USAID at 60

28 statistics that illustrate our impact over the decades

On November 3, 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the United States Agency for International Development to focus on long-range economic and social development.

Today, USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results.

On our 60th anniversary, here are 28 statistics that illustrate our impact over the past six decades:

1.) Since 2000, USAID working with partners has helped save more than 60 million lives from tuberculosis.

2.) USAID supports life saving treatment for nearly 7 million people through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

As part of a USAID project, doctors and nurses learned to use rapid HIV tests at a training in Odessa, Ukraine in February 2017. / Lesia Yatsenko for USAID

3.) USAID helped save 7 million people through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative.

Abotono (left), a community health volunteer in Madagascar, uses an app to improve the detection and treatment of malaria in his village. / Samy Rakotoniaina, USAID

4.) USAID helped prevent more than a billion cases of malaria.

Twins received new mosquito nets during a campaign at their primary school in Tanzania. / Riccardo Gangale, VectorWorks, Courtesy of Photoshare

5.) USAID served as the largest international contributor to smallpox efforts, helping eradicate the disease.

A child receives a smallpox vaccine. Read about USAID’s history of supporting immunizations around the world. / USAID

6.) USAID trained 13 million health workers in maternal and child health and nutrition.

In Nepal, community health workers like Jharana delivered chlorhexidine, a treatment for cut umbilical cords, to mothers free of charge. / Thomas Cristofoletti for USAID

7.) USAID has supported delivery of 2.8 billion treatments and leveraged $27.6 billion in donated drugs to help prevent neglected tropical diseases.

USAID supported distribution of deworming medication for school children in Vietnam. / USAID

8.) Through USAID programs, more than 44 million people gained access to sustainable sanitation.

A woman in Tajikistan proudly demonstrates washing her hands with new water spigots, accessible to all residents of her village. / Jessica Benton Cooney, USAID

9.) Through USAID programs more than 59 million people gained access to sustainable drinking water.

10.) USAID reached more than 4 billion people with food assistance.

Food is distributed in Nigeria. Read more about USAID’s progress toward global food security. / USAID archives

11.) With USAID’s support, underweight and stunting among children under 5 has been cut in half.

12.) Since 2001, USAID has contributed approximately $2.8 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help immunize more than 888 million children and help save more than 15 million lives.

13.) In areas where the USAID-led Feed the Future initiative works, 23.4 million more people now live above the poverty line.

Feed the Future helps empower women in Guatemala to increase agricultural production and earn more for their families./ USAID/AGEXPORT

14.) Vitamin A supplementation supported by USAID has averted an estimated 1.25 million child deaths.

In Uganda, 8-month-old Rahimu Kyuka enjoys his meal mixed with micronutrient powder. / SPRING

15.) USAID has responded to more than 2,900 disasters in 80% of the world.

16.) Since 2013, Power Africa has delivered first-time electricity to 118.5 million people across sub-Saharan Africa.

17.) Since 2013, Power Africa has connected more than 25 million homes and businesses to on- and off-grid energy solutions.

18.) USAID invests in partner country education systems in more than 50 countries, providing more than 24 million children and youth access to education annually.

USAID archival photo from South Korea.

19.) Each year, USAID programs train more than 300,000 educators, support more than 93,000 schools, and partner with more than 580 higher education institutions.

20.) In 2020 alone, USAID helped more than 92 million women and children access essential, and often lifesaving, care.

Read how a nurse in the West Bank helps Palestinian women with high-risk pregnancies.

21.) USAID works to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in more than 40 countries worldwide.

Read how a journalist in Kazakhstan gets local authorities to address domestic abuse. / Victor Magdeyev for USAID

22.) USAID has worked for 46 years on advancing women’s economic empowerment by integrating women into the economy to improve their social, cultural, and economic status.

Read about two sisters who trained to become auto mechanics in Morocco. / Bobby Neptune for USAID

23.) Since 2010, USAID has helped around 3 billion people use weather and climate data to cope, manage, and adapt.

24.) Since 2010, USAID helped more than 12,000 local governments, civil society, and businesses better assess and proactively address their climate risks.

25.) Between 2016 and 2019, USAID reduced 326 million tons of CO2 emissions through conservation, reforestation, and land management projects.

In Peru, park ranger Jessica Morón fights forest fires that are a major threat to ecosystems and a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. / Diego Pérez for USAID

26.) USAID provided training to 574,000 youth in social or leadership skills, 14,000 election officials, 10,000 domestic election observers, and 7,900 government officials in anti-corruption.

27.) Since 2013, USAID has strengthened entrepreneurial ecosystems worldwide through the Partnering to Accelerate Entrepreneurship Initiative, supporting more than 4,000 early-stage entrepreneurs, generating nearly 28,000 jobs and catalyzing $657.3 million in private financing.

28.) Through 40+ open innovation competitions, USAID’s $138 million investment has catalyzed over $1.37 billion of investment to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of innovative solutions.

Read how students from Rice University in Texas developed a low cost technology which helps small and sick babies breathe.