MORE than 80 of the unexploded land mines were safely removed from the grounds of Kohai Village School on the Ho Chi Minh Trail recently, with the help of Australian mine clearance experts coordinated by Steve Carroll who lives at Medowie. Word that the grounds were safe spread quickly among the surrounding Hmong communities. The school was soon overrun by some 600 students, many of who travelled long distances and could not return home at night. Now the Medowie resident and Vietnam veteran is fixing the problem created by his original act of generosity, donating $10,000 and his time for a building project at the school. He will travel to Kohai Village on November 16 to oversee the construction of two accommodation blocks, two toilets, two kitchens and a water well at the school.

"They have nowhere to sleep, most of them build straw huts each night," he said.

"They have one toilet block for the entire school.

Mr Carroll is a veteran of two tours during the Vietnam war and the Malaya, Borneo conflict.

To raise awareness of the devastation of land mines Mr Carrol conducts regular talks. Service club and other groups can contact him on 4981 8209.