By Munacho Gwamanda-Thousands of workers in Zimbabwe’s non-governmental and civil society sectors have lost their jobs following a major funding cut by the Donald Trump administration.
The most affected areas include HIV programming, the creative industry, and humanitarian assistance.
The United States government has significantly scaled back its global aid efforts, slashing 83% of the U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) programs worldwide. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that after a six-week review of USAID operations, approximately 5,200 projects had been discontinued.
Among the hardest-hit initiatives are those in Zimbabwe, where USAID previously funded key projects worth a total of$522 million.
Of that, $388 million was allocated to ongoing programs—now abruptly terminated.
These figures account only for USAID-funded initiatives, excluding indirect support through organizations like the World Food Programme.
USAID has been a major contributor to international aid, particularly in Zimbabwe, where it provided crucial support for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria programs.
The agency had allocated over $90 million for HIV-related programs, including technical, financial, and material support, as well as wages for essential health workers.
Programs specifically designed to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women—valued at $53.2 million—have been shut down, alongside a $30.1 million initiative supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.
An additional $17.4 million dedicated to child welfare services has also been discontinued.
USAID’s $25.7 million commitment to Zimbabwe’s malaria strategy, including the Zimbabwe Assistance Programme in Malaria (ZAPIM), has been scrapped, as has $2.6 million for malaria research.
Similarly, maternal, neonatal, and child health projects in five provinces—worth $16.5 million—have been halted, along with a $29 million TB prevention and treatment initiative that included support for health workers.
Beyond health and humanitarian programs, the funding cuts have dealt a blow to governance and civic engagement initiatives.
USAID had earmarked $18.99 million to promote citizen participation in governance, $4.91 million for constitutional reform advocacy, and $12 million for youth campaigns on good governance—all of which have now been canceled.
A $5 million budget for supporting torture victims has also been eliminated.
Media-related projects have not been spared. USAID’s $8 million “New Narratives for Accountability” initiative and $7 million in funding for media organizations aimed at enhancing press freedom and accountability have been scrapped.
The abrupt termination of these programs has left thousands of Zimbabweans jobless and stripped vulnerable communities of crucial support.
Many health workers, community mobilizers, and civil society activists are now uncertain about their future as the ripple effects of the funding cuts continue to unfold.
Observers warn that the decision will significantly impact Zimbabwe’s fight against infectious diseases, weaken governance structures, and reduce humanitarian assistance at a time when the country is already grappling with economic challenges.
With USAID’s withdrawal, the search for alternative funding sources has become urgent, but for now, the country faces a major setback in its development and humanitarian efforts.