Since the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s independence in 1960, the country has been locked in a spiral of armed conflict that has resulted in nationwide contamination of explosive hazards. The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been present in the DRC since 2002, supporting the National Mine Action Authority (CCLAM) in coordinating the survey and clearance activities of suspected hazardous areas identified throughout the country.
In August 2018, the Schonstedt Humanitarian Demining Initiative (SHDI) deployed ten (10) locators to the DRC to aid in the detection of buried landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW) and other unexploded ordnance (UXO). The deployment of ten locators to the DRC was made feasible by generous donations from the Woodstown Quakers and two additional donors that wish to remain anonymous.
To date, SHDI has deployed over 500 locators to 28 countries at no cost to the receiving nation. The program is made possible by donations from individuals, businesses, religious affiliations and organizations around the world. If you’d like to learn more about the program and/or learn how to make a donation, please visit staging2.schonstedt.com/shdi.
To learn more about UNMAS in the DRC, click here: https://www.mineaction.org/programmes/drc.