Afghanistan is the most heavily mined country in the world. According to the UN's mine-action program, landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) cause between 30 and 40 casualties every week. Due to poor roads and a lack of transportation, it is believed that almost 50 percent of mine victims die before reaching a medical facility, although many incidents go unreported. In a recent study by the ICRC of reported landmine casualties, 91.9% were civilians and more than 50 percent were children.

According to the World Health Organization, 65 percent of Afghans do not have access to any health facilities.   Under these conditions, there is an urgent need for increased emergency health services throughout Afghanistan and most especially outside of Kabul.

Survivor Assistance Partner

Adopt-A-Minefield has helped landmine survivors by providing support to the following project:

AFG-SA-Ghazni1

The Comprehensive Disabled Afghans' Program (CDAP) is the largest service provider for disabled people, including landmine survivors, in Afghanistan.  One of CDAP’s projects is a clinic and workshop in Ghazni.  Currently, over 2300 landmine survivors and other disabled persons per year receive services from this clinic. The orthopedic workshop in Ghazni produces prosthesis, orthoses, and other mobility aids, and also provides physiotherapy.  In addition to services provided at the workshop itself, physiotherapy staff members and community rehabilitation and development workers work with survivors throughout the area.

AFG-SA-SGAA

Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal implements an "Integration Programme for Disabled Afghans in the Eastern Region of Afghanistan". They are specially adapting 120 wheelchairs to enable users to set up a business, providing 60 tool kits and training to disabled who want to start a business and creating a network of disabled in the region. These skills and the adapted wheelchairs will allow landmine survivors and other disabled people to gain extra mobility and storage space for materials and equipment along with the business skills needed to support themselves and their families.  SGAA works closely with other organizations in the region.