Marshall Legacy Institute Partnership Endures

On Tuesday, October 19, staff from the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI), accompanied by mine detection dog (MDD) Team of the Year from Lebanon, visited Glenelg Country School’s Lower School. Major Ali Makki, MDD handler Sergeant Houssam Mahmoud, and MDD Sammy talked with students and demonstrated how these trained dogs “sniff out” landmines in mine-affected countries around the world.

The Mine Detection Dog Partnership is MLI’s longest-running program. It provides highly trained explosive-sniffing dogs to the neediest of countries and trains local handlers to safely and effectively employ lifesaving dogs. The program’s success is measured by the Marshall Legacy Institute’s ability to satisfy urgent operational requirements and requests from contaminated countries and assessing the long-term care, sustainability, and effectiveness of the indigenous human-dog team capacities developed in each country.

Upper School student Josef M. ’22 volunteers at MLI and through Peacemakers and Problem Solvers, one of the organization’s programs, has participated in multiple international peace conferences. Josef is currently leading a service project campaign to raise $20,000 to sponsor a mine detection dog and was awarded a $500 grant that kickstarted his fundraiser.

Glenelg Country School has a long partnership with the Marshall Legacy Institute. The school’s Children Against Mines Program provides education about the dangers of landmines in war-torn countries and offers students the opportunity to help and support people in affected countries through the donation of mine detection dogs. Donations are also used to provide prosthetics for young people impacted by landmines. To date, Lower School students have sponsored six MLI mine detection dogs and prosthetics for more than 11 children through donations over the last 12 years.