GUELPH, Ontario, June 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The HALO Trust has been a dedicated partner of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in Angola for several years, and have been instrumental in the ongoing mission of eradicating landmines and unexploded ordinance throughout the rural countryside there. In that country, MAF transports HALO staff and equipment, and remains on call as a medical evacuation service for their staff there.
Since 2014, HALO has had a dedicated staff of over 400 working in Ukraine, and is uniquely positioned to help with efforts to provide safe passage to those fleeing hostile areas. MAF has made special accommodation to support the work of The HALO Trust in Ukraine, and is encouraging others to support the work that the HALO Trust is doing in that besieged country.
Explosive weapons like cluster munitions regularly fail to detonate, leaving unsuspecting civilians vulnerable during and after the fighting. Since March, HALO has been reaching out to civilians and warning them of what these hazards look like and how to avoid them. Their messaging has reached over 40 million people in Ukraine.
Mapping Unexploded Items & Identifying Safe Corridors
They are also leveraging innovative technology to locate and map unexploded bombs and rockets. Through partnerships with firms like Esri, they are using cutting-edge geographic information system (GIS) software, expertise, and staffing to support HALO’s mission in Ukraine. They are mapping areas contaminated with explosives so they can remove unexploded bombs and rockets when conditions allow. It is also allowing humanitarian aid organizations and refugees to know where it is safe to travel, while also issuing urgent risk education messaging in response to the thousands of unexploded ordinances across residential areas.
“I can’t find the words to describe the horror, the atmosphere, the darkness that reigned over the city of Mariupol. It is totally ruined. We truly went through hell. I can’t remember a day or even a couple of hours when they weren’t shelling.” - HALO Supervisor, Mariupol
Support for the HALO Trust can help provide workers with vital life-saving personal protective equipment, as well as materials that can be used to provide aid and comfort to refugees fleeing the conflict. “To learn more about The HALO Trust’s involvement in Ukraine, and to donate to their efforts, visit https://www.mafc.org/appeals/ukraine
For more than 75 years, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has been bringing help, hope and healing through aviation to some of the most isolated places on earth. Today, we partner with over 1,500 organizations to deliver support, supplies, staff, spiritual care, and community development to thousands of communities where flying is not a luxury but a lifeline.
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