Celebrating Golden West Humanitarian Foundation's History of Achievements in Cambodia
Golden West Humanitarian Foundation (GWHF) has a remarkable history of collaboration and innovation in Cambodia, working to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian mine action (HMA).
Our Origin Story
Golden West’s Cambodia operation was initiated by our founder Joe Trocino, Roger Hess and Mike Trocino in response to a request from CMAC for a program to provide reliable and cost-effective explosives for humanitarian mine action (HMA). In 2004, Cambodia was importing expensive and unreliable explosive charges for HMA programs, and a new solution was needed. Roger Hess conceived the idea of field system for recycling recovered explosives into charges to destroy landmines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO), leading to the creation of the Explosive Harvesting Program (EHP).
Let’s Go!
In March 2005, with support from the U.S. DoD, Golden West began developing the EHP program at a CMAC site in Kampong Chhnang. Len Austin, now Country Director for GWHF Cambodia, joined in October 2005 after a career as a US Marine. The team explored uses of pressed TNT, which can easily be turned into cap sensitive explosive charges, versus melted and poured TNT, which requires a booster to reliably detonate. They created a chemical “cookbook” to manage different available explosive fillers, and designed silicone moulds to shape the charges for optimal safety and impact. Three months later, the team began the Explosive Harvesting Program.
Establishing the EHP Site
– Processed 46,284 individual ordnance items
– Distributed 611,661 100-gram charges to CMAC
– Destroyed 298,750 UXO unsuitable for processing
– Recovered 84,930.19 kg of high-quality explosives
– Recovered 236,710.84 kg of FFE metal.
– Avoided environmental impacts from multiple open detonations
Capacity Building Through Training
Innovation, Innovation, Innovation
Looking to the Future
We have three core initiatives for 2024/25:
1/ Smelting Program: We will smelt all the high-quality steel from our SALW decommissioning program, ensuring no weapons parts can be sent out for scrap. The steel will be sold as quality recycled material to enhance Cambodian industry.
2/ Build up Cambodia’s K8 Depot Ammo Storage and Destruction Site increasing the capacity of both EHP and SALW programs.
3/ Partnering with the Hun Sen Technical Institute to launch PSSM training for five CMAC ammo technicians per year.
The Power of Partnership
Golden West Humanitarian Foundation’s journey in Cambodia is a testament to the power of innovation, collaboration, and dedication. Our achievements in partnership with CMAC, the Cambodian government, US DoS WRA and US DOD HDR&D, have significantly enhanced HMA efforts and improved safety and security across the region. We are proud of our accomplishments and remain committed to our mission of saving lives through innovation.
Stay tuned for more updates on our initiatives and the inspiring stories behind our mission. Together, we are making a difference, one explosive at a time.
