Collaboration for Success
The Uvurkhangai branch of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI) effectively collaborated with Save the Children to implement the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project in Uvurkhangai province.
For the past 24 years, the Uvurkhangai branch of MNCCI has been active in the region, working closely with the business sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, and other business entities. The goal of MNCCI is to influence, advocate for, facilitate, connect, and support business development in the region.
As part of the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project, the Aimag Level Counsel (ALC) was established in 2020 to provide methodological support for the effective implementation of project activities within the province. The inclusion of B. Uuganbayar, Chairman of the MNCCI, as a member of the Counsel has been instrumental in strengthening collaboration with the MNCCI.
Additionally, when the Project Soum Level Counsel (SLC) was being established to implement project activities in the target soums, the Chairman of MNCCI, in collaboration with the Save the Children branch, visited these soums. During these visits, members of MNCCI who were operating businesses locally were invited to join the SLC. As a result, experienced entrepreneurs who had been running businesses in the targeted soums now have the opportunity to provide mentoring support to children and youth in those areas.
This initiative yielded excellent results, as mentors with extensive business experience shared their knowledge and made a significant intellectual investment in the children and youth of their soum.
During the subgrant competition held in February 2024, Save the Children launched the “Searching for Sharks” campaign with the aim of encouraging local businesses to support and invest in project proposals developed by the children and youth.
The collaboration with MNCCI within the framework of the “Searching for Sharks” campaign had a significant impact, encouraging large numbers of province and soum business owners, as well as Chamber leaders, to actively participate in the Pitch competition and provide financial support to project proposals. As a result, 8 business owners from Bat-Ulzii, Guchin-Us, Sant, and Khujirt soums, along with representatives from the target soums’ authorities, took the initiative and personally participated in the Pitch event. Through this collaboration, a total of 3.8 million MNT in financial support was provided to 5 teams, and a business owner from Bat-Ulzii soum agreed to support the Lifelong Learning Unit’s youth project by offering a workspace.
Uvurkhangai province’s MNCCI operates the “Made in Uvurkhangai” center, which was established to promote the province’s local brands, support small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), sell local goods, supply new, high-quality products and ultimately, foster the development of SMEs in the province.
The center supports local students and youth. For example, the teams that received subgrants and are actively implementing their projects have been selling their goods through the “Made in Uvurkhangai” center since 2022. The center plays a crucial role in promoting and selling the products of teams that have successfully completed the ESEL program, received funding for their projects, and started production. As of June 2024, more than 15 types of products from 10 project teams across 5 soums are regularly sold through the center.
These products include cups and souvenirs from the “Doctor Colors” project of Gunzgii School in Kharkhorin soum, various candles and handmade crafts from the “Perfect Harmony” project of Kharkhorin soum school No. 2, cloth bags from the “New Era of Bags” project, wooden souvenirs from the “Khorum Urlan” project of Orkhon school, handmade salt souvenirs from the “Nature Craft” project of Bogd soum school No. 2, felt mat for playing ankle bones game from the “Shagain Naadgai” project of Bogd soum school No. 1, paintings from the “Ukhaan Zaya” project of school No. 2, woven shoes from the “Uran Gogtsoo” project of the Lifelong Learning Unit, ornaments from the “Mongol Jewelry” project by Sant soum general secondary school students, and incense from the “Mongol Incense” project by the Polytechnic College in Uvurkhangai province. The total sales of these products amounted to 2.5 million MNT.
MNCCI helped to support the youth from the target soums who completed the ESEL program through the Lifelong Learning Unit, received funding and implemented their projects. These young people received assistance to participate in the “Uvurkhangai Autumn Festival-2023” trade fair. Taking part in the provincial trade fair proved to be a significant boost for these aspiring entrepreneurs, helping them promote their products to the public and attract more customers.
MNCCI Chairman B. Uuganbayar stated, “This project was both timely and impactful. It made a significant contribution by equipping secondary school students with essential business and life skills from an early age. Through this project, young people aged 14-25 in the target soums not only experience personal growth, but also gain the opportunity to start their own businesses. The project’s outcomes align closely with the objectives of MNCCI. It is evident that MNCCI’s collaboration will play a crucial role in further adapting the project’s methodology to local needs, and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Moreover, the young entrepreneurs participating in this project will have the potential to become leaders and official members of MNCCI in the future, learning from both national and international experiences as they grow and expand their businesses.”
The effective cooperation between the MNCCI in Uvurkhangai Aimag and the project branch office demonstrates that the foundation for successfully implementing any project in the local community lies in long-term, consistent partnerships.