Golden West Humanitarian Foundation

06/23/2026

Strong humanitarian programs need more than good intentions. They need evidence.

The Swim for Life Vietnam program evaluation findings were clear:

• Drowning deaths in project areas decreased from 5 in 2021 to 0 in 2025.

• 76% of students in intervention schools were able to swim, (28% in comparison schools).

• 85% of teachers reported significant improvement in capacity after training, (15% reported improvement).

• Parents and caregivers had significantly higher water safety knowledge than those in comparison areas.

• 100% of high-risk drowning hotspots were equipped with warning signs, (72 signs).

Integrated drowning prevention can reduce risk, strengthen knowledge, and save lives.

Help us expand this work: https://bit.ly/4vJScVv

Golden West Humanitarian Foundation

06/15/2026

Golden West Humanitarian Foundation is proud to support US EUCOM Humanitarian Mine Action EOD training in Armenia.

Golden West was tasked to support Phase 1 of the HMA EOD Level 1 & 2 training, delivered by members of the United States Air Force HMA Team to 20 students from the Armenian Center for Humanitarian Demining and Expertise, and five students from the Ministry of Defense Peacekeeping forces.

The course is off to a strong start, with a practical training model that combines classroom instruction, close mentoring, and hands-on learning. This approach allows students to receive direct support from instructors throughout both theory and practical sessions.

The training focuses on core EOD foundations in line with International Mine Action Standards, including explosive ordnance recognition, safety, explosive theory, ammunition design, fuze functioning, demolition materials, and safe storage and transportation procedures.

We are grateful to our partners and hosts in Armenia, including CHDE leadership, the Office of Defense Cooperation, and the Bilateral Affairs Office, for their continued commitment to strengthening national humanitarian mine action capacity.
We look forward to continuing the training later this year.

06/15/2026

The recent external evaluation of Swim for Life found that the project is highly relevant to the real drowning risks faced by children, parents, schools, and communities.

The evaluator noted that:
“The project design is highly relevant to the high-risk context, as well as to the practical needs of children, parents, and communities, and aligns well with the strategic priorities of the education sector. The school-based implementation model significantly enhances accessibility, particularly for disadvantaged children.”

This matters.

When drowning prevention is delivered through schools, it reaches children who may otherwise be left out. It reduces barriers. It supports teachers. It brings practical water safety knowledge into the places where children already learn.

That is how prevention becomes part of community life.

Help us support child drowning prevention in Vietnam:
https://bit.ly/4vJScVv

06/12/2026

We are delighted to welcome David Gerig to Golden West Humanitarian Foundation. David joins our Cambodia team as Program Manager, EOD Weapons/Ammunition Destruction Operations, following a distinguished 23-year career in the United States Air Force.

He brings extensive operational and leadership experience in Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Humanitarian Mine Action, Physical Security and Stockpile Management, training development, and multinational capacity building in complex environments.

We look forward to the expertise and leadership David will bring to our work in Cambodia.

Read more about his background: https://bit.ly/3SAspAA

06/10/2026

A recent external evaluation of Swim for Life has confirmed the scale of what sustained drowning prevention can achieve.

The assessment reviewed the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation funded drowning prevention program across six districts of the former Quang Binh Province from 2021 to 2025.

During this period, Swim for Life Vietnam facilitated or provided:

• 5,071 Free swimming lessons for disadvantaged children
• 640 life jackets and floating backpacks for children in high-risk flood-prone areas
• 330 communications boards in schools and community common areas
• 72 warning signs in high-risk areas
• ... and water safety education for 22,415 school-aged children

These are not just program numbers. They represent children reached, schools strengthened, families informed, and communities better prepared to prevent drowning.

Help us continue child drowning prevention in Vietnam: https://bit.ly/4vJScVv

06/05/2026

Today, we remember and honor the courage, sacrifice, and determination of those who took part in D-Day.

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces began a historic operation that helped change the course of World War II and defend the freedoms so many continue to cherish today.

We honor those who served, those who fell, and all who carried the cost of that day. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

05/27/2026

In the penultimate chapter of A Short History: Humanitarian Mine Action Albania, Arben “Beni” Braha reflects on the people who stood behind the mission.

Chapter 10, Family, is a tribute to the wife, children, parents, relatives, mentors, colleagues, and friends who shaped his life and supported the long journey of humanitarian mine action in Albania.

Behind every mission are the people who carry its weight quietly, at home, in the field, and across a lifetime of service.

Read Chapter 10: Family. https://bit.ly/432nXg6

A reflection on family, friendship, and the lives carried alongside years of dangerous humanitarian work in Albania.

05/24/2026

Golden West Humanitarian Foundation pauses to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States.

Their courage, sacrifice, and commitment to protecting others continue to inspire those working every day to make communities safer from the lasting impacts of conflict.

We remember them with gratitude and respect.

05/14/2026

The past two weeks have marked one of the busiest periods yet for the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation Ammunition Program. While operating with a small but highly capable team, our personnel have been simultaneously deployed in , , , and in support of U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of War (U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM)) partners.

Working alongside national authorities, the team continues to strengthen safe and secure stockpile management capabilities through tailored training, mentorship, and construction program management.

The experience, adaptability, and agility of our personnel allow them to integrate quickly and effectively across diverse cultural environments and varying operational capacities, all with a shared goal of enhancing safety and security at both national and regional levels.

Golden West remains proud to deliver practical, lasting solutions to complex challenges while continuing to uphold the organization’s longstanding ethos of service, partnership, and impact.

We're building capacity through action.

05/11/2026

In the latest chapter of Arben “Beni” Braha’s biography, Beni shares how Albania’s mine clearance work neared completion, and how a new mission began.

Article 9 follows the shift from clearance in the field to safer ammunition storage, training, and Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) work designed to prevent future disasters and protect lives long before an accident happens.

Read Article 9: **Geneva, PSSM, A New Mission** Here: https://bit.ly/4wcWCFg

How Albania’s mine action work shifted to physical security and stockpile management, following Gërdec and the final stages of clearance.