This week, as we approach International Mine Awareness Day on April 4th, we’re sharing the voices of those living with the daily threat of landmines and unexploded bombs.
Join us throughout the week as we share stories from the frontlines of clearance.
1st April: Working Towards a Mine-Free World
Every day, around 15 people are killed or injured by landmines and unexploded bombs. Too often, it’s a child’s footstep that triggers the blast.
Even when conflict ends, the suffering continues. Contaminated land prevents families from farming and fishing, forces communities from their homes, and cuts off access to schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure.
While progress has been made, the scale of the crisis remains vast.
Now more than ever, we must act to clear dangerous land, support affected communities, and ensure no one has to live in fear of an explosive threat beneath their feet.
At MAG, we work every day to make land safe. Our teams – many of whom are national staff who grew up in these very communities – are on the ground across Africa, Asia and Europe, making land safe so people can begin to rebuild their futures.
Hear what a mine-free world means to them:
Noura, deminer, MAG Iraq
“Landmines continue to pose a severe threat to civilians and the environment long after conflicts end. I urge everyone to work together to prevent the spread of landmines and support countries affected by them. We must unite to protect lives, the environment, and our cultural heritage.”
Ha, deminer, MAG Vietnam
“Every day, I work on hills and through fields, directly clearing, detecting, and destroying many unexploded ordnances. These dangers are everywhere, constantly posing unpredictable risks.
“This drives my strong desire to contribute to freeing the land, bringing peace to my hometown of Quang Binh.
"When the land is safe, people can confidently farm, children can play freely without fear, and homes, schools, and other infrastructure can be built, all of which helps boost the local economy.”
Sonja, Community Liaison Officer, MAG Bosnia and Herzegovina
“A world without mines means no conflicts, no war, and a reign of peace and harmony.
"A world without mines means safety and security, allowing us to move freely and live without limitations.”
Huaykham, Vehicle Fleet Manager, MAG Laos
"A mine-free world is important to me because I want my children to grow up without fear.
"In Laos, unexploded ordnance from past wars still affects our daily lives, and I don’t want future generations to suffer from something that should have been removed long ago."
2nd April: The Impact of Mine Action
Across the world, landmines and unexploded bombs continue to hold communities back, making everyday life dangerous and uncertain.
Thanks to deminers, drivers, and community liaison officers like Noura, Ha, Sonja, and Huaykham, progress is being made. Every mine cleared means safer roads, livelihoods restored, and families rebuilding their lives.
In Sri Lanka, hospitals once surrounded by hidden dangers are now expanding. In Vietnam, land once feared is now fertile farmland. In many places, mine clearance has opened the door to stability, security, and new opportunities.
But for too many communities, the danger is far from over. In places like Lebanon, Myanmar, South Sudan, Ukraine and beyond, landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to threaten lives, stall recovery, and keep people from returning home. Urgent action is still needed.
This is the impact of mine action – and why the work must continue:
Clearing the way for healthcare in Sri Lanka
For more than a century, Murunkan Base Hospital in Sri Lanka’s Mannar district has been a cornerstone of healthcare. Yet for years, the land around it was contaminated with landmines – deadly remnants of the country’s brutal civil war.
This threat not only put hospital staff and patients at risk but also prevented essential expansion plans.
In February 2024, MAG’s demining teams completed clearance of the hospital and its surroundings. Now, an unused ward is set to become a much-needed mental health clinic, offering vital support to the community.
Dr. Sriskandaraja Arunthoyam, a leading advocate for community health, said: "Words cannot fully express our appreciation for this work. This is especially important in an area where patients are constantly moving in and out of the hospital.
"We are moving forward in Sri Lanka’s journey toward peace and reconciliation."
A transformed landscape in Vietnam
MAG began operations in Vietnam in 1999, working to clear land riddled with unexploded ordnance. One of the first sites was Truc Lam village, Quang Tri, where decades of war had left the land unsafe and unusable.
After three years of work on this site, the team cleared a total area of 1.2 million square metres. They safely located and destroyed 10,403 explosive items, including 2,019 anti-personnel mines.
Twenty-five years later, Minh, one of MAG’s longest-serving team members and who was among the team of 65 members who made the clearance of this area possible, and Quy, whose family moved to the area after it was cleared in 2002, revisited the site.
Quy remembers the fear her family lived with before clearance: “We wanted to farm this land, but we didn’t dare. The fear of landmines held us back. Our lives were limited by the land we could safely use.”
Now, her family farms rubber, pepper, and eucalyptus. Thanks to the economic stability, her children have pursued higher education – an opportunity that once seemed impossible.
Minh reflected on the transformation: “When I first arrived at this site in 2000, the ground was riddled with bomb craters, three to four metres wide and deep, scattered everywhere. Returning here 25 years later,
I was filled with joy at the sight of the lush green landscape. It’s incredible to witness how demining has changed lives.”
Progress made but the need remains urgent
While some communities are beginning to thrive, others remain trapped by the deadly legacy of war.
In Kamianka, Ukraine, Larysa and her husband returned home after their village was liberated. But they faced a harsh reality: their land was littered with explosive items.
“The infrastructure is ruined: we had a kindergarten, a local club and village council, a post office and grocery stores. Now there's nothing," said Larysa. "Farmers can't grow crops, the houses they used to live in are damaged.
"Mine clearance is crucial for our village. It will help create jobs and people will be motivated to return."
Although clearance efforts have helped restore electricity to some streets in Kamianka, and risk education is saving lives, the road to recovery is long. Urgent action is needed – not just here, but in communities around the world still living with the daily and deadly threat of landmines.
