Today brought heartbreaking news: Five aid and development workers were killed in Afghanistan. These are the latest in a growing line of humanitarian relief and international development professionals who have put their lives at risk and have paid the ultimate price serving others.
Aid workers such as these are unsung heroes working in some of the most difficult environments in the world to bring about a better life for the people there. They have put themselves in harm’s way because that is where there are people who need them.
I know that the global community of aid and development workers – hundreds of thousands of skilled and committed professionals from every country on earth – joins me in mourning this tragic loss. Our condolences go out to the families of those who were killed, to DAI – their employer and one of the world’s most respected development institutions, and to the entire USAID community.
Sincerely,
Raj Kumar
President, Devex
About the author
Raj Kumarraj_devex
Raj Kumar is the President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex, the media platform for the global development community. He is a media leader and former humanitarian council chair for the World Economic Forum and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His work has led him to more than 50 countries, where he has had the honor to meet many of the aid workers and development professionals who make up the Devex community. He is the author of the book "The Business of Changing the World," a go-to primer on the ideas, people, and technology disrupting the aid industry.
