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They refer to themselves as the "emergency rescue team". After losing their jobs when international support was slashed in the past months, a team of committed workers opted to create their own emergency initiative.

Declining to "remain in despair", Rob Rosenbaum, along with like-minded ex-colleagues, began actions to save some of the crucial programmes that faced closure after the reductions.

Now, almost 80 projects have been rescued by a facilitation effort managed by Rosenbaum and other former agency employees, which has obtained them over $110m in recent backing. The collective behind the resource optimization project effort calculates it will help 40 million people, including many infants and toddlers.

After the termination of operations, financial flows stopped, numerous staff lost their jobs, and global initiatives either stopped abruptly or were barely continuing toward what Rosenbaum terms "final deadlines".

Rosenbaum and several team members were contacted by a charitable entity that "aimed to understand how they could make the best use of their limited resources".

They developed a menu from the cancelled projects, pinpointing those "delivering the most critical assistance per dollar" and where a alternative supporter could feasibly get involved and maintain operations.

They rapidly realised the demand was broader than that initial organization and started to contact further funding sources.

"We dubbed ourselves the emergency squad at the start," explains the economist. "The vessel has been collapsing, and there aren't enough rescue vessels for all initiatives to board, and so we're striving to literally save as many young children as we can, place as many onto these lifeboats as feasible, via the projects that are providing support."

Pro, now working as part of a international policy center, has obtained financial support for 79 projects on its selection in more than 30 regions. A few have had initial backing reinstated. A number were not able to be saved in time.

Backing has originated from a mix of philanthropic foundations and private benefactors. Most wish to remain unnamed.

"These donors stem from varied motivations and viewpoints, but the unifying theme that we've received from them is, 'I am horrified by what's going on. I really want to find a method to step in,'" explains Rosenbaum.

"In my view that there was an 'eureka moment' for the entire team as we commenced efforts on this, that this opened up an chance to transition from the ice-cream on the couch, remaining in the distress of everything that was unfolding around us, to having something productive to fully engage with."

One project that has obtained backing through the effort is work by the Alima to deliver care such as care for malnourished children, maternal health care and crucial pediatric vaccinations in the West African nation.

It is crucial to continue these initiatives, explains the leader, not only because reinitiating work if they ceased would be extremely costly but also because of how much reliance would be eroded in the conflict-ravaged areas if the alliance pulled out.

"They informed us […] 'there is fear that if we walk away, we may lose our place.'"

Programmes with future-focused aims, such as strengthening health systems, or in additional areas such as learning, have not been part of Pro's work. It also is not trying to preserve programmes forever but to "provide a buffer for the entities and, frankly, the wider community, to devise a sustainable answer".

Now that they have obtained backing for each programme on its initial list, the initiative says it will now prioritize reaching additional individuals with "proven, cost-effective interventions".