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world1d ago
Cuts leave deadly mines in the ground and push hundreds of women out of work
- Aid cuts forced demining programs to lay off staff, shrinking operations near Zimbabwe’s border with Mozambique.
- Women deminers, many single mothers, faced job losses that removed their primary income and status.
- Hellen Tibu, a 22-year-old deminer, lost her job after funding cuts left her family unable to pay fees.
- US funding cuts delayed or halted support for demining programs that had employed many women.
- The Guardian notes thousands of mines remain from the Rhodesian era and pose ongoing risk to farming communities.
- Halo Trust reduced staff from 470 to 230 across 12 demining teams due to funding constraints.
- Educators and farmers are among those affected as families struggle to cover school fees and rents.
- Aid organizations pledged to support affected staff and continue some operations with donors and governments.
- The article highlights broader humanitarian implications beyond mining, including HIV/AIDS care and education.
- Women deminers sometimes relied on demining work for income and social status during challenging times.
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