The head of an NGO in North Kivu said of the staff he was forced to let go of due to U.S. aid cuts: “There are parents who can no longer afford their children’s education. Others can no longer properly pay their food bills."

Date: 6/26

Region: Africa

Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Topic: Economy & Livelihoods

Policy Lens: Economic & Trade Interests

Entry Type: Field Observation

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 Jacques Vagheni Kakule, coordinator of CORACON, or North Kivu Community Radio and Television Collective. He said his NGO was forced to scale back after the suspension of a U.S.-funded program. The initiative trained journalists across 13 community radio stations and supported programming focused on social cohesion, violence prevention, and economic recovery. CORACON typically received about $300,000 annually through the project. Kakule worries about the five staff members that he was forced to let go of due to the aid cuts.

Source: Devex