Zimbabwean Teen's Loss Highlights Devastating Impact of Trump's HIV Aid Cuts

In rural Zimbabwe, the consequences of US foreign aid cuts are tragically illustrated by the story of 15-year-old Hardlife, who lost both parents to AIDS-related illnesses due to a shortage of medication. This shortage was a direct result of the Trump administration's decision to freeze most foreign aid in its early days, severely impacting the global HIV program PEPFAR. "My mother started falling sick and sick again," Hardlife recounts, describing the struggles his family faced in accessing vital medication. Promise Masawi, a volunteer health worker in the affected region, adds, "A large number of the population is HIV positive, spreading and infecting other people, yet there is no medicine." The UN projects that without funding reinstatement, the AIDS death rate could triple by 2030, leaving millions of children orphaned. Hardlife's story is a powerful reminder of the real-world impact of political decisions on vulnerable populations.