• A conversation with Farzana Baduel of The HALO Trust

As Sri Lanka continues to recover from decades of conflict and faces growing climate-related disasters, the work of landmine clearance remains both urgent and largely invisible. In this context, a trustee at the HALO Trust Farzana Baduel spoke about the role of The HALO Trust in Sri Lanka, its response following cyclone Ditwah, the people behind the work, and why removing landmines is as much about dignity and livelihoods as it is about safety.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

For readers who may not be familiar, could you explain what The HALO Trust does in the bigger picture, both globally and here in Sri Lanka?

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest demining charity. What we do is remove landmines from the ground, but we also remove explosive items from the sea, lagoons, and coastal areas. The organisation was founded by British army officers in Afghanistan when they realised just how many landmines had been left behind after conflict, and how complex and dangerous it is to remove them safely.

Because of that complexity, HALO decided to focus on one thing only: mine clearance. Over time, the organisation grew and began working in many conflict and post-conflict countries. A major moment for HALO was when the late Princess Diana highlighted the issue of landmines globally. That attention helped bring visibility to the work and to the humanitarian impact of clearing mines.

In Sri Lanka, HALO has been operating since the early 2000s, which is quite unusual because we entered while the conflict was still ongoing. We work mainly in the Northern regions, including Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Jaffna. Our focus here is on removing three types of explosive items: landmines, improvised explosive devices that were made locally, and unexploded ordnance like grenades.

The work is not just about protecting lives. When land is cleared, people can return to their homes, restart farming, and rebuild their livelihoods. For many families, land is their only source of income, so clearing it changes everything for them.

HALO is known for working closely with local communities. What makes your approach in Sri Lanka different from many other international organisations?

One thing that really defines HALO is our philosophy around staffing. We keep international staff to an absolute minimum and recruit locally wherever we work. In Sri Lanka, almost all of our teams are Sri Lankan.

That means the funding we receive goes directly into local communities through employment. The people doing the work are often from displaced families themselves. They understand the impact of landmines not as an abstract issue, but as something that has affected their own lives, their families, and their neighbours.

Over the years, HALO has become one of the largest employers in the Northern Province. The teams are highly skilled, deeply committed, and very mission-driven. This is not just a job for them. It’s about reclaiming land and safety for their own communities.

In the immediate aftermath of cyclone Ditwah, how did HALO respond on the ground, and what were the most urgent needs you saw?

HALO has a very strong working relationship with the Sri Lankan Government and the Sri Lanka Army, so when the cyclone happened, we were asked to support disaster relief efforts. We were able to help because we have equipment, vehicles, and trained staff who can operate in difficult conditions.

Our teams assisted with transporting people and supplies, and many of them were responding as locals as well, because they live in these areas. They wanted to help their communities in any way they could.

But the cyclone also had a serious impact on landmine contamination. When you have floods and landslides, mines can move from contaminated areas into land that was previously cleared. That means we have to survey the land all over again and sometimes redo work that was already completed.

In Sri Lanka, mines are not only on land. They are also in lagoons and coastal areas. Extreme weather makes them shift, which sets the work back and makes clearance more complex.

On a personal level, what has stood out or moved you the most during these relief and clearance efforts?

What has really struck me is the level of innovation within the Sri Lankan HALO teams. Many of the people we recruited had their education disrupted by the civil war. Because of that, HALO had to create training programmes to address those gaps.

Over time, these teams developed incredible expertise. Some of them have been with HALO for many years, and the ingenuity they’ve shown in navigating difficult terrain has led to entirely new ways of working.

The methods developed by Sri Lankan teams, particularly for working in aquatic environments, are now being used by HALO teams in other countries. In fact, Sri Lanka has become a training hub. Teams from elsewhere come here to learn.

That really shows how capable and talented these teams are. They are not just helping Sri Lanka. They are shaping how mine clearance is done globally.

Looking ahead, what long-term plans does HALO have for Sri Lanka beyond emergency response?

Our ultimate goal in Sri Lanka is very clear: to make the country landmine-free. But we also think deeply about what happens to our deminers once a minefield is cleared.

Demining is a specialised skill, and when a site is finished, those workers will eventually need to move on. We don’t want to interrupt their economic stability, so we spend a significant amount of time preparing them for what comes next.

We focus on vocational training, whether that’s administrative skills, computer training, or other transferable skills. We are also actively looking for partnerships with local employers in the North. We want employers to tell us what skills they need, so we can train our teams accordingly.

That way, when deminers leave HALO, they are prepared for the next stage of their working lives. This is very important to us.

At the same time, the work itself is highly collaborative. HALO works alongside other demining organisations and the Sri Lanka Army. Knowledge and best practices are shared, and everyone is working towards the same goal.

There is also a strong story of women in HALO’s workforce. Can you speak about that?

A significant portion of our teams are women, including women in leadership roles. Many of them became deminers because they had no other choice. During the war, they lost husbands or family members and had to become the main earners.

But what’s powerful is that this work also gives them a sense of purpose. They are clearing land that once belonged to their own communities. They are protecting lives.

When you see women leading teams, managing safety, and making critical decisions every day, it completely challenges stereotypes about what women can do in these environments.

You recently met people who benefited directly from HALO’s work. Is there one experience that stayed with you?

Yes, very much so. I met an elderly man who had been displaced for many years. He told me how he moved from place to place, never knowing if he would be able to return home.

After his land was cleared, he was able to rebuild his life. He now lives on his land, grows fruit trees, and has peace. I sat with him in his garden while he shared fruit he had grown himself.

He said that before the end of his life, he finally had his home back and had been able to see his children settle. That sense of closure and dignity was incredibly moving.

Disasters and conflicts often fade from public attention. What ongoing challenges remain that people may not be aware of?

One of the biggest challenges is awareness. Many people don’t realise that landmines are still present. This is true not just in Sri Lanka, but everywhere HALO works.

Talking about landmines means confronting memories of war, and many people understandably want to move on. But until all mines are removed, those scars remain in the ground.

Removing them is essential for healing. When the land heals, people can heal too.

Finally, how can everyday people support HALO’s work and make a difference?

The first step is learning. Visit our website, follow us on social media, and understand the work we do.

The second step is advocacy. Share information, talk about the issue, and help keep awareness alive.

There are also opportunities for partnerships, whether that’s employment opportunities for former deminers, technical collaboration, or financial support. Every contribution matters.

But above all, I want people to recognise the deminers. They put themselves at risk every single day so the country can move forward. They are the real heroes of this story.