Bernese schools want to raise one million for mine clearance vehicle
Published: Wednesday, Dec 4th 2024, 15:40
Zurück zu Live Feed
The primary and secondary schools of the Bernese Jura and French-speaking Biel have launched a major project together with the Digger Foundation in Tavannes BE: they want to finance a mine-clearing machine for Ukraine. Their aim is to raise one million francs.
The million is to be raised by May 31. The schools want to raise the necessary money through events such as the sale of baked goods. Money is also being collected on a crowdfunding platform. The platform is managed by students from the French-speaking Vocational Training Center Bern (Ceff).
Frédéric Guerne, director and founder of the Digger Foundation, made no secret of his enthusiasm for the project at a media conference on Wednesday. "We have already delivered two machines to Ukraine," said the engineer. Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world.
The canton of Bern also supports the project: "Mines are a particularly perfidious form of warfare," said Christine Häsler, member of the Bernese cantonal government. "I am grateful to the foundation for taking action against this," she added.
Armored and remote-controlled machine
The Digger Foundation designs and manufactures the Digger D-250 tracked machine in its workshops in Tavannes. The machine is a cross between a tractor and an armored vehicle. It weighs twelve tons, is armoured and is equipped with a mine cutter at the front.
The system plows up the ground at high speed, destroying anti-personnel or anti-tank mines by crushing or detonating them. The machine is remote-controlled so that the operators can maintain a safe distance.
Digger was founded in 1998. Today, machines are in use in 16 countries.
©Keystone/SDA
German 
English 
French 
Spanish 
Arabic