Landmines effect people all over the world

Anita

The Girl Scouts of Williston and Essex Junction, Vermont, successfully ran a CHAMPS Campaign beginning last April, 2007. Their dog, Champlain, is in training and will soon be deployed to Lebanon along with 5 other Mine Detection Dogs. But this success wasn’t enough for these twenty 10- to 11-year olds, they wanted to do more. Immediately following their CHAMPS Campaign they signed up to participate in the CHAMPS International Program to run a Campaign to help a young landmine survivor in Bosnia, a girl named Anita.

Anita stepped on a landmine while walking with her Aunt and little cousin, Valentina, on their property in Vitez, Bosnia. That was 7 years ago and 10-year old Anita lost her right leg. Shortly after her injury the villagers put the funds together to purchase a prosthetic leg for Anita, but as children do, Anita continued to grow and was soon too tall for the prosthetic. Anita’s parents, struggling to rebuild after the war, were only able to provide her with an inexpensive prosthetic. While walking down the street in Vitez Anita tripped and fell...her new prosthetic broke, heartbroken the beautiful little girl laid on the street in tears unable to get up. With her prosthetic taped together Anita continued to use the broken limb. Growing more and more her gait became affected causing pain throughout her body. CHAMPS Director Kimberly McCasland visited the Vitez High School with the CHAMPS International Manager, Marija Trlin, and learned about Anita and her need for a new prosthetic leg. The Vermont Girl Scouts eagerly took on the project of helping Anita. In partnership with the International Trust Fund, Anita traveled to Slovenia for medical evaluation and to be fitted with a new leg. Staying for nearly 10-days Anita enjoyed the hospitality of beautiful Slovenia and the International Trust Fund. 

Throughout the medical evaluation, fitting, and therapy the young girl took time to write e-mails to friends, sightsee a little, and spend time with her little cousin Valentina.

For now, Anita’s journey is over.  She has returned to Bosnia with a new leg, and as CHAMPS International Student Leader for the Vitez High School, Milena Grabovac, said “A new leg for Anita means new life”. 
It is only because of the Girl Scouts of Williston and Essex Junction, Vermont, that this was all made possible.  The Marshall Legacy Institute is incredibly proud of these young women and Emerging Global Leaders (EGL’s) and will invite at least one of them to the Annual Clearing the Path Gala in Washington, D.C. later this fall.  Also, one of the Student Leaders will travel with the MLI Donor Delegation to Bosnia this summer to see dogs working in the field and visit the training facility in Konjic.  That young Student Leader will also meet other leaders from the Bosnian Teams of CHAMPS International and Anita!!

Kemal

CHAMPS International Student Leader Michaela Streep lead the small town of Kingston, NH, on a successful Campaign to help a landmine survivor in Bosnia this year!  Electronic recycling fundraisers, followed by a Father/Daughter dance, and many other small fundraisers in-between were just some of the efforts undertaken by the D.J. Bakie Elementary School and the Sanborn Middle School to help a Bosnian boy named Kemal.  Using a website called Skype.com these Kingston schools met virtually once a month with the Sarajevo Elementary School discussing their joint effort to provide Kemal with a much needed new prosthetic leg.  The same landmine that took Kemal’s mother’s life, took his leg when he was just 4 months old in Sarajevo, Bosnia.   On June 28, 2008 Kemal got his new leg! 

Kemal is from Sarajevo where he lives with his Grandmother.  Kemal's mother was killed by the landmine that took his mother's life.  She was carrying him, not yet a year old, when she walked on the landmine.  He lost his leg and had other injuries.  He went to live with his Grandmother after his mother died.

Last year, 2008, during the Donor Delegation trip in the summer, we met with Kemal and his Grandmother. She had a picture of him at the hospital right after his surgery at the age of just about 1 year old.  He'd been in the hospital for over a month, the wound was healing... and this beautiful little baby boy was smiling, so incredibly gorgeous.... it was a wonderful picture that his Grandmother shared with me.  Kemal has grown up into a handsome young man who has won the heart of his CHAMPS Team in New Hampshire!