In January, Jerrold Keilson was director of a 10-year-old program that trained over 30,000 young Africans in 49 countries in business, public administration, and more.

Keilson’s program was funded by USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, which supports disaster relief, global health, socioeconomic development, democracy, and education, among other causes. It distributed nearly $43.8 billion in fiscal 2023.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order freezing funding to USAID on January 20, his first day in office, saying the organization’s work was “not aligned with American interests.” Soon afterward, USAID laid off most of its 10,000 workers.

On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said 5,200 of USAID’s 6,200 programs had been purged. Those remaining would be moved to the State Department.

Amidst a complicated series of legal moves, one federal judge has permitted the administration to fire or put on leave USAID workers. At the same time, another has instructed it to pay nearly $2 billion in unpaid fees for humanitarian work. The Supreme Court upheld the latter ruling last week but without a timetable.

Keilson, a member of OLAM, an umbrella organization for Jewish people and nongovernmental organizations, or NGOs, working in overseas development and aid, is just one victim of the gutting of USAID.

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This article was originally published in The Times of Israel on March 11, 2025. Click the link above to read the full piece.