Aluminum Cutlery Made from Bombshells (Spoon, Fork, Knife) Set of 3

Aluminum set Spoon, Fork, Knife made from recycled aluminum bomb shell. Made by local Lao villagers using responsibly sourced and safely deactivated UXO Unexploded Ordnance. Village: Ban Na Pia, Xieng Khouang Province

“From bombs we made spoons and bracelets which help us escape poverty.”

The effects of unexploded ordnance (UXOs) on Laos continue to devastate the people till this day, one of the most significant issues being the removal of munitions from the stricken landscape in the Lao countryside. It is estimated that there are at least 78 million unexploded cluster submunitions in Laos today. Every year 300 people are killed or injured by unexploded ordnances.

By making these spoons, the villagers are able to support their families and make an income. Seeonchan, a villager from Ban Na Pia, said: “It was very difficult after the war and we had to use any resources we could, even bombs. But maybe that’s starting to change. Maybe my children will be the last generation that have to work with the bombs.”