Skip to main content

The Mine That Changed a Life

Fifty years after the Vietnam War, people still live in fear of stepping on old, unexploded ordnance. So far, more than 100,000 people have been killed or injured. Small-scale farmer Nguyen Sum is one of them.

IMG 3543 morten odegaard
"I remember that day all the time. It happened right behind my house. I was on my way to fish. After just a few meters, I stepped on it," says Ngyen Sum. Photo: Norwegian People’s Aid

With Life and the Future Ahead

Nguyen grew up in the countryside during the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 1970s. When the war ended in 1975, his hometown finally became peaceful again. Nguyen turned 15 and had his whole life and future ahead of him.

"My job was to take care of our buffalo, but I also went to school and spent a lot of time with my friends. We played, played football, and swam," Nguyen recalls before pausing thoughtfully. Then, he begins to talk about the incident that would change his life.

A Small Buried Plastic Mine

It was an afternoon in August. Nguyen does not remember the exact date, but the weather was nice. The school day was over, the buffalo had been fed, and he was heading out on a fishing trip with his friends to a small pond one kilometer from home.

"I remember that day all the time. It happened right behind my house. I was on my way to go fishing. After just a few meters, I stepped on it."

Nguyen gazes silently up at the sky before continuing his story. The small, buried plastic mine caused severe damage to his right leg. His friends ran to get his parents, who eventually came to help. It took several hours of driving on bumpy gravel roads before Nguyen reached a hospital.

IMG 3547 morten odegaard
Nguyen Sum lost his leg to a mine when he was a young boy. Photo: Norwegian People’s Aid
IMG 3566 morten odegaard
Finally, Nguyen's family can travel safely across fields, paths, and along school roads. Photo: Norwegian People’s Aid