Vor Yiev is a village that has been severely affected by fighting between the Khmer Rouge and government forces. In fact, in 1988 Vor Yiev was the front line between the two powers, and as a consequence all people fled the village to a close-by refugee camp for internally displaced people (IDP). As fighting ceased and Vor Yiev fell into government hands, its inhabitants slowly started to return to the area during the course of 1994; what they encountered must have been a terrible reality. Almost all houses had been destroyed and the land was contaminated by unexploded mines.

CWS has assisted the people of Vor Yiev from the moment they had to flee their houses. In the refugee camp CWS supplied emergency relief and later, back in the village, assistance was given through our community development and demining programs. “The lives of people here have changed a lot since 1994”, village chief Chum Khorth told us. “There are wells, livestock and houses now and more importantly, thanks to the demining program, Vor Yiev is a safe place to live again.”

Demining started several years ago and on the cleared land many houses and even a school have since been constructed. The demining process was done by people from Vor Yiev itself with the support of MAG. Being employed as a deminer meant that people could earn some money to restart their lives.“Before CWS came, the situation here was miserable, people would get killed by landmines and there were no houses or arable plots of land”, one man recalls.“But so many things have improved here now.” “We can live safely again, have houses and some of us even own a motorbike.” “It feels like having learned how to walk again.”