When Navyn Salem received a letter on Wednesday ending the federal government’s contract with his company Rhode Island, Edidés, she interrupted her production chain, which makes a vital paste for seriously poorly fed babies.
A day later, she received an email, a few short sentences, canceling the termination of the contract.
The reversal did not make his mind comfortable.
“This is what our daily lives look like. The government is in a state of chaos,” said Salem. “And the way we see it 24 hours ago, we had a terminated contract and 10 minutes ago [the termination] was canceled. “”
Dan Ruetenik
In the weeks since Elon MuskAn advisor to President Trump and the richest person in the world, began to target USAID State Department Agency For the closure, the disturbances of the supply chain and services for a variety of global rescue causes have weakened.
While the Salem contract remained active, with the exception of most of Wednesday, it said that the Hollowing Out of Usaid – With almost all its staff put on leave or in pure and impartiality – caused growing disarray. The most urgent, she said, is that the payment system operated by the USAID on which it is based “has broken down for weeks”.
Photo provided by Navyn Salem
This has created an unrivaled uncertainty that spreads from her company from 150 employees to her American suppliers – farmers in 25 states – and American ocean coatings which she uses to send hundreds of metric tonnes of misty therapeutic paste of essays, and finally, to international organizations that distribute it to children who were moving from death.
“All those who are taken in this period of chaos with massive uncertainty are worried. Everyone,” said Salem.
Photo provided by Navyn Salem
Foggy is classified as a ready -to -use therapeutic food, prescribed for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in children as young as six months. It is a peanut -based paste which includes vitamins, minerals and powdered milk, in accordance with the directives of the World Health Organization. Édesia says that it produces 800 tonnes of tanning and other foods used to treat malnutrition each week.
Salem finally believes that his business’s goal of protecting children aligns with the Trump administration’s priorities. “We strongly believe that our mission will be protected, that these funds will be there, but I cannot promise anyone.”
Salem said that it should be used more efficiently and has ideas for years of work with the agency. She faces the same dilemma, that she wants to offer solutions or simply try to treat payments.
“Who should I call?” She asked. “I have been offering suggestions for years, and it’s time for someone to listen to, if I can find someone who will pick up the phone.”
A spokesperson for the State Department said Thursday that he had ended more than 90% of his USAID contracts, keeping only those who, according to him, make America stronger, safer and more prosperous. The agency’s cuts are part of a wider effort from the Trump administration to considerably reduce the workforce and the federal budget.
Each pack of misty produces by Edesia is printed with the “American people” phrase printed on it. Salem said that the message to parents and desperate guards of malnutrition children is an important part of the mission of his business.
“They will never forget that it was the Americans who were there for them in their biggest moment of crisis,” said Salem.
She and others that lead organizations associated with USAID have told CBS News, another world superpower is ready to intervene if the United States is withdrawing from the world where it provides crucial medical care: China.
“This is an incredibly solid use of soft power to deliver a food, a specialized food for people in their biggest moment of need,” said Salem.
