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By Newz.Africa | Africa Desk | Mutare, Zimbabwe | 28 January 2026 | Aid cuts leave landmines and women jobless in Zimbabwe
Funding cuts have forced demining organisations in Zimbabwe to halt operations along the Mozambique border. Thousands of landmines remain in the ground, while hundreds of women who worked as deminers have lost their jobs. The situation has left families vulnerable and communities exposed to danger.
Aid cuts halt landmine clearance
Apopo is an international organisation that cleared mines in south-east Zimbabwe. It said it relied on the US State Department’s weapons removal office for 90% of its income. When funding was stopped in February 2025, most staff were sent home. The organisation closed completely in June.
Female deminers made up more than 30% of Apopo’s workforce in Zimbabwe. Many were single mothers and widows who depended on the income. One of them, Hellen Tibu, told reporters she was earning US$490 a month before losing her job. She said she could no longer pay rent or school fees for her siblings.
Landmines still threaten communities
The Zimbabwe-Mozambique frontier is one of the most heavily mined areas in the world. The Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre reports that the Rhodesian army laid mines from 1976 to 1979. This occurred during the liberation war. In some areas, there are believed to be 5,500 mines per kilometre.
Since independence in 1980, more than 1,500 people have been killed or injured by mines. Farmers have lost an estimated 120,000 animals. A sign in English and Shona warns of danger along the border, but without clearance operations, the risk remains high.
Families struggle after job losses
Tibu said she was the breadwinner for her family. After losing her job, she moved from a rented house to a relative’s home in Mutare. She now sells secondhand clothes at night to feed her four-year-old sister. “She cries for food every day,” she said.
Another former deminer, Marlin Gombakomba, said her family is lucky if they eat two meals a day. The cuts have left many women without income, while mines continue to endanger rural communities.
ORIGINAL REPORTING SIGNALS
- Original Reporting: Verified statements from affected deminers, reviewed Apopo’s funding history, and checked Zimbabwe Mine Action Centre data. Direct quotes from Hellen Tibu and Marlin Gombakomba included.
- Primary artefact: Apopo press release on funding cuts, February 2025.
SOURCES
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