Springtime in Washington, DC means one thing…
The ONE Power Summit is back! ONE’s annual gathering of US activists arrived at a pivotal time: Following disruptions to US foreign assistance and USAID, activists headed to Congress to make sure lawmakers know that investments in effective, accountable foreign assistance programs are investments in a safer, stronger future for us all.
By The Numbers
- 111 activists traveled to Washington DC for the Power Summit, representing 41 different states!
- Our youngest activist in 2025 was two years old – our oldest was 80!
- We had 154 meetings on Capitol Hill during the summit, encouraging Members of Congress and their staff to support tried-and-tested, results driven foreign assistance programs like PEPFAR, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Building Champions
Before heading to the Hill, Power Summit activists heard from a series of speakers
Former US Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL) spoke about his own journey from foreign assistance skeptic to supporter. Rep. Yoho, by his own admission, joined Congress ready to “gut foreign aid” but left a champion – and the lead sponsor of the BUILD Act, which created the US International Development Finance Corporation. The DFC has invested more than $10 billion in African countries alone.
Bishop Abraham Nhial, Acting Archbishop of Northern Bhar in South Sudan, shared his story as a former “Lost Boy” – walking more than 1,000 miles to flee violence in his home of Aweil. After many years at a refugee camp in Kenya, followed by school in the United States, he moved back to Aweil to be its first Anglican bishop. The school program he runs through his church – which provides the only meal many of its students will eat in a day – have been impacted by US aid funding freeze.
Other speakers included:
- Dr. Stephanie Psaki, former U.S. Coordinator for Global Health Security at the White House
- Jacob Poushter, Associate Director of Global Attitudes Research at Pew Research Center
- Josh Rogin, Lead Global Security Analyst at the Washington Post
- Larry Nowels, co-chair of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network
Get Involved
Smart, strategic investments in US foreign assistance are in everyone’s best interest, making the world safer, stronger, and more prosperous. While we work toward a more sustainable, self-reliant future for all countries, it’s imperative that these tried-and-tested programs can continue their life-saving work.