To help alleviate the burden of COVID-19 related restrictions and boost jobs in Asia, US apparel and footwear companies plan to partner USAID. The plan involves companies like Gap, Target and the American Apparel and Footwear Association. The partnership is projected to provide $250 million towards expanding business in the Indo-Pacific by improving the economy, trade and overall infrastructure. This in turn will help increase jobs and improve the livelihoods of workers.

Part of the money will go towards promoting responsible business practices to protect workers and encourage better trade and investment practices in Burma and other partnering countries. A sum of $5 million will also go towards a business initiative between Sri Lanka and a consulting firm Stax. The initiative includes investing in more mid-market companies to create more sustainable economic growth. I will also provide a network of ethical businesses throughout Sri Lanka.

The decline in jobs due to the pandemic has made aiding businesses one of the main focuses in poverty alleviation. Through this project, USAID and US businesses hope to dilute the impact of COVID-19 on job market, particularly for supply chain workers in the apparel sector.