More than 1,300 Ukrainian women are working as deminers at home. Many of them are trained for this in a school in Kosovo.
The German newspaper TAZ (Die Tageszeitung) has published an article about women from Ukraine who are demining their war-torn country, which has been devastated by Russia.
“Women who have gathered in Kosovo — some of them are baristas, managers, mothers, aestheticians, environmental activists, software developers, or students — all want to make their homeland safe again, and the fields can be cultivated once more. Ukraine is considered the breadbasket of the world, and agriculture is a major economic factor,” the German medium writes.
In Ukraine, women who have already completed basic training in home-based demining and now work in various cleaning services spend their days wandering through bombed fields and villages that were once occupied. These are places full of hidden dangers.
“Volunteers are pioneers in a profession that was not allowed for women until recently. Here, at the Mine Action and Training Center (MAT) in Peja, Kosovo, they want to receive further training to become experts. The school trains deminers from around the world, but since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there has been a special focus on Ukraine. International donations have so far funded the training of 436 Ukrainians,” the TAZ newspaper reports.
MAT Kosovo’s training for women combines theory and practice, leading to internationally recognized certification. Real demining scenarios are simulated on the school grounds, which are located in a former villa and container buildings, and also offer a cafeteria and dormitories. There are mined fields and tanks, and an urban environment has been set up for simulation. “Without the war in Kosovo, this school would not exist,” says director John Doone, a former British soldier.
The newspaper mentions that in 1999, Serbian forces’ attacks on Albanians left many landmines and unexploded bombs in Kosovo. Humanitarian organizations flocked to the region, turning Peja into a hub for demining expertise. Founded in 2010 by former British soldier Ben Remfrey, MAT Kosovo has trained thousands of people from over 100 countries.
They often come from conflict zones such as Sudan, Zimbabwe, Libya, and Iraq. During its training, MAT Kosovo adheres to the “International Mine Action Standards,” globally recognized standards for humanitarian demining operations, assures Doone. He adds, “We don’t just do theory: we use explosives and advanced techniques to detonate different types of dangerous munitions and render them safe.”
