It’s been six weeks since Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a peace deal — attempting to end a conflict that for months, has torn through the eastern DRC
The peace agreement, which was brokered by the United States, didn’t bring an end to the violence — it just coincided with a temporary lull. And while today, Marie has stopped falling asleep to the sound of gunfire, life is still nothing like it was before.
“The population in the eastern DRC has been going through a double war. Once with the violence from the rebels, and then again with the impacts of the USAID cuts,” said Marie, a civil society leader from the eastern city of Bukavu, speaking through a translator.
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About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
