Voeun Seout hope that he will get income from his pig very soon.

‘“ For seven years, my wife burdened the whole family life earnings. She even ploughed rice field. I could do only light work. I wanted to help her as much as I wished, but I could not. I dreamed of raising chickens, pigs, ducks and cows as I used to do before getting hurt by landmine. Now my dream comes true. I have a pen with 5 pigs (4 females). I am now very happy. I have to thank Mr. Theo Kidess and Cambodia Red Cross. They help and support my life and my family “, said Voeun Soeut whilst sitting close to his wife who was feeding their pigs.

Seven years ago, Voeun Soeut went to visit his mother. Having driven along the dirt road from his village in Odor Mean Chey Province to visit his mother’s village in Siem Reap Province many times before, he knew he was in for a long and bumpy 5 hour ride ahead. As a solider, Soeut knew of the dangers in traveling in an area littered with mines, but there was no other way to go. Sitting on the back of a moto taxi, he bounced up and down as the driver tried to navigate the motorbike over the rough and muddy track.

As the road narrowed, a large rock blocked their path. Getting off the motorbike, Soeut squatted down and lifted the rock out of the mud with his left hand. Just withina blick, Soeut’s world was shattered as a land mine exploded from underneath leaving him blind and without a left hand.

Soeut’s story is one of many in Cambodia. As a legacy of various conflicts over the last two decades, Cambodia became one of the most heavily landmine/UXO-contaminated countries in the world. According to the Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC), over 46% of Cambodian villages (or 6,422 villages) are contaminated by land mines and UXO's with an estimated 4 – 6 million mines still left.

With Mines and UXO’s remaining in the country, people living in the mine contaminated areas are threatened daily. Education of mine risk should go in hand with rehabilitation and development. The Red Cross can help to make difference in the living conditions of the mine victims. Your donation can help make difference to the life of the mine victims. The more you can give, the better their life is.

The Cambodian Red Cross is implementing of the Community Based Landmine/UXO Risk Education and other humanity activities to alleviate the problem and target those living in the most affected areas by implementing a Social Rehabilitation for Mine Victim Project (SRMV). Starting as a pilot project earlier this year, the program aims to improve the quality of life to mine victims by promoting humanitarian values in communities, especially improving the livelihood by providing in come generation and food security to those who have no access to services.

With a small grant of $US200 from Mr. Mr. Theo Kidess, the Red Cross has provided to help Voeun Soeut rebuild his life. By providing Soeut with pigs to start a farm, materials for cooking and a pig pen, Soeut and his family now able to work and be better off.

”Sometimes I find it difficult to live,” says Soeut, “but I have to think about my family especially my children. I want to be able to help them. I want to raise animals again but I didn’t have any support. The Red Cross has really helped me’’.

Goal

Improve the quality of life to mine victims by promoting humanitarian value in community.

Objective

1. To develop the quality of live and sustainable to mine victims and family members through addressing basic needs, including food security and social rehabilitation services.

2. To build capacity among Development Office and Red Cross volunteer’s through social and rehabilitation services based on active participation which will help reduce poverty among mine victim individuals and mine victim families.

Ms. Men Neary Sopheak, Director, Communications Department Mr. Mom Phireak, Mine Risk Education Program Coordinator Cambodian Red Cross # 17, St. Cambodian Red Cross (180), Phnom Penh, Cambodia Office telephone: (+855) 23 212 876, (+855) 23 362 876 Mobile: (+855) 12 810 854 or (+855) 12 722 074 Fax: (+ 855) 23 212 875 E-Mail: Sopheak.MenNeary@redcross.org.kh or LMA@redcross.org.kh