Angola Mine Awareness Evaluation

After three decades of war in Angola, landmines pose a major obstacle to the delivery of basic services, humanitarian aid, community rehabilitation, economic recovery and return of people to their homes. Thousands have perished and more than 70,000 people have lost limbs as a result of mines.

In late 1994, after signing the Lusaka Protocol, UNICEF Angola launched its mine awareness program, and its early strategy was to broadcast mine awareness messages on local and national radio and television. This was followed by the development of posters and information kits for trainers. PEPAM (Programa de Educacao para Prevencao de Acidentes com Minas) identifies most mine awareness activities in Angola, including those in schools, those run by NGOs, the Ministry of Education and UN agencies.

The purpose of this evaluation was to collect data on the coverage, acceptability and impact of these efforts through community-based and school-based surveys in 21 communities in Huila and Uige provinces. The results showed that only 65% of children in PEPAM schools had been exposed to mine awareness education compared to 43% from non-PEPAM schools. The most informative contrasts were between children in PEPAM schools who had received mine awareness education and those of the same age in school who had not.

The evaluation had the following objectives:
1) What is the understanding and acceptance among pupils of the training material?
2) What is the effectiveness of the teacher training and guidance?
3) Is the modality for delivery of information to pupils suitable?
4) To what extent is mine awareness teaching actually practised in schools? Are pupils’ books being distributed?
5) To what extent is mine awareness in schools passed on to family members and/or community members?
6) What is the level of understanding and acceptance among communities of the materials used?
7) Are the sensitisation modalities (theatre, lectures, music, dance) suitable?
8) What are the strong and weak aspects of programme components and the programme as a whole? Any recommendations?
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