Thoummy Silamphan

I had gone out to look for bamboo shoots to feed my family and avoid spending unnecessary family money on food. I was digging in a field about a kilometer away from my village, when the spade I was using hit some UXO beneath the ground.

When the bombie exploded, it cut my left hand, and caused me the most excruciating pain. I was lying on the ground bleeding, when people from the closest village, who had heard the explosion, found me. They carried me to my house, which took 45 minutes.

When I got home, my parents saw how serious my injury was. I was still conscious and in a lot of pain. My parents asked other villagers to help carry me to the road, which was a kilometer away. Once we got to the road, they had to find a car that would take me to the Kham District Hospital, which took about 70 minutes. The provincial hospital treated me for two hours before referring me to Xiengkhouang Provincial Hospital.  

I was treated at the hospital for 28 days, in which time they amputated the remains of my left hand. When I had recovered for the most part, I was sent back to Kham, were the district hospital continued to cleanse my wound.

It took me a while to recover, and I went through a period of being very depressed about my new situation. Losing my hand made life far more difficult. However, my family supported me through that time, and I went on to continue studying until I graduated from high school, and continued to attend Vongchareun Development College. I now work as a Field Assistant for World Education in Xiengkhouang.

I want to represent survivors in order to promote the Convention, and I want to be a good example to other UXO victims.   

I am very proud to have an opportunity to work for World Education and to help others whose lives have been affected by UXO.   

“The Ban Advocates will disseminate and promote the CCM and will convince other counties to sign the CCM as well. This will make a difference in the world.”