A total of six Kayah civil society organizations plan to carry out the mine risk education according Khu K’law Reh, joint coordinator of the Kayah Phu Christian Social Welfare Department.

Speaking to Karen News, Khu K’law Reh said.

“Kayah Phu will be able to work on mine awareness across a wider range. We will meet with community leaders and youth leaders to carry out our work. Our group set a target at five villages in Loikaw Township and three villages in Shadaw Township,” Khu K’law said.

Khu K’law Reh said the Karenni state government will discuss and work with the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) to work on mine awareness programs.

Kayah civil society organizations such as Kayah Phu, the Youth Life Formation Center (YLFC), Pay-Sa-Alin-Tan, Union Karenni State Youth (UKSY), Kayah New Generation Youth (KNGY) and Community Youth Center have received funds to work on mine risk education projects in Kayah State.

Aside from mine risk education, the group will also provide leadership and vocational training, according to a statement on the US embassy website.

The US embassy in Rangoon announced that the US government would provide small grants totaling US$110,000 to local Kayah State’s civil society organizations.

According to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) 2013 report, there are 49 townships contaminated by landmines in Karen state, Eastern Bago Division, Kachin state, Shan state, Tanintharyi division, Mon state, Arkan state, Chin state and Karenni state.