SOS Children in Mongolia
Mongolia is a mountainous, land-locked country in East Central Asia, bordered by Russia and China. Its climate is extreme, characterised by long sub-arctic winters. Following the more severe winters, children are at high risk of developing extreme fatigue and malnutrition, deterioration in their health and weakening of immunity to acute infections as a result of physical and psychological stress.
In 1990 Mongolia abandoned its 70-year-old Soviet-style one-party state in favour of political and economic reforms. Democracy and privatisation were enshrined in a new constitution, but the collapse of the economy after the withdrawal of Soviet support caused widespread poverty and threatened social stability.
In 1997, the charity was invited by the Mongolian government to discuss the possibility of setting up a community for children. Following an agreement between the two parties in 1998, a suitable site was found on the outskirts of the capital, Ulaanbataar. Work began in 2000 but because of extreme weather conditions and bureaucratic delays, the village was not completed until the summer of 2002 when the first SOS families were able to move in. The local infrastructure is not very developed and there are few shopping and social facilities in the area. Most of the schools in the area are overcrowded.
SOS Children's Village Ulanbaatar has fourteen family houses which are home to 110 children and their SOS mothers. A second SOS Children’s Village is planned to be built at Darkhan in the north of the country. When completed there will be 14 family houses for 140 orphaned and abandoned children.
Local contacts
SOS Children's Villages Mongolia
Bayanzurkh District, 16th sub region
Post office 22, PO Box 121
Ulanbaatar / Mongolia
Tel +976/11/451 702
Fax + 976/11/452 076
e-mail: sosmon@mongol.net
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