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The Syria conflict has disrupted the lives of 12 million people, of which 3.3 million have sought refuge in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan.

‘For years I’ve been watching dance programs on television and I always thought I’d never be able to dance myself’, says Reema (12) proudly, while she decorates herself with a traditional Nepalese dance outfit. Since she received a leg prosthesis from Handicap International, the always-smiling girl is realizing her wildest dream: she shines in dance competitions.

In the second of a two-part travelog, Denis Ricca, who is leading a team of explosive remnants of war surveyors describes his team’s work with local communities in Moyen-Charir, a region of southern Chad. The work of the surveyors is an important first step before full demining activities begin.

In this travelog, Denis Ricca, the manager of Handicap International’s team of surveyors in Chad describes the challenge of identifying areas of land that are contaminated by explosive remnants of war. Denis talks through the team's activities during a 12-day visit, which included sessions to raise awareness in communities about the risks posed.
Decades of conflict have left a deadly legacy of landmines and other explosive remnants of war in Chad. In October 2014 Handicap International launched new activities to clear land of explosive weapons and help people and communities affected.

Adèle Bourdy, Head of Mission for Handicap International in the emergency context of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), describes the alarming humanitarian situation in the country.

One morning last August in a South Sudan camp, nine-year-old Monica woke up with a high temperature, unable to get up.

Bruno Leclerc is Handicap International's Program Director in Sierra Leone and Liberia. With a fall in the number of ebola cases, Bruno speaks about the current situation and his hopes for the future.

Handicap International is expanding its mine clearance activities in Laos to a fourth district.

Forty years after the end of the Vietnam war, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war in Laos still claim an average of one victim per week. Handicap International has worked in the country since 1983 and is currently clearing mines in three districts, Nong, Sepone and Vilabuly, in the Savannakhet province in the east of Laos. In 2015 Phine will become the fourth district to benefit from demining.

Fourteen-year-old Firas had just returned home from school in Syria when his house was shelled. Shrapnel from the explosion flew through the air at the speed of a bullet, hitting Firas in his legs. He was rushed to hospital across the border in Lebanon but his injuries were so bad that his right leg had to be amputated.

In 2005, seven-year-old Kanha was playing in her family's courtyard when her father came home from his fields. He brought home a rusty metal object - scrap metal he planned to sell.

Ali is 65 years old. He is currently living in the governorate of Dohuk with 24 other members of his family. Three years ago he had a stroke which left him with severely reduced mobility in his left leg. He therefore finds it difficult to get about and to perform certain day-to-day tasks. With support from Handicap International, Ali has seen his mobility improve.

Stéphanie Charlotin is following the Rehabilitation Technician course offered by Handicap International in Haiti. It is the first of its kind in this country where the needs in this field are immense.

From 19 to 30 December, Sri Lanka was affected by severe flooding in 22 of the country’s 25 districts. Handicap International is currently working to help vulnerable people in the district of Batticaloa, a district previously devastated by the tsunami in 2004.

Handicap International is planning to set up a fourth demining team in North Lebanon in 2015, to speed up progress in the region.