Katrin Atkins completed the Swiss Army’s mine clearance training in 2008 as the first woman ever to do so. She first came into contact with World Without Mines while working in Laos, but it was during her assignment with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2012 that the relationship deepened. After helping accredit AFRILAM, then and still one of the few national mine action organisations, she connected it with World Without Mines for support. Since then, she has accompanied several of our partner organisations and witnessed first-hand how local actors can grow when given the right support.

“What has always stood out to me about World Without Mines is the personal involvement and the direct support,” says Katrin. “The money goes where it is needed. There are fewer administrative layers, and the organisation stays committed even when things become difficult.” Sustainable mine action takes time. That is why long-term commitment matters.

More Than Policies and Plans

Across the mine action sector, “local ownership” has become a buzzword. Yet Katrin believes that too often, efforts focus on institutions and management structures while overlooking the people who carry out the work every day.

According to Katrin, national organisations are often more resilient than outsiders assume. Unlike government authorities, which may be affected by political change and staff turnover, local NGOs are frequently driven by people who genuinely believe in what they do.

“Capacity development needs to happen both from the top down and from the bottom up,” she explains. “In the end, you need the men and women on the ground who actually do the work. It is important that managers understand international standards, but it also matters if four deminers can work safely and effectively in the field.”

For Alex Atkins, who delivers humanitarian mine action training courses in Serbia, this challenge is familiar. Many participants arrive with years of practical experience. “Many have been trained in military environments, where the accepted level of risk is often higher,” he says. “Humanitarian mine action is different. International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) are regularly reviewed and constantly evolving to both counter emerging threats and to ensure that the safest methods of working are employed. Training humanitarian mine action personnel in alignment with IMAS ensures that people work more efficiently and most importantly, more safely, while the internationally recognised certification, which is awarded to successful students, can open doors for future career opportunities.”

When Good Plans Meet Reality

This year, five experienced mine action staff from the Sri Lankan organisation DASH were due to attend an internationally recognised training course in Serbia with support from World Without Mines. The course was ready. The participants were ready. But the visas did not arrive in time.

From the outside, this might look like failure. Alex sees it differently. “It shows the complexity of the work,” he says. “After many years in this sector, one lesson stands out: never take anything for granted. Things that seem straightforward can suddenly become very complicated, while challenges that appear impossible can sometimes be overcome at the last minute.”

The delay was frustrating for everyone involved. Yet setbacks like these are part of the reality of strengthening local organisations. Progress is rarely linear. It requires patience, flexibility and persistence.

According to Katrin, this is precisely where long-term partnerships matter most. “Many donors want measurable results within a short timeframe,” she says. “What is often overlooked is the invisible work behind localisation. You need to accompany partners over many years. In the end, that investment pays off.”

People Are the Solution

Both Katrin and Alex remain convinced that localisation is not just one approach among many – it is the future of mine action.

Alex recalls a participant from South Sudan who, after completing a training course, secured a better position as a project manager. Months later, he wrote to say that he was applying what he had learned every day. Stories like this are what keep him motivated.

For Alex, stories like these illustrate what localisation is really about: creating opportunities for people who already carry much of the responsibility on the ground.

“People are the solution,” he says. “Technology can help, but equipment alone does not clear land. You will always need men and women on the ground. Invest in them.”

Katrin shares that optimism, even in a world marked by conflict and uncertainty.

“I have learned to stop looking only at the big picture,” she says. “Instead, I focus on the small successes. Those small things make a difference.”

And perhaps that is the essence of sustainable mine action: investing in people, patiently and over the long term, until local organisations are able to lead the way themselves.