Hoping Her Children Can Grow Up Safely

Landmines and other explosive remnants of war continue to affect the daily lives of families in Cambodia’s Battambang province. For farmers like Sokny, the land provides food, income, and a future for their children, but possible contamination also brings uncertainty and fear.

Sokny did not know that the area near her home was considered a minefield until a cow was killed in an explosion. She must continue farming and caring for her animals, even though she does not know whether all the land her family depends on is safe. APOPO’s demining teams have now begun clearing the area.

Read Sokny’s story in her own words below.

“My name is Sokny, I am 37 years old. I am originally from Takeo province and I moved to this area in 2002, when I was 14 years old.

My house is close to areas that may be contaminated, but before the demining teams arrived I did not know that this area was a minefield.

I remember the accident when a cow stepped on a mine. I was far from the exact place, but I heard the explosion. It was very loud and the cow died.

I was very scared, but even after that I still had to take care of the cows because I had no choice.

At that time, I did not know what landmines looked like. I only knew that if I saw something strange I should stay away, which made it even more frightening because I could not recognize the danger.

Two years ago, when I returned from Thailand, I was taking care of the cows in the bush and I saw a strange object. I did not touch it. I marked the place and reported it because I understood it could be dangerous.

When my children once brought home a strange object, I was not there because I was working in Thailand at that time.

I always tell my children to stay away from certain areas and not to let the cows go there. But I worry because children are curious and you cannot watch them all the time.

My children have not received education about landmines at school, and I think it would be very important. As a parent, I cannot always be with them, and children tend to touch things they find, so I worry about their safety.

At the time I moved here, I was not happy to leave my hometown because all my friends were there. But I moved here with my parents and my siblings, and I started working with them, so I did not continue school after moving.

Now I am married and I have three children, two girls and one boy. My oldest child is 16 years old and the youngest is two. The two younger ones go to school, while the oldest stopped studying and helps take care of the cows.

For the future, I hope my children can study and get a good education, because without education it is very difficult to find a job.

We depend on the land to survive. I was given permission by a landowner to use about four hectares where I grow rice, cassava, and corn. I also have cows, chickens, and ducks.

Even though the land is not mine and could be taken back one day, it is still essential for our survival.

Around the house, I grow vegetables. This helps us manage without going often to the market because we have most of what we need.

My daily life starts early. After breakfast, I work around the house, taking care of the vegetables and the farm, removing grass, watering, and maintaining the crops.

Sometimes I work for other farmers who pay me to clear grass from their fields, which gives me extra income. I also sometimes sell chickens and ducks for additional money, while my children take care of the cows.

Before the teams arrived, survey teams had already come about two years earlier and informed us that clearance would happen. So when the demining teams from APOPO finally arrived, I felt very happy and relieved.

I have not seen them working closely because we are not allowed near the minefield, but I know they are working to make the land safe.

My land has not been cleared yet and I do not know if there are mines there or not. But now they have started clearing the area, and I hope they will check my land as well.

I have heard about the rats used to detect mines, and I am surprised and curious about how they can do that. It still feels strange to me, but I would like to understand more.

Since the teams arrived, there are more people in the area. Before, it was very remote, and I think this has a positive impact on the community.

I hope that one day all the landmines will be cleared so we can farm safely and my children can go to school without danger.

I want to say thank you to all the people working to clear the mines. I am very grateful because their work allows us to live, farm, and take care of our animals without fear.”