The school is located 50 metres from a national highway which sees heavy traffic every day. It was only a year ago that this dangerous road was the only access point to the school.
"I have taken my two grandchildren to school every day for the past six years. every day, i ride a three-wheeled motorbike to pick up and drop off the children. even for those of us who aren't injured like me, traveling in this area is a problem.”
“Before, commuting to school was very dangerous as we had to cross a busy highway, and then turn onto a narrow, muddy, and congested road," mr Tung shared.
Mr Hoa, who lives next to the school, recalled that traffic used to be very heavy and complicated, especially after school.
“The school is directly connected to the highway, so parents and students face many risks, especially for children traveling alone. Since my family moved here in 1998, there have been seven traffic accidents in this area. Ten years ago, two students were involved in a serious accident while returning home from school."
The need for an additional road arises to avoid passing through the national highway. Constructing the new road would provide safer and more convenient access to the school, ensuring the well-being of the students and peace of mind for the local community. In July 2023, the local authorities in Dong Ha City began working on the road project.
The government, however, was still concerned about unexploded bombs in this dense and low-lying area when it began constructing this road. Since this area was used as a military base and for artillery battles during the war, there might still be bombs left here. MAG was asked to assist with clearance to ensure safety during construction. In an area of nearly 2,900 square meters, MAG found and safely destroyed three unexploded bombs.
A section of Mr Hoa's family land was also used to construct the road. "Previously, my family cultivated short-term crops on that land," he said.
The new road was completed in December 2023 and is now being used
"This newly constructed road has eliminated congestion in the area. Children can commute to school on this clean, spacious and safe road. Taking my grandchildren to and from school no longer stresses me out," Mr Tung shared.
"When I learned that mag found three unexploded bombs in this area, I was surprised and grateful because during many years digging and cultivating the land, I hadn't encountered any of them!”, Mr Tung was pleased to learn that MAG had removed unexploded bombs before construction and added
"It is dangerous for children to encounter these kinds of explosives since they will be naive and curious to play with them.” His words strengthen MAG's commitment to humanitarian mine action - we do everything we can to find a bomb before a child does.
Looking at the new road filled with smiles of children and their parents as they enjoy the new paths on their way home, we are grateful for the support we have received to make Quang Tri a safer and more secure place to live. This road will improve travel safety for over 570 students and teachers in the school, as well as over 800 residents living nearby. Additionally, the construction of this road has allowed for the safe removal of three unexploded bombs, ensuring the safety of the community and creating a more secure environment for children to play and explore.
In contaminated areas like Quang Tri, clearance is necessary before construction to ensure safety during construction and for future use.
This site is one of 801 cleared by MAG over the past 25 years to specifically support community-based construction projects in Quang Tri, such as community houses, roads, schools, and medical centers. Over 25,400 unexploded bombs and mines have been found and safely destroyed by our Mine Action Teams throughout the projects.
MAG is able to support the development projects, resulting in safer conditions in Quang Tri, Vietnam thanks to generous and long-term support from the U.S. government.
Source: MAG VN
