Clearing the Way for a Safer Future
When Oun moved to his village in 1987, he was looking for a better life. He hoped to find more farmland, more wood for making charcoal, and a safer future for his growing family. What he didn’t expect was the daily danger hidden just beneath the ground.
As a former soldier, Sam knew about landmines, but like many at the time, he didn’t fully understand just how deadly they were. With no protective equipment, he and others in the village often encountered landmines while farming or gathering wood, and simply learned to live with the risk.
Today, thanks to APOPO’s landmine clearance and risk education, Oun’s village is safer. He now dreams of a landmine-free future for his grandchildren. Below, in his own words, Oun explains how far his village has come.
“My name is Oun, and I am 63 years old. I am from Battambang, and I moved here in 1987 with my wife. We were looking for better opportunities, particularly in agriculture, and I also needed to find more wood for making charcoal to sell. Life here was better for survival and subsistence.
I got married in 1982 in Battambang, and we started our family. My wife passed away two years ago, and I miss her every day. We have four children; the youngest is 20 years old, and the oldest is 36. They are all married except for the youngest. Now, I also have 12 grandchildren, and two more are on the way. I am very excited and happy about that.
When I first started farming here, I encountered many landmines. I had been in the military before. I enlisted in 1979 and resigned in 1988, so I knew about landmines. At that time, we didn’t use metal detectors, and it was very dangerous. While working in agriculture or searching for wood, we would sometimes find and remove landmines ourselves. I felt confident back then because I hadn’t seen any accidents happen. However, looking back, I realize that I was simply unaware of how truly dangerous it was.
There was an incident in a nearby village where a cow triggered an anti-tank mine, killing five cows at once. But here in our village, no one had an accident, so we didn’t think much about the risks. We didn’t even know if there was a minefield or a designated hazardous area. We just encountered landmines as part of our daily lives.
Now, I am very happy that APOPO is here, not only removing landmines but also educating people, especially children, about their dangers. I’ve heard about their Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) sessions in schools, and I think this is very important. Looking back, I realize how people like me underestimated the dangers of landmines, simply because we didn’t know better.
I used to rent land to grow rice and cassava, but the owner recently stopped renting it. Now, I support myself and my family by working on large farms for other people. Life in the village has changed a lot since APOPO started clearing landmines. People are no longer worried, and we feel happier and safer.
I remember the first time I saw APOPO’s rats when they briefed us about their work. I was very impressed to learn that these animals could detect the scent of explosives. Thanks to their work, my grandchildren will grow up and play in a landmine-free village. In my heart, I hope they will have the opportunity to move to Phnom Penh one day and find good jobs.
I would like to tell APOPO and all the people who support this project: please continue your work. I am deeply grateful to APOPO, its supporters, and donors for removing landmines from our land. Thank you for making our village a safer place.”