EngenderHealth Newsletter | March 2025

Together, we rise. 

When we learned that all our USAID projects had been terminated, the shock was real—but it did not break us. We were devastated and felt enormous loss, but then we remembered who we are. Resilience is in our DNA. We will not be defined by people who do not value our lifesaving and life-changing work. Women have been told “no” for centuries, but we have always found a way forward.

Together, we are more powerful than ever. We are ready to usher in a new era of unstoppable, community-driven change. This is not a moment for despair—it’s a moment for bold action. And we invite you to join us.

Here’s how you can help: 

1. Share this message. Spread the word about EngenderHealth’s mission and the fight ahead. 
2. Donate to our new Reproductive Futures Fund and help us reach our goal of $1M in 2025—$250K per quarter. Every contribution fuels our resilience and turns this setback into a comeback. 
3. Use your voice. Post a link to our fundraising page on social media and share why EngenderHealth matters to you, or write an op-ed for your local newspaper that describes the importance of SRHR. 
4. Mobilize your network. Rally support from your community groups, friends, and colleagues.
5. Call your representatives. Express support for global health funding and remind them that EngenderHealth’s work helps individuals, strengthens communities, and stabilizes regions.

This is our moment. Stand tall, take action, and feel the strength of being part of something unstoppable. What is good and right in the world will prevail. Thank you for being part of our movement.

Traci L. Baird
President & CEO
EngenderHealth

EngenderHealth Featured in The New York Times

EngenderHealth was recently featured in The New York Times, where President and CEO Traci L. Baird was interviewed by David A. Fahrenthold about inaccuracies in reported cost savings from a canceled USAID project.

The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) had listed $83.6 million in savings, but this figure was based on the grant’s $89.8 million ceiling, which was never a guaranteed amount. In reality, the government had committed only $1.2 million—of which $500,000 had already been disbursed. The actual savings from terminating the project was closer to $700,000.

Read more or watch the summary.

Introducing the Reproductive Futures Fund—A Bold Step for Equality & Health

Hope isn’t passive—it’s power. It fuels action, drives change, and ensures that everyone, everywhere, has access to the care they need to thrive. That’s why we’re proud to launch the Reproductive Futures Fund—a bold, action-driven initiative to protect progress, expand access, and deliver life-saving sexual and reproductive health and rights programs worldwide. 

At EngenderHealth, we refuse to back down. We’re working to: 

• Advocate for policies that expand access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. 
• Strengthen healthcare systems to provide safe, high-quality care. 
• Ensure equitable access to essential health services for all. 

Now, you can be part of this mission. Make a donation in your name or in honor of someone you love. It’s the perfect way to give a meaningful gift—one that creates lasting impact and brings hope and justice to those who need it most. 

Give today. Because the future of reproductive healthcare depends on all of us. 

Global Updates

Global Health Programs at Risk—How You Can Help Save Lives

On February 26th, EngenderHealth received termination notices for three USAID awards we led—programs that have been at the forefront of saving lives and improving the health of women and children across the globe. This is not just a disruption. It is a loss of vital services that women, children, and newborns desperately need to survive. Take action…

From Silence to Strength: Supporting Women, One Question at a Time

USAID’s funding cuts have ended a life-saving initiative in India. The MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics project trained healthcare providers like Dr. Archana, a gynecologist at General Hospital Bagepalli, to use a screening tool that identified gender-based violence (GBV) during prenatal care. 

This simple yet powerful tool helped break the silence on GBV, enabling conversations that rarely happened before. For many women, it was a lifeline—offering support, protection, and a path to safety. Now, with the program shut down, healthcare workers and the women they serve are left without this critical resource, losing a proven tool that changed lives. Read article…

Challenging Stigma and Transforming Care in Ethiopia

After completing an EngenderHealth training in 2023, Dahabo Gimbe, a nurse from Mega town, Ethiopia, introduced IUD services to her community, challenging deep-rooted stigmas around contraceptives while delivering essential healthcare. 

Dahabo has provided more than 100 women with IUDs as their contraceptive method of choice, helping them achieve their family planning goals. By training colleagues and creating a family planning hub, Dahabo is uplifting women in her community with the care they deserve and a brighter future.  Meet Dahabo…

Stay Informed: Latest News and Resources

Read our FY24 Impact Report

In our 2023 to 2024 fiscal year (FY24), we implemented 31 projects across 16 countries. To learn more about our impact during this period, read our brief Annual Impact Summary, Annual Impact Supplement “Partnering to Foster Resilience in Fragile Settings,” and the full Annual Impact Report. Learn more…

Celebrating 15 Years of  Adolescent Health Programming in India

By enhancing access to services, we’ve helped over a million young people get the information and care they need to live healthy, fulfilling lives. Join us in celebrating the Tarunya project’s progress, partnerships, and impactful change. Read the Tarunya Yearbook…

These articles informed and inspired us—we hope they do the same for you. 

1. Rollback and Resistance: How US-based Global Health Organizations are Responding to the DEI Crackdown (Global Health 50/50)
2. The Public’s Views on Global Health and USAID (KFF Health Tracking Poll)
3. After USAID: what now for aid and Africa? (BMJ: Editorials) 
4. Improving measures of women’s and girls’ sexual empowerment (Bulletin of the World Health Organization)

Your Support Makes a Difference

Your gift allows us to deliver high-quality, gender-equitable programs that advance health, equality, and rights. When you donate to EngenderHealth, you support our efforts to ensure that people’s sexual and reproductive rights are upheld as human rights. 

 We’d love to hear from you about what you want to see in future newsletters. Contact us at social@engenderhealth.org. 

This newsletter was originally shared over email on March 20, 2025.

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