Celebrating Father’s Day
SAFE LAND FOR DAD SEFUS IN ZIMBABWE
Sefus moved to the village of Kananga in Zimbabwe 10 years ago with his wife Margaret. He thought it was the perfect place to settle down and start a family. But he had no idea they’d built their new home in the middle of a minefield.
Although a series of animal accidents in the area had left Sefus and Margaret suspicious, they thought that all the landmines had been cleared long ago, a result of commercial demining companies having completed some clearance nearby. They thought nothing of it again until HALO demining began in their area.
One day, the HALO teams arrived at their doorstep to explain that their home was not only in the minefield, but that there was a line of mines running right through the homestead, barely two metres from their front door.
Sefus and Margaret have a two-year-old son. At first Sefus was terrified for his safety and Margaret wanted to leave the home they had so carefully built.
Sefus explains: “We were very shocked when HALO dug up the first landmine, my wife wanted to pack up and leave immediately.”
Margaret was even more terrified to realise that she had actually discovered one of the mines previously when sweeping her yard but had not realised what it was.
“I had seen the top of one before when I was cleaning the yard, but I didn’t know it was a landmine! I feel very lucky.”
It took some convincing by the HALO teams, but once Sefus could see the landmines had been destroyed he understood that his family was safe to stay and that his son can now play in the yard without risk of accident.
No parent should have to fear their child might step out of their door onto a landmine. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, including the Government of Japan, the minefield has been completely cleared and Sefus can cultivate his land, support his family and watch his son grow up in safety.
