Mozambique Diary
March 3 - 9, 2002
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On operations:
I have just joined the HALO Trust on 12/02/02. The first day I was afraid with my job as I had heard many dangerous things about mines, but the rest of the team helped me because it was my first day on the minefield. I was not really feeling good the first time because it was something strange to me and I was very nervous, but after 3 hours I was working like someone who has been working for HALO long time.
I’m very happy with my team because they been helping me a lot since I joined HALO and I have gained a lot of experience through them and to be honest they are more experienced than me. In the first week I found 5 mines and I managed to clear 20 SqM using excavation methods. There are many mines in the minefield that I am working.
As a new deminer, in the first days I had to do my best to get used to the time table, which was a little bit difficult for me; we wake up at 4 in morning and have breakfast at 5h; in Mozambique we call breakfast ‘matabishu’, which means to kill the hunger. I never thought that I should find such good and clean campsites when working in the field, with such good conditions to live. I had a previous idea about work in the field and with the team, but actually now I cannot see much difference between staying in the field under these conditions and in the city, although in the field the days are running much more quickly than in the city and I spend no money.
Now I have got used to staying in the field, I have nothing to complain about and I believe what I have been told by the old deminers.
The life in general
I’m 26 years old and I was born in Nampula province. I have no kids but I’m living with my girlfriend and I am considering to take her as my wife. Only a few weeks after the beginning of our relationship I went to see her family to ask permission to take her to my house. But they need many chickens and goats and I cannot afford these just yet. But working with HALO I will get some opportunity to save money for these provisions. She has very much beauty my girlfriend, so therefore the animals have to be fat.
I’m not Muslim, I am a Christian and when possible I go to church. I also know that Jesus has helped me to find a good work. Here is a picture of me demining that our representative took. He is a strong man from far away and he makes us work very hard. But we trust him to pay us for our work.
Bisnando Formoso Baltazar Mwalia Velela
(Deminer)
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