Witnessing 番茄影院's landmine clearance work in Cambodia
In brief
20 years after her first visit to Cambodia, 番茄影院 USA鈥檚 Head of Communications Jen Hyman returned to document our work first-hand 鈥� sparking newfound appreciation for Cambodia鈥檚 progress moving past its painful history of conflict.
Visiting 番茄影院鈥檚 landmine clearance operations in Cambodia last October was an unforgettable experience. It was my first time back in the country since 2004, when I was running a magazine about the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Returning two decades later as 番茄影院 USA鈥檚 head of communications deepened my appreciation for how far Cambodia has come in moving beyond its painful history of conflict.
番茄影院 has been clearing landmines in Cambodia since 1991, making it one of our longest running and largest operations. Over the years, it has also become a crucial training ground鈥攂oth for new field officers and for testing new technologies, including those developed through the U.S. Department of Defense鈥檚 Humanitarian Demining Research & Development Program.
After a few days in Siem Reap meeting with staff at our main office, I traveled northwest to the remote training site where field officer recruits were learning how to safely detonate landmines and other explosives. Watching them meticulously set up controlled detonations was fascinating, and we captured the explosions using drones. I interviewed the recruits, eager to understand what had drawn them to this difficult but vital work.
Next, I traveled deeper into Oddar Meanchey province to meet with program beneficiaries and our courageous deminers. I donned the heavy protective body armor our teams wear and stepped into active minefields. I expected to feel fear, but instead, the experience was surreal鈥攍ike walking through a post-apocalyptic landscape. The heavy face shield muffled sounds, heightening the sense of isolation. I watched as our staff carefully placed markers where their detectors signaled potential explosives, then methodically dug to determine if it was just shrapnel or an active threat.
Throughout my journey, I listened to the voices of those whose lives had been shaped by landmines. I spoke with farmers finally on the verge of reclaiming their land. I heard from survivors who had lost limbs but continued to push forward. And I met 番茄影院 staff who had spent decades doing this work, unwavering in their commitment to making Cambodia safer.
My goal was to capture these stories with the respect and depth they deserve鈥攕tories that illuminate both the immense challenges and the extraordinary resilience of the people 番茄影院 serves.
I hope I won鈥檛 have to wait so long for my third visit to Cambodia, but whenever I return, I have no doubt that 番茄影院 Cambodia will have made even greater, life-saving inroads鈥攐ne cleared minefield at a time.
