Meet two of the brilliant women who are working to make their country safer.

In a quiet corner of Siem Reap’s Angkor Thom District, two remarkable women are changing lives—one landmine at a time. Both Ly Sreyneang and Pat Liv have risen through the ranks into leadership roles at The HALO Trust in Cambodia, supervising the heroic staff who are removing landmines from formerly war-torn landscapes.     

For Ly Sreyneang (above), the fight against landmines is deeply personal, as her childhood home was built on contaminated land. Growing up, she lived with the ever-present danger of hidden explosives, and when a neighbor was injured by a landmine, she knew she had to act.

Her first day with HALO was a defining moment—she uncovered an anti-personnel mine in her own backyard, a place where she and her siblings had played every day. “I was shaking, scared, and happy—I felt every emotion all at once,” she recalls. Over the next three months, she worked to clear the mines from her family’s land, transforming it from a place of fear into a safe haven.

Pat Liv’s story follows a similar path. She joined HALO in 2011 after witnessing the devastation mines had brought to her village. One of her neighbors lost his legs after stepping on a mine, a tragedy that fueled her determination to ensure no one else would suffer the same fate. But her decision to become a deminer was met with skepticism. Many in her village believed mine clearance was a job only men could do. Yet, with every mine she found and safely destroyed, she proved them wrong. 

Both women initially feared their work. The idea of handling deadly explosives was daunting, but through HALO’s training, they gained the skills and confidence to do their jobs safely. Now, Pat Liv says, “I’m actually happy when I find landmines and new UXO—because I know I can remove them.” 

Their courage has not only saved lives but also shattered gender barriers. When they first joined HALO, only about 20 women worked as deminers. Today, the organization has grown to nearly 12,000 staff globally, with significant numbers of women in leadership roles. But, in Cambodia, Pat Liv remains the only female Sub-Unit commander in the country. “I never thought I could do it,” she admits. “But because people believed in me and gave me advice, I made it.” 

For Ly Sreyneang, the impact of her work extends beyond clearing landmines. She sees herself as a role model, especially for young girls who are amazed to see a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field. “Villagers always tell me what a great job I’m doing,” she says. “It’s important for the next generation to see what women can achieve.”

Despite their success, both women remain humble. Before joining HALO, Pat Liv worked in a factory and had little hope for a better future. Ly Sreyneang, who started working at age 15 as a house cleaner, earned only $50 a month.

Now, they are leaders in their communities, ensuring that Cambodia moves closer to being mine-free. Their work is far from over, but their dreams are clear. For Pat Liv, it’s about giving her children—an eight-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl—opportunities she never had. “Every day, I push my kids to climb the educational ladder,” she says. “Their dreams are theirs to choose.” 

As Cambodia continues its journey toward a future without landmines, Ly Sreyneang and Pat Liv stand as powerful symbols of resilience and hope. They are not just clearing the land—they are clearing the way for a new generation to walk without fear.