USAID has a fundamental role in helping alleviate poverty around the world. Through the elimination of poverty, USAID hopes to enable resilient, democratic societies flourish. USAID helps to promote broad-scale human progress that helps to create stable, free, and growing economies. It has done this through a litany of activities that rang from food security to humanitarian assistance.
By following the organization of social media, I was first astounded by the sheer amount of poverty and want still prevalent around the world. As noted on the USAID website, the organization spends less than 1% of the total Federal Budget. However, with this relatively small amount, the organization must fight various tragedies around the world. Further complicating the issue, is how these small funds are apportioned to those in need. There is simply too little money chasing too great a need. I was amazed through social media, how much the organization is able to accomplish with so little funding (Bollen, 2005).
I have also learned about the sheet magnitude of the accomplishments of USAID as an organization. For example, 3 million lives have been saved every year through USAID immunization programs. The organization has helped 21,000 farm families in Honduras help improve farming practices....
It has provided assistance to Vietnamese flood victims. It has provided millions of dollars of aid to Haiti during a cataclysmic earthquake. It has even reach 850,000 people with methods to help prevent and stop the spread of aids. All of this accomplished with less that 1% of the Federal Budget.
I also gained insights into how the organization rates its performance and how it allocates capital to its respective initiatives. Through the agency strategic plan report I learned that in many instances, the agency relies on forecasts and assumptions. The agency for example plans expenditures 3-year in advance. It also has a very through process of financial assistance designed to achieve an adequate return on the investment made in the country.
I will continue following the organization as their accomplishments provide hope for better future. I also help to help contribute ideas and solutions to the organization if they are warranted. For example, the USAID Twitter account is very engaging and collaborative. Intuitively, many individuals would assume that a governmental agency has all the answers regarding is mission, vision, and values. The USAID agency is different however. They recognize that world poverty is an international issue that requires collaboration on…
