When I watched BBC’s Human Planet earlier this year I was impressed by the commute two children were making to get to school. Up in the Himalayas, guided by their father, they were going on a 100km journey along a frozen river that could have melted at any time.
At the time that seemed like the world’s most treacherous route to school, but sometimes the biggest dangers are closer than you think.
Until 4 days ago, a 700-pupil school in a rural Ugandan area was using a live bomb as a school bell. As in, when it was time to call students to class, the teachers would bang the bomb with stones. Fortunately though, none of the children had bad hearing so they never had to bang it too hard.
The school realized their bell was a bomb only after a mine awareness team from the Anti-Mine Network visited to teach children how to spot explosive devices.
Its head was still active, which means that if it is hit by a stronger force, it would explode instantly and cause untold destruction in the area.
I bet they’re happy they never started their day with a bang.
(source)
