MONGOLIA - Tuyatsetseg's transformation

Each morning Tuyatsetseg’s mother farewelled her four children before setting out from their tiny shack for a gruelling day’s work - sorting through rubbish, collecting cans and bottles to sell to support her children. Like many Mongolians, she lacks skills and opportunities for regular employment, and has been reduced to scavenging to survive. Often, after a hard day’s work of sorting through fly-invested garbage heaps, she found she barely earned enough to buy bread. For this reason, 10 year old Tuyatsetseg had to leave school to help her mother sort garbage.

One day Tuyatsetseg heard from another child about the free Literacy Classes run by Asian Outreach. She mentioned that the children not only get an education, but are also provided with a meal each day, and clothing for themselves and their families. Hearing about the classes gave Tuyatsetseg hope of a brighter future for herself and her family, and she went to enrol the next day.

After two years of intensive education in this accelerated programme, Tuyatsetseg’s life has been transformed. She loves going to school because of the positive classroom environment. Her teachers help her with her homework and are interested in seeing her succeed in life. In two short years she has been able to catch up the three grades she missed, and next year she will be able to re-enter school at her correct level. In addition to an education, Tuyatsetseg has made many friends and has learned to make handcrafts which can be sold to help her poverty-stricken family. Her family has also been provided with clothing, some food supplies and parental training.

The future looks bright for Tuyatsetseg. After she graduates from high school she will be able to find work and help support her mother and siblings. At present she still helps her mother sort garbage each day after school, to help make ends meet, but an education is a stepping stone to a better standard of living for the whole family. Tuyatsetseg has ambitions for the future: “When I graduate from school I want to become a dressmaker so that I can work and help support my mother and the rest of the family.”

According to UN statistics, the majority of Mongolian families live below the poverty line. Many cannot afford food and clothing for their families, let alone put their children though school. Through the Literacy Project, Genesis-Asian Outreach Mongolia is making a difference in these children’s lives, giving them the opportunity to dream about a brighter future. So far, 2300 children have been through the Literacy Project. With your help, we can help many more children make their dreams a reality.