2025 was a year full of unexpected twists and turns. But the HALO community didn’t let those challenges get in the way of restoring safety, spreading hope, and creating transformation around the world. From Ukraine to Sri Lanka, families and communities are rebuilding their futures after war and conflict. None of this progress would be possible without you.
This year, you helped reach powerful new milestones in landmine clearance. You helped clear roughly 16,000 acres – or more than 12,000 football fields – of land around the world.
Here are a few moments from the year that show just how far your support reached in 2025.
1. In Cambodia, a Farmer Expands His Fields—and His Community's Future
Ouk, a 58-year-old farmer and father of six, has worked his family's land for generations. But for years, hidden explosives stopped him and his neighbors from planting their fields or moving freely about the community. After deminers cleared more than 900 explosive devices from the area, Ouk was able to expand his fields from a small plot to several hectares. Today, his land is growing food, creating jobs, and breathing new life into his community.
2. Ukraine's Breadbasket Comes Back to Life
Across Ukraine, clearance is helping restore the country’s agricultural heartland.
For more than three years, Mykola, a 64-year-old farmer in southern Ukraine, couldn’t safely plant or harvest his land. Hidden explosives made farming too dangerous. In 2024, deminers began clearing his fields. And in 2025, Mykola stood in cultivated land once again.
This progress is being accelerated by new tools on the ground. Technology is transforming clearance in Ukraine, making this tough process faster, safer, and more efficient. This year, operators like Tetiana and Anastasiia demonstrated how innovations like advanced, agile drones or specialized heavy machinery are helping Ukrainians recover and rebuild in a fraction of the time.
3. Prince Harry Revisits Huambo, Where a Former Minefield is Now a Thriving Community
In 1997, Princess Diana walked through an active minefield in Huambo, Angola, bringing global attention to the hidden dangers of landmines.
Today, that same land is unrecognizable.
What was once a minefield is now Avenida 28 de Maio—a busy street where children walk to school and communities thrive. In 2025, Prince Harry returned to Huambo, standing on safe ground and calling on the international community to support the final push to make Angola landmine-free.
It was a moment that powerfully connected past advocacy to present-day impact, and to the work still ahead.
4. Protecting our Wildlife
This year with your support, we made incredible strides clearing landmines that once turned Angola’s wild heart into deadly terrain. By removing mines in the Okavango headwaters, we’re restoring safe habitat for elephants, lions, and countless species—opening the door for conservation, eco-tourism, and thriving communities.
These life-changing efforts protect wildlife and people alike, helping nature flourish where danger once lingered. Together, we’re making room for life to return to Angola’s magnificent wilderness.
5. A Historic Milestone: 300,000 Landmines Cleared In Sri Lanka
In 2025, something extraordinary happened. In Sri Lanka, deminers safely destroyed the 300,000th landmine. This was a landmark achievement after decades of conflict – it allowed more than 280,000 people to return home.
But this milestone is far more than just a number. Families long displaced by war are coming home. Fields are safe for farming. Communities are rebuilding on ground that was once too dangerous to walk on.
Together, the HALO community turned a national milestone into a future filled with safety, opportunity, and hope.
Because of You
These are only a handful of examples of what the HALO community made possible during 2025. Because of you, communities all over the world are building safer, brighter futures. Thank you!
