MAG Vietnam - May 2008 update
Source: MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
Website: http://www.maginternational.org
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SUMMARY OF MAY'S ACTIVITIES AND OUTPUTS
The MAG Vietnam programme continued to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO) to
vulnerable communities in Vietnam by implementing humanitarian mine action in Quang Binh and Quang Tri Provinces.
- Nine Mine Action Teams (MATs), supported by two Community Liaison (CL) Teams
- Teams visited 3,641 houses, searching 3,742 square metres, performing 551 Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tasks, and removing 993 items of UXO.
- Community Liaison teams conducted 61 community/partner meetings; visiting
47 villages, conducting 807 house to house surveys; documenting 86 mine/UXO reports; generating 25 post clearance impact reports; and gathered information for five case studies.
- A focus on Quality Assurance, training and standardisation ensured the continued improvement of effectiveness and efficiency within the programme.
SUMMARY OF IMPACT
- Creating a more secure environment for the Vietnamese people by reducing risk to life and limb.
- Building safer communities and working to improve the futures of people affected by the explosive remnants of conflict.
- Creating poverty alleviation opportunities by freeing up land that can be used for sustainable livelihood generation and infrastructure projects.
- Contributing to economic growth and stability by creating safer environments for communities and increasing economic independence for families working in farming, herding or scrap collecting.
DONORS
MAG would like to express its gratitude and many thanks to the following current donors to the
Vietnam programme:
- Adopt-a-Minefield
- Imperial Tobacco
- Irish Aid
- Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State
- Schonstedt/UN
For more information on MAG's work in Vietnam and around the world, please visit:
www.maginternational.org
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]










