Deseret International Charities -- Gardening in Mongolia

A Trip to Visit DIC Projects
August 8, 2010

Usually we try to check on Deseret International Charities' (DIC) projects as they go along to make sure all is going well and to evaluate them when they are completed. However, due to time constraints and distance, we have been unable to visit many of the gardens in the Garden Project, the schools/dormitory complexes that DIC assisted during the Dzud disaster, the governments that DIC worked through to assist the herder families during the Dzud disaster, a rehabilitation kindergarten, and some of the hospitals that received equipment and training during DIC's Neonatal Resuscitation Training to see how perpetuation of the training was coming. Because we had gardens in Darkhan, Erdenet, Bulgan, Selenge, and Murun that we needed to visit, as well as other projects, we planned a road trip to visit these places and check on projects there. Elder Clark had mentioned that he and Sister Clark needed to do audits in some of the countryside branches and had some Perpetual Education business to do, so the four of us teamed up together for the trip.

Richard and our assistant Azzaya spent a couple of days making plans for our trip. It took a lot of effort to find hotels, interpreters, arrange meetings with branch presidents, hospitals, schools, gardeners, and government officials, etc. (Especially when you consider that Mongolia doesn’t have a Dex-on-line!)

There is much we could tell about the trip, but some of the highlights were visiting the gardens from the Garden Project.

The Garden Project

Deseret International Charities partnered with all of the LDS wards and branches in Mongolia to provide seeds, tools, gardening manuals, and some greenhouse materials to members of their local units. One of the most rewarding things we did on our trip was to visit gardens of members who were participating in this Garden Project. We visited around thirty gardens in the branches of Erdenet 1 and Erdenet 2, Darkhan 1 and Darkhan 2, Bulgan, Selenge, and Murun. Some gardeners were beginning gardeners while others were more seasoned. They all proudly showed us their gardens and were excited to show tell us about their experiences.

A couple of gardens really touched our hearts.

In Selenge Branch in Sukhbaatar City lives a widow by the name of Adiyasuren. She is a widow who has three daughters. One of her daughters is a recently returned missionary, Delca Muren. Adiyasuren’s only income comes from her thirty goats, her chickens and her meager garden. Every morning, she takes her thirty goats to the river to so they can get a drink of water and then to the mountain to graze. She only has thirty goats because half of her herd died last winter in Mongolia’s terrible Dzud disaster.

Adiyasuren was grateful for the 20 kilo of seed potatoes, tools, garden manual, and seeds she received from the garden project. Watering her garden is a difficult ordeal. When her garden needs water, she buys water from a neighborhood well and hauls it on a handcart up a long steep hill so she can water her garden.

The other garden belongs to Javalgandolam. She is also widow who has been a member of the church for 10 years. Javalgandolam is the Relief Society president. Three of her children are returned missionaries and one just left to go on his mission. His name is Zolboo. Javalgandolam’s husband, who died of a heart attack in 2008, was also a member of the Church. They were pioneers of Selenge branch. Javalgandolam hasn’t been to the temple, but would like to go. After Zolboo comes back from his mission, her family has a goal to work hard so they can go to the temple to be sealed as a family.

She has six children. One daughter Zolzaya is a recently returned missionary and her youngest son Zolboo has just left on a mission. Javalgandolam cares for her younger brother’s son and daughter who has health problems.

Gardening isn’t new to Javalgandolam; her whole fence (property) is planted into a garden. She appreciated the 20 kilo of seed potatoes and seeds she received from the Church/DIC’s Garden Project. She bought cucumber seeds, but the rest of the seeds she planted were from seeds she harvested from her own garden last year. She has a shallow water well that she pumps water out of to use on her garden. She works almost every day of the week, but she doesn’t work on Sunday. She rests that day.

Javalgandolam’s garden is her only source of income. She said that the planting is easy, but the selling is hard. She rents a truck to transport her produce to Ulaanbaatar so she can sell it there. She dug a root cellar and during the winter, she puts a ger over it to protect her remaining produce. She is an amazing example of a dedicated home gardener and her dedication has paid off to produce an amazing home garden. In addition to a wonderful garden of vegetables, she has planted beautiful flowers which adorn her home and make it look like a quaint cottage.



Daremsuren and his wife wave good-by



When complimented on his wonderful garden, he simply said, “Heavenly Father gave me all of this.”There are many more gardening stories. Some are new gardeners who have never planted before. Some told us they will be expanding their gardens next year. A couple or gardners built fences around their gardens to keep cows and other animals out. But they were all pleased with their efforts and excited for their forthcoming harvest.

A friend looks ad Daremsuren's garden

Daremsuren, who was one of the gardening coordinators and a master gardener, has perfected the art of saving run-off water and rain water to use on his lush garden. Members of his branch frequently drop by to see his garden and to receive advice from him on successful gardening practices.

The Last Well Ceremony in Zuun Kharaa

July 15, 2010

Today we held the last of four well ceremonies in Zuun Kharaa.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, but last night it rained torrents of rain in Ulaanbaatar. We had planned to go to Zuun Kharaa for the well ceremony, so in the morning we tried to call Governor Bayarsaikhan to see if the well ceremony was still a go, but we couldn’t get in touch with him. So, at 7:30 a.m., we drove out of the Bayanzurkh building parking lot with Elder and Sister Caldwell, Elder and Sister Powell and Azzaya in the mission SUV headed for Zuun Kharaa. On the road, we received a phone call from the missionaries in Zuun Kharaa who said there had been a lot of rain, but we said we were still coming because we wanted to be there if Governor Bayarsaikhan had arranged for the ceremony.

A couple of hours later, Azzaya received a phone call from Governor Bayarsaikhan who said he couldn’t come to the ceremony because of the rain and he didn’t think anyone else would come either. We kept going.

We drove through hard rain and saw huge puddles of run off along the highway and dirt and gravel washed across the new gravel road to Zuun Kharaa, but it wasn’t until we drove along the road overlooking the city of Zuun Kharaa that we realized how much rain Zuun Kharaa had received. Many of the flooded streets looked like the canals of Venice. We worried that Bayarsaikhan might be right. Still we hoped there would be some ground around the wells that wasn’t submerged and that the rain would let up long enough for a ceremony. We visited with the missionaries and then went to check-out the wells.

TONGALAG at Well #1 said her whole yard had been under water and that the government’s emergency trucks had been by to pump the water from her yard. She showed us her shallow, private well, which was now polluted with debris, manure, and dirt from her yard. She was extremely grateful for the well and said many people had come to get clean water from the well because their shallow wells were very badly polluted, too. They were totally without clean water. This is a sad thing for them, but a blessing for the people of Zuun Kharaa to help them realize their need for clean water from the deep wells instead of relying on their shallow wells which can be easily polluted.

We splashed in the SUV down the river-like lane to Well #2, where we were supposed to hold the ceremony. We were doubtful that anyone would come. However, when we arrived there, we found that right in front of the well there was an island of ground that wasn’t submerged. The well operator said that people had been told that there would be a well ceremony at 1:00 p.m.; it was 12:45 p.m. We decided to hold the ceremony and hope for the best. As we started setting up, she called friends and neighbors. The rain started to subside. People began gathering. By 1:05 p.m. we had a small crowd of residents. As we started the ceremony, the rain stopped.

Richard gave a brief talk. He told the residents that DIC is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that we try to serve our fellowmen because we are followers of Jesus Christ and that is what he taught us to do. We gave everyone handouts telling them what diseases come from not using clean water and encouraged them to use the clean water from the new wells.

Then we had a fun ribbon cutting ceremony! On a signal from Richard, Elder and Sister Caldwell, Elder and Sister Powell, Azzaya, the well operator, and two residents joined us in cutting a long red ribbon with gold bows in it and officially opening the well. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, Richard poured up some glasses of water and drank the first cup of crystal clear water. Then we handed out glasses of water to the residents and held drawings for four water cans and a hand-push water truck. Finally, we handed out candy and drinks to the happy crowd.

We were grateful that we had made it safely to Zuun Kharaa, that the rain had stopped long enough for the ceremony to take place, that there was enough unsubmerged ground to hold a ceremony on, and that people came. In the end, the well ceremony felt more like a fun party than like a dismal, soggy rainout!

Deseret International Charities, Well Ceremonies July 1, 2010

The Governor of Zuun Kharaa, Governor Tseepildorj planned a day of ceremonies for the day before Zuun Kharaa’s Naadam Celebration. Zuun Kharaa had many things to celebrate. Governor Tseepildorj planned to have a ceremony for a new road to Zuun Kharaa donated by Boroo Gold which cuts almost an hour off of the trip to Zuun Kharaa from Ulaanbaatar, and ceremonies for a new sports center, an addition on the hospital, a monument in the city square, and for the four clean-water wells that Deseret International Charities donated. It was a jam-packed day, and as usually happens, everything took longer than anticipated.

By the time the well ceremonies started, everything was running late. Governor Tseepildorj sent his deputy governor in his place to the first ceremony, but Governor Bayarsaikhan and Governor Narandavaa attended all of the ceremonies. The deputy governor thanked Deseret for the contribution and said how much Zuun Kharaa appreciated the donation of these wells to provide clean water for about 30% of Zuun Kharaa’s population (about 7,000 people).

After Deseret International Charities held three of the four well-donation ceremonies, Governor Bayarsaikhan said that the fourth well ceremony would need to be rescheduled because Governor Teespildorj wanted DIC represented at an awards ceremony. We hurried over to the Drama theatre and were seated just in time for the ceremony to begin. During the ceremony, Governor Tseepildorj recognized local leaders, other NGOs and Deseret International Charities. He presented a plaque of appreciation to Deseret for its cooperation and for donating the new wells donated to Zuun Kharaa.

Deseret International Charities Gives Aid to Mongolia Herders for the Dzud Disaster

2010-05-19 13:16

http://zar.mongolnews.mn/i/5148

Есүс Христийн сүмээс 280 сая төгрөг хандивлажээ

“Дэзэрэт Олон Улсын Энэрлийн байгууллага” нь Улсын онцгой байдлын газар, зудад нэрвэгдсэн аймгуудын засаг дарга нартай хамтран ажиллаж, гамшигт нэрвэгдсэн Монголын малчин өрхүүдэд туслан, ойролцоогоор 280 сая төгрөгийн хандив өгөөд байна. Хандивын мөнгө нь хоол хүнс, хувцас, түлш, ариун цэврийн хэрэглэл, төл малын тэжээл, хичээлийн жилийн турш малчдын хүүхдүүд байдаг цэцэрлэг, сургуулийн дотуур байрын халаалтын системийг засварлах зэрэгт зарцуулагджээ. Дээрх байгууллага нь Есүс Христийн Хожмын Үеийн Гэгээнтнүүдийн Сүмээс санхүүждэг ба Дэлхий даяарх сүмийн гишүүдийн хандиваар энэхүү тусламжийн сан бий болжээ.

Б.Энх-Уянга

Translation: Deseret International Charities donated about 280,000,000 tugriks ($200,000 US) of emergency relief to Mongolian herder families affected by the Dzud disaster and worked with the governors of seven aimags. Donated funds are being used to provide food, clothing, fuel, sanitary items and hay for young animals and repairs to heating systems of kindergarten/schools/ dormitories where herder families’ children stay during the school year. Deseret International Charities is funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and funds for the emergency were provided by donations from the Church members worldwide.

Deseret International Charities Update

The effects of the Dzud continue. Many herders have lost all of their herds. It is expected that thousands of herder families will be forced to move to the city to survive and will come looking for work, but because most of them have no other skills and because there are not many jobs, it will bring some terrible challenges to Ulaanbaatar and the other cities. In Mongolia, about 37 percent of the population is below the poverty level. Some companies are starting to do a lot of mining here for coal, copper, silver, gold, etc., which over the long run, will bring a lot of money into the Mongolian economy and create a lot of jobs, but that will all take time.

Deseret International Charities requested and received another $150,000 in emergency relief aid from the Church/Emergency Relief Fund to help support the herder families. DIC signed agreements with the governors of seven provinces (like our states) and transferred the money to them to purchase and distribute basic food supplies, medicines, fuel, sanitation items and fodder for their animals. Many of the herders are destitute and near starvation because of the loss of their animals and thus their livelihood. Also, late winter-spring is the season for the young animals to be born, but their mothers aren't able to produce milk so part of the funds will be to provide a milk substitute for the mother's milk. This brings the total emergency relief donation to $200,000, which is a lot of money here in Mongolia.

DIC is just completing 4 water wells in Zuun Kharaa, a town about 3 hours north of Ulaanbaatar where the local governor held sanitation training last Saturday. We will be holding a ceremony there in a couple of weeks to donate the wells to the people of Zuun Kharaa.

We are also working to have DIC build 5 dump stations here in Ulaanbaatar. Dump stations are located in neighborhoods which do not have water. They are like a well house, but instead of a well they have a big storage tank. The water department is responsible to haul water from wells to these dump stations. The water trucks fill the tank every week or more often as needed. People then bring their own containers to be filled at the dump stations and carry the water to their homes. Many of the children are assigned this task and it is really a difficult chore. Currently, some of the people have to walk as far as 1.5 kilometers to get water. We hope this project will work so the distance they have to go for water will be much shorter. We took this photo last week of some children hauling water up a steep hill in the area we are looking to put a dump station in. The second photo shows part of the area that would be serviced.


We also implemented a garden project for all 22 units of the Church here (wards and branches) under the direction of the priesthood. DIC provided seeds, tools, some fabric for small back-yard greenhouses and a nice gardening book in Mongolian which teaches how to plan a garden, prepare the ground, plant the seeds, and store the produce. The members are really excited about this. The Church humanitarian program has recently adopted food production as their 5th major initiative, along with: clean water, wheelchairs, neonatal resuscitation training and equipment, and vision care.

DIC has major projects going on in all five of these areas, plus some smaller area initiative projects.

Neonatal Resuscitation Training in Mongolia sponsored by Deseret International Charities

Throughout the world over 1,000,000 babies die at birth from asphyxia and another 4,000,000 are born with brain damage because of breathing difficulties experienced at birth. One of Deseret International Charities' major initiatives is to provide neonatal resuscitation training in developing countries to help birth attendants learn how to save the lives of these infants and help them overcome their breathing difficulties. DIC also donates equipment for doctors and midwives to use in this process.

April 24 to April 30, 2010, Deseret International Charities (DIC) implemented a Neonatal Resuscitation Training project in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. DIC partnered with Dr. Soyolgerel of the Ministry of Health and Dr. Bayasaa from the MCHRC Hospital. DIC donated 40 training kits, 600 manuals, 500 infant resuscitators, and 1000 bulb syringes. DIC also coordinated arrangements for Dr. Michael Preece and Dr. Devn Cornish from America to travel to Ulaanbaatar to provide neonatal resuscitation training. During Dr. Preece's development visit, the DIC team devised a plan to gather all of the neonatologists from Mongolia together and train them to return to their provinces and hospitals to train other doctors in neonatal resuscitation techniques. Part of this DIC project was to donate the equipment needed to accomplish the training and in order to provide neonatal resuscitation when needed.

DIC ordered and shipped the equipment to be donated, coordinated arrival of the team of doctors from the USA, made plans to host the training at the Bayanzurkh building, transported the equipment, ordered lunches and refreshments, and made other hosting arrangements for the training. Dr. Soyolgerel and Dr. Bayasaa confirmed attendance by all of the neonatologists from all twenty-one of the provinces in Mongolia. They also arranged for ten English speaking neonatologists to attend the special pre-training the Saturday before, who were trained to assist Dr. Preece and Dr. Cornish in the actual training. Dr. Soyolgerel prepared the final perpetuation training and reporting plan and prepared a Ministerial Order for distribution of the that were donated by Deseret International Charities to the people of Mongolia. She is also prepared a draft for certificates to be given to participants who completed the course. DIC's office finished the layout, put the names on, ran them off, and had them laminated. The certificates were then signed and stamped by the Minister of Health and DIC Country Director.


Friday afternoon Dr. Cornish arrived at the airport and Dr. Preece and his wife arrived at 11:35 that evening. They were supposed to arrive with Dr. Cornish, but the first leg of their flight from SLC to LA was canceled so they missed their connection and had to start over with a whole new itinerary. It cost a lot more, but since it was necessary for them to be here. The total cost for the NRT project was well over $50,000.

The training of the ten trainer neonatologists on Saturday went very well. Only one doctor was unable to attend the pre-training meeting because of a scheduling conflict, but she came during the actual training. Dr. Preece and Dr. Cornish are master teachers! It was an intimate setting for the training and there was a warm spirit there. The doctors were grateful for the training and excited to be part of the team of instructors. To further build the team DIC took group pictures, presented each a backpack (made by Sukhbaatar) as a token of appreciation for their help, and took them to lunch at the Ukrainian Restaurant. Dr. and Sister Eliason, Battsetseg and Assaya attended as well. It helped everyone to feel part of the team.

The actual Neonatal Resuscitation Training training went very well. Every neonatologist in the Mongolia attended the training, plus a few teachers from medical colleges, several quality managers, and a couple of doctors from a private hospital. This is something that is not possible in most countries. Seventy six attended and received certificates and credit from the Ministry of Health. They were very pleased with the training. Even though they are neonatologists, many of them had not received this type of hand-on training and were very grateful for this experience.
The neonatologists thoroughly enjoyed the additional lectures given by Dr. Cornish on "What's New in Neonatology." Dr. Enkhtuur the head of Pediatrics at the MCHRC said, "I promise I will implement these procedures in my hospital. I promise."


Many who attended said this training was the best training they had ever received and that it felt to them they were being trained abroad. The training room on the third floor couldn’t have been better. It was just the right size, well equipped, flexible, and close to nice restrooms. DIC reimbursed those who traveled in from the countryside for their travel and hotel costs, plus provided lunches, drinks, and snacks for all training sessions.



Doctors were able to leave training kits and a supply of respirators, bulb syringes, and training manuals so they could train the delivery room doctors and midwives in their home hospitals and provinces. The participants brainstormed plans to perpetuate training by teaching in their home provinces during the next six months. They were also asked to report back to DIC and the MoH about what training they were able to accomplish.

Dr. Preece and Dr. Cornish commented that this was the most remarkable training they had been involved in—-a “landmark” training, because with Mongolia’s small population they were able to train all the neonatologists, and with perpetuation training, it is conceivable to actually attain the goal of having a trained birth attendant with the proper equipment at the birth of every baby in Mongolia. Mongolia is also unique because 98 percent of the births take place in a hospital where trained birth attendants would be able to take advantage of the training and equipment. In the countryside, most expectant mothers come to a hospital one or two weeks prior to their delivery to assure they will be there when the baby is born--that is at least when there is not a dzud disaster going on like this past winter.


During the next six months DIC and the Ministry of Health will monitor the NRT perpetuation training and then assess with Dr. Preece and the Ministry of Health what additional training and/or equipment donation may be needed for Deseret International Charities to donate in following years in order to reach the goal. Now that all of the neonatologists in all 21 aimags are trained, Dr. Preece and Dr. Cornish would like to find someone to do a study on the change in infant mortality rate in Mongolia to measure the effectiveness of neonatal resuscitation training. This isn’t possible in most countries because of their vast populations and the small percentage of birth attendants they are able to train, but here it is a different story.

Over all, this NRT training was very successful. It is a tribute to the LDS Humanitarian Fund which DIC administers.

Dzud Emergency Relief

Thousands of herder families are still experiencing the slow-moving disaster of the Dzud disaster in Mongolia.  Many are weak, exhaussted and faced with insufficient food and fuel supplies.  They are rapidly losing their livelihood because of mounting losses of their livestock and newborn animals.  Reports indicate the worst is yet to come as millions of animals will die, mostly in the spring, because the livestock are already weak and there is no fodder left.  And because it will still be many weeks before temperatures will warm the ground enough for grass to grow for their livestock.

A report by the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization states that now the only means of generating cash for most herder families is to bring the dead carcasses into their homes, warm them up, remove the skin and sell the skin for approximately 50 US cents each.  Many are moving their few remaining livestock into their gers with their families to keep them warm.

Deseret International Charities donated about $50,000 for food, medicine, matches, clothing, candles, fuel, and sanitary items to three of aimags (provinces) and to the Ministry Education to help fix heating systems of school/dormatories for the herders' children.  DIC has received back some detailed reports on how the assistance was administered, who received the assistance, and photographs showing the aid being delivered.  The following are photos of assistance are from reports sent in by Uuvs and Khovd  aimags (provinces).  DIC also received letters of gratitude from each province and a request for more assistance to help the herder families and their animals through the rest of the winter.  

Much of the world is already experiencing wonderful spring time, but spring and growing grass will not come to the people of Mongolia for at least another month or two.  Also there are some areas where there is no snow, but the people there are experiencing a "black dzud." There nothing is growing because of cold temperatures and the drought.  

The Mongolian government continues to appeal for donations for:  food, fuel, medicine, clothing, fodder for the animals, and other basic needs.  Deseret International Charities (sponsored by donations from members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints world wide) has received additional requests for assistance from seven aimags  (provinces) and has just requested another relief package to help the herders who are still in dire need.  Our office in Ulaanbaatar just sent this request off to the Asian Area Office, so we don't know yet how much will be approved, but if it is approved, it will be a sizable donation.

Update:
The effects of the Dzud continue. Many herders have lost all of their herds. It is expected that thousands of herder families will be forced to move to the city to survive and will come looking for work, but because most of them have no other skills and because there are not many jobs, it will bring some terrible challenges to Ulaanbaatar and the other cities. In Mongolia, about 37 percent of the population is below the poverty level. Some companies are starting to do a lot of mining here for coal, copper, silver, gold, etc., which over the long run, will bring a lot of money into the Mongolian economy and create a lot of jobs, but that will all take time.

Deseret International Charities requested and received another $150,000 in emergency relief aid from the Church/Emergency Relief Fund to help support the herder families. DIC signed agreements with the governors of seven provinces (like our states) and transferred the money to them to purchase and distribute basic food supplies, medicines, fuel, sanitation items and fodder for their animals. Many of the herders are destitute and near starvation because of the loss of their animals and thus their livelihood. Also, late winter-spring is the season for the young animals to be born, but their mothers aren't able to produce milk so part of the funds will be to provide a milk substitute for the mother's milk. This brings the total emergency relief donation to $200,000, which is a lot of money here in Mongolia.