The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) has terminated grants worth over Ksh 6.7 billion (around $51 million) across several African countries, including a project in Kenya.
In a statement released by the Department of Government Efficiency(DOGE), a federation body run by Elon Musk on Tuesday, April 8, confirmed that the Kenyan grant worth about KSh 6.3 million ($48,406) had been cancelled by the USADF.
The Ksh 6.3 million was intended to help develop a WhatsApp chatbot to support local businesses in marketing their products.
USADF operates a Learning Hub, a digital platform such as the WhatsApp chatbot, which provides African entrepreneurs with access to business training materials. This initiative was developed in collaboration with Visa and Shift Impact Africa.
"The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) has terminated KSh 6.7 billion (around $51 million) in grants," the statement reads.
Other cancelled projects include one in Burkina Faso, where KSh 30 million ($229,296) was meant to promote 100% organic shea butter.
In Nigeria, KSh 11 million ($84,059) had been set aside for a business incubator to support spa and wellness entrepreneurs.
Benin, on the other hand, lost a project worth KSh 31 million ($239,738), which was focused on marketing pineapple juice.
Additionally, the foundation cancelled a KSh 32 million ($246,217) project in Ivory Coast intended to build mango drying facilities.
Uganda lost about KSh 13 million ($99,566) that would have gone toward increasing yogurt production, while Senegal had a KSh 6.5 million ($50,000) grant cancelled, which was intended to train farmers on growing dragon fruit.
The USADF was established by the U.S. Congress in 1980 as an independent U.S. government agency, with the main goal of supporting African-led development by providing grants and technical assistance directly to African grassroots organizations, cooperatives, and small businesses.
It focuses on working directly with local communities to help them find sustainable solutions to their economic challenges and its main role is promoting economic growth, job creation and improved livelihoods across Africa.
The foundation does this by funding small and growing enterprises. It targets sectors like agriculture, renewable energy, youth entrepreneurship and women-led businesses.
