Project Masam’s Team 5 has carried out an Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) awareness campaign at Al-Saeed Educational Complex in the Raydan area of Bayhan district, Shabwah governorate. The initiative was designed to educate students and teachers about the dangers of landmines and unexploded remnants of war, and to promote safe practices for avoiding and reporting these deadly threats.
Bayhan, located in central Shabwah on the border of Marib, is one of the most mine-contaminated districts in Yemen. Years of conflict and moving frontlines have left the area heavily seeded with anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Landmines were laid by Houthi forces during their occupation of the district and remain hidden in farmland, roads, and even residential areas, posing a constant danger to civilians.
As part of the EORE event, Project Masam’s team distributed brochures and educational materials to students, reinforcing preventive measures and encouraging them to share this life-saving knowledge with their families and wider communities.
Engineer Abdullah Salem, supervisor of Project Masam teams in Shabwah, explained that these activities are essential to shielding communities from the dangers of mines and explosive devices. He cited recent tragic incidents in Bayhan where children were injured after coming into contact with unexploded shells or mines that had been washed into populated areas by floodwaters or collected for scrap metal, placing entire families at grave risk.
Salem stressed that the Masam project places the safety of civilians above all else. He urged residents to avoid approaching or tampering with any suspicious objects, to mark their locations with warning signs, and to report them immediately through Project Masam’s emergency numbers, schools, or local authorities.
Mr. Salah Ali Mussaad, a representative of Al-Saeed Educational Complex, praised Project Masam’s awareness efforts, noting that Bayhan continues to suffer from widespread mine contamination left by the Houthi militia. He said the campaign’s clear explanations and interactive sessions resonated strongly with both students and teachers, underscoring that awareness is the first line of defense against this deadly threat.
Through its field teams, Project Masam continues its humanitarian mission across Shabwah and other Yemeni governorates, working tirelessly to clear mines, educate the public, and protect communities from the devastating impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war.
