The prevalence of dangerous explosive remnants of war in central Vietnam makes explosive ordnance risk education a priority.
The statistics are sobering. Since the end of the war, over 100,000 individuals have been injured or killed by explosive ordnance (EO) in Vietnam. One out of every five landmine victims is a child. Though approximately 80% of the estimated confirmed hazardous areas in Quảng Tri Province still need to be cleared, there have been no accidents for the past three years.
It is clear that this reduction in casualties is not merely a result of safe land, but rather a result of increased community awareness and appropriate reactions when dangerous EO are suspected. Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) provided by PeaceTrees Vietnam’s EOD technicians has been instrumental in the reduction of deaths and injuries in the province.
For more than 20 years, PeaceTrees has held annual EORE camps for children throughout central Vietnam. Through a mixture of participatory activities including the creation of informative posters/postcards, interactive quizzes, and outdoor games, PeaceTrees EOD technicians educate children and their teachers on the dangers associated with EO, and how to remain safe when in their presence. View essays and posters from our 2016 EORE Camp here.
PeaceTrees also prioritizes EORE during EOD clearance tasks to ensure even the most remote communities know how to stay safe.
Learn more about living with mine risk through Cun's Story.
The Danaan Parry Landmine Education Center
To increase community-wide awareness of the dangers of EO, PeaceTrees Vietnam opened the Danaan Parry Landmine Education Center, the only center of its kind in Vietnam. The Center provides much needed education to children and visitors through interactive displays and materials about landmines and other explosive ordnance. Additionally, the Center serves as a training location for Vietnamese volunteers who return to their own communities to teach EO awareness. Read more about the Danaan Parry Landmine Education Center here.
