Dina’s Story of Resilience and Hope
“My name is Dina. I am 38 years old and work as a farmer, growing bananas, cassava, and cashew nuts. My field is not far from my home, only about 1 km away. I have four children—two daughters and two sons. The eldest is 15, and the youngest is 9. Unfortunately, my two oldest children couldn’t attend school, but my two youngest do. My wife runs a small shop where we sell snacks, food ingredients, and other essentials, and the older children help her with selling and household chores.
I’ve lived in Preah Vihear for about 18 years now and married my wife in 2004. Ten years later, in 2014, I suffered a life-changing accident. I was crossing through the forest to get to my field—at that time, there were no clear roads, only forestry. Unaware of the hidden landmines, I stepped on one. I lost consciousness, and nearby farmers rushed me to the hospital by motorbike. I only regained consciousness once I was at the hospital.
I spent around two weeks in the 6th January Hospital. By the time I woke up, my leg had already been amputated. I was filled with self-pity and regret, finding it hard to accept that I would be disabled for the rest of my life. Throughout this period, my family was always by my side. My wife has been especially supportive, always encouraging me to stay strong and keep moving forward.
Even with my prosthetic leg, there’s still pain, particularly when I travel far or do heavy tasks. It took nearly a year to get the prosthetic, and I now use my motorbike to get to the field. I leave it about 300-400 meters away and walk the rest of the way. During the harvest season, I hire others to help with the workload. Although I’m unsure if the spot where I was injured has been checked for mines, the land is now being farmed, and there haven’t been any new explosions since my accident. I’ve also told my children never to touch or move any explosives they might find.
Since the accident, life has become even harder, particularly with farming. The pain in my leg often worsens with strenuous tasks, and it’s prone to scratches and burns. Despite these challenges, I have hope for the future. I’d like to expand our shop, sell more products, and increase our income to support our family.
I hadn’t heard of HeroRATs finding landmines until recently—only of CMAC’s work. I’m incredibly grateful for your work here and for providing me with a new prosthetic. I hope this new leg will allow me to accomplish more, helping my family and traveling farther than before.”
