MONGOLIA
Commemorative photo
with children at Khot Ali.
(C)Peace Winds Japan
Since 1997, PWJ has operated "Khot Ali," a refuge for orphans and children of poor families. In 2006, however, PWJ set a basic policy to return the children to their homes as much as possible, rather than providing them with continuous care in the facility. After social workers had conducted household surveys and interviews with parents, 27 out of 39 children who lived at Khot Ali returned to their families. Meanwhile, the remaining 12 children moved to another refuge called the "Verbist Care Center" so that they could live in an environment where they can receive education that may help them acquire a job in the future. The children are expected to receive higher education and vocational training to become independent.
The non-formal education classes that PWJ provided in the city of Erdenet were taken over by a local educational institution, and PWJ's support for the classes came to end.
PWJ's office in Mongolia was closed in July 2006, but PWJ will continue to provide self-reliance support for the children living at the Verbist Care Center.