Developing a Visual Novel about Landmines: A One Health Approach

Landmines pose a serious threat to humans, the environment, and non-human animals. They are a wicked problem, and no perfect solution exists due to how they can damage the environment, put human and non-human animal lives at risk, and how recurring war increases the number of landmines globally. Landmines impact communities across the world, and there are two major pathways for dealing with landmines: Demining and education. While the value of demining cannot be overstated, the action done here focuses on the education side, and bringing awareness of landmines to youth, who are one of the most vulnerable groups. We made a visual novel using Ren’Py software and published it on online platforms Steam and Itch.io to help it reach a global audience, though it was written with youth in mind. Our project aims to open public discourse around landmines and facilitate an appreciation for the effects they have beyond just their impact on humans, focusing on equality between the pillars of One Health.