FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage)
@fsd.ch
For 25+ years, FSD has worked to protect civilians from landmines and explosive remnants of war. As a #Swiss #NGO, we support affected communities through #humanitarian #MineAction, and environmental and #peace support projects. ➡️ https://linktr.ee/fsd.ch
💥 A World War II-era 45 mm armour-piercing round with its fuze was recently discovered in a forest in Ukraine’s #Chernihiv region. FSD’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal ( #EOD ) team #safely destroyed the item, which had remained underground for around 80 years.
🌲 "I know every tree where these mushrooms grow." Kateryna has always loved #forests, taking walks, listening to the birds and foraging for mushrooms. But a few years ago, she stepped on a #landmine. 🎥 Watch her story: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhJ...
Kateryna’s story: how forest grew dangerous in Ukraine
YouTube video by FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage)
youtube.com
🧑🎓 FSD is pleased to be returning to EPFL this year. Matt Wilson, FSD’s COO, gave a presentation, introducing students to #landmines, unexploded ordnance and #explosive ordnance disposal. Thank you to the students for their interest and to the EssentialTech Center for the invitation.
💥 What Are Improvised Explosive Devices? What does 'improvised' mean? Why do #IEDs pose such a #challenge? Our new article explains why IEDs can be difficult to clear, and how international standards help guide these #efforts. 👉 Read the article: fsd.ch/en/improvise...
What Is an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)?
Learn what an improvised explosive device (IED) is, how it is used, why it poses a major threat to civilians and how FSD helps reduce the risk.
fsd.ch
"For me, normality means being able to live without fear." - Siham, FSD #deminer FSD’s all-women demining team is currently working in the Dibis district in #Iraq to clear land from #IEDs so that #families can return home. 👉 fsd.ch/en/in-iraq-t... Project supported by @etatdegeneve.bsky.social.
FSD's All-Women Demining Team in Iraq
The work of FSD's all-women demining team in Iraq is essential to allow the return of displaced people and enable families to rebuild their lives.
fsd.ch
🧸 This anti-tank #missile was found unexploded near a pastoral path in north-eastern #Afghanistan in 2019. Some #explosive items can look like ordinary objects. In areas affected by conflict, recognising the #danger can be a matter of life and death.
🚧 FSD’s #RubbleClearance team in #Ukraine continues working at destruction sites, using heavy machinery to clear debris and prepare areas for safe access and #reconstruction.
"Our aim is to make #MineAction the first stage of #reconstruction, not a separate job," explained Angela De Santis, FSD Deputy Head of Operations, during the 'Survey and Clearance in Urban Areas – Case Studies' panel at @thegichd.bsky.social #Innovation Session. 📷: © GICHD/Antoine Tardy
💥 After months of training and preparation, FSD's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (#EOD) team successfully carried out its first operational task in #Ukraine. During a #clearance operation, the team safely disposed of an anti-tank shaped-charge round discovered by FSD #deminers.
Recently, representatives of our long-standing #partner, the @wfp.org, visited several sites in the #Kharkiv region where FSD teams are clearing #agricultural land. The guests observed the teams working in the field and learned more about the sites and the farmers.
⛑️ For Natalia, FSD's #medic, being prepared for any situations is essential. During #FirstAid training for #deminers, she helps the team prepare to respond quickly and effectively in an #emergency. Watch the video: youtube.com/shorts/4b4fp...
First-aid training for demining teams?
YouTube video by FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage)
youtube.com
🌾 21 million m² of #agricultural land released in Ukraine’s Sumy region FSD’s #NTS team assessed land considered potentially contaminated by explosive ordnance. Through field visits, interviews & evidence gathering, they identified areas that could be released without demining.
📊 As part of FSD’s ongoing support to the Operations Centre for #Explosive Hazard Management and Response in #Mindanao, Philippines, a newly contracted database operator has received specialised Excel #training from FSD. Project supported by 🇦🇺 DFAT.
🕊️ On this #InternationalDayofPeace, we remember that #peace also means rebuilding trust and helping #communities move forward safely. In Mindanao, FSD reduces explosive risks while bringing former parties to the conflict together around a shared goal: making communities safer.
💡 Maksym knew exactly what to do when he and his friends came across a suspicious item. By following the #safety rules, he helped keep his friends out of #danger. Listen to his story: youtube.com/shorts/MWUda... Project supported by 🇨🇭@swissfa.bsky.social
Would you know what to do in the face of unexploded ordnance?
YouTube video by FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage)
youtube.com
🍱 This antipersonnel #mine was found in #Tajikistan in 2023. Nicknamed the “black widow”, it is designed to detonate when pressure is applied to its pressure plate. For people living in #contaminated areas, an ordinary day can involve #risks that most of us never have to think about.
🦺 As rehabilitation work on the Bouar–Bocaranga road in the #CentralAfricanRepublic continues, FSD recently delivered #RiskEducation to 175 road and maintenance workers, teaching them to recognise potential #explosive hazards and how to react #safely.
🌡️ Intense #heat has swept across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, and #Iraq is no exception. But #MineClearance cannot wait. Hear from Asmaa, #Demining Team Leader, and Shaima, #Medic, as they explain how they adapt their days in the field. 📹 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aoqp...
45°C in Iraq: how demining keeps on going
YouTube video by FSD (Fondation suisse de déminage)
youtube.com
FSD’s Head of Operations, Matt Wilson, is attending the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions #CCM3RC in Lao PDR this week. From testimonies of people affected by #ClusterMunitions to discussions on contamination, the meetings highlight their lasting human impact.
🐕 #MineDetectionDogs play an important role in humanitarian #MineAction. They support technical survey and clearance activities by identifying contaminated areas. When conditions allow, #dogs can search large areas #faster than the time needed for survey or manual clearance.
⚽ This #submunition was found in a rice field in #Laos in 2011. It is nicknamed the 'Guava bomb' because of its shape and green colour. For people living in areas affected by #explosive remnants of war, #danger can lurk in the places where they live, work and play.
🚫 Our new article explores the history and significance of the #OttawaConvention, what it prohibits, and why it remains an important mechanism for protecting #civilians from the dangers of #landmines. 👉 Read the article: fsd.ch/en/are-landm...
The Ottawa Convention: The Landmine Ban Treaty Explained
Are landmines illegal? Learn what the Ottawa Convention bans, why it matters, and the challenges it faces today.
fsd.ch
✅ A second UCHP #demining team trained by FSD is now fully operational in the #Kharkiv region. What does this transfer of knowledge look like in practice? And what has UCHP already achieved since the project began in 2025? Read our latest newsletter: fsd.ch/en/mine-clea...
Mine Clearance in Ukraine: Building Local Demining Capacity
FSD supports mine clearance in Ukraine by training UCHP demining teams to safely clear contaminated land and build sustainable local capacity.
fsd.ch
At least 1,063 people were killed or injured by #ClusterMunitions in 2025, the vast majority #civilians. The 2026 Monitor looks at casualties, victim assistance and clearance. FSD contributed to the research and works to #clear affected land. Learn more: www.mineactionreview.org
Reporting on Clearance of Mines & Cluster Munition Remnants | Mine Action Review
Mine Action Review monitors the of global efforts to survey and clear landmines and cluster munitions remnants.
mineactionreview.org
🌲 “The #forest has become a dangerous place, there could still be #landmines,” explains forester Kostiantyn Kolomiiets. He has worked in #forestry for nearly a decade and remembers the forest being a quiet place — home to roe deer, foxes, hares and even the occasional deer.
It was a pleasure to have our FSD Board together in Geneva today. We’re fortunate to have such engaged Board members bringing their perspectives, experience and expertise to FSD. Thank you all for your time, energy and continued commitment to FSD and its mission!
In memory of Brandon Pinson Today, we remember our colleague Brandon Pinson, who lost his life in Iraq in September 2019 while clearing an improvised mine. Seven years on, our thoughts are with Brandon’s family, friends and former colleagues.
⚡ JOB OFFER ⚡ We are seeking a Communications Assistant to join our team in Geneva, Switzerland! The full job offer and application details are available at: fsd.ch/en/about-us/... #Geneva #Jobs #JobOffer #MineAction #Communications
