A former participant in a USAID activity in Quibdó, Colombia said: “It was quite a shock for me when we found out that there would be no more projects, no more USAID programs. Back in our neighborhood, in Reposo, we felt abandoned."

Date: 2/26

Region: Latin America & Caribbean

Country: Colombia

Topic: Peacebuilding & Stabilization

Policy Lens: Moral Leadership

Entry Type: Field Observation

Additional Context: This quote was collected as part of The Aid Report's original reporting found in the Devex featured article "USAID moves out, gangs move in: The cost of aid cuts in Colombia." Our journalist traced the unraveling of years of prevention work in Colombia to better understand how gangs and armed groups were quick to exploit the vacuum left behind when this work was cancelled.

This quote is attributed to Luz Mely Moreno who participated in the ‘I Decide to Be’ empowerment program. She lives in the Reposo neighborhood of Quibdó in northwestern Colombia.

Source: Devex