Trung Son, Quang Tri — After decades of living with the constant threat of unexploded ordnance, the residents of An Dong village, Trung Son commune, Gio Linh district, are finally seeing a glimmer of hope. Thanks to the tireless efforts of bomb clearance teams from Project RENEW/NPA, a safe and prosperous future is gradually unfolding for this community.

Mr. Le Van Thanh who lives in An Dong Village is overjoyed to see the bomb disposal teams working daily to clear the land where his family lives. “Having lived here since 1973, I’ve witnessed my neighbors being injured and killed by unexploded ordnance,” said the 66-year-old father of three. “Now, with the work of NPA/RENEW, we can finally feel safe on our own land.”

Located near the Ben Hai River, the historic border dividing North and South Vietnam, this area was heavily bombed during the war. According to the Quang Tri Mine Action Center, unexploded ordnance has caused 82 accidents, including 28 involving cluster munitions, in Trung Son commune. The most recent accident occurred on June 23, 2015, killing a 42-year-old man and father of three.

With over 900,000 square meters of heavily contaminated land, clearance operations in An Dong are extremely challenging. However, the clearance teams have been working tirelessly since October 2024 and have achieved significant results. To date, they have cleared 200,000 square meters of land and are expected to complete the entire project by February 2025.

The discovery and safe destruction of 61 dangerous explosives, including 32 cluster munitions, has significantly reduced the risk to the population. This is an important initial achievement, giving the community confidence in a brighter future.

The unexploded ordnance clearance program of RENEW/NPA in Quang Tri province is funded by the U.S. Department of State. This generous support has brought Quang Tri closer to its goal of becoming Vietnam’s first province free from the impact of unexploded ordnance.

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