Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mine Dog Detection Partnership Program
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is considered the most heavily mine affected nation in Europe; remnants of the conflict related to the break up of former Yugoslavia. Many of the mine-impacted communities in Bosnia are rural and the inhabitants depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
​
To date, MLI, with the support of the U.S. Department of State and private donors, has donated 48 fully trained mine detection dogs to Bosnian mine clearance organizations. Almost all dogs were trained at the regional Mine Detection Dog Center in Bosnia and Herzegovina, resulting in a twofold increase to indigenous capacity for humanitarian demining: first, by utilizing the local training program and, second, by providing the MDDs to Bosnian organizations.
Mine Free Sarajevo
In September 2021, the City of Sarajevo and surrounding municipalities was declared mine free through the Mine Free Sarajevo project. This historic project was implemented in partnership with ITF Enhancing Human Security and the Mine Detection Dog Center, and was funded by the U.S. Department of State. Through Mine Free Sarajevo, 841 landmines and UXO were found and destroyed, and over 6 million square meters of land was released, rendering the Bosnian capital free of landmines for the first time in more than 25 years. Click here to read more about this important project.
CHAMPS
MLI launched Children Against Mines Program (CHAMPS) in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2007. Through CHAMPS, students throughout the U.S., including in the DC area, speak regularly via Skype with youth in Bosnia Herzegovina, not only befriending each other and learning about each other’s cultures, but working together to help mine survivors and raise awareness about the dangers of mines.
​
Participating Bosnian schools befriend landmine survivors in their community, identify their needs, and introduce the survivors to American students, who organize campaigns in their communities to provide medical assistance and other rehabilitative care. Each year, CHAMPS schools raise funds to provide medical care and prosthetic limbs to dozens of landmine survivors in Bosnia.
​
Beginning in 2010, MLI, the Mine Detection Dog Center in Bosnia Herzegovina, the ITF Enhancing Human Security, and the Fantomi Sitting Volleyball Team partnered to implement an interactive Mine Risk Education program that utilizes the sport of “Sitting Volleyball” to engage mine-threatened populations throughout Bosnia. The Fantomi Sitting Volleyball Team is comprised primarily of landmine survivors and is an inspiration to watch. The main purpose of the program is to protect children from the dangers of mines by delivering mine risk education lessons in an interesting and unique manner, and promoting safe behavior in and around mine fields.
Interethnic Reconciliation
Despite the war ending more than twenty years ago, tensions remain high between the different ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Building on its successful CHAMPS project, in 2014, MLI expanded the program so that it promotes interaction and friendship between youth in the three majority ethnic groups: Bosniak, Croat, and Serb. It builds on previous CHAMPS projects and is working to develop tolerance and reconciliation between the ethnically and geographically diverse communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Not only does the program link American students with Bosnian students, but it is also connecting children within Bosnia and Herzegovina to help promote interethnic reconciliation. Children attending a school in an area that is majority Bosniak are being linked with children living in other regions of the country that are majority Serb and Croat.
​
The youth communicate on a regular basis via video messenger and are working together on service projects to help mine survivors in their communities. Together with the American CHAMPS youth, they have assisted 10 mine survivors, providing them with prosthetic limbs and volunteering to help them in whatever capacity they need, such as helping in their home, gardening, baby-sitting, etc. Throughout 2015-2016, the Bosnian CHAMPS youth gathered for weekend field trips that have built trust and friendship. In the 2016-2017 school year, MLI expanded the program even further to include six Bosnian schools and six American schools. Since 2017, the CHAMPS children have continued to work together to identify and assist landmine survivors. MLI plans to expand this successful program to other post-conflict countries around the world in future years.
Survivors' Assistance
MLI has dozens of mine survivors in Bosnia Herzegovina receive medical assistance. Click to read some of their stories:
