After USAID’s demise, young Africans rethink dependence on foreign assistance

For more than a decade, 31-year-old health advocate Esenam Amuzu has traveled to underserved communities across Ghana, helping women and young people navigate questions about contraception, menstruation, puberty, healthy relationships and sexual and reproductive health.

Osei-Owusu’s argument is echoed in a new survey of nearly 5,000 young people across 16 African countries.

The biggest danger may, therefore, lie not in the idea of self-reliance itself, but in an abrupt transition that leaves health systems without the resources needed to keep people alive today.