Recently, the Government of Mongolia closed all schools and kindergartens and banned all public events and gatherings until the end of March in an effort to contain the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID -19). While this action has helped to reduce the spread of infectious disease, it has had negative repercussions on vulnerable households. The quarantine in schools and kindergartens is putting vulnerable children at increasingly higher risk as they heavily depend on their daily school meals for their main source of daily nutrition.

People in Need with its partners started the “Clean Hands” initiative in February and supported 250 children with nutrition and sanitation kits (link to the previous Press Release) with funding from PIN Club of Friends and in-kind contributions from the Namuun Children’s Foundation. PIN also launched a global fundraising campaign with Breathe Mongolia – asking for cash donations to reach an additional 300 children and their families.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and PIN are collaborating to assist additional vulnerable households – supporting 750 children and their families with nutrition, health and education kits.

“The closure of educational institutions in Mongolia reduced the danger of the COVID-19 outbreak in Mongolia but had a negative impact on the education and nutrition of children from vulnerable groups. People in Need, with the support from the SDC, hopes to contribute to the Government’s efforts in protecting the vulnerable children along with other development partners,” said Tim Jenkins, the Country Director of People in Need in Mongolia.

The families were provided with an information leaflet on preventive measures against coronavirus outbreak, a nutrition kit, and a hygiene kit. Volunteers from Mongolian Red Cross Society and the staff from the kindergartens have now distributed the kits to the children and their families

Nutrition kit includes: Fortified flour (10kg), rice (5kg), sugar (1kg), children’s breakfast cereal (5kg), sunflower oil (1L)

Hygiene kit includes: Toothpaste (200g), toothbrushes (4), hand-soap (2), laundry soap (3), and laundry powder.

Education kit includes: Puzzle, coloring book, coloring pencils, drawing notebook, pencil sharpener, pencils

Clean Hands Project Partners: The Ministry of Education Culture Science and Sport, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, People In Need, Breathe Mongolia, the Namuun Foundation, Mongolian Red Cross Society, Mongolian National University of Medical Science,  and Mongolia Live,.

People in Need (PIN): INGO based in the Czech Republic, launched programming in Mongolia in 2009,  when it provided emergency assistance to herders affected by severe winter conditions (dzud). With the goals of saving lives and protecting dignity, empowering people and supporting sustainable living, PIN established its permanent presence in Mongolia in 2011. PIN’s programs in Mongolia focus on urban sustainable development, supporting rural livelihoods through building the capacity of cooperatives, facilitating disaster risk reduction and resilience programs for herders, building the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) and local governments.