The HALO Trust
Media Contact (USA):
Kurt Chesko
Vice President
220 Montgomery Street, Suite 968
San Francisco, CA 94104
Tel: +1 415 986 4852
Fax: +1 415 986 1214
Email: [email protected]
Media Contact (NK):
Roly Clark
Program Manager
Tel: +37 497 144 772
Fax: +37 497 144 772
Email: [email protected]
Foundation Announces Major Grant to Support Landmine Clearance in Nagorno
Karabakh
The Julia Burke Foundation has announced a $300,000 grant to continue aiding
mineclearance in Nagorno Karabakh through the end of 2011. This is The Julia
Burke Foundation’s fourth year of funding for The HALO Trust’s program there
and comes on top of its $1 million of past support. Since 2008, Julia Burke
Foundation sponsored demining teams have removed hundreds of dangerous
landmines and cluster bombs and the land cleared has enabled rural
communities in Karabakh to rebuild their lives and farm their land in
safety.
“The Julia Burke Foundation’s decision to continue funding HALO in Nagorno
Karabakh is fantastic news and every member of the program is extremely
thankful for their generosity which will save lives and provide a much
brighter future for some of the poorest people here,” stated Roly Clark,
HALO Program Manager in Nagorno Karabakh. Robert Avetisyan, the
Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States also
thanked the Foundation, “The people and authorities of Nagorno Karabakh are
grateful to The Julia Burke Foundation for its continued support in Artsakh.
The additional grant will allow HALO to continue its crucial mission to
remove the deadly legacy of the war.”
Funding from The Julia Burke Foundation and other donors including USAID,
The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands, Grapes for Humanity,
Actiefonds Mijnen Ruimen, Newman’s Own Foundation, the Co-operative Bank,
the Cafesjian Family Foundation, the Howard Family Foundation, the Pro
Victimis Foundation and Anti Landmijn Stichting, has enabled HALO to clear a
total of more than 60,000 landmines, cluster munitions and other items of
unexploded ordnance during the last ten years. Over 9,150 acres of
contaminated land has been returned to productive and safe use by local
communities throughout Karabakh.
The California-based Julia Burke Foundation was founded by Marilyn and Jerry
Burke to honor the memory and many interests of their daughter, Julia, who
died in a car accident in 1998. The Julia Burke Foundation has supported
HALO projects throughout the world but since Mr. and Mrs. Burke visited
Nagorno Karabakh in 2007 they have taken a particular interest in the
region. “The Julia Burke Foundation is thrilled to be helping with the
elimination of explosive remnants of war and returning families to safe
communities in Nagorno Karabakh,” said Joy Johnson, the foundation’s
Executive Director. To learn more about the Julia Burke Foundation visit
their website at
The HALO Trust is a non-political, non-religious NGO that specializes in the
removal of the hazardous debris of war. HALO is the world’s largest
humanitarian mineclearance organization with over 7,500 national staff
clearing mines in ten countries, managed by just 40 international and
headquarters staff. Since 1988 HALO has cleared over 12 million mines and
items of unexploded ordnance worldwide. Visit HALO’s website at
The HALO Trust (USA), Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
From: A. Papazian