motivates everything he does, including his strawberry business. Maybe that’s why his fruits are some of the best around. Or maybe it’s the USAID program that has brought him some cool modern tools. Either way, it’s a great story.
Read more about Osama and his most delectable fruit.
4. Friendship
John Kerry said recently: “The tragedy of conflict falls most heavily on the smallest shoulders.” When it comes to the unthinkable tragedy of the Syrian civil war, who wouldn’t need a little help from their friends? Raghad is a 14-year-old girl from near Homs, Syria, who has found safety — and everlasting friendship — in one of the thousands of Jordanian classrooms that serves as a refuge for Syrian students, helping them recover their childhood and ultimately, begin again.
5. Courage
Standing up to stigma and a culture that doesn’t accept you takes courage. But that’s exactly what Tania, a transgender activist, is doing in her native Cartagena, Colombia. All along the Caribbean coast, trans people face many types of discrimination, but also repressive violence. It takes guts, but Tania and the human rights group she works with will stop at nothing to defend and protect the rights of all people.
Read more on how Tania is taking on the establishment.
6. Empowerment
For people who are struggling, asking for help can be anything but empowering. And that’s what Neimat, her sister and mother face each day. Jobs in their West Bank community are hard to come by, and much of Neimat’s time — and money — goes to caring for her diabetic mother. But starting in 2011, the family has received a small cash transfer on a electronic voucher card — about $10 — which Neimat uses to cover her family’s basic food needs. But the best part: the voucher works just like a credit card (i.e. no waiting on food distro lines), and allows her to hold her head high and shop with dignity. Now that’s empowerment.
Read more about how these West Bank women are getting ‘A Little Help From Their Card.’
7. Strength
You may not know it, but malnutrition is a stealthy killer, sapping the bodies and minds of millions of children around the world each year. Its effects can be irreversible. That’s why strong women like Hapsatou have made fighting malnutrition their number one priority. In rural Senegal, where Hapsatou lives, this can be hard work, but she does everything she can to ensure her community’s children grow up healthy and strong. The results have been transformational — strength, delivered.
Read more about the difference Hapsatou, the malnutrition magician, is making in her community.
8. Power
A powerful person can move mountains (just maybe not in the dark). Across the rural regions of Tanzania, just one in 10 people have access to electricity. Until recently, this was true for Teresia’s Maasai community as well. The lack of power limits progress and encumbers common tasks. It means falling on stones while walking at night. It means fear of stepping on snakes or scorpions. Mothers deliver babies in the dark; torches, candles and kerosene lamps flirt with disaster in huts made of trees and mud. But not today. USAID’s Power Africa project is lighting up villages across sub-Saharan Africa. More power to them!
Read more about how Teresia is ‘Turning on the Light.’
9. Determination
A victim of childhood polio, Zubeida is one of millions of women with disabilities across India. These women often experience mental and physical abuse: Some are called names or beaten; others are sexually violated. But today, armed with advocacy and leadership training, Zubeida is determined to stand up for her rights. But don’t take our word for it, take hers: “I am a woman. I am disabled. I can do anything. That is my right.”
Read more about how Zubeida is standing ‘On Her Own Two Feet.’
10. Heroism
What causes people to want to give their lives to helping others? At USAID, it often seems we traffic in heroes. We see them each and every day in the more than 100 countries we operate in: from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. But maybe nowhere was this more evident than during the recent Ebola response.
From USAID’s own first responders, to the Liberian contact tracers hunting down new cases; from the the doctors and nurses treating the sick, to the burial teams who prevent the dead from harming those they loved. The Ebola crisis has devastated families, communities and countries through West Africa. But from this heartbreak, we’ve seen stories of unparalleled courage, and of course, heroics.
Read more about the Liberian burial teams who risked their lives to protect those they loved.
I hope you’ve enjoyed our stories. From our USAID family to yours, happy holidays! (and here’s a little bonus video): Wishing you a world of possibilities!
Follow @USAID on Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Storify and Medium
About the Author
Kelly Ramundo oversees a talented team of writers, editors and designers at USAID as head of the agency’s content division. Most recently, she has spearheaded a new multimedia storytelling venture, which launched in July at http://stories.usaid.gov. Before joining USAID, she lived in Madrid and worked as a journalist for Spain’s largest newspaper, El País.
