April 2, 2026

#33 - John Berry

Show Notes

"No human is more human than another human" -General Romeo Dallaire.

John Berry's long overseas career, spanning the Peace Corps, USAID, and the United Nations, took him to nearly 100 countries, benefiting countless people. But there's one country that looms over all the others. The one with the people he couldn't save. And the real ghosts of Rwanda follow him to this day.

Berry began his international career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. He has supported, implemented, and evaluated USAID and UN programs for almost four decades. His commitment to increasing financial inclusion for underserved populations led him to 29 countries in Africa and 65 countries in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. He has lived in Niger, Tunisia, Rwanda, and Eswatini (then-Swaziland). He has worked in French, Spanish, and Zarma. He holds a Masters Degree in developmental economics from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. Currently, he directs a microloan program for a community development financial institution in Seattle, offering loans to entrepreneurs from socially or economically disadvantaged communities.

He was a witness to the Rwandan genocide while working for the UN Human Rights field mission. He is the author of Genocide in Rwanda: A Collective Memory. (Scroll down for more information about the Rwandan genocide.)