Narine Asatryan says in a conversation with Al Jazeera that finding a landmine is a feeling like no other. She is one of The HALO Trust‘s de-miners in Nagorno Karabakh, and has found two anti-personnel mines so far.

For her, working as a de-miner offers a chance to make a positive effect in her community.

Amid heavy snow, the electricity is out across the entire region, and heat is provided by a gas stove in the centre of the room. Beneath the house, a steep hillside descends into the wintry valley below.

Alvina searches for PMN-2 mines at Marzili. These anti-personnel mines were used heavily during the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994). Manufactured in the Soviet Union, these small circular devices can be triggered by any form of pressure. Originally designed to disable an adult, a PMN-2 can kill a child. EVA CLIFFORD/AL JAZEERA

One of the toughest parts of the job is working in such extreme weather, says Inga Avanesyan, another HALO de-miner.

Today, the team has had to stand down because the snow prevents them from working. But the snow is nothing compared with the other challenges they face.

Dedicated to clearing landmines across the world, The HALO Trust has been operating in Nagorno Karabakh since 2000.

In 2015, HALO employed its first, female de-mining team; there are now 11 women, with more undergoing training this year.