The Gift of Opportunity

Life has been hard for Julia. Her father died when she was very young and her family were forced to flee Angola during the civil war. However, she was resolved to build a secure future for her two young sons, returning to Angola in 2011 to find work.

“I remember the first time I saw a mine victim. It was on the border between Angola and Namibia, minefields had been laid but many people needed to cross for work. I saw this woman—she was blown up, she lost her leg and her arm.

In 1997, whilst Angola was at war, my family fled to Namibia. They are still there today but I returned to Angola to try to find work. I have two sons but only my little boy Juzy lives here with me. Matheus my oldest boy is nine and lives in Namibia with my family. I am only able to see him once a year.

Before I got the job with HALO, I was without work for a year and a half. It was very, very hard. I was giving my CV to all the different companies hoping someone would call. Here in Angola many people go to school and university but afterwards there is no work. When I heard about HALO’s project to employ women as deminers I was very surprised but I knew I had to try and do something to improve my life. I went for the interview and they chose me.

To start with I was very afraid. After our training, we went to Cuito Cuanavale (one of the most dangerous minefields in the world.) I was shaking so much, every step I took I was checking the ground beneath my feet with the detector—even when I wasn’t in the minefield! But after a couple of weeks I was not afraid. I never thought I cannot do this, I said to myself ‘if the other women are doing this then I can too.’

This has been a good experience in my life. For some, it is a surprise to see women climbing the mountains and clearing the landmines. But we women have to show the world we are capable of this work. I think men are seeing this too now.

It is the first time I have lived with this many women but we are like family. There are 34 of us altogether—plus Georgina who is on maternity leave. She has called her new daughter HALO-Louisa! I am a point of contact for the women and help to solve any problems. I am also trained as a paramedic deminer. I look after the women if there is an accident but also day-to-day, for example if they have a high temperature or sickness. It was a good opportunity for me because I had not trained in this before—I’d never had to give injections to anyone! It is learning that I will now have for the rest of my life. Last year, when my brother visited from Namibia he became ill with malaria but I was able to help treat him thanks to my training.