Busara’s audio verbatim theatre, released today, uses the exact words of those affected by the fallout from the closure of USAID. The podcast consists of eight chapters of verbatim reflections, submitted to Busara’s Global Journal via survey from around the world in the aftermath of the USAID closure on January 24 2025.

“The Global Journal was an attempt to push back against the isolation we felt from each other and the work,” said Michael Onsando, Senior Manager of Voice and Impact at Busara. “When a shock like this hits an ecosystem, it’s easy to withdraw but we know that the work of making the world a more just and equitable place is communal.”

Busara gathered responses all through the first half of 2025, held three webinars, and two in-person gatherings (New York and Nairobi) that followed the Chatham house rules where people openly discussed the impact of the changes in the funding landscape on their work, their lives, and the lives of the people around them.

The reflections submitted to the Global Journal are now released as audio verbatim theatre, read by Busara staff and friends of the Global Journal and pieced together over a specially-commissioned piece of music: ‘Requiem for USAID’, composed by Pierre Englebert.

“I wrote ‘Requiem for USAID’ after reading the words of the people who participated in the Busara survey;” said Pierre Englebert. ‘Although I sought to capture the overall tone of disappointment, if not sadness, I also tried to weave in moments for different emotions, such as anxiety and uncertainty, but also hope and opportunity. I was left with an overall impression combining both abandonment and gratitude for the wonderful work of these workers. I hope my music was able to capture these moments.”

The Work is Not Done podcast is available on Spotify, while the full soundtrack Requiem for USAID’ is also on Soundcloud.