tl;dr: When USAID cut funding in 2025, Slum Child Foundation in Korogocho lost vital support for youth and HIV programs. Founder George Ochieng refused to quit, finding creative ways to sustain the work through small enterprises

DonorFunding | SustainableDevelopment | CommunityEmpowerment | USAIDFundingCuts | GrassrootsInnovation

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“We did not see it coming.” Those were the first words George Ochieng, Founder and Executive Director of the Slum Child Foundation, said when asked about the USAID funding cuts.

For nearly two decades, George has built an organization that stands as a refuge for children and young people in Korogocho — one of Nairobi’s oldest informal settlements. Through school-based clubs, life skills programs, and rehabilitation referrals, Slum Child Foundation has worked to fight drug abuse, reduce school dropouts, prevent early marriages, and champion girls’ education. The work is personal for him — Korogocho is not just where he works; it’s home.

But in January 2025, when the U.S. government paused all foreign assistance, everything changed.

“It came to us as a shocker,” George said.

The program supporting among other things beneficiaries recovering from drug addiction and on HIV treatment was among the hardest hit. These were individuals who had finally found stability — access to ARV medication, psychosocial support, and small nutrition stipends that made adherence possible. Then, the funding stopped.

Within two months, the community had lost several members who had relied on the program’s support for treatment and stability. Some relapsed into addiction; others could not sustain their medication or meals. “They were being supported to eat healthy, to stay consistent,” George explained. “When that ended, it wasn’t just the money that disappeared, it was their hope.”

Staying When Others Leave

As organizations closed or downsized, Korogocho felt the weight of abandonment. “Other institutions that were funded by USAID shut down and left,” George recalled. “Their beneficiaries came to us. But I couldn’t leave. This is my home.”

So, he did what few would have the strength to do, he stayed.

He gathered his remaining staff for a difficult conversation. “We had to be honest. The money was gone. Salaries would be cut. We would scale down programs. But we would not stop.” Some team members left in search of new opportunities, others stayed.

Creativity as a Lifeline

That moment of loss became a turning point. “We started thinking differently,” he said. “We asked, what do we have that we can use to sustain ourselves?”

The Foundation began hiring out a small public address system donated by a well-wisher. It’s a modest income stream, but it keeps essential programs alive. Then came a bigger idea: turning their community radio station into a social enterprise.

“We decided to commercialize the radio station to make it both a platform for awareness and a source of income. If this crisis didn’t happen, maybe we would never have thought that way,” George said.

Beyond Aid — Toward Sustainability

For George, this season has been a sobering reminder that aid, though critical, is not always constant. “What I would like funders and well-wishers to know,” he said, “is that beyond funding, there needs to be a sustainability model. Can the money come with business development skills? Can we be trained to stand when the cycle ends?”

He believes that development must evolve from dependency to durability. In his view, partnerships remain the anchor that keeps community organizations from drifting in storms like this.

“Partnerships make you go further,” he said. “You start small — work with your local government, schools, churches. Some partners won’t give you money, but they’ll open doors.”

Lessons from the Ground

The past months have taught George that sustainability begins with mindset. “You must have shock absorbers,” he said. “Panicking doesn’t solve anything. Review your priorities. Focus on what is essential. Use what you have.”

And perhaps the most profound lesson of all? That creativity can grow in the soil of hardship. “This experience forced us to innovate. It reminded us that even when the world looks away, we can still build.”

Additional Resources

🔗Explore Our Funding ToolKit: Designed to help organizations navigate funding🔗
🔗Follow George & Slum Child Foundation's Journey on Instagram!🔗

Special Thanks To

🔗Heinrich Böll Stiftung Foundation, Washington, DC Office🔗
🔗Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Sub-Saharan Africa🔗

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🔗Connect with the author, Beryl Oywer🔗