Safer Communities, Stronger Futures

The Issue

Across the Central African Republic, explosive remnants of war threaten daily life. In Ouham-Pendé, the sub-prefectures of Bocaranga, Koui and Ngaoundaye are among the most contaminated areas. Farmers risk their lives when tending fields, children are endangered on their way to school, and herders face deadly risks while moving livestock. Since 2020, more than 285 explosive ordnance incidents have been recorded, killing or injuring civilians – many of them children.

The Project

The project protects lives and restores hope by combining prevention, risk analysis, and victim assistance:

Prevention: trained community focal points, along with teachers, leaders and humanitarian workers, deliver explosive ordnance risk education. Sessions are adapted for children, farmers, herders, women and men – ensuring everyone knows how to stay safe.
Risk analysis: communities participate in mapping incidents, hazards and victims, helping to build an accurate picture of the risks and inform wider protection responses.
Victim assistance: newly-affected victims receive immediate help and support to recover and rebuild their livelihoods through income-generating opportunities identified by a local market assessment.

The project directly reaches 16,200 people, including displaced families, returnees, refugees and host communities. With a focus on women, children, and persons with disabilities, we ensure that those most at risk are not left behind.

UNMAS evaluators assess Judith, DCA Community Liaison Officer, during the EORE accreditation evaluation session in Bangui, CAR.

The Change

By the end of the project, communities will be safer and better equipped to protect themselves. Families will know how to recognize and avoid explosive devices, reducing injuries and deaths. Farmers and herders will be able to return to their fields and grazing lands with greater confidence.

For survivors, the change is about dignity and independence. Victims will not only receive emergency support but also pathways to economic recovery – whether through agriculture, small trade or other sustainable livelihoods. This will reduce long-term vulnerability and give families a chance to rebuild.

Through community-led mapping, contamination data will no longer be scattered or incomplete. Instead, reliable information will guide both humanitarian responses and local safety strategies. Perhaps most importantly, the project will strengthen trust. By listening to communities, responding to feedback, and preventing abuse, the project ensures that affected people are not passive recipients but active partners in their own safety.

Our Partners

The project is implemented in cooperation with two national partners. Both partners bring strong local knowledge, networks and trust, ensuring activities are rooted in community priorities and sustainable beyond the project’s lifetime:

Zo Kwe Zo: an experienced community-based organization working on protection, social cohesion and peacebuilding.

AFPE (Association des Femmes pour la Paix et l’Entrepreneuriat): a local association focusing on empowering women, livelihoods and community resilience.