Marshall Legacy Institute

Causes: International, International Cultural Exchange, International Development, International Exchange, International Relief

Mission: The Marshall Legacy Institute, a Virginia-based, 501c(3) international humanitarian organization that was formed in 1997 to extend the vision of Nobel Peace Laureate George C. Marshall by alleviating suffering and promoting hope, growth and stability in war-torn countries. Therefore, MLI’s primary mission is to establish practical, affordable and sustainable indigenous programs to help severely mine-affected countries rid their land of the horrific scourge of landmines. This includes the development and implementation of the K-9 Demining Corps (K9DC), which provides Mine Detection Dogs (MDDs) to accelerate the pace of landmine clearance operations; the Survivors’ Assistance program, which helps those who have been injured by landmines; and the Children Against Mines Program (CHAMPS), which involves American youth in a meaningful service-learning project to help other children around the world.

Results: MLI has donated 149 lifesaving MDDs and has helped establish or expand indigenous Mine Detection Dog Partnership Programs in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Eritrea, Lebanon, Nicaragua, northern Iraq, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Each dog has an active working life of 6-8 years, clearing an average of 1.5 million square meters of land, before being retired into private homes. In 2010-2011, MLI is expanding the MDDPP to include Angola and southern Iraq, and we will also be providing up to 10 additional dogs to both Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

Direct beneficiaries per year: Tens of thousands of people living in mine-affected countries.

Programs: Mine Detection Dog Program Survivor's Assistance Program Children Against Mines Program (CHAMPS)