Hello from the heart of Washington, D.C., where our advocacy team is pushing hard for the U.S. government to allocate funds to save lives and fight poverty around the world. Securing funding in 2023 was a topsy-turvy, nail-biting journey, and we expect that 2024 will be no different.
Our top priority by far is protecting international aid from the increasingly harsh attacks coming from some in Congress. You may not know that the US government provides billions of dollars each year to keep girls in school, help women start savings groups, support farmers in adapting to climate change, and prevent the next global pandemic. These resources complement and deepen the impact of the gifts that you provide to CARE.
My team is working hard to educate Members of Congress on the incredible ROI our country gets from these tiny investments—international aid is only about one-half-of-one percent of the federal budget. Returns include frontline healthcare workers finding and treating people with Ebola before it spreads; girls staying in school until 18, delaying marriage, and having healthier children; and Kenyan farmers harvesting water, growing food through droughts, and not requiring emergency food aid.
One important ingredient to our success is you! Decision-makers in Washington listen most to people like you who care about the world. I want to invite you to join us in spreading the word that aid works. Go to CAREAction.org and become an advocate. And I’ll hope to see you in Washington, D.C., soon!
Warmly,
Ritu Sharma
Vice President for US Programs and Policy Advocacy at CARE