The Petionville golf course, once a retreat for wealthy Haitians and foreigners, became an IDP camp after the 2010 earthquake, where USAID played a substantial role in tent distribution and food aid—USAID’s role in Haiti was deeply flawed, including a $140 million food program that ultimately harmed Haitian farmers by undermining local agricultural production.
USAID: Imperfect Aid, Essential Relief
In post-disaster scenarios, I often found myself deeply critical when I saw the USAID logo emblazoned on tents and cans of food. Given the immense wealth of the United States, these contributions felt insufficient compared to the dire conditions in which refugees and internally displaced people were forced to live—and yet without it millions would have been dead. Over 20 years, I documented this flawed and essential in aid in Kosovo, Albania and Pakistan, amongst other nations. No country illustrates both how essential and flawed it was than Haiti, following the 2010 earthquake. USAID allocated approximately $2.3 billion for reconstruction and development. However, only about 2 percent of these funds—just over $48 million—were awarded directly to Haitian organizations, with the majority going to firms in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia. Over my
At the same time, despite my government’s contradictory policies in many of these regions which exasperated the need and deepened poverty, USAID’s help (however much of a bandaid, and a small one at that)remained absolutely essential. Those who have since dismantled the agency were well aware of its flaws. However, their mandate should have been to address these shortcomings and implement meaningful reforms, not to erase the institution entirely.
Under president George W. Bush, The U.S. responded Pakistan’s October 8, 2005, earthquake, pledging $50 million for initial relief and reconstruction. Assistance included emergency shelter, food, water, medical supplies, and military support, with ongoing coordination to address evolving needs.
Wheat distributed by US Central command to displaced Haitians following the 2005 flooding which killed over 1,000 people in this rural village.
USAID/OFDA in Washington committed $1 million to be provided through the American Red Cross in response to a Preliminary Emergency Appeal issued by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. This was in addition to the $100,000 announced yesterday by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.
Despite its significant shortcomings, USAID played a crucial role in distributing food and tents in this camp after the 2010 earthquake.
Children look at marine Chinooks as US Central Command distributed food.
A boy holds a handful of rice as U.S. Central Command distributes food aid.
Following the February 2004 ousting of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti was plunged into political turmoil. Concerned about potential mass migration to the U.S., President Clinton deployed the U.S. military under the pretext of maintaining order. In this image, U.S. Marines search young men for contraband—an act that, in practice, often amounted to routine harassment rather than genuine security enforcement.
Rations from USAID and the World Food Program were sold on the street, although they were intended solely for humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian assistance that was delivered by US Central Command was distributed by the Red Cross.
U.S. Marines and Canadian forces await a Chinook helicopter delivering humanitarian aid to flood-stricken Mapou. Given the region’s extreme poverty and urgent need, the militarized response was excessive. In Haiti, a country with a long and fraught history of foreign military interventions, the heavily armed presence of U.S. and Canadian forces during the Mapou flood relief effort was both appreciated and felt more imposing than reassuring to many.
While food distribution from donor states is essential, it does not come without arrogance from the agencies that deliver it; pictured here, an unknown aid worker tosses aid to the desperate. Arrogance aside, the U.S. Department of Defense shipped 500,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) to Albania, while USAID/OFDA contributed an additional 300,000 HDRs to support food distribution efforts.
USAID coordinated closely with the UN World Food Program (WFP) and other NGOs to ensure food supplies reached refugees in camps and host communities.
14,000 tons of food per month were supplied by the U.S. government (including USAID) for distribution to refugees in camps and those staying with host families in Albania. Family food packs, airlifted from Utah, were distributed to 3,000 refugee families. These packs included essential items like rice, wheat, and cooking oil.
After Hurricane Alex hit Haiti thousands where left homeless and hunderds where killed when their village, Mapou, was flooded. With food supplies already dangerously low (the countryside has been been destroyed and therefor people cannot grow their own food) thousands risked starvation. Aid was distributed by the United States and The Red Cross.
Already reeling from the January 12 earthquake and an influx of foreign aid that undercut local farmers, Haiti was further devastated by heavy storms, which caused severe flooding, particularly in the western regions. Pictured: A flooded field as a man carries a bag cooking charcoal.
A mother and her daughter boil water for cooking. While the 2010 earthquake claimed over 230,000 lives, a harsh winter loomed, threatening even more casualties. A concerted global effort—led in part by the U.S.—became critical. Without winterized tents, deaths from exposure were expected to surpass those from the quake, making rapid intervention essential. Thanks to contributions from USAID and other international partners, that crisis was largely averted.
Panjgran, a remote village in Punjab Provience, was among the most vulnerable, accessible only by helicopter and lacking tents before aid arrived. Here, residents receive blankets and supplies from Médecins Sans Frontières (which does not accept government funding) to prepare for the winter. However, the United States’ contribution cannot be overlooked or discounted: USAID provided $41.8 million in aid, including airlifts of 45,000 blankets, 1,570 winterized tents, water purification units, and other essential supplies.
After crossing the border from Kosovo to Albania a woman departs to a destination unknown. USAID provided critical aid to Kosovar refugees, including emergency shelter, food, medical assistance, and clean water, helping thousands survive displacement and harsh conditions.
A girl blows on the last ember of a fire along the Jehlum river. Without the support from USAID she very likely would not have survived through the winer.