In a hillside village near Kampala, Uganda, nearly 200 children rely on the Light the Future Foundation for food, shelter, and education. Founded by Patrick Ssenyondo, the organization provides essential care for HIV-positive children who have been abandoned by their parents. "Most of the children here lost their parents, and those that have them, they can't take care of them," Ssenyondo told ABC News. "They can't pay their tuition, they cannot pay for their medication, they can't pay for food."

However, these children now face a dire situation following significant cuts to foreign aid. On January 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order suspending foreign aid for 90 days. This was followed by the termination of several foreign aid contracts, severely impacting organizations like Ssenyondo's foundation. Previously, the foundation had a month's supply of medication for the children. Now, they are down to just a week's supply, forcing Ssenyondo to ration their medications.

Tragically, the consequences of these cuts have already been felt. Ms. Mary, a 28-year-old teacher at the center, passed away after being unable to access her antiretroviral medication due to the USAID cuts. Ssenyondo expressed his anguish, stating, "If you tell one child that you know, we are no [longer] getting medication for your AIDS, so you're going to lose your life, that's something we cannot do. So we keep quiet."

In another part of rural Uganda, Bayo Emmanuel, founder of the Bright Star Orphanage, shared a similar plight. The eight HIV-positive orphans he cares for previously received their medication for free. Following the aid cuts, Emmanuel was advised to seek medication from the private sector, which he could not afford. As a result, the orphanage ran out of medication, leading to the death of 14-year-old Migande Andrew. "He got weaker and weaker every day and lost his life in the process," Emmanuel recounted. The community mourned as they buried him on February 21.

Uganda has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. The deaths of Migande Andrew and Ms. Mary are part of a larger crisis, with an estimated 53,000 HIV-related deaths globally attributed to U.S. aid cuts, according to Boston University's PEPFAR Impact Tracker. This tool, which monitors the impact of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief initiated by George W. Bush in 2003, warns that over 9,000 children's lives could be lost by the end of 2025 if services are not restored.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced it would terminate 90% of its foreign aid contracts and cut $60 billion in funding for international programs, including those addressing HIV and AIDS. The administration has denied that any lives have been lost due to these cuts. On February 4, Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the issue, stating, "We've issued waivers because we don't want to see anybody die or anybody be harmed in the short term."

Despite the challenges, some organizations in Uganda are striving to continue their work. The Family Hope Center, located west of Kampala, has been providing comprehensive HIV care since 2005. Since March, all staff members have been working without pay to keep the clinic operational. "If we are not working, that means more people are going to get HIV, more people will drop out of care," said nurse Mubezi Peruth. "So we have to be here to encourage our clients to continue taking the medicine."

As the situation remains precarious, Ssenyondo is uncertain about the future of his foundation. "This is the time when the children need us more," he said. "This is the time when we have to act so much to encourage these children not to lose efforts to fight AIDS." The ongoing cuts to foreign aid continue to pose a significant threat to the lives of vulnerable children in Uganda.