What's the Impact on the USAID funding freeze to Tearfund Canada?

Dear friend,

I’m writing from Aweil, South Sudan, as I visit the projects implemented here by our local church partner.  Over the past few days, I have been closely following the news related to the executive orders coming from the US over the funding freeze for USAID, and the possible dissolution of the entire agency.  As I watch the situation unfold for organizations that use these funds to meet the needs of the most vulnerable sector around the world, my thoughts always rest with those who will be most affected by these decisions. I’m reminded of an adage – when the elephants rustle, it’s the grass that suffers.  

You might be asking about how this impacts our programs. While we remain concerned about the stop work orders from a Humanitarian perspective, our specific projects continue to be practically unaffected.

This is thanks to wonderful donors like you, and a model that emphasizes local partnership and collaboration.

We remain unaffected:

• THANKS to the fact that our projects are funded by faithful private donors
• THANKS to the fact that our projects are implemented by local partners
• THANKS to the many local churches who are vital to the sustainability of what we do. 

As I travelled in Kenya this past week, the integration I witnessed across many project areas to amplify impact was outstanding.  I’m even more impressed than ever by our partners who are doing “more with less.” 

However, while their planned work is thriving, the needs will grow within their communities due to the gaps that will now be wider than ever. We need individual donors like yourself to take up the cause of the poor more than ever, to be the voice for the voiceless, and to support the grass-roots work being done outside of massive government-funded initiatives that have proven to be more fragile than we ever anticipated.  

Some of our Tearfund family members do receive funding from the US government. We invite you to join us in supporting them in prayer as they grapple with the consequences of recent decisions and do their best to honour their commitments to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable where they work.

Thank you!

Trisha Okenge
Executive Director, Tearfund Canada