Celebrating 25 Years of MAT Kosovo

Celebrating 25 Years of MAT Kosovo

Today, we are celebrating something truly special: 25 years of MAT Kosovo! It has been a journey defined by passion, resilience, expertise, and most importantly the unshakeable commitment to making the world a little bit safer.

What began in June 1999 as the Mines Awareness Trust, founded by Ben Remfrey, has grown into a globally respected organisation in HMA, EOD, IEDD, and risk management. From those early days of mine risk education and survey contracts in Kosovo to delivering world-class IMAS EOD and IEDD training (and more) worldwide, we have remained true and committed in our mission: to equip individuals and organisations with the skills to safely clear explosive remnants of war and rebuild communities.

In 2010, we took a major step forward by establishing our IMAS Compliant EOD and IEDD Training Centre, MAT Mondial, which later transitioned into what is now known as MAT Kosovo. Then, in 2015, driven by a commitment to innovation and excellence, MAT Kosovo joined the PCM Group.

Since the school’s establishment, we’ve trained over 2,000 students from more than 70 countries in seven different languages. Each of these individuals has gone on to do extraordinary work, returning land to families, restoring infrastructure, and saving lives in some of the most challenging environments imaginable. Our bespoke training programmes, delivered in support of governments, the United Nations, NGOs, and private donors, ensure that organisations across the globe have the expertise needed to carry out this life-saving work.

We take great pride in saying that, in 25 years, MAT Kosovo has maintained a flawless safety record – something truly rare in our industry. Not once has there been a landmine or UXO related incident involving our own staff or any indirectly supervised staff.

None of this would have been possible without our amazing team over these 25-years who’ve poured all their knowledge, experience, and passion into everything we have done. Our Training Team have shaped generations of professionals who are now leading the way in humanitarian mine action. The IMAS certification we award is recognised worldwide as the standard, something that is not given lightly and is earned only by those who demonstrate exceptional skill and dedication.

As much as we take pride in our achievements and the immense work we’ve done over the years, the heart of MAT Kosovo lies in its people, our staff, students, clients, and partners. This huge milestone isn’t just ours; it belongs to each and every one who has been part of this journey.

“Over the last 25 years we have been a part of an evolving industry; like many, we found our niche, and that happened to be IMAS-compliant training, something we have worked hard to improve over time, and we strive to continue to improve. MAT Kosovo is about the people, the team, and the continual improvement of what it is we do as a group of people. We are truly a family, of which I am very proud.” – Ben Remfrey.

Here’s to 25 years of hard work, perseverance, and impact—and to the many more ahead.