Part 3/9:
While USAID has traditionally been seen as a humanitarian agency, investigations are increasingly suggesting that it operates more like a façade for the State Department and the CIA. The agency has been alleged to funnel taxpayer dollars into foreign countries but results in cyclical funding benefiting American elites instead of strengthening the intended recipients. Through a convoluted process involving “capacity building,” funds are redirected to ensure that American interests are upheld rather than providing direct aid to those in need.