Sex work or starve: Aid workers in Nepal left jobless by USAID cuts turn to sex work to survive 

A global investigations team of Kristen Gelineau, Bram Janssen and their translator Tulsi Rauniyar produced an exclusive, in-depth look at the impact the U.S. foreign aid cuts have had on the lives of laid-off aid workers in Nepal. 

Gelineau, who has been covering the global impact of the cuts, turned a comment made to her in passing by an HIV researcher into a blockbuster package that revealed a shocking, darkly ironic fallout: Aid workers left jobless by the cuts who once provided HIV outreach to Nepal’s marginalized communities, including sex workers, have turned to sex work themselves to survive. 

While much has been written about the devastating impacts the cuts have had on the people the funding once helped, far less is known about the impacts on the helpers themselves. Gelineau spent months working through layers of contacts to find and earn the trust of the aid workers, who are deeply traumatized after suffering frequent physical and sexual violence since turning to sex work. Because of Nepal’s conservative culture, these aid workers – who are themselves gender and sexual minorities – have no other options for work outside the sex industry. 

Gelineau and visual journalist Janssen traveled to a small city in central Nepal, where they shadowed the women as they worked alongside a dangerous, dark highway. They were accompanied by their devoted translator Rauniyar, who worked with them until the wee hours of the morning for two weeks despite suffering from dengue fever. 

The story was a massive hit with readers. It generated thousands of comments online and was shared tens of thousands of times.  Gelineau heard from people who featured in the story who thanked her for shedding light on their situations, and also from readers who wanted to know how they could donate to support the laid-off aid workers. 

The judges were impressed by the eye-opening investigation which was so sensitively told and the use of stunning visual techniques to tell people’s stories. 

For a package that gave voice to a truly voiceless population and revealed an unknown, devastating impact of U.S. foreign policy half a world away, Gelineau, Janssen and Rauniyar win this week’s Best of AP – First Winner.