Seeking New Opportunities and Achieving Goals

“There are many things a young person can do if they have the courage to try. I have developed a passion for exploring new opportunities, for fighting, and for succeeding.” The woman who said this is G. Enkhjin, a teacher at the Lifelong Learning Center (LLC) in Sumber soum, Gobisumber province, a beneficiary of the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project, and a member of the “Sumber Golden Beetle” project team.

Enkhjin, alongside her husband S. Ankhhuslen, participated in the ESEL training and shared how it positively impacted her personal development and life. “The training manager at the Lifelong Learning Center in Sumber soum, Kh. Amarjargal, introduced us to the program. My husband and I enrolled in the spring of 2021 and successfully completed the course. It was a truly engaging experience, based on real-life examples, teaching us valuable lessons that we thought we already knew. We both actively participated without interruption, and the training led to noticeable, positive changes in our lives”, the couple shared.

Before attending the ESEL training, Enkhjin had recently moved to Gobisumber province. After giving birth to her first child, she took a leave of absence from her teaching job and stayed at home. During this time, her social circle shrank, she faced a decline in self-confidence and struggled to express herself. Her once strong desire to explore and try new things had also diminished.

Through the ESEL program, she met new people, made lasting friendships, and acquired valuable skills. She learned from her peers, rediscovered her inner strength, gained confidence in self-expression, and developed the ability to work effectively in a team.

At the time of her graduation, Enkhjin had just had a baby, so she didn’t have the time to write a project proposal or conduct research. However, the girls from the “Sumber Golden Beetle” project team, who had also graduated from the ESEL program, reached out with a proposal to collaborate. Their team was short-staffed, and they invited Enkhjin to join them. Embracing the opportunity, Enkhjin became a part of the project team, dedicating her knowledge and skills fully to the work.

Her next opportunity came in the winter of 2023 when G. Baasansuren, the director of the Lifelong Learning Center, offered Enkhjin a position as a life skills teacher at the provincial Lifelong Learning Center. This new role provided significant support for her personal development while also offering valuable assistance to the project team members.

As the project gained success, the enthusiasm of the team members grew. They became more engaged and started involving their family members in the work. Together, they created various boards, toys, and felt products, even working from home to ensure timely delivery of orders. Thanks to their collective efforts, the “Sumber Golden Beetle” project not only gained local recognition, but also attracted a growing customer base.

G.Enkhjin reflects, “This project has been incredibly beneficial, both in our work and personal lives. We’ve learned how to manage our time better and organize our tasks more efficiently. We are now collaborating with our clients to further improve the quality of our products.”

Attending the ESEL training, working on projects with the team, and gaining a deeper understanding of herself opened up numerous opportunities in Enkhjin’s life. Becoming a teacher at the Lifelong Learning Center is a testament to this growth.

Shurenchimeg.B