The HALO Trust is the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian mine clearance organisation. They were founded in 1988 in response to the global humanitarian catastrophe caused by landmines. Thousands of civilians were being killed or injured by landmines and their presence was preventing the return of tens of thousands of refugees in Afghanistan.
HALO has since expanded their scope and breadth of work to include explosive ordnance disposal, stockpile security and management, weapons disposal and armed violence reduction. HALO Trust today works in 25 countries and territories. In Zimbabwe, the organisation arrived in 2012 and commenced survey and clearance in 2013. The organisation was allocated the Musengezi to Rwenya River minefield, and in 2013 conducted a comprehensive survey of this area. However, when Mines Advisory Group (MAG) came on board, the stretch was divided between the two organisations with HALO Trust being left with Musengezi to Mazowe stretch (Mashonaland Central Province) while MAG took over Mazowe to Rwenya River stretch (Mashonaland East Province). HALO has to date cleared and handed back 4.27 km2 of land, with 8.7km2 remaining in their allocated area. For more about HALO Trust click www.halotrust.org