16-year-old Angolan landmine activist and victim educates her community on the risks of unexploded ordnance
Minga conducting mine risk education classes. (Courtesy of MAG Angola)
After losing her right arm and eyesight in a landmine accident, Deolinda “Minga” Tchihnga teaches others to recognise, avoid and report threats of explosives.
When 16-year-old Deolinda “Minga” Tchihnga talks about the devastating effects of landmines, she teaches from a personal place. At age 6, Minga picked up a landmine thinking it was a toy. When the device exploded, she lost her right arm and eyesight.
Now a Mines Advisory Group (MAG) community liaison intern, Minga educates her community in Angola on the dangers of landmines and unexploded ordnance. Through classes with MAG, she teaches how to recognise, avoid and report threats like landmines and unexploded bombs.
(Courtesy of Sean Sutton / MAG)
After 40 years of conflict, Angola remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, with nearly 25,000 acres of contaminated land. As of 2014, 88,000 Angolans like Minga were registered as living with disabilities from landmines and unexploded bombs. For the last 25 years MAG has led demining operations in Angola. In 2019, the organisation cleared 180 acres of land, led nearly 850 risk education classes and destroyed 1,251 landmines and other explosives.
“MAG’s work in Angola is very important because it saves lives by clearing minefields and destroying explosive remnants of war. This allows free movement of people and goods, and returns freed land to the communities for agriculture, housing and other activities, which helps sustain development of communities,” Minga shares.
Minga was involved with MAG for years and the organisation recently selected her as its first-ever youth employee. “I was so happy,” Minga says of getting hired. “MAG considered me as a human being and made me feel important in our community, working with other colleagues as an equal. I have learned a lot, and I am continuing to learn. Most importantly, given my history, I have an opportunity to pass on important messages to communities about the risk of mines and unexploded ordnance.”
We spoke to Minga about teaching risk education classes with MAG, the most rewarding (and challenging) parts of the job and what she wants world leaders to know about communities affected by landmines.
Tess Thomas (TT): What is your favourite part of conducting mine risk education classes?
Minga Tchihnga (MT): Being a mine victim, I like to talk about the effects of mines on people and their livelihood, so they know how mines can injure or kill people. I talk about myself, how as a child, I lost my sight and a limb due to an unexploded ordnance. This is a moment I convey my message in a way to influence people’s behavior, that they should avoid touching or handling suspicious items, avoid entering areas marked as dangerous and report any suspicious items to the authorities.
TT: What were some of the things you had to do and learn when you were training for your position as a MAG community liaison intern?
MT: During the training for my position as a community liaison intern, I learned a great deal. I have learned how to recognize different types of explosives (AT, AP, rockets, grenades, missiles, UXO, ammunition), the effects of these explosives on people, bad behavior to avoid, good behavior to stay safe, how to mark dangerous items and how to report dangerous items. I have to always remember the order on the banners MAG uses, which is hard! Most importantly, I have memorized the messages for each group of attendees and how to properly convey them, so that people understand the risks and can avoid them.
Minga with her family. (Courtesy of MAG Angola)
TT: What’s the most challenging part of your job?
MT: The most challenging part is to be able to convey a clear message to the audience and to make sure that we are able to influence them in such a way that leads to a change of behavior in the community, towards the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance. [There is a section in the presentation that says] “whoever touches this can die or lose a part of their body” and that is hard for me to tell people because I feel sorry.
TT: What do you want participants in your classes to leave knowing or doing differently?
MT: When you find a mine or a bomb, do NOT touch it. Instead, report it to MAG so we can remove it. I want my messages as a victim of unexploded ordnance to trigger in others a change of behavior, so that they take seriously the risk and danger of mines and unexploded ordnance. I also hope that they relay the information I give them to their families and friends.
“I want my messages as a victim of unexploded ordnance to trigger in others a change of behavior, so that they take seriously the risk and danger of mines and unexploded ordnance.”
TT: Do you have a favourite moment from your 22 classes?
MT: Of all sessions, the first session was my favorite. First, for being my first experience as a member of the community liaison team and for being able to actively take part in it. Secondly, because I could share my history and talk about the problem firsthand.
TT: What changes have you seen in your community since MAG started working there?
MT: Since MAG started working in my community, many areas were cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance and made safe, allowing free movement of people and goods, more farming fields and more housing. Thanks to mine risk education classes, the numbers of mine accidents have reduced. The presence of MAG has changed [perceptions] and now people believe that there are mines in our village, and whenever found, not to be touched but reported to MAG.
TT: If you could deliver a message to world leaders, what would you want to tell them or ask them to do to support communities affected by landmines?
MT: I would thank them for the support they have given so far and ask them to continue to support the clearing of landmines and unexploded ordnance in our communities, that a lot of great work has been done so far, but there is still more work to be done and their support is vital to complete the work. I would ask them to raise more money for demining to support the clearance of our communities, because daily activities here in Angola always involve risk.
Thank you to Mines Advisory Group (MAG) for connecting us with Minga.
We have edited and condensed this interview for clarity.
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