UNICEF supports mine risk education for children in Mabrouka camp
ENabled Marking international mine awareness day, over 600 children in Mabrouka camp in north-eastern Syria engaged in mine risk education at a UNICEF-supported child friendly space
#ENabled Marking international mine awareness day
Over 600 children in Mabrouka camp in north-eastern Syria engaged in mine risk education at a UNICEF-supported child friendly space. After fleeing Deir-ez-Zor and Ar-Raqqa governorates, many families are returning to their homes. Over 95,000 children and adults have returned to their homes in Ar-Raqqa since last October, only to be faced with tremendous risks. Hazards range from landmines, to booby traps and unexploded remnants of war that could have devastating consequences on the lives of children and their families. At least 658 people were reportedly injured and more than 130 killed in explosive hazards - a shocking average of six blast wound incidents per day. To protect children against these risks, UNICEF supports mine risk education programmes to teach children and adults how to identify, report and protect themselves against explosive hazards. At schools, children engage in recreational and educational activities and receive brochures with important messages on safe behavior.
The programme also includes awareness-raising sessions in collective shelters, clinics and community centres, to ensure maximum reach. Last year alone, over 1.8 million children and 100,000 caregivers received life-saving information through the UNICEF-supported mine risk education programme. UNICEF’s Mine Risk Education programmes are funded by the governments of Germany, Luxembourg and the United States.
Our neighbor, who was my friend, was killed by a landmine as her family was fleeing, I feel safe with the information I learned today,
I teach children not to touch any toys, food or money they see on the ground, everything can be a risk,
I learned to try and stay away from destroyed areas and rubble because they have the highest risk of mines,
I learned the different kinds of explosive hazards and how to identify them and report them to an adult,
