With support from a Peremoha Mini-Grant, RPCV Abram J. Lyons partnered with a Ukrainian civilian demining team to strengthen life-saving efforts to clear landmines from agricultural land. By funding essential mapping and navigation equipment, this project is helping protect farmers, restore access to farmland, and reduce daily risks for civilians living with the legacy of war—one cleared field at a time.
RPCV: Abram J. Lyons, Youth Development, 2010-2013
Ukrainian Partner: Martyn and Bohdan volunteers at Sustain Ukraine
Region: Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Kherson Oblast
Abram J. Lyons (RPCV 2010–2013) partnered with Martyn and Bohdan and their organization, ТЕХНО-ПРОЕКТ ДЕМАЙНІНГ, to secure a Peremoha Mini-Grant supporting civilian demining efforts in Ukraine. The grant funded essential tools used to locate and safely clear landmines from agricultural land—equipment including a GPS navigator, range finder, and compass. These tools allow demining teams to map contaminated areas accurately, coordinate movement, and navigate dangerous terrain with greater precision.
Additional grant funds supported the purchase of a laptop and tablet, which the team uses to generate visual maps, document cleared territory, produce reports, and coordinate demining operations across their staff. Together, this equipment directly strengthens their ability to operate safely and efficiently in high-risk environments.
Ukraine is currently the most heavily mined country in the world. An estimated 23 percent of the country’s land is at risk of contamination from landmines and unexploded ordnance. From 2022 to 2024, the United Nations reported 360 civilian deaths and 798 civilian injuries caused by landmines. These explosives not only endanger lives—they prevent people from working, returning home, and farming the land that sustains their communities.
Agriculture is central to Ukraine’s economy and identity. Roughly 14 percent of Ukrainians are employed in agriculture, and in 2021 agricultural exports accounted for 41 percent of the country’s total export revenue, totaling $27.8 billion. When farmland is mined, the impact ripples far beyond individual farmers—it threatens food security and economic stability nationwide.
While the Ukrainian government conducts large-scale demining for military purposes, civilian demining in areas behind the front lines often falls to small, licensed businesses like ТЕХНО-ПРОЕКТ ДЕМАЙНІНГ. These organizations operate under government regulation but frequently rely on grants and donations to carry out their work.
Like many small demining operations, ТЕХНО-ПРОЕКТ ДЕМАЙНІНГ operates on extremely thin margins. Farmers are often asked to pay upfront for demining services or wait long periods for government reimbursement—delays that can make clearing land financially impossible. By using grant funds to purchase critical equipment, this project reduced those financial barriers, allowing farmers to access demining services at little or no cost.
We are proud to support locally led organizations doing life-saving work under extraordinarily difficult conditions. This investment helps protect farmers, restore access to productive land, and reduce the daily risks faced by civilians living with the legacy of war. Most importantly, it empowers Ukrainian communities to lead their own recovery—one cleared field at a time.
The Peremoha Mini-Grants program, launched in 2022, empowers grant recipients and their Ukrainian partners to lead impactful projects supporting humanitarian aid, community development, education, and youth initiatives. These grants are made possible through charitable contributions and proceeds from the Babusya’s Kitchen cookbook.
You can help make a difference! Donate to the Peremoha fund, purchase a cookbook, or apply for your own grant to support Ukraine.