Annual report
‍2022

For 25 years, FSD has been conducting humanitarian mine action operations around the world

FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage) is a humanitarian organisation based in Geneva. We have been working since 1997 to protect civilians from landmines and unexploded ordnance. Our teams locate and destroy explosive devices, conduct awareness campaigns among affected populations and develop projects to assist survivors of accidental explosions.

Thousands of women, men and children can now live their lives without the threat of an accidental explosion

Explore the highlights of 2022.
programme

Ukraine

An enormous task
_
type of contamination
mines and unexploded ordnance
Intervention areas
chernihiv, Kharkiv
Number of explosive ordnance found in 2022
1,069

"In Izium, the fighting has destroyed most of the civilian infrastructure. Here, we find hundreds of explosive devices every day"
Olexandr, FSD deminer in Ukraine

In Ukraine, one third of the territory is contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war. Since August 2022, our deminers have been working to secure the provinces of Chernihiv and Kharkiv.
to act as fast as possible

FSD doubled its staff and acquired specialised machinery

After the interruption of its operations in the Donbass for security reasons at the end of February 2022, FSD established a new operations office in the province of Chernihiv and mobilised significant resources to respond to the magnitude of the ongoing crisis.
6,949
In total, our teams have located
LIVES SAVED
landMines and unexploded ordnance in 2022
En 2022, LA FSD A sécurisé
5'002'441 m², soit une zone équivalente à

4'000 piscines olympiques

centimètre par centimètre

In 2022, FSD has secured 5,055,356 m²,
an area equivalent to

4,000 Olympic swimming pools

centimetre by centimetre

IN Afghanistan,

Demining continues

In 2022, 2,080 mines were located and destroyed by FSD's Afghan teams. This year, in addition to their operations in Badakhshan province, our teams were also able to conduct mine action operations in Kunduz province.

Can you spot the explosive device?

Covered in dust or earth, hidden in the vegetation, these dangerous remnants of war are sometimes almost indistinguishable in the landscape, which makes them all the more dangerous for the civilian population.
@fsd.ch
@fsd.ch

Explosive ordnance risk education

Mine clearance operations are laborious and take years of work. In this context, explosive ordnance risk education is essential. It enables people who have to temporarily "cohabit " with explosive devices to learn how to adopt the right behaviour to protect themselves from accidents.
in 2022
72
,
189

people participated in FSD risk education sessions

These sessions took place mainly in potentially contaminated villages, schools and kindergartens. Children, the most vulnerable victims of mines and unexploded ordnance, are the main targets of risk education sessions.
portrait

Yaneth

Victim of the armed conflict in Colombia
_
Age
57
Former profession
Farmer
new Profession
hydroponic plant cultivator

"I fled my house which was in an area contaminated by landmines, near coca plantations"
Yaneth, victim of the conflict

In Colombia, improvised mines are still used by some armed groups to protect their coca plantations. Yaneth and her entire family were displaced in 2001. Thanks to the victim assistance programme launched by FSD in 2022, she has been able to find an income-generating activity: growing lettuce and herbs on her balcony in Bogota.
Urban vegetable gardens

A second chance for victims of conflict

In Colombia, FSD supports conflict victims in growing all kinds of seasonal vegetables directly on their balconies. The plants are grown above ground on specially adapted hydroponic installations. The vegetables grown are then sold in local markets. This activity supports the social and economic reintegration of mine victims.

FSD is also engaged in

strengthening local capacities

In Colombia, Iraq and the Philippines
Capacity building is an essential aspect of mine action. The ultimate goal is for local actors to be able to take over the task of demining the country independently.

The SHO success

SHO is an Iraqi humanitarian NGO founded in 2016. For over two years, FSD has been training and advising SHO's teams on mine clearance and organisational management. Today, the organisation is fully accredited and carries out mine action operations independently.

Inovative
Solutions

What is the role of drones in the demining process? Currently, our teams use them mainly to assist in locating contaminated areas. FSD is working in partnership with the Urs Endress Foundation on the FindMine research project to optimise the accuracy and reliability of surveys using specially designed sensors to locate explosive devices in different types of terrain.
Machines

Dok-Ing MV-10

Dimensions
7.3 metres x 3 metres
weight
21 tons
operational speed
0.5 to 3 km/hour
remote controlled
& armoured
resists landmine explosions

How are machines used for demining?

To support demining operations in certain types of environments, robust and armoured machines are key assets. FSD has a number of machines of different sizes, including those used to prepare the ground prior to manual demining to speed up the work of the teams.

What is the purpose of the MV-10?

This impressive machine is capable of processing up to 4,500 square metres of soil per hour. It is particularly useful on agricultural land to break up the soil surface, remove vegetation and destroy potential trip wires connected to antipersonnel mines. Its use allows the deminers to work up to 10 times faster.
FSD also develops

Humanitarian projects in other areas

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Environment
Remediation & resilience against climate change
Recovery &
stability
rehabilitation of ex-combatants

Other humanitarian activities

concrete projects

promoting food security in tajikistan

Construction of greenhouses

FSD launched its first environmental project in Tajikistan in 2016, where our teams were already active in the destruction of stockpiles of weapons and ammunition. In 2022, several greenhouses were set up in the Vahksh region. The irrigation system for the crops was also replaced and the populations were made aware of specific agricultural techniques aimed at limiting their vulnerability to climate shocks.
Rehabilitation of ex-combatants in the Central African Republic

Sewing as a new career

In the Central African Republic, FSD supports the peace process through the demobilisation, demilitarisation and rehabilitation of former members of armed groups. Several training courses (carpentry, metallurgy, sewing, etc.) are offered to help them reintegrate into civil life and promote stability in the country.
Explore our Youtube channel and discover

Our humanitarian mine action activities in pictures

_
ukraine
CNN report in Chernihiv
Philippines
mine action & peace process
Testimonials
Being a woman in mine action
Explore our Youtube channel

FSD in the Swiss and international media

in each area of operation, FSD creates

Local jobs

More than 90% of FSD's staff are recruited directly from mine- and explosive remnants-affected communities, and then trained by our experts.
financial report 2022

Financial transparency

FSD's accounts are presented in full in our financial report (pdf), prepared in accordance with Swiss standards GAAP RPC 21.
Only
9%

of our funds are allocated to administrative costs

In 2022, FSD ran its humanitarian projects with a budget of 25 million Swiss francs. We strictly control our operating costs in order to maximise our impact for people affected by war and instability.
In 2022
9
,
839
private donors have supported FSD, guaranteeing our independence and the sustainability of our actions. Thank you for your trust!

Our quality labels assure our donors that their contributions are used effectively

FSD is subject to regular internal and external audits. The ZEWO label guarantees that every donation is collected and used with integrity and efficiency. The ISO label certifies the quality of our work.

Our programmes are also funded by public and private institutional donors

Donors in kind

The most demanding institutional donors also trust us

FSD’s activities are also funded by various public institutions, international organisations and private foundations.
Institutional funding is vital

but only private donations guarantee our independence and allow us to intervene quickly

where the needs are most urgent

In 2022, FSD carried out humanitarian projects in eight countries

Ces pays ont tous connu - ou connaissent encore - des conflits armés dont les traces menacent la survie et les moyens de subsistance de la population. La FSD élimine ces traces et se joint à des efforts collectifs pour que les communautés retrrouvent sécurité et stabilité.
In each of these countries, the civilian population has been, or is still being, affected by armed conflict or internal violence. FSD locates and clears mines and explosive remnants of war, conducts awareness campaigns, assists victims and trains local authorities and NGOs to help stop these deadly remnants of war from killing and maiming.
Afghanistan
Central African Republic
Chad
Colombia
Iraq
Philippines
Tajikistan
Ukraine
Download our annual report 2022 in PDF
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Humanitarian mine action saves lives, allows the reconstruction of vital infrastructure, the resumption of agriculture and the return of displaced people.