User:Attackfighter/Cambodian Self Help Demining

Background of CSHD
Cambodian Self Help Demining (CSHD) is a nonprofit NGO founded by Aki Ra. Its mission is to clear landmines and UXOs in 'low priority' villages throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia. Low priority villages are often villages in remote area with limited traffic and populated by poor famers. Hence, they do not receive priority from mine clearance projects and are at times overlooked.

Efforts and Funding
The development problems that Cambodia faces with regard to landmine are enormous and the CSHD helps to solve some of the problems such as rural poverty by giving the people access to farming land, houses and schools to improving their standard of living. In 2010, CSHD cleared seven villages, removed 150 mines and UXOs, put 4695 people back on to previously mine contaminated land. They also helped to build and supported two village schools and paid the teacher’s salaries.

CSHD has set up a Landmine Relief Fund to support the demining process. The main aim of the Landmine Relief Fund is to seek funding from external organizations to finance the cost required to maintain the demining team. It costs approximately $9,000USD per month to maintain a demining team in the field, with the deminers paid up to $250USD per month. By maintaining a team of deminers, these deminers have a source of income in the form of employment and this helps them to support their families.

Currently, CSHD has only 1 demining team which comprises of 18 deminers working in the field and 7 support staff. However, it has been a challenge for CSHD to raise funds to pay its deminers and the support staff.

Affiliates
Besides actively carrying out demining work in the field, the Cambodian Self Help Demining also cares for the children living at the Landmine Museum Relief Center. The Landmine Museum Relief Center is a home to children who have been affected by the landmines and have no one else to take care of them. Their mission is to provide education and support for children at risk and affected by the landmine. The provision of shelter and education for these children allows them to have a higher standard of living, with education providing employment opportunities in the future.