Survivor Assistance

Landmines cause a variety of damage including widespread disability, demoralization, unemployment, social stigmatization, and additional economic hardship for families and communities. Furthermore, the plight of relatives of landmine survivors and mine-affected communities is on a par with that of the physically injured. Landmines cause widespread disability, demoralization, unemployment, social stigmatization, and economic hardship for families and communities.

A landmine victim is fitted for a prothesis, above.

Survivor Assistance is an International Concern

A disproportionate number of victims are children, both because they are not educated about the dangers of landmines, and because their small size makes them more vulnerable to a landmine explosion.

Adopt-A-Minefield’s survivor assistance program, launched in 2002, seeks to support organizations that provide services and restore opportunities for landmine survivors. Many of the most mine impacted countries also have the most limited resources to provide accident survivors with the necessary services to get them walking again and back in the workforce. Adopt-A-Minefield supports emergency medical attention and physical rehabilitation programs that help landmine survivors resume their roles as active members of their communities so that they can help themselves.

Reflecting the broad social, economic, and physical impact of landmine injuries, assistance programs range from emergency medical care, continuing medical care, physical rehabilitation, prosthesis and assistive devices, to psychological and social support, employment and economic integration initiatives, capacity building, legislation and public awareness, access to services, and data collection on survivors so that resources can be efficiently allocated.

Ongoing issues and concerns in providing assistance to survivors include under-reporting of new landmine injuries; the concentration of services in urban centers while the majority of landmine incidents occur in rural areas; and a continuing focus on physical rehabilitation while victims of “secondary” effects are neglected. Further resources about landmine survivor assistance can be found through the United Nations Mine Action Service, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and Landmine Survivors Network.

With the help that Adopt-A-Minefield funding provides, this child will be able to return to school and prepare for a productive future.