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Making History in Angola

“Sometimes women don’t believe in themselves but this job lets us prove ourselves.”
Noloti Chinolete Kapitia, paramedic deminer, HALO Angola

Photos by Scout Tufankjian

8th March 2019 |

In a small shared yard in Benguela, Angola, the women of Noloti’s family have gathered. Her aunt Constantina sits quietly in the corner, a vivid turban covering her head, mum Isobel and her two younger sisters, Severina and Bibiana, rest against the wall. In the background is the constant rush of water as neighbours come to use the communal tap. For the family, life has been tough. Three years ago, Noloti’s relationship broke down and she returned home, along with her two small boys Adriano and Feliciano. As she explains it was difficult to survive:

“Before I started working for HALO, first I worked as a maid in the city, then I worked in a bar, then I tried to earn money selling things at market. But sometimes I might work for two or three months and not get paid. The place I find myself in now I am a deminer for HALO is very different, it is good now.”

Isobel adds, “Noloti is able to help a lot with the house. She will buy 12 litres of oil or 25kg of rice, she can pay for the gas and support her boys.”

Her aunt agrees, pointing to her legs she explains Noloti also helps pay for her medicine. Constantina recalls the years of war and the landmines vividly.

“During the war I remember people being killed, they were running away and they were killed. Here in Benguela we did not hear about the mines so much but elsewhere, in the mountains, there were many mines. People would go to look for wood. Some of them never came back.”

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She is proud of the work Noloti is doing; “The big war is finished so I want all the land to be cleared of mines.”

“What she is doing is for all of us so I ask God to keep her safe.” Isobel adds.

For Noloti it is not just about the stability her job provides:

“I wanted to work for HALO, not just because of the salary, but so that we can leave our fields free from mines so people can live safely. It is good for women to do this job—to show that we are competent. Men see that what we do is hard and dangerous and say that we are strong.”

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Constantina agrees: “I was very happy to hear that women are doing this work. They are not just women, they are men at the same time.”

The minefields where Noloti works are remote so she must live in a tented camp with the other women for three weeks at a time but the sense of community is strong.

“I like living with the women, it is another new experience for me. There are a lot of single mothers amongst the women in the camp. It means we can understand each other.”

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She talks to her boys about her work, that it can be dangerous but she is no longer afraid. “When I found my first landmine I was afraid but I was ready because we had done many practice simulations in training. I said to myself, this is why I came here. We were at Cuito Cuanavale (one of the most dangerous minefields in the world) but I felt well prepared. It was very satisfying because we were finding so many landmines, we were making a difference.”

When discussions turn to the future, Noloti describes how she would like to keep working for HALO. “I was very keen to become a paramedic deminer because it takes courage and just last week I passed my training! I want to save my salary to buy a house for my family.”

Her sisters are equally ambitious and are continuing with their education thanks to Noloti’s support. Severina dreams of becoming a policewoman, whilst Bibiana wants to be a lawyer: “I want to be able to defend people and stop them from being treated wrongly.”

Before Nolotii leaves to collect Adriano and Feliciano from their lessons she reflects on her experience:

“This experience, clearing Angola’s landmines, is important because one day it will be a story to tell my children and grandchildren. I would say to other women—do not be afraid to come and join us, be curious, be strong.”

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