A project manager for a local NGO in Goma emphasized that the U.S. aid cuts meant not just the loss of his and his colleagues' jobs, but those he employed out of work. He said: “I had to let go of the staff who worked in my home because I could no longer afford to pay them.”
Date: 6/26
Region: Africa
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Topic: Economy & Livelihoods
Policy Lens: Economic & Trade Interests
Entry Type: Secondary Effect
Additional Context: This information was collected as part of The Aid Report’s original reporting, “In eastern DRC, Goma's aid economy unravels.” This feature story examines how the effects of aid cuts extend far beyond NGOs. As programs close and international staff leave, families are losing income, apartments are sitting empty, and businesses are closing.
This quote is attributed to Samson Mupenzi, who worked as a project manager for a local NGO in Goma, earning about $1,500 a month before the U.S. aid cuts. This amount was enough to support his family and employ two housekeepers and a security guard. But after several international programs were suspended, his contract was not renewed. As of the publishing of this article in June 2026, he has been unemployed for nearly a year.
Source: Devex