Michael Raine Awarded OBE for 40 Years of Humanitarian Demining Work
Michael Raine from County Durham has been awarded an OBE for his 40 years of humanitarian demining efforts, which began with his service as a Royal Navy Clearance Diver. Since transitioning to humanitarian work in 1991, he has led operations in various conflict-affected countries and has been instrumental in developing national explosive ordnance disposal teams. Currently, as Programme Manager for Apopo in Cambodia, Raine utilizes trained rats to enhance land clearance, significantly improving safety and enabling communities to utilize land for agriculture and development.

Michael Raine from County Durham has been awarded an OBE for over 40 years of humanitarian work, specifically in land mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal. He began his career as a Royal Navy Clearance Diver at 16 and transitioned to humanitarian demining in 1991, leading operations in countries including Somaliland, Bosnia, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, and Vietnam.
Raine worked with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Cyprus, South Sudan, and Somalia, where he helped develop national explosive ordnance disposal teams. Since 2022, he has been the Programme Manager for Apopo in Cambodia, overseeing the clearance of hazardous land using trained rats. His innovative techniques have improved safety and efficiency in mine clearance, positively impacting communities by allowing land to be safely used for farming and development.




Comments