Every year on April 4th, the world recognizes International Mine Awareness Day. This year, the global landscape is starkly different to anything we have experienced before. Like many nonprofits, our work in some parts of the world has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.But one thing we have continued to witness around the world during this emergency is the incredible way people are stepping up to support one another. Here at MAG we know that has always been the case. During these difficult times we will continue to share stories of how, by working together, we have supported communities and families who live with the daily threat of landmines and unexploded bombs.
Venus's quick thinking saves lives in Angola
The crumpled wreckage of a tank might seem like a rare sight, but for 11-year-old Venus and his 8-year-old brother, Eduardo, it makes for a permanent fixture in their back garden in Cambinga, a small village in Angola.
Venus was playing outside on the tank with his brother and friends when he discovered an unexploded bomb in his yard, a remnant of conflict that ravaged Angola for forty years. Thanks to a MAG risk education class, he knew exactly what to do when he came across this lethal item. He alerted the MAG Rapid Response Team who arrived and safely and removed the unexploded bomb.
While there, the MAG team discovered another explosive on their property, which they also removed and destroyed, protecting the family from harm.
Children like Venus create a positive change in their community. By acting responsibly and remembering the safety lessons he had learned from MAG, he saved his own life, as well as those of his younger brother and friends. We think he’s pretty remarkable, and on International Mine Awareness Day, we ask you to join us in celebrating Venus.
We couldn’t have helped children like Venus over the last year without the amazing support of friends like you. As we face an unprecedented future in this lifesaving work, we must count on your continued partnership to move towards a world free of the threat of landmines and unexploded bombs.
MAG staff across the world are driven by a determination to help those who are most vulnerable. Many of the villages we work in are isolated, with poor access to healthcare and supplies. It is our job to ensure that they are not forgotten, and that we stand ready to act when they need us.
Help us teach more children like Venus by making a donation to MAG America on #InternationalMineAwarenessDay. Thank you for your support of our mission to save lives and build safer futures, on International Mine Awareness Day and beyond.
