From Fear to Freedom

A Cambodian Village’s Journey to a Landmine-Free Future

The people of Cambodia’s Srah Srang village have worked the land for generations – growing rice, cassava, and watermelons; raising their families; and building homes that made them proud. Their village is surrounded by trees and fields, with buffalo roaming in the distance. Children play near their homes, and neighbors gather to share news, laughter, and support. 

But beneath the beauty of Srah Srang, danger was always lurking. 

Decades of conflict left the land contaminated with landmines, hidden just beneath the soil. For years, villagers lived with uncertainty—never knowing which step might be their last. Sitting on Yai Hul’s land, where HALO Trust deminers carefully work to clear the last of these deadly remnants, we heard firsthand how landmines shaped their lives—and how their future is finally changing.

Yai Hul was born here, and he always knew to be careful. “It was very difficult,” he recalled. “We couldn’t cultivate freely. There were no maps to show which areas were safe, only stories from the older generation. Even the school was built on land we could only hope was safe.” 

For Cham Sophal, who moved to Srah Srang in 2020, and Liang Sorphea, who arrived in 2021, the reality was shocking.

But the people of Srah Srang had no choice. As Po Sarin, who arrived in 1998, explained, “Even though we knew the danger, we had nowhere else to go. Other places were contaminated too.” 

The fear wasn’t just in their minds—it was real, and it left scars on the community. 

“In the dry season, people carried water by oxcart,” Po Sarin remembered. “One day, an oxcart ran over a mine. It exploded, killing the ox instantly. Another time, a father went to collect water for his family. He hit an anti-tank mine. He never came home. His wife was left alone with their newborn baby.” 

It was an impossible way to live. And yet, the people of Srah Srang endured. They farmed what little safe land they could find. They raised their children with caution. And they hoped for change. 

That change began in 1999 when The HALO Trust arrived in the village, bringing hope where there had only been fear. The teams worked tirelessly, clearing fields, pathways, and homes—piece by piece, reclaiming the land. 

Standing on Yai Hul’s land, the transformation is clear. This field, once too dangerous to farm, is on the verge of being completely safe. “Before, we weren’t confident enough to ride our buffaloes or even walk freely,” Yai Hul says. “Now, life is completely different. We feel safe.” 

For families like Cham Sophal’s, this means more than just security—it means opportunity. Farming, once a dangerous gamble, is now a source of prosperity. “Before clearance, we could maybe make $250 a year,” Cham Sophal explains. “Now, with more land to cultivate, we can make $500 or more.” 

And for Po Sarin, it means something even greater: a legacy. “Now that HALO has cleared my land, I can pass it on to my children without fear.” 

The people of Srah Srang know there is still work to be done. More land needs to be cleared, and more families need to be freed from the grip of uncertainty. But for the first time, they can see a future where landmines are just a memory. 

“If clearance speeds up, more lives will be saved, more families will thrive,” Yul Hai noted. “We are so close to being free from this.” 

And in the fields where buffalo once hesitated to roam, where families once feared to walk, new crops will grow, children will run freely, and a community that has endured so much will finally live without fear. 

Srah Srang is no longer just a place shaped by its past—it is a village looking toward a future filled with possibility.