International Day of Charity: Honoring Service, Advancing Hope
- MLI Staff
- Sep 5
- 2 min read
In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly declared September 5th the International Day of Charity to honor Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who passed away on this day in 1997 after nearly 50 years of service to others. Her legacy of compassion continues to inspire volunteerism and philanthropy around the world.
Since its founding in 1997—the same year of Mother Teresa’s passing—the Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) has worked to bring hope and stability to war-torn communities. To date, MLI has donated 318 Mine Detection Dogs (MDDs) to some of the most heavily contaminated countries, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraqi Kurdistan, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These remarkable dogs have cleared millions of square meters of land, saving countless lives and allowing families to reclaim homes, schools, and fields once plagued by landmines.
Beyond mine detection, MLI has supported more than 2,200 landmine survivors with medical and vocational assistance, while reaching over 278,500 people with Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE). Our youth leadership programs, like the Children Against Mines Program (CHAMPS), have linked students in the U.S. with youth in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Vietnam, Yemen, and beyond, fostering leadership, peacebuilding, and cross-cultural understanding.
Unfortunately, the recent shifts in federal funding priorities over the past six months have impacted some of MLI's CHAMPS and Mine Survivors' Assistance Programs. Yet, thanks to the generosity of our donors, MLI has sent eight new MDDs and EDDs to three mine-impacted counties so far this year, and MLI-donated hero dogs have aided in the clearance of over six million square meters of land.
MLI is keeping students and teachers engaged in the CHAMPS program by continuing the global virtual exchange that is central to the program.
MDDs Barrett, Texas, and Allen, with their handlers in the KRI
None of this progress would be possible without our community of supporters, individual donors, charitable foundations, and institutional partners, who make it possible for us to carry forward our humanitarian mission.
On this International Day of Charity, we invite you to stand with us. A meaningful way to get involved is by donating to MLI or joining us at the 2025 Clearing the Path Gala on October 28th, a celebration of the hero dogs, landmine survivors, and educators who are shaping a safer, more peaceful world.
Together, we can build a future free from landmines.
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