Remove landmines from a village in Cambodia

This month we celebrate 25 years of mine clearance in Cambodia. HALO and its partner's efforts have benefitted around 1 million rural poor men, women, and children who can now live, work, and travel in safety.

HALO began work in Cambodia clearing mines to ensure refugees from the long conflict with the Khmer Rouge could safely return from Thailand. Since 1991, we’ve cleared more than 500,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance.

Because of this work, people like Senan and her husband in Phnum Rai village have not only been able to return to their lives in safety, they have found employment. Today we have over 1,100 men and women working in the provinces of Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Otdar Meanchey, Siem Reap, Pursat, and Pailin.

To recognize long-serving Cambodian staff, HALO held an event to mark the 25th anniversary attended by William Longhurst, British Ambassador to Cambodia, Hannah Kessler from the United States Department of State, and His Excellency Ly Thuch, Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA).

Thanks to the generosity of committed donors, HALO, along with other international organizations and with the national Cambodian Mine Action Centre, over half of Cambodia’s minefields have been cleared. 

Yet while we celebrate our accomplishments, there is still much to be done. The goal is to work ourselves out of a job by 2025. 

We appreciate your support towards this end and thank you for giving so generously to this project.

Have any suggestions for how we can spread the word about our important work? Email us at mail@halousa.org. We’d love to hear your thoughts!