Kenyan NGO workers are facing a bleak Valentine’s Day as the effects of the Trump administration’s 90-day foreign aid freeze begin to take hold. One of the hardest-hit programs, the USAID-funded AMPATH Uzima project, has sent thousands of employees on unpaid leave, citing a lack of funds.
AMPATH, based at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, supports HIV/AIDS patients across eight counties and employs between 2,000 and 5,000 permanent and casual workers. The program is a partnership involving Moi University, MTRH, the AMPATH Consortium led by Indiana University, and the Kenyan government, among others.
In a letter dated January 24, 2025, AMPATH Chief of Party Sylvester Kimaiyo informed staff that the unpaid leave would take effect on February 1. This move follows the implementation of the Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid.
“To comply with the directive, all staff are requested to proceed for unpaid leave with effect from February 1, 2025,” the letter read.
Despite the layoffs, MTRH CEO Dr. Philip Kirwa assured the public that patient care would continue through staff funded by other agencies. “Treatment and management of patients is still ongoing. The patients are not disadvantaged,” Kirwa stated.
Ripple Effects Across the NGO Sector
AMPATH is not alone. Many USAID-funded organizations in Kenya have begun issuing termination notices due to financial uncertainty. The Trump administration has signaled a broader intent to dismantle USAID entirely, a move championed by Elon Musk, head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, who has called the international aid agency a "criminal entity."
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also acting head of USAID, stated that the agency’s spending is under review. While a complete shutdown would require congressional approval, the uncertainty has already triggered widespread job losses.
According to USAID, an estimated 40,000 employees worldwide—both direct and indirect—are at risk. Rubio announced on February 6 that, starting February 7, USAID employees would go on indefinite leave, with American staffers in foreign missions set for repatriation.
Trump’s Broader War on NGOs
The cuts are not limited to foreign operations. The Trump administration has also slashed funding for U.S.-based NGOs, particularly those involved in immigration aid. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the move, arguing that many organizations had strayed from their original missions.
“Previously, I believed in NGOs because they introduced people to Jesus and fed the hungry. But over the years, they have become a shadow government, aiding criminals and gang members to enter our country,” Noem told Fox News.
With USAID’s fate hanging in the balance, thousands of Kenyan workers—and millions of beneficiaries—are bracing for more painful days ahead.