I found a mine exactly where I used to play as a child

Today, Ly Sreyneang is a professional deminer, clearing landmines and explosives across Cambodia. She is a task supervisor who manages three teams and leads more than 30 people in total.

But her rise to leadership didn’t happen overnight. In fact, her journey in landmine clearance began more than 13 years ago after she witnessed her first demining operation – when HALO cleared the land right behind her childhood home.

“I saw how important this work was,” she said. “That’s when I decided to join them."

Sreyneang grew up in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, near the northern border with Thailand. This area was heavily affected by landmines during the Khmer Rouge era. To this day, these explosives pose daily threats to the communities who live, work, and farm on the land.

She has made it her mission to remove these threats and bring safety to communities. One of the most impactful moments in making this mission a reality came shortly after she had completed her training as a deminer.

“I’ll never forget when I was assigned to clear a minefield in my own village. I found a mine exactly where I used to play as a child,” she said. 

“To know that those same places were once dangerous… it felt like a bittersweet victory.”

That’s when she understood just how life-changing her work can be – not just to her own family, but to countless others across Cambodia.

“I realized how much danger had shaped our lives and minds. It wasn’t just about removing a physical threat; it was about healing memories and freeing my village from fear.” 

After more than a decade of clearing landmines, she is acutely aware of how transformative her work can be for the many in her country still living in the shadow of war.

“It makes me feel proud to be part of this work. I’m doing something meaningful – not just for my family, but for all of Cambodia. We are freeing the land, and with it, we are freeing the hearts of the people.”

And while managing multiple teams of people in the field can certainly come with challenges, Sreyneang’s experience has helped her find her voice as a leader.