Trainers return from 2 month exchange program and talk about lessons and contributions in real mine fields in Mozambique

Abouswai Msuya and Shaibu Dutiloreturned from a 2 month exchange program with 2 trainers from Mozambique. Abouswai went to work with the rats in the mine fields and Shaibu went to assist trainers there with maintenance training. Shaibu was voted one of APOPO’s best trainers last year and Abouswai was the first person on the team to begin training his rats on the “stick” method of mine detection. They are both excellent trainers and went to share their expertise with the Mozambique staff, see the rats in operation, and learn from the staff there. These are a few of their lessons, observations, and contributions.
In the training field, we teach the rats 2 methods: one method uses 2 trainers and a rat harnessed to a rope between them- “the rope method”, the other uses one trainer and one rat harnessed to the end of a pole with which the trainer uses to guide the rat through the box in a sweeping pattern through the box- “the pole method.” In Mozambique we saw that the rope is a better method for areas with little vegetation, and the stick is a better method for clearing areas with obstacles like trees or bushes. For example, with the stick, if there is a tree in the box, the trainer can just reposition himself in the safe lane and guide the rat around the tree with the pole. We saw that training our rats to do both methods well will prepare them for whatever they will face in the field. Since returning, we have been telling our colleagues this and sharing the benefits of each.”

Abouswai saw one of his rats, Denzo, in Mozambique. Denzo was proficient in both the rope and stick methods, and Abouswai was proud. Shaibu also saw three rats that he helped train working in Mozambique and said it was really nice to see his rats performing on a real mine field. “They were good rats here,” he said smiling, “and it was good to see them as ‘professional rats.’” The team in Mozambique is shortly going to move their operation to another region in Mozambique, and Shaibu believes his rats will do well there too. “The rats we have trained are discovering landmines in real mine fields” he said. “It was good to go see the operations in Mozambique as now we bring those lessons back to the training field to make our rats even better, and with more pride in what we do- the training of ‘professional rats.’”

Both Shaibu and Abouswai, passed the IND the accreditation test and now carry that qualification with them. They cleared 2,000 x 800 meters while they were there and before they left saw people starting to build on the land they cleared before they returned home to Tanzania.