Clearing Landmines In Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Dense belts of landmines were laid by the Rhodesian army along the country’s borders with Mozambique and Zambia during the Liberation War in the 1970s. Over 40 years on from independence, these unfenced minefields have killed or injured over 1,500 people and more than 100,000 cattle. The human cost is huge, but loss of cattle threatens livelihoods too. Children like Wellington from Katiza village have to make a two-hour detour to school every day to avoid crossing the minefield and his mother, Angela, constantly fears for his safety.

“I feel worried all the time because of the landmines, especially if my husband and I have to go to another village and leave the kids at home.”

Angela, Katiza village, Zimbabwe

Our Work

Clearing landmines & explosives

Victim Assistance

Teaching people how to stay safe

HALO’s work clearing landmines in Zimbabwe is focused in the north east of the country, where we employ more than 470 local men and women. Since 2013, we have destroyed over 100,000 landmines. Staggeringly, that’s nearly four landmines for every person in that part of the country. Last year alone, HALO’s team in Zimbabwe cleared nearly 10 per cent of all landmines destroyed around the world.

In addition to clearing landmines, we work with Cassim’s Prosthetics to support amputees. Many have very old prosthetics, if they are lucky enough to have one at all. We also work with Happy Readers to provide children with mine risk education books and help them understand the dangers.

OUR IMPACT

“I’m so happy now. We were always worried about the children and livestock. Now the landmines have been cleared we are no longer afraid—and our farming land has grown!”

Miriam, Katiza village, Zimbabwe

Miriam and her children live on the opposite side of Katiza village from Wellington, where we have already destroyed the landmines. The family has been able to use the safe land to increase their farming, earning them an extra $200 a year.

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Zimbabwe: COVID-19 Emergency Response

Zimbabwe's Minefields: A Visual Explainer

Sunshine brings power to HALO’s camps

Get involved

Our work in Zimbabwe is funded by:

The United States Government

Irish Aid

The Government of Japan

World Without Mines

Oak Foundation

The UK Government

Meet our team in Zimbabwe

Tom Dibb

Deputy Director of Programmes - West

Tom joined HALO in Mozambique in 1996 and has managed operations and surveys in the field in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Kosovo and Zimbabwe. Between field postings he has spent 7 years in headquarters serving as Desk Officer for Central Asia (2000 – 2004) and South East Asia (2004 -2007). Tom was regional director for Africa until 2021. He holds a BA LLB from the University of Cape Town.

Sam Fricker

Programme Manager

Sam is currently HALO’s Programme Manager in Zimbabwe, leading the team as they work to remove all landmines from the country by 2025. Sam joined HALO in 2014 as the Operations Support Officer in Laos, and prior to taking up the role in Zimbabwe was Programme Manager of HALO’s operations in Myanmar. A graduate of Development Studies at the University of Edinburgh he previously worked for several years with NGOs in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

Margaret Banda

HR/Office Manager

Margaret is HALO’s Office Manager, responsible for overseeing all administrative and HR functions of the Zimbabwe programme. Prior to joining HALO in 2015, Margaret worked for 20 years in the public sector and also spent several years working for other NGOs and in the private sector. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Zimbabwe Open University.

Picture July

Demining Manager

July began his career in demining in 1995, starting out as a deminer in Mozambique. Since then he has worked in Angola, Somaliland, Lebanon and Afghanistan for various demining companies before returning to Zimbabwe. His career with HALO began in 2012 where July was hired to be HALO’s Training Supervisor due to his wealth of experience in demining. Since then July has become HALO’s Demining Manager and is our most senior Zimbabwean field based member of staff, managing four locations and over 400 staff. July also had a career as a teacher In Namibia during a brief hiatus from demining in 2010, teaching children English, geography and commerce.

Victoria Stockings

Operations Officer

Victoria joined HALO in January 2019 training in Cambodia, Abkhazia, Sri Lanka and Nagorno-Karabakh. Prior to joining HALO she worked in risk management consultancy for the humanitarian sector working with a variety of international organisations. She has a degree in History from the University of Edinburgh.

Nokutenda Masiyanise

Programme Officer

Noku joined HALO in August 2020. Prior to joining HALO, she worked for a Child Rights Organisation as a Child Protection Officer. Noku holds a BA in Social Work from the University of Cape Town.

Calum Gibbs

Operations Manager

Calum joined HALO in 2017, completing operational and IMAS EOD Level 3 training in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Abkhazia and Georgia. From 2018-2020 he was Operations Officer in Laos and acting Operations Manager in Somaliland, prior to joining the Zimbabwe team as Operations Manager. Before HALO, Calum’s background was in llama trekking and disabled care. Calum has an M.A. in Politics and History from the University of Glasgow and Stockholm University, and an MLitt in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of St. Andrews.

Zimbabwe