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They describe themselves as the "lifeboat crew". After losing their jobs when overseas aid was slashed recently, a collective of dedicated staff chose to launch their own rescue package.

Refusing to "remain in despair", an ex-staffer, along with equally dedicated ex-colleagues, initiated endeavors to preserve some of the vital projects that were at risk after the funding decreases.

Currently, nearly eighty projects have been saved by a connector platform operated by the leader and additional ex- team members, which has secured them over $110m in new funding. The team behind the Project Resource Optimization program calculates it will help forty million people, including many children under five.

After the termination of operations, spending was frozen, a large workforce was let go, and projects worldwide either came to a shuddering halt or were left limping toward what Rosenbaum terms "final deadlines".

The former staffer and some of his colleagues were contacted by a charitable entity that "sought to figure out how they could optimize the utilization of their limited resources".

They built a selection from the cancelled projects, pinpointing those "providing the most vital support per dollar" and where a alternative supporter could realistically get involved and continue the work.

They quickly recognized the demand was wider than that original entity and commenced to contact further funding sources.

"We referred to ourselves as the lifeboat crew at the start," says the economist. "The ship has been failing, and there are too few lifeboats for all initiatives to board, and so we're striving to actually protect as many infants as we can, secure spots for these support channels as attainable, via the projects that are offering assistance."

The initiative, now working as part of a international policy center, has secured funding for seventy-nine initiatives on its list in more than 30 regions. Several have had original funding reinstated. Nine were unable to be rescued in time.

Financial support has been provided by a mix of philanthropic foundations and affluent donors. Most choose to be anonymous.

"They originate from varied backgrounds and opinions, but the common thread that we've received from them is, 'I am horrified by what's unfolding. I sincerely wish to discover an approach to step in,'" explains the leader.

"I believe that there was an 'lightbulb moment' for all of us as we began operating on this, that this provided an chance to transition from the ice-cream on the couch, dwelling on the misery of everything that was unfolding around us, to having a meaningful task to really sink our teeth into."

An example programme that has secured support through Pro is operations by the Alima to provide services such as treatment for severe acute malnutrition, prenatal and postnatal support and essential immunizations for kids in the West African nation.

It is vital to keep such programmes going, explains the leader, not only because reinitiating work if they ceased would be prohibitively pricey but also because of how much confidence would be eroded in the conflict-ravaged areas if the group pulled out.

"The organization shared […] 'we're very worried that if we withdraw, we may lose our place.'"

Initiatives with longer-term goals, such as improving medical infrastructure, or in other fields such as education, have remained outside Pro's work. It also does not aim to maintain initiatives permanently but to "buy time for the entities and, frankly, the wider community, to determine a longer-term solution".

After securing funding for each programme on its initial list, Pro says it will now concentrate on helping additional individuals with "established, economical measures".