{"id":4997,"date":"2024-01-12T11:18:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T10:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawai.li\/fsd\/?p=4997"},"modified":"2025-11-24T10:08:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T09:08:44","slug":"they-learn-to-read-to-write-and-to-recognise-unexploded-bombs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fsd.ch\/en\/they-learn-to-read-to-write-and-to-recognise-unexploded-bombs\/","title":{"rendered":"They learn to read, to write and to recognise unexploded ordnance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Polina, Nastia, and Sophia are between 8 and 9. They live in a village located in the province of Chernihiv, in Ukraine. We met them at their school following a mine risk education session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I remember how loud it was and how scared I felt when we heard the sound of explosions<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n
\n Polina<\/span>\n

Schoolgirl who took part in the awareness-raising sessions<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today, the girls are back at school, but they have to be very careful: their village is still riddled with explosive remnants left from the fighting. \u201cWhen calm returned, we found a lot of unexploded ordnance: remnants of Grad rockets in the gardens, grenades in the houses\u2026\u201d explains Natalia Pokhylko, 43, a parent. Children are particularly exposed to this threat when they play outside. In fact, Polina is forbidden to go outside without an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One day, when it was safe in the village, and we were no longer hiding in the basement, I saw a big toy along the road, a Bunny. But I remembered that you can\u2019t pick up toys because they can be very dangerous! I didn\u2019t go near that bunny, although I really wanted to! Then a special car arrived, and the toy was taken away<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n
\n Nastia<\/span>\n

Schoolgirl who took part in the awareness-raising sessions<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n


Children are curious and can be tempted to play with intriguing objects. At school, Polina learned that you mustn\u2019t touch anything on the ground: \u201cEven toys or mobile phones, because they can hide explosive devices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophia\u2019s mother, Liudmila, is very worried about her daughter: \u201cShe loves everything bright, everything new, so I am worried that she will pick up a dangerous object\u201d. The young woman is relieved that her daughter has access to prevention messages at school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the first year, it was us adults, explaining the rules of safe behaviour to the children, but now they are more aware than we are!\u201d explains Liudmyla, another 38-year-old parent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do not touch mines and ammunition and tell adults. That\u2019s what Sophia remembers from FSD\u2019s risk education session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I remember that a \u201cbutterfly\u201d is a very dangerous mine that can severely injure a person\u201d<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n
\n Sophia<\/span>\n

Schoolgirl who took part in the awareness-raising sessions<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Clearing Ukraine of these dangerous remnants of war will take decades. The most effective way to save lives in the short term is by providing risk education sessions. To date, nine FSD risk education teams are visiting Ukrainian schools and villages. Additional teams will be deployed in 2024 to reinforce the dissemination of these vital messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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