US Representative Nancy Mace shared a video that went viral, sparking outrage about a $750,000 (Rs 6.56 crores) donation from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to an NGO connected to the family of Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor.
With the subtitle, USAID is too busy playing global good Samaritan to advance American interests, the video raises concerns about whether this kind of overseas assistance is in line with American needs.
The grant was given in 2020 to Good Business Lab (GBL), which was co-founded by Anant Ahuja, Kapoor’s brother-in-law, which is a labour innovation lab that is not-for-profit and uses rigorous research methods to design, test, and scale programs that balance business interests with worker wellbeing. Ahuja is also Head of Organisational Development at Shahi Exports Ltd. which is among the largest apparel manufacturers and exporters in India.
According to reports, the funding was intended to help migrant garment workers in India, specifically to address the mental health issues and social isolation that young women workers endure.
The award funded a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 1,000 female junior production workers at six factories, according to USAID’s official website. In order to offer emotional support and mentorship, the program linked junior employees with older coworkers. The intervention’s goal was to assist India’s estimated 120 million rural-to-urban migratory workers in overcoming the psychological and social hardships associated with migration.
If successful, the approach might be extended to assist Shahi Exports’ 150,000 employees and perhaps impact industry-wide mental health programs, according to USAID. Political disputes over USAID’s spending have recently brought the funds under scrutiny.
