RISK EDUCATION (RE)

RE panels help educate local people to the dangers of ERW

Until EOD teams are available to safely clean up contaminated areas, the best way to protect people from being maimed or killed, especially children, is to educate them about the hazards of ERW. Through a close partnership with the Youth Union, Project RENEW has organized a series of RE activities for local people ranging from community camping events and parades, to art performances, community meetings, and painting competitions, all integrated into scheduled public events and school activities. The ERW awareness messages are highlighted as part of the community’s social networking.

Community-based risk education
40 RE consultant offices staffed by 90 Youth Union volunteers have been established in Hai Lang and Trieu Phong Districts. The YU collaborators are trained in RE skills and then they take on responsibility for disseminating RE messages to the people in their operational areas.

Children are the most vulnerable of any group to the dangers of ERW accidents. Project RENEW has provided funding to support two child-to-child education and performance teams, traveling entertainment troupes which travel village to village and teach children how to be safe from ERW. This unique RE program has reached almost 90% of the child population in RENEW project areas.

To reach an active and mobile public, even in rural areas, 57 weather-proof billboards display RE messages and graphics, and promote RENEW’s 24-hour free hotline number (+84 53 3554111) for reporting ERW sightings and quick response from Project RENEW’s mobile EOD teams. These billboards have been placed in dense residential areas of Cam Lo, Trieu Phong, and Hai Lang Districts.  

Community reporting networks in support of EOD operations
As children and adults in the community learn about types of ordnance likely to be found near their homes and schools, they are urged to become part of a volunteer community reporting network. The network provides key information to EOD teams to help them identify contaminated areas of most immediate danger to the public, and to guide the EOD teams in setting priorities and scheduling responses based on community needs. 

Safe holding area at scrap metal yard where ERW are locked until EOD teams can safely collect the ordnance

Villagers and district residents are encouraged to notify local authorities or nearby EOD teams, or to phone the hotline number, and report sightings of EOD.  In many cases local residents have enough knowledge even to identify the type of ERW. Children are encouraged to report sightings to their parents, their teachers, or village elders. The information is then relayed immediately to the EOD teams.

Media-based risk education
Project RENEW has worked closely with Quang Tri Television to broadcast risk education programs to a wide viewing audience. Special attention has been paid to the Van Kieu ethnic minority people, a population residing mostly in areas near the Lao border. A total of 78 radio broadcasts and 62 television messages have been produced and aired in the unique language of the Van Kieu people.

Officer in charge:
Ms. Le Thi Thuy Hang
Mobile: (+84) 935 338 009
E-mail: thuyhangqt@gmail.com

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