Pho Khwar was a 9-year old girl standing on a landmine at a tribal festival in Northern Kachin State, Myanmar. When she realized her situation, her mother calmly instructed her on how to slowly shift her weight to remove her foot from the mine. Her mother then took her place on the landmine to save her daughter's life. After some time, Pho Khwar's uncle arrived and was able to help remove both of them to safety. Pho Khwar has since dedicated herself to helping others in her remote village and stands guard at the landmine site to direct travelers to safety.

2. “I‟m Pho Khwar…

3. “I‟m Pho Khwar…
…age 9…

4. “I‟m Pho Khwar…
…age 9…
…standing on a landmine…”

5. “I was born in a remote
tribal village in Northern
Kachin State where…

6. “…the weather is really cold.

7. “…the weather is really cold. But the residents are
were even colder.

9. “She never picked a
man again though she
was still young
enough.

10. “She never picked a
man again though she
was still young
enough.
“Tough woman in a
tough village…

11. “But we weren‟t
alone though…

12. “My uncle, along with his daughter, came to see
us…

13. “My uncle, along with his daughter, came to see
us…

14. “An unfriendly
atmosphere, indeed.

18. “This is what happened.

19. “It was a tribal festival…

20. “It was a tribal festival…
…everything was going
fine until

21. “It was a tribal festival…
…everything was going
fine until I noticed
something under my bare
feet.

30. “I gathered what strength I could muster…

31. “I gathered what strength I could muster…
…concentrating on my balance as it was
literally the difference between life & death,…

32. “I gathered what strength I could muster…
…concentrating on my balance as it was
literally the difference between life & death,…
I warned the crowd surrounding me…

33. “Get away from
me! I‟m on a
landmine!!
Please…”

35. “There was something in their eyes which I
had never seen before…

36. “Instead of

37. “Instead of
and

38. “I saw

39. “I saw

40. “I saw
and

42. A man whom I had seen every now and then
my whole life but never talked to me…said in
a very concerned voice…

45. “My momma, of course!!!

46. “After a while, he came back with my mom.
Though dramatically anguished by the very sight of
my situation, she kept her head cool as she
approached me.

50. “Those words…

51. “Those words…
…that courage…

52. “Those words…
…that courage…
…that decision…

53. “Till today do they resonate in my heart. I
was lost for words to the sheer exposure of
her strength that I could only nod my
head…

55. “Look at your foot. YOUR FOOT!”

56. “As our eyes landed upon the mine, she
said, as she slowly advanced her foot…
“Try to shift your weight from your ankle to the tip of
your toes. Slowly.

57. “As our eyes landed upon the mine, she
said, as she slowly advanced her foot…
“Try to shift your weight from your ankle to the tip of
your toes. Slowly. SLOWLY, PHO KHWAR.
YOU‟RE GETTING US ALL KILLED!”

58. “I withdrew my foot calmly as hers took
my place…

59. “I withdrew my foot calmly as hers took
my place…
“There you go, Pho Khwar. That‟s it. That‟s it!!”

60. “Unbelievable but true, my foot was eventually clear
off the mine and she had taken my place in her
entirety…

61. “Unbelievable but true, my foot was eventually clear
off the mine and she had taken my place in her
entirety…
“Laughing with tears flooding her eyes, that
expression occupying her face could only be described
as

62. “Laughing with tears flooding her eyes, that
expression occupying her face could only be described
as nothing but beautiful…

63. “So many words to say and yet…

64. “So many words to say and yet…
…so little power to speak…

65. “So many words to say and yet…
…so little power to speak…
…I just hugged her…

66. “She embraced my hug with a secure place in her arms

67. “She embraced my hug with a secure place in her arms
and whispered into my ears…

68. “That obviously touched the entire crowd. I could hear
long sighs as all of us probably forgot to breathe
during the last few minutes. Some of them later went
home…only to return with blankets, food and water
for us…

69. “After some forty minutes or so…I offered to retake
my stand so that she could rest. She gave me a nice
warm hug…

70. “After some forty minutes or so…I offered to retake
my stand so that she could rest. She gave me a nice
warm hug…kissed me gently on the forehead…

71. “…and we carefully repeated the „advance and
withdraw‟ procedure once again…

72. “…and we carefully repeated the „advance and
withdraw‟ procedure once again…successfully…

73. “We took turns for a few cycles and then my uncle
came…

74. “We took turns for a few cycles and then my uncle
came…

82. “Dear Traveler,
…if you‟re lost for directions near our
village, just come to our mine post
because…

83. …night…

84. …or noon,…

85. …rain…

86. …or snow…

87. …there‟ll always be someone…

88. …there‟ll always be someone…
…sober…

89. …there‟ll always be someone…
…sober…
…and standing.

90. “I‟m Pho Khwar…

91. “I‟m Pho Khwar…
…age 19…

92. “I‟m Pho Khwar…
…age 19…
…standing on the same landmine I stood on 10
years ago, on my 353rd shift.”