PEOPLE
Bayasgalant
Bayasgalant is a non-profit organization aiding vulnerable children and their families in the yurt districts of Ulaanbaatar. Today a truly cherished local institution, this children centre originated as a simple soup kitchen almost two decades ago, when four young girls with big hearts travelled to Mongolia and noticed that many local families had absolutely no resources to feed their children.
A third of Mongolian people live in poverty, a fact that is particularly striking in the yurt districts, where 60% of the Mongolian capital city’s population live. In these areas, there are high levels of unemployment, alcoholism and insecurity, and many families do not even have access to electricity or running water. As a result, many children from socially disadvantaged families often live difficult circumstances at home, including violence and abuse, and may not even get a meal every day.
The main goal for Bayasgalant is to solve the lack of childcare infrastructures in the yurt districts and to give poor children a safe and healthy environment where they can have no other worry than being kids. The Charity runs a kindergarten where six full-time qualified preschool teachers help 75 children under 5 years old learn and develop themselves socially. It also raises funds to put the children through college and give them a brighter future, and provides emergency help (sometimes even shelter) to families in highly precarious situations, especially during the winter months.
Additionally, Bayasgalant Day Care centre welcomes more than 100 children aged between 6 and 17 years old, six days a week. The children come to benefit from the psychological support they need and have someone to talk to, but also to get help with their homework, to enjoy a warm place to hang out with their friends and play, and / or to receive their three meals a day. Just look at little Rosa’s smile on the picture below! Isn’t it worth every effort?
- Giving deprived families free access to preschool education for their children
- Employing social workers to find rapid individual solutions to support these families
- Providing a safe place to local children, where they can find food, warmth, mental health care & pedagogical support
- Using education & vocational trainings as means to pull children out of poverty durably
Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia
Bayasgalant -
Social program
Bayasgalant’s great work with children is partly funded by a social business, Portfolia sewing studio, which also empowers the children’s mothers and give them a much needed source of revenue. In the studio, the young women design and make sleepers, scarfs, masks and other crafty items. These are sold online for delivery in Switzerland only. Buying from Bayasgalant’s shop means putting food on the table for a family and helping a child, all the while bringing a little bit of Mongolia inside your house.
Do you love this cause? Support it with a gift!
This Local Charity is working on the ground in Mongolia but is officially registered in Bern, Switzerland, which is why the currency for donations is indicated in Swiss Francs (CHF). Your donation will be used immediately and exclusively for the well-being of the children of Ulaanbaatar and their families. You can also choose to support them by subscribing to a monthly membership which will cover regular costs (such as heating) for the centre, or by paying for a child’s school education, or by sending material donations such as clothes, school items and medicine. Please contact Bayasgalant for more information. On their behalf, thank you!
Are you in Mongolia or are you planning to go there?
Contribute to the day-to-day activities with the children!
Bayasgalant is always happy to welcome volunteers to stay for at least one month. Flexible and patient people who love children are needed to help preparing and distributing meals, to give affection and guidance to the little ones, to supervise playtime, and to take part in other daily childcare tasks. The cost of travel isn’t covered by the organization.
