At that time I was 23 years old, and I was living with my parents. Immediately after the accident I did not want to go on living, but thanks to my parents’ love, I found the strength to recover and start to live and work again, which was really difficult during the entire first year after the accident.

Right after the accident my family received support from the neighbours, but for a short time only. At that time, everyone had to work for a living, as the war had ended just two years before. I had to practice working again without the use of my right arm, and I suffered from callouses after the long days of work. I figured out how to adapt without my arm, so I can do everything, but much slower than before.

Now I am involved with the Commune Institute of People with Disability as its Chief Officer. I deal with organising sports events, shot put and javelin competitions. Through this local organisation I have also organised some vocational trainings to teach disabled persons how to work in the rice fields and how to stay connected with others.

To make a living, I have to continue to work in an area that has not been cleared of cluster bombs yet, so I still take risks every day while working. I recently found another cluster munition in my field. I was really afraid it might explode, but I had to take it away and bury it so no children could play with it.

I hope that the Treaty will make a real difference in the way that contaminated areas will be de-polluted, so that I will be able to go to work without any fear, and that children will no longer risk finding cluster munitions more than 30 years after the end of the strikes.