UPDATE: Several news stories have come out since this lesson on cuts to USAID. You can view those stories here.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
The U.S. has long been one of the world’s largest donors of foreign aid. But in recent years, its effectiveness has been called into question by a chorus of critics who say the impact of assistance programs falls well short of their intended goals. They blame what some have called the "aid industrial complex." Fred de Sam Lazaro reports for his series, Agents for Change.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Rand Paul, and what role does he serve in government?
- What percent of USAID grants pay for organizational activities and not directly funding results?
- Where is mPharma located?
- When was Unlock Aid formed?
- Why does USAID exist?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Media literacy: Who else would you have interviewed for this story?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Watch the following two videos on foreign aid, then discuss the three most important parts of each video and share one opinion you have from each video.
This lesson was written by Payton Alfieri, a junior at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and intern with News Hour Classroom, and News Hour''s Vic Pasquantonio.
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