“Dream Guide” Club: Driven by Passion

As part of the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project implemented by Save the Children, 41 entrepreneurial clubs are operating in target soums across five provinces. One such club is the “Dream Guide” entrepreneurial club at secondary school No. 1 in Bulgan soum, Khovd province.

The club members are students united by their passion, all of whom graduated from the “Entrepreneurship-Based Personal Skills Development” course. The “Dream Guide” club consists of 15 members from grades 8-12. The club is led by Kh. Bilegdemberel, with G. Gantogtoh serving as the leader of the management team. The club’s name was chosen by the members to symbolize their commitment to helping their peers achieve their dreams. They meet twice a month, during which time each member presents new ideas, and they discuss them collectively before planning the projects that receive the most support from the group.

 

In October 2023, the “Dream Guide” club organized an “Experience Exchange Meeting” to showcase the subgrant projects being implemented in the soum. The event was held in collaboration with the “ZET” Entrepreneur Club of the “Minjit Bulgan” complex school and Secondary School No. 1, where the students study. During the meeting, teams implementing projects in Bulgan soum shared their knowledge and experiences, presented their project activities to teachers and parents, and served as role models for students working on new project proposals.

Club leader Bilegdemberel said, “Every child has a dream. Don’t give up on your dreams and don’t think you can’t achieve them. Believe in yourself and pursue your dreams without fear of failure. Our main goal is to help, advise, and instill confidence in students who have just completed ESEL training and are uncertain about how to write a project proposal or present their ideas.”

The club members helped many students develop and present their project proposals, ultimately securing funding. In total, 36 teams in Bulgan soum successfully implemented their subgrant projects with a combined funding of 104.1 million MNT. The “Dream Guide” club played a pivotal role in this success by providing support to these teams.

In November 2023, an experience sharing event was organized between two secondary schools in Bulgan soum. The students enjoyed the activity so much that they requested, “Please organize the experience sharing event again and make it last longer.” The club members shared that the best part was seeing the students actively participate in and enjoy the activities they had initiated.

The major event involving the soum community was a 10-week outreach campaign to promote “What3Words” service. Given its long duration, involvement of the entire community, and the need for support from soum authorities, the club members initially felt nervous and hesitant about whether they could successfully implement it.

During the first seven weeks, the club members dedicated a significant amount of time to disseminating information about the “What3Words” mobile application service. Following this, they divided their tasks, and with the support of other students who had participated in the ESEL training, the soum and school administration, the Soum Emergency Commission, and the Soum Emergency Management Department, they successfully taught 3,417 citizens— including secondary school students, teachers, and staff from government and non-government organizations how to use the “What3Words” mobile application service.

By organizing such a variety of activities, the “Dream Guide” club gained valuable experience and became more motivated, realizing that by uniting as a team, they could achieve their goals. In the future, they aim to increase their membership, expand their activities, organize innovative events and advocacy campaigns, lead their peers, and make their voices heard in society.