|
|
Mongolia
Mongolia is facing serious growth
in its urban poor, due to the concentration of the unemployed population in large
cities. There is special concern for the children of such underprivileged families,
many of whom are living on the street, and not attending school.
To address
this problem, PWJ's work in Mongolia emphasizes aid for children. In Ulaanbaatar,
the capital city, PWJ operates two "Khot Ail" (pronounced hátail)
facilities to offer shelter and care for children. The two Khot Ails are now home
to approximately 40 children, all of whom are street children or children from
poor families. Here, resident children are provided with food, clothing, shelter,
and education.
In April
2003, PWJ also launched its Day Care Center Project specifically for street children
in Ulaanbaatar.The Day Care Center provides lunch, a shower, laundry facilities,
and counseling services to any child that stops by. This program, even in its
first year, succeeded in helping a number of children return to their homes or
to obtain jobs.
Non-formal education classes are held in Mongolia's third largest city, Erdenet.
In Mongolia, in order for dropout students to return to school, supplementary
education is mandatory. However, there are not enough classes in Erdenet, creating
a gap for PWJ to fill. PWJ operates three classes, including one which was newly
opened in September, mainly for the children of poor families living in the suburbs.
However, despite
all efforts, confronting poverty is complex and difficult. Despite its positive
accomplishments, the Day Care Center was only able to assist street children in
their life on the streets, and it proved difficult to gain the understanding of
neighboring residents. As a result, PWJ has temporarily closed the center as of
January 2004, hoping to re-open the facility based on further investigation and
research. PWJ is also facing a dilemma because its activities in cities do not
prevent the influx of poor people from rural areas that creates the growth of
the urban poor. In the future, PWJ is considering combining its urban support
activities with reinforced measures against poverty in rural areas.
|
|