Treading Lightly

Audio and photography by Keith Lane

This spring Sophary will graduate from her university in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Like most college graduates she is thinking about her future and how she can give back to her community. But unlike many of her classmates, Sophary already has a plan, and it’s an unusual one for a young woman in Cambodia.


For the past two years Sophary has been acting as the office manager for the local NGO Cambodian Self Help Demining (CSHD). Started by Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge child solider, CSHD works to clear rural areas of landmines. CSHD currently employs one female deminer. Sophary wants to be the second. Her decision means taking on a whole new level of commitment and risk. As she moves through her training, Sophary continues to think about the implications of her choice.

Keith Lane is a documentary photographer with a background in environmental education & non-profit management who recently returned from working with several humanitarian NGOs in Siem Reap, Cambodia. His opinions are his alone.

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keithlanephotography.com

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