Zimbabwe deminers lose jobs after US aid cuts leave mines on border fields. Hellen Tibu, a 22‑year‑old mine‑disposal expert in eastern Zimbabwe, was paid $490 a month until February 2025 when the Trump administration halted funding for Apopo, the organisation that cleared mines on the Zimbabwe‑Mozambique frontier. Apopo had relied on 90 % of its income from the U.S. State Department’s weapons removal office and laid most of its staff home in February, shutting down completely in June. The border is still littered with thousands of mines laid by the former Rhodesian army between 1976 and 1979; estimates put 5,500 mines for every kilometre. Since independence, over 1,500 people have been killed or maimed and farmers have lost an estimated 120,000 animals. Tibu’s loss of income has forced her to cancel her sister’s school fees and move her to a cheaper local government school. The cuts have left many families in debt and unable to pay rent or care for relatives. The situation highlights the economic fallout of foreign aid cuts on local communities and the ongoing danger of landmines in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands.

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