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Sole of Africa Campaign

Country

Mozambique

Region

Africa, North America

Programme Summary

Led by the Mineseeker Foundation, the Sole of Africa Campaign aims to use radar technology to remove landmines in some of the economically poorest countries of the world and turn the recovered fields into a source of food and income for the local communities. The project is being undertaken one country at a time, focusing first on Mozambique. The land reclamation activities are being accompanied by a campaign that invites celebrities, humanitarian organisations and individuals to join together to speak out against landmines and create awareness of this problem affecting many communities in Africa and around the world.

Communication Strategies

The Mineseeker Foundation has been granted the license for a radar system that uses sensors to detect the location of landmines. By quipping airships with this ground penetrating radar technology that can detect and eliminate landmines, the project aims to use land declared landmine free for agricultural development.

The project’s plans include:

  • Mapping of the land to quickly eliminate landmines.
  • Fertilising and planting agriculture on the newly cleared land.
  • Educating and empowering communities with tools to sustain economic vitality going forward.
  • Using defined road maps to provide and distribute an alliance of aid supplies, therefore, facilitating in the sustainability of a country and the empowerment of its people.

The project is supported by a communications campaign that involves a call to action, driven by celebrities such as Mandela, Brad Pitt and Richard Branson, asking everyone to ‘put their foot down’ to change the world. The call to action will be communicated through:

  • A television appeal film, to be broadcast in the USA.
  • The Sole of Africa website , a source of ongoing information about the campaign.
  • The pin badge campaign to be launched.
  • The compilation of positive stories from Africa, for possible future publication as part of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul Series”
  • An ongoing project blog .

Individuals are being asked to:

  • Sign the Declaration against landmines
  • Tell a friend about the campaign
  • Donate
  • Submit stories about Africa for the book.
  • Get companies involved
  • Attend a Changing History seminar
  • Add Sole of Africa banners and resources to their websites.

Development Issues

Conflict, Economic Development, Population.

Key Points

According to the organisers, Mineseeker estimates it can find and eliminate all of the world's current land mines within 10-15 years (vs. the estimated 500 years it would take to use existing technologies which have proven to be costly and dangerous). Land mines are not specific to any country or city. There are 70-100 million mines in 70 countries around the world that contain land mines on their soil. Land mines kill or maim 72 people a day (or 26,280 per year). Every 19 minutes someone is killed or maimed by a land mine, usually women and children. Those that are not killed are often loose limbs. Mozambique was chosen as the first country for the project because Mozambique, with much of its land fertile and lush, has the capacity to be “equipped as a kitchen for Africa.” Mineseeker estimates that it will take only 3 years to identify the mines and because they will also know where the mines are not, 85% of the land can be quickly turned back to agriculture.

Partners

Mineseeker Foundation; Feed The Children; Nourish the Children; Food4Africa; The Salvation Army; Real Medicine Foundation; The Pacific Institute; Mark Victor Hansen Inc.; Enlightened Wealth Institute; International Youth Foundation; Unitus;
Kiva

Contact

Mineseeker Foundation
Tel: +44 (0)1746 767000
Fax: +44 (0)1746 768659
info@thesoleofafrica.org.za
The Sole of Africa campaign website

Mineseeker Foundation; Feed The Children; Nourish the Children; Food4Africa; The Salvation Army; Real Medicine Foundation; The P

Source


Placed on the Communication Initiative site February 12 2007
Last Updated September 28 2007

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