Lithsouda, 19, lost his right eye and the fingers on his right hand in a cluster bomb explosion when he was a child. With support from Humanity & Inclusion, he is rebuilding his life and supporting other survivors of explosive weapons.
In 2009, 6-year-old Lithsouda was playing outside his grandmother’s house. He started to build a fire, and that’s when he triggered a cluster bomb buried in the ground.
To save him, Lithsouda’s family borrowed money from their neighbors, sold their belongings and hired a car to take him to a hospital three hours away. Lithsouda lost his right eye and the fingers on his right hand and was left with scars all over his body.
Rebuilding his life
Because of his injuries, other people see him as different, which makes him feel excluded.
With support from Humanity & Inclusion, he participates in a group of community volunteers in his village in Laos. Lithsouda has been trained to promote the inclusion and community participation of people with disabilities, including other survivors of landmines and explosive remnants of war.
"All this training has opened my mind and encouraged me to spend more time with my friends,” Lithsouda says.
Because of his disabilities, Lithsouda was unable to help his family by working in the field or fishing. Today, he works as a farmer and is empowered to participate in activities. He enjoys playing sports, fetching food, looking after livestock and spending time with friends.