 Paul Brown
Position in MAG: Technical Field Manager.
Background: I spent 20 years with the Canadian Armed Forces as an Ammunition Technician, where I became an expert in all types of ordnance. I also spent time in Germany and Bosnia as well, and retired in August 2006. I was hired by MAG in October 2006 and sent to Lebanon, having watched the war from my television in Canada.
What did you find when you got to Lebanon? I was initially put in charge of a team that was new and inexperienced, but very eager to learn. I chose one person who I thought would be a good team leader, and mentored him for eight hours a day for three months to learn most aspects of my job, including Standard Operating Procedures, National Technical Standard Guidelines, the drawing of maps, etc.
What about the team? They had to undergo a lot of training as well, receiving a two-week classroom course. Beyond that, I had to spend four months standing over their shoulders to teach them how to use detectors, excavate, safely cut grass and other vegetation, and search for unexploded ordnance.
How have they done? It’s a night and day difference compared to the beginning. The teams are very productive. They have learned their jobs well.
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 Hussein Khalil Harb
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1968.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: 3 daughters (aged 1, 7, and 9 years), elderly father.
Previous occupation: School bus driver, earning $235 a month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, close to cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? Better income; to be able to help my self and my country at the same time.
Future Plans: Will go back to my old job and find another part time job.
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 Ali Abdelrahim Bishr
Position in MAG: Team Leader.
Year of birth: 1968.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: Three children (Age 12, ten and seven: one girl and two boys).
Previous occupation: Garage for fixing car mufflers, earning $300/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, near cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? My need for income. I have three children, and the economical situation is difficult. I must pay for schools and other expenses. Although I am doing humanitarian work, I need income to continue my life. Also, cluster munitions are 300 metres away from my home and children so I am doing this for my family. I feel ownership of this work.
How do you feel about working with MAG? Content. I feel responsible for team members and enforcing MAG safety standards.
Future plans: To again open my old business and hope for the best.
Additional comments: I hope that countries and donors will keep supporting us until we remove the last cluster munitions from Lebanon for our safety and our children future.
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Hussein M Maatouk
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1960.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: Four children (aged 20, 18, 17, 12), plus elderly mother.
Previous occupation: Taxi driver, earned $400/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? There
are two benefits from this work: I benefit on a personal level for work
security and the safety of my family from getting hurt by cluster
munitions; secondly, I'm proud to clear cluster munitions from my
country and protect my fellow man.
Additional comments: We
thank the donors and we want them to keep supporting us until the last
cluster munitions are removed and we thank MAG for giving us this
opportunity.
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 Hussein Badr Eddine
Position in MAG: Team Leader.
Year of birth: 1980.
Marital status: Engaged.
Dependants: Mother, (father is deceased).
Previous occupation: Plumber, earned $370/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No
Why are you working with MAG? At the beginning, it was to secure a living, but after experiencing
clearance and giving back the land to people for their livelihoods and
keeping children safe, it became more of a humanitarian quest for me.
How do you feel about working with MAG? With monthly income secured I am able to by a car, mortgage a house and hope to be able to save money for future business.
Future plans: To return to my previous work.
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 Ali Alloush
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1983.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: Supports mother and father, living in the same house. Expecting a child.
Previous occupation: Hotel management. Worked in hotel in Beirut, earning $370/month plus tips.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No.
Why are you working with MAG? To secure income and because it is humanitarian. I was unemployed for three months, but turned down jobs for this opportunity.
Future Plans: I'll look again for work.
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 Mohamad Diab
Position in MAG: Searcher
Year of birth: 1981
Marital status: Single
Dependants: Mother, father and sister. Father is sick and cannot work.
Previous occupation: Family shoemaking business. Was lucrative, but had to close down due to non payment of customers after war.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No.
Why are you working with MAG? I was interested and active in Mine Risk Education activities.
Future plans: According to economy, I will either open my old shop or find other work.
Additional comments: I hope that MAG continues activities in Lebanon.
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 Rabih El Sayed
Position in MAG: Searcher
Year of birth: 1973
Marital status: Married
Dependants: One son, aged two; mother and father; 16-year-old sister.
Previous occupation: Previously owned a computer internet café in Kfar Joz for two months. The war came and I was indebted to the bank so went out of business
Do you live near a contaminated area? No
Why are you working with MAG? I need the income.
How do you feel about working with MAG? I feel good to contribute to the clearance of my country and saving children and people at general.
Additional comments: We thank the donors and hope they will continue supporting MAG and the clearance of the danger from my country.
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 Fouad Ali Ahmad
Position in MAG: Team Leader.
Year of birth: 1982.
Marital status: Single.
Dependants: Supports mother, father and 15-year-old brother.
Previous occupation: Plumber, earning $200/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, near mines at previous Israeli posts and cluster munitions from July 2006 war.
Why are you working with MAG? I need to be able to support myself and family, along with clearing dangerous cluster munitions.
How do you feel about working with MAG: I had debts that I am now able to pay some of them. I hope I'll be able to continue work, at the same time gaining experience.
Future plans: I have to find work, any work, to sustain a living.
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 Rabeeih Faraj
Position in MAG: Deminer.
Year of birth: 1986.
Marital status: Single, no children.
Dependants: Supports family. Mother is sick with heart disease. Father is taxi driver but cannot make enough money for the family of six people.
Previous occupation: Receptionist in a hotel in Beirut before the war. I earned $400/month, but after the war the employer cut my salary to $200 which was not enough to live in Beirut. My job with MAG pays much better and allows me to live with my family.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Shoukeen, my village, is full of cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? To support my family. When I started working I did not like this work. After experiencing the work and understanding it, when my previous job approached me again I preferred to stay with MAG for the humanitarian work they are doing. Now I am being able to afford continuation of my studies and sit for the baccalaureate exams (high school degree).
How do you feel about working with MAG: Happy. We are working now in Aadsheet village. The area we are clearing is close to houses and children playing. Every time we find a cluster muniton and the Technical Field Manager removes it I feel we saved a life.
Future plans: Cluster munitions may finish but mines will still be here. I would like to continue work as a deminer.
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 Ahmad Syleiman
Position in MAG: Site Supervisor.
Year of birth: 1984.
Marital status: Engaged.
Previous occupation: Student of political sciences, and part-time salesman, earning $500/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, close to cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? First, it is humanitarian work and I am able to contribute to clearance of my country. Also, I have an income and able to furbish my house in order to get married, despite Lebanon’s economic situation and lack of job opportunities.
How do you feel about working with MAG? I'm comfortable with MAG family and confident for my future with the stability of monthly income. Working with MAG allowed me to get engaged.
Future plans: Hopefully continue humanitarian work with MAG in other countries and benefit from the training and experience provided by MAG.
Additional comments: With every cluster munition removed, a life is saved.
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 Ra’ed Karnabash
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1982.
Dependants: Helps parents with living expenses of six children.
Previous occupation: University student of Arabic literature.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, near cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? It is a source of income. With the recession and lack of work opportunities, MAG gave me work.
How do you feel about working with MAG? I’m happy with the security provided by income, and being able to help my fellow citizens.
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 Ali El Hammoud
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1981.
Dependants: Helps parents (who have children). Father has been out of work recently.
Previous occupation: Construction worker, earning $200-$270/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No.
Why are you working with MAG? I need the income – I was unemployed for 6 months.
How do you feel about working with MAG? I'm satisfied with salary as I had no other income. MAG gives me the opportunity to plan for the future, build my house and look forward to settling down and getting married.
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 Yassine Fakih
Position in MAG: Medic.
Year of birth: 1981.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: One young daughter.
Previous occupation: Volunteer with Lebanese Red Cross and salesman in furniture shop, earning $400/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No.
Why are you working with MAG? I needed the income: my wife was pregnant and I was unemployed, as the war destroyed my place of employment. I’m happy to save children from the dangers of cluster bombs.
How do you feel about working with MAG? Working with MAG felt to me like a gift from God. Before that I felt that the doors to life were shutting in my face. I was under tremendous stress with my wife and I expecting a child. MAG opened a door to the future and stability.
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 Bilal Korayani
Position in MAG: Team Leader.
Year of birth: 1974.
Marital status: Married.
Dependants: Three children (six and three years old, plus infant).
Previous occupation: Drove a school bus, making $370 monthly.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes, contaminated by cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? I have a responsibility to provide for my family. We are living in dangerous areas and I need to protect my family and fellow man.
Future plans: Return to previous work if possible.
Additional comments: We hope that MAG will stay until all cluster munitions are cleared and we hope no more wars.
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 Abbas Farran
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1985.
Marital status: Single.
Dependants: Mother and father.
Previous occupation: Baker, making $370/month.
Do you live near a contaminated area? No.
Why are you working with MAG? Because I need the income, and it is humanitarian work.
How do you feel about working with MAG? It is contributing to the clearance of my country.
Future plans: I will search for other work.
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 Hussam Mahdi
Position in MAG: Searcher.
Year of birth: 1985.
Marital status: Single.
Dependants: Contributes to parents income, as they are economically suffering.
Previous occupation: Studying hotel and restaurant management. I aspire to be a chef.
Do you live near a contaminated area? Yes cluster munitions.
Why are you working with MAG? Humanitarian work for my village and my country.
Future plans: I would like to open a snack bar restaurant.
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