Staff story: Abu
Abu Chinarine was an APOPO deminer. He risked his life every day to help rid his community of unexploded landmines left over from the war 30 years ago.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_0904-armpatchs.jpg)
I was a manual deminer for APOPO. Everyone in the community knows about the mines that put our lives in danger.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_177620MCT120abu20port.jpeg)
I decided to do something about it so I joined APOPO.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_098120Abu20shears01.jpeg)
I carried out tasks such as minefield preparation and landmine detection.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_076220Hassan20MDR03.jpeg)
APOPO also deploys HeroRATs to detect the landmines. They are very fast.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_842520Mine2001.jpeg)
Once they find the landmines, I carefully exposed them.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_3235-Explosion-1.jpg)
Me and my colleagues would then safely destroy them.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_101220Abupylon04.jpeg)
People say I risked my life to find the landmines. But we followed strict safety rules.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_059820Abu-miners01.jpeg)
We also took regular breaks from the heat and intense concentration.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_1115-Medic-02s.jpg)
And there were fully trained medical staff on hand with top quality equipment.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_194520abu20-20Family2002.jpeg)
My job supported my family and I helped pay school fees for my nieces and nephews.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_204320Abu20wife20-20shop.jpeg)
I also started up a family business as I knew, one day, all the mines will be gone.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_203120Abumum01.jpeg)
My mother worried about me every day but I know she is proud of what I did.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_202220Abu20girl2001.jpeg)
And my children can now play and collect firewood without fear of landmines.
![](https://apopo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/IMG_197220abufamily03.jpeg)
Thanks to APOPO, my family is now safe!