Between the bullet-ridden buildings of Jabal Mohsen and a Palestinian camp, the walls of a modest community center display colorful information leaflets. Inside the center, a middle-aged woman named Rokaya sits on a plastic chair holding one of the leaflets on the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
She is among a group of 50 inhabitants from the area that recently participated in a session on Exploded Ordnance Risks Education (EORE) provided by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO). Here - as in other areas still scattered with explosive remnants of war (ERW) - each session has a powerful impact: saving lives.
A real success story
“When I got home after the workshop, I immediately told my three children about it”, Roukayasaid.
“What to look out for, and what to do if they come across an explosive ordnance.”
She admitted that before the sessions, she didn’t think there were explosive remnants of war in the area. However, the safety guidelines provided during the session proved to be lifesaving.
Ten days after the session, my 16-year-old son Issam was playing football with his friend in the nearby grounds. He saw a strange object, so he and his friends immediately left the area, and went back to tell us, his parents. It was an explosive, and we contacted the Lebanese Army at the checkpoint....I was so scared in that moment - but also relieved nothing had happened.
/ Roukaya, Lebanon
The threat is real
Lebanon continues to face severe explosive ordnance contamination from decades of conflicts. Clearance is hindered by renewed hostilities, leaving over 5.3 million m² of land currently affected. Landmines and other explosive ordnance have also washed over from the Syrian border due to floods.
In response to these risks, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) aims to protect civilians from the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance. EORE, as educational activities, seek to reduce explosive ordnance injuries by raising awareness and promoting behavioral changes among affected communities.
EORE is vital in saving lives in Lebanon – critical to continue
“It’s very important that we talk about the subject, and that we increase EORE sessions in areas affected by war, to protect people – there are a lot of women who don’t know about the dangers,” said Ihab Seif, a member of the municipality council. He recounts how, not long ago, there was an incident with a child, and more recently, the municipality found an explosive remnant of war in the area.
Thanks to German funding through GFFO, DRC is working to save lives, in coordination with the Lebanese Mine Action Center (LMAC) and together with the local NGO partner Beatoona. Supporting EORE activities has a real impact; sessions really do save lives - as the story of Roukaya’s son Issam highlights. Additional awareness is needed to avoid casualties, permanent injuries and disabilities, and even deaths.
“I hope, I am asking and begging that we increase the sessions as much as we can in this area”, pleaded municipality council member Ihab.
