Foreign Aid Cuts Leave Millions of Malnourished Children Without Lifesaving Support

The international community must uphold the core values of foreign aid, prioritizing children’s well-being and futures above all else.

The recent wave of foreign aid cuts has led to the suspension of critical lifesaving programmes for malnourished children, with devastating consequences in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. As a staggering 131 million children globally live in areas experiencing acute food crises, the repercussions of these funding reductions are dire, according to Save the Children.

In northern Afghanistan, where harsh winter conditions exacerbate already severe malnutrition, health workers are racing against time to provide treatment before funding completely runs out in the next 30 days. Save the Children warns that the impending closure of clinics will leave thousands of children without medical care.

For over three years, Dr. Hanif and his team have been the sole providers of medical aid to a remote community, treating around 2,500 patients every month. However, the clinic is now operating on the last remnants of emergency funding. Within weeks, the facility could close its doors forever, cutting off treatment for at least 135 malnourished children who are currently in urgent need of care.

“Our clinic is the only hope for this community. There are no other healthcare facilities here,” Dr. Hanif stated. “The recent funding cuts have devastated families. If we close, parents will have no means to take their children to a hospital. Many cannot even afford transport costs. Our doctors and nurses are willing to work unpaid for a few months because the need is so desperate.”

Save the Children has already been forced to shut down 18 health centres in Afghanistan due to funding cuts, and 14 more facilities are set to close within a month unless urgent financial aid is provided. The organisation’s 32 clinics supported over 134,000 children in January alone. Without immediate intervention, the healthcare collapse could have catastrophic consequences.

Worldwide Impact: Millions of Children at Risk

The crisis extends far beyond Afghanistan. Governments across the globe are slashing foreign aid budgets, impacting about 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. The abrupt suspension of U.S. foreign aid alone has led to the closure of hundreds of Save the Children-run health and nutrition centres worldwide. Millions of children who rely on these facilities for critical care, food, and education are now at risk.

In Gaza, where nearly every child faces life-threatening food insecurity, the funding reductions mean slashing medical support for malnourished children and closing ten mother-baby centres that provide essential nutrition assistance to pregnant women and newborns. The consequences for infants like 11-month-old Sahar* are severe. Born amid the war, she has been battling malnutrition since birth due to food shortages and lack of medical care. Her mother, Zainab*, 24, recalls how she struggled to feed her daughter, at times begging on the streets for food.

“The war took everything from us,” Zainab said. “There was no food, and my daughter was starving. But Save the Children helped me. Without them, I don’t know if she would have survived.”

Similarly, in Somalia, where climate shocks have intensified hunger crises for decades, foreign aid cuts are forcing Save the Children to close 121 health and nutrition sites. By April, 4.4 million people—nearly one in five Somalis—will face extreme hunger, yet crucial support systems are being dismantled due to lack of funding. The closure of these facilities will strip more than 250,000 people of access to food and medical aid, exacerbating an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

A Call to Action: Investing in Children’s Futures

The impact of foreign aid cuts extends beyond immediate hunger. Malnourished children are 11 times more likely to die from common illnesses due to weakened immune systems. If urgent funding is not restored, the long-term effects on global stability and human development will be profound.

Gabriella Waaijman, Chief Operating Officer at Save the Children International, emphasized the gravity of the situation: “We’ve been saving children for over 100 years—it’s our mission. Right now, more children need aid than ever before. Cutting off funding at this critical moment is like trying to fight a wildfire with a hose that’s running dry.”

Save the Children urges world leaders, partners, and individuals across the globe to step up and invest in children. Beyond immediate funding, a long-term strategy is needed to reform aid systems to ensure sustainable support for vulnerable populations. The international community must uphold the core values of foreign aid, prioritizing children’s well-being and futures above all else.

Every minute, 35 children are born into hunger. Without urgent intervention, the next generation faces a world of starvation, disease, and instability. Investing in children today is an investment in a safer, brighter, and more stable future for all.