A safer future for students in Buna
In brief
Students at a school in Papua New Guinea are learning how to stay safe around unexploded ordnance as HALO works to identify and remove explosive hazards from their community.
For students at Buna Elementary and Primary School in Papua New Guinea’s Oro Province, reminders of World War II are never far away.
Surrounded by coconut trees and tall kunai grass, the school sits near the site of the Battle of Buna-Gona, a fierce campaign fought between Allied and Japanese forces in 1942 and 1943. More than eight decades later, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) continue to pose a danger to local communities.
Just 50 meters from the school volleyball court, a 100lb bomb and two artillery projectiles were discovered during construction of new teacher housing.
For teacher Theo Tenonda, the find was alarming—but not surprising.
For Tenonda, the discovery brought back memories.
“I have come across bombs before on the school ground,” he explained, recalling similar finds during a classroom construction project in the 1990s.
Concerned for the safety of students, teachers, and the wider community, he says the possibility of finding additional explosives remains a constant worry as the school continues to grow.
Fellow teacher Friendly Kuiwi now lives in the newly built accommodation. Learning that dangerous items were located just meters from his home left him fearful.
“It made me scared knowing that my life is at risk,” he said. “When I heard about HALO I was happy and hopeful that these bombs will soon be removed, and I don’t need to live in fear of them exploding.”
Protecting children today
HALO recently launched operations in Oro Province and has been meeting with residents throughout Buna to document reports and evidence of explosive items.
This work is a critical first step. Papua New Guinea has never had a formal UXO survey, making it difficult to fully understand the scale of the problem or determine where future clearance efforts should be focused.
For now, the explosives found near the school have been clearly marked, and every student has received risk education to help them stay safe. HALO is also developing a plan to safely destroy the items, removing the immediate threat to the school.
For teachers like Tenonda and Kuiwi, that day cannot come soon enough. What was once a source of fear is becoming a source of optimism as the community moves toward a safer future.
This work is made possible through the generous support of the United States, helping protect lives and create safer opportunities for communities affected by the legacy of war.
