CHAMPS (Children Against Mines Program) Continues to Make an Impact

The Marshall Legacy Institute's Children Against Mines Program -CHAMPS has impacted youth and communities around the world for more than 20 years. Today, CHAMPS strives to continue cultivating positive change despite external challenges.

In late February, two of MLI's critical CHAMPS programs were discontinued, leaving a $350,000 funding gap that threatens MLI's ability to continue lifesaving work in war-affected communities. These programs are essential in uniting youth across the U.S. and BiH, providing explosive ordnance risk education in BiH, and offering medical care, prosthetics, and vocational support to landmine survivors in need in Yemen and BiH.

Read on to learn more about the impact of CHAMPS and what the future of the program looks like amid funding cuts:

What happens to CHAMPS Bosnia in the future?

In honor of "International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action" this April, CHAMPS schools in the United States showed their support for landmine survivors by creating posters to raise awareness of the landmine issue and by "lending their legs."

Despite the funding cuts, school teachers in the US and BiH are dedicated to the continuation of CHAMPS virtual exchange calls. The final virtual exchange call for the 2024-2025 school year between all of the U.S. and Bosnian schools will be held in May 2025. This call will be a celebration of all that has been accomplished this year, and it will provide an opportunity for students to interact with each other one more time before the summer break.

CHAMPS students in the U.S. meet with their peers in BiH over a virtual call.

CHAMPS Bosnia is an extremely successful program and has become the model for CHAMPS Colombia. In the fall of 2025, MLI staff will continue to visit schools with K9 Ambassador Rico, sharing presentations and demonstrations. Though limited, CHAMPS will continue to conduct monthly virtual exchange calls to connect American students with their peers in Bosnia and Colombia. MLI is committed to allowing students to learn about different cultures and build relationships with each other.

Why is CHAMPS important, and what makes it so impactful?

Students in BiH share pictures with students in the United States during a virtual exchange call.

CHAMPS gives students in the United States an opportunity to learn about other cultures through monthly virtual exchange calls with students in mine impacted countries. In the past 10 years, MLI has facilitated 277 virtual exchange calls connecting American students with their peers in mine-impacted countries, including Afghanistan, Bosnia & Herzegovina (BiH), Colombia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

Through 185 presentations, CHAMPS has taught 27,712 students that they have the ability to make a difference in the world. To date, U.S. CHAMPS students have worked to raise awareness about the humanitarian impact of landmines, to learn about the amazing work dogs can do to sniff out landmines, and to understand the importance of supporting landmine survivors through medical assistance and vocational skills training.

CHAMPS students in the United States have raised funds to sponsor 52 life-saving mine detection dogs (MDDs). MLI's K9 Ambassador Rico was sponsored by school children in Connecticut. After serving six years in BiH, Rico retired and became the 8th K9 ambassador for MLI. In the past 2 1/2 years, Rico has demonstrated his sniffing skills to more than 10,000 people. It is because of CHAMPS students that MDD Rico Cobsy was donated to BiH. Rico and his handler contributed to the clearance of 600,000 square meters of land in BiH, and Rico now educates people about the humanitarian impact of landmines and the amazing work MDDs do. Rico's life of impact is a prime example of what CHAMPS students can accomplish when they band together in the fight against landmines.

Because of CHAMPS, 237,556 school children in mine-affected countries have received Mine Risk Education (MRE) and Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE). This education is vital to ensuring safety for people returning to their homes in the aftermath of war. Even though war or conflict may end, landmines remain in the ground, making it dangerous for children to go to school, families to farm and gather wood/water, and for infrastructure to be repaired.

MLI's CHAMPS program has made it possible for 828 survivors to receive medical assistance, including prosthetics and proper medical care. 569 survivors have received vocational training through the CHAMPS program. This support allows survivors to lead meaningful lives by financially supporting their families and contributing to their countries' economies.

MLI's humanitarian work would not be possible without the generous support of our donors. It is thanks to charitable foundations, grants, the U.S. Government, and countless individual donors that MLI continues to follow its mission, alleviating suffering, restoring hope, and providing stability to war-torn countries year after year. 

Thank you to all of the schools, teachers, and students who support and participate in CHAMPS. We are so grateful to all of you!

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