Reflections on My Journey to the DRC
Oxfam CEO and President Abby Maxman reflects on the prolonged crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, exacerbated by recent cuts to USAID.
Abby Maxman shares her experience traveling to the DRC, where crisis and conflict have been worsened by cuts to humanitarian assistance.
A Personal Encounter
During her trip to the DRC in July, Abby Maxman met Francine, a 24-year-old community volunteer who had been displaced multiple times by conflict.
Francine had recently returned to her old village after being forced to flee a displacement camp in eastern DRC, only to find it pillaged and many of her neighbors killed.
Francine had no support and no resources at a time when she needed them most. When asked about her aspirations and hopes, she described the desperation of young women around her, resorting to survival sex work.
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Author's summary: Oxfam's CEO reflects on crisis in DRC.