Bloodbath Comeback logo — a blood drop with a green sproutBloodbath Comeback
Bloodbath Comeback logo — a blood drop with a green sproutEst. 2025

Bloodbath
Comeback.

Life after the aid cuts.

In 2025, thousands of humanitarian, development, global health and NGO professionals found themselves suddenly out of work.

This project is about what happened next.

The gin distilleries. The new NGOs. The corporate pivots. The mountains climbed. The startups, sabbaticals and second acts.

Share your storyor follow on Instagram

— What is this

Not a grievance account.
A resilience archive.

Bloodbath Comeback collects and shares short second-act stories from people affected by the 2025 aid cuts — including USAID, UN, CDC, NGO, contractor and partner organization alumni.

We're looking for stories about what people are building, trying, surviving, changing, learning or becoming next.

— Who should submit

If any of these are you.

  • You lost your aid, development, humanitarian or global health job in or after the 2025 cuts.
  • You left the sector and started something new.
  • You stayed in the sector but changed direction.
  • You started a business, NGO, consultancy, creative project, adventure, sabbatical or unexpected new chapter.
  • You know someone whose comeback story should be featured.

— Share your comeback story

Tell us what happened next.

Tell us what you were doing before, what changed, and what you're doing now. Short, honest and human is best.

For example: USAID, UN, CDC, NGO, contractor, implementing partner, global health, humanitarian response, development, etc.

A short description of how you were affected by the cuts or transition.

Business, new job, new NGO, consultancy, study, sabbatical, adventure, family time, creative work, still figuring it out — all valid.

150–500 words is ideal. First person is best.

1–3 sentences in your own words.

Photos of yourself, your new project, business, adventure, workplace or anything that represents your comeback. Up to 6 images, 8MB each.

Caption guidelines

Please provide an APA-style caption for each photo so we can credit and describe it accurately. Include, in this order:

  1. Photographer / source — e.g. "Photograph by J. Doe" or "Author's own".
  2. Date — month and year the photo was taken, e.g. "March 2025".
  3. Location — city and country, e.g. "Nairobi, Kenya".
  4. Description — one sentence explaining what's happening and who is pictured (with their consent).
  5. Copyright / licence — e.g. "© 2025 J. Doe. Used with permission." or "CC BY-SA 4.0".

Example: "Photograph by A. Okonkwo, June 2025, Lagos, Nigeria. The author bottling the first batch of gin at Comeback Distillery. © 2025 A. Okonkwo. Used with permission."

— Consent & photo waiver

Please read carefully.

You can request edits, removal or corrections by contacting us at hello@bloodbathcomeback.com. We will make reasonable efforts to update or remove published content, although reposts, shares or screenshots by others may remain outside our control.