Bayasgalant
children's aid Mongolia
Engaged for the children in the yurt districts of Ulaanbaatar
20 years ago, four young women travelled to Mongolia and were touched by the many children living in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar (the so called yurt districts) with not enough food and no perspectives. This is when they decided to found a soup kitchen, which over the years developed into a kindergarten and a day care center.
Today, Bayasgalant provides a safe environment, a place to learn, regular and healthy food three times a day, as well as medical and psychological support for around 200 underprivileged children. A team of 24 full time staff make sure to provide a healthy environment for the children to play, learn and develop, especially as many parents often do not have enough money for a meal and many children suffer from violent and hostile family situations.
Bayasgalant also finances University studies and vocational trainings for all children to make sure that they become educated and skilled adults, giving them a chance to change their lives and the lives of their families to the better.
KINDERGARTEN
The kindergarten hosts 100 kids of age 2-5 in three groups. Each group is being taken care of by two qualified nursery school teachers. The kids spend the entire day at the kindergarten where they find a safe place to play, to learn and to develop.
DAY CARE CENTER
Our Day Care Center is open from 8-18 o'clock from Monday to Saturday. The kids come here before school, after school and in their leisure time. At Bayasgalant, around 100 children age 6-17 receive 3 meals a day, assistance in their homework, psychological support and certainly a warm place to be at, play and learn. For quality pedagogical and thematic input, we employ three full time teachers.
EDUCATION
We truly believe that education is the key for success and to break the cycle of poverty. That is why we finance University and College Studies for all our children. The majority of the parents would not be able to send their kids to further education. One year at the University in Mongolia costs 1000 CHF. One year of vocational training at the College costs 250 CHF per year. Food and bus costs add another 450 CHF per year per student.
EMERGENCY HELP
Unemployment, violence and alcoholism are common problems for families in the yurt districts. Bayasgalant helps where needed. Our two social workers are in close contact with the 67 families of our children and find individual solutions for families in special emergency situations. On the one hand side we own an emergency property where mainly women and children find refuge for max 6 months. During the winter months we distribute heating material and food.
SOCIAL WORK
The majority of our children come from families which struggle to provide proper care. Financial hardship and widespread issues like alcoholism and domestic violence severely impact the children’s mental health and development. To address this, our social workers visit all families annually, with more frequent visits as needed. Bayasgalant offers social support, help with administrative or financial challenges, and free educational courses for parents. Our goal is to help make children's homes supportive environments for healthy development.
WHY OUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED
One third of all Mongolians live in poverty. It is especially the people living in the yurt districts, on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar that are affected. Unemployment, alcoholism, family violence and lack of perspectives are main social problems. Often there is hardly enough money for one meal a day. In addition, the yurt districts mostly do not have sewerage, no running water, no heating and often no electricity. The long, very cold winters with temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius make life in the yurt districts even more difficult. Kindergartens or day care centers are rare and schools are overcrowded. There are often around 60 kids in one class. That is why our work is urgently needed. At Bayasgalant we aim to provide the children a warm, safe and healthy environment to play, to learn and to develop.
