A look at the devastating impact of USAID cuts in rural Afghanistan

Since the Trump administration implemented broad cuts to foreign aid 18 months ago, Afghanistan has been among the countries most severely affected. Refugees International estimates that these cuts have caused more than 160 deaths over the past 18 months, particularly impacting mothers and infants. Special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen and videographer Eric O Connor report from rural Herat, where the cuts have had devastating consequences for communities that once received support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In one tragic story, Abdul Rahman, a respected community leader, collapsed and died while waiting for medical help from a clinic 30 minutes away. His brother, Abdul Salem, rushed him to the clinic, but they were unable to provide immediate assistance due to the lack of funding. Abdul Rahman, described as the "best man in the village," had been the community's head. The mourners arrived as the sun set to bury him on a hill overlooking his home.

Elsewhere, Simagul, a bereaved mother, lost her son Fahim to a severe bout of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea after the village clinic could not provide adequate treatment due to lack of funding. Simagul had to search for a male chaperone and a motorcycle to take her sick child to the nearest clinic two hours away. When they finally reached the hospital, Fahim had already suffered another seizure and died on the way. Now, Simagul is pregnant again, and she fears her newborn daughter may meet the same fate.

Yeganeh, a 21-year-old mother of five, lost her children due to malnutrition and bacterial infections. She has been desperately seeking care for her newborn, who exhibits similar symptoms. Despite the pleas for help, Yeganeh feels hopeless, fearing her child may also die like her previous five. The villagers believe she is "cursed" and want to take her newborn away from her, but she remains determined to keep the baby alive with proper medical care.