UNITED NATIONS MINE ACTION SERVICE

A farmer tends to her field: rice is what she grows. The movement of her tool is mechanical at this point, an extension of her being. One movement, two movements, three...and then a blinding boom. The war ended fifty years ago.

We call these unexploded ordnance and they are plentiful, expensive to remove, and largely unconsidered by the global community. They remain in the Earth, hidden, waiting for a child, a farmer, a student, a mother, a father. They hinder education, work, movement, development.. They taint the soil and the minds of entire generations, entire regions.

I am of this tained soil. My mom is Vietnamese and a refugee of the Vietnam War. Between 1965 and 1975, the United States and its allies dropped more than 7.5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. One thousand pounds of ordnance for every man, woman, and child in Vietnam.

A bomb drops, my mom flees, I am born 25 years later halfway across the globe. These bombs have played a part in defining my existence. Through my work with UNMAS, I interact with my hidden past. I learn about it, hear stories from the ground, and attempt to do my part.

To give some background, I came across UNMAS while searching for different United Nations branding packages I could use as references for my own work (as I started as a lowly intern). Theirs struck me, drawing me into their mission. Our working relationship is a testament to the power of design. On a personal note, to design an exhibit in the lobby of the UN Secretariat, with a self-taught design skillset, is a true honor and point of pride. It’s the type of project that gives sense to your journey, and makes you say “I’m here.”

UNMAS branding package created and owned by the United Nations Mine Action Service. Project done in collaboration with three colleagues of the UNMAS Communications Team. I contributed to conception and design.