Koreans lend helping hands to Mongolian children and youth

Representatives from Save the Children in Mongolia visited Seoul at the invitation of Save the Children Korea and learned about the organization’s activities from May 5-9, 2025. The purpose of this trip was to provide an update on the progress of the My Forest Child project and facilitate an exchange meeting to explore potential collaborations and opportunities for future project funding.

Opportunities for collaboration with Save the Children Korea

Save the Children Korea was established in 1953, in the aftermath of the Korean War and began its transformation from a recipient of international aid to becoming a donor country. In Korea, Save the Children is a leading organization addressing child rights issues in child protection and a major contributor to the global Save the Children movement in respondse to humanitarian crises. Representatives from Save the Children in Mongolia visited Save the Children Korea’s headquarters in Seoul. In front of the headquarters, Lee Jae Kwang, Global Strategy Director, greeted us warmly and introduced their office facilities, including a meeting room, a private room for online meetings, and a rooftop terrace decorated with flowers,a welcoming place for employees to rest, relax, and have lunch.

 

A welcome sign written in Mongolian in the reception area read, “We warmly welcome the SC Mongolia team”. Also the wall was decorated with hand-drawn pictures of children from the project countries. Upon entering the conference room, staff were ready to attend meetings in person and online. The Code of Conduct is prominently displayed on the wall. L.Bayan-Altai, Country Manager and Representative of Save the Children in Mongolia, briefed the staff from Save the Children Korea on his organization and the projects being implemented. Also, Y.Nyamdavaa, Manager of the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socioemotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia Project” financed by the Japan Social Development Fund and managed by the World Bank presented the results and achievements of the project and the progress of the “My Forest Child” project, which is currently being implemented with funding from Save the Children Korea.

 

J.Ganchimeg, Manager of Human Resources and Administration of Save the Children in Mongolia, introduced the organization’s policies and activities, and met with managers and staff from departments with similar activities to learn from their experiences. Representatives from Save the Children in Mongolia reviewed the activities of Save the Children Korea’s Marketing Group, Environment, Social, Governance, and International Programs departments, and discussed opportunities for future collaboration with the leaders of these departments. The Marketing Group consists of three departments: Communications, Marketing and Fundraising and Donor Services, and two teams: Marketing Innovation and Contents Creative. It is a large department composed of many sub departments and teams, each with a responsibility to fundraise and, allocate funds across the organization, a responsibility that carries significant weight. Ms.Jihee Choi, Head of Fundraising & Marketing Division, said, “We are especially focusing on regular giving rather than a single donation, for the long-term impact. Individual fundraising income accounts for more than 70 percent of the total income”.

 

Child protection center responsible for three districts

Representatives of Save the Children in Mongolia visited Seoul Jungbu Child Protection Center in Seoul and became acquainted with its activities. They also placed a board at the entrance that read “Welcome to Seoul Jungbu Child Protection Agency”. The agency was established in 2004 in compliance with Article 45 of the Child Welfare Act, and there are 96 such facilities across Korea. Save the Children Korea works with child protection agencies in four cities: Seoul Jungbu, Incheon, Bucheon and Daejeon, and child shelters in two cities: Ansan and Ulsan, and funds a portion of the activities. The center covers three districts in Seoul and has a child abuse prevention team consisting of a supervisor and five social workers.

 

Ms.Jiwon Suh, Director, Seoul Jungbu Child Protection Center, presented “Our center was established in 2004. We work with families through case management. Also, we work with the public, through advocacy and civic education. Seoul is divided into 25 administrative districts. The three districts we work in are challenging and very socially active areas. Most of the population is middle class although there is a range of households from the very poor to wealthy families”. She added, “Save the Children Korea provides important support for case managers at child protection organizations. This includes training for staff in counseling, the services, home visits, and developing programs for parents and children”. In 2000, the Child Welfare Act was amended, and a national hotline was launched in Korea with a single number 1577-1391 to report child abuse. But it was too long and a very confusing number. Since 2013, the child abuse reporting number was integrated with crime reporting number. Now, people are able to call 112 to report crimes and child abuse.

 

Representatives of Save the Children in Mongolia alsowent to National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC). A small board at the entrance read, “Welcome to Korea” in Mongolian. This center is a government organization that implements child policies, supports the development of policies to effectively carry out child-related projects and conducts assessments accordingly. Mr.Lee Daeseong, Director of Department of Child Alternative Care Support and his staff introduced their activities. This organization`s mission is Creating a society together where all children are happy. Since its launch in July 2019, the NCRC has played an important role in reorganising and stabilising the public Child Protection System and plays an important role in establishing and operating child-centered welfare policies so that children can grow and develop robustly.

Additionally, Representatives of Save the Children in Mongolia participated in the International Children’s Marathon-2025, held on May 6, 2025, at the World Cup Park in Seoul Korea, and joined the charity campaign.

The five-day business trip ended successfully. Save the Children Korea welcomed us warmly, placing greetings in Mongolian at every location we visited, showing their thoughtful attention to even the smallest details. As the saying goes, “If your hands are good, your body will be good”. The project, funded by Save the Children Korea has expanded, laying a strong foundation for working together across sectors to improve the well-being of Mongolian children and youth. As Mongolians say, “Happiness comes from the wishes of the mind and Wishes do come true.