More than 20 members of the Casualty Recorders Network have been devastated by the USAID funding freeze. Some have lost 80% of their funds overnight and are laying off staff and shutting down programmes. Those affected include many of our partners in East Africa, including Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, as well as Chad and DRC.
ECC’s capacity-building project in East Africa, involving many of these organisations, is also under threat. We have been instructed by the main funder – a US foundation which receives the majority of its funds from Congress – to pause or reduce all expenditure until further notice.
Earlier this year you heard in our webinar series how crucial he work of casualty recorders is for ensuring those killed in conflicts across the region are documented and recognised. They fill an information vacuum which no national or international agency addresses.
If you value this work and wish to show your solidarity, please donate if you can. All funds received will go to securing the continuation of ECC’s capacity-building project and/or distributed equitably to CRN members in East and Central Africa directly affected by the USAID freeze.