The United States has a long history of extending a helping hand to those people overseas struggling to make a better life, recover from a disaster or striving to live in a free and democratic country. It is this caring that stands as a hallmark of the United States around the world -- and shows the world our true character as a nation. U.S. foreign assistance has always had the twofold purpose of furthering Americas foreign policy interests in expanding democracy and free markets while improving the lives of the citizens of the developing world. Spending less than one-half of 1 percent of the federal budget, USAID works around the world to achieve these goals. USAIDs history goes back to the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War Two and the Truman Administrations Point Four Program. In 1961, the Foreign Assistance Act was signed into law and USAID was created by executive order. Since that time, USAID has been the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.

Address: USAID Development Experience Clearinghouse 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 210 Silver Spring, MD 20910
Telephone: (301) 562-0641
Fax: (301) 588-7787
Website: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/countries/tr/