Living and studying in a remote ger
Uvur Maanit, Mongolia, 2018. UNICEF.
Bat-Orshikh and Ariunzaya live in Uvur Maanit in Janjin Bagh, Erdenetsogt Soum in Bayankhongor Province in Mongolia with their three daughters: Namundari, 8 (pink pants); Nomin-Erdene, 7 (purple pants); Nandin-Erdene, 5 (black pants) and their cousin Anar, 4 (blue pants).
Bat-Orshikh and Ariunzaya have been living in Uvur Maanit as a nomadic, herder family for over ten years. They own more than 350 livestock including sheep, yaks, horses and goats. Until now, their biggest challenge has been harsh winter, when temperatures drop below -53 Celsius.
But access to education is becoming a bigger challenge. “There is no schools around our area”, said Bat-Orshikh. “For us, sending children to school, means that we either put them in the dormitories in the city or we all have to move where the schools are”.
The family tried to move to the city last year so that their older daughters could go to school but they were unable to find jobs and had to return to their herder life.
“I don’t want our daughters to live in dormitories or with other families, it’s not safe”, said the mother, “but we want them to have an education. We need to find a solution soon”.
The UNICEF funded mobile ger kindergarten in Janjin Bagh, Erdenetsogt Soum provides a temporary solution for their youngest daughter, Nandin-Erdene and their cousin Anar.
This mobile ger kindergarten operates for 3-4 weeks in June providing quality, complementary early learning for over 23 children from the nomadic, herder families.
Here children learn basic literacy and numeracy skills to help them get ready for school. Children have a chance to meet their peers and develop their social and emotional skills despite living far from other families. They also learn how to use WASH facilities, which often are not available in their homes.
“The kindergarten is great for children, they play with toys, learn, eat great food and give us a break so that we can do our work”, says the mother. “We understand the value of kindergarten and the role it plays in our children’s education, that’s why all of our three daughters have attended kindergarten”.
The UNICEF-funded mobile ger kindergarten in this area operates for 3–4 weeks in June, offering quality, complementary early learning opportunities. It provides children with basic literacy and numeracy skills to help them get ready for school. The kindergarten also provides children with a chance to meet their peers and develop their social and emotional skills, despite living far from other families. Here, children will learn how to use WASH facilities, which often are not available in their homes.
Janjin bagh (area) near Erdenetsogt soum, Mongolia. 2018. ©UNICEF/ Matas
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