Donors review progress of My Forest Child project

Save the Children has been implementing My Forest Child project in Mongolia since 2024 with funding from Save the Children Korea. The three-year initiative aims to engage children and communities in forest creation and environmental education.

Between 23 and 30 September 2025, representatives from the donor organisation visited Mongolia to review the project’s progress. The mission included Ms Yoori Han, Program Manager at Save the Children Korea, and Mr Abinash Lahkar, Climate Change Adviser for Save the Children Korea and Japan. The visitors examined the project’s implementation on the ground, meeting with stakeholders and beneficiaries to discuss results achieved so far, challenges encountered, and opportunities for continued cooperation. They also held talks with the Save the Children Mongolia leadership team and project staff, focusing on lessons learned and future directions.

As part of the visit, Mr Abinash Lahkar delivered a training session for Save the Children staff in Mongolia on climate change and practical solutions, further strengthening the project’s knowledge sharing component.

The mission also met with members of the “Green Future” eco club at “Erdmiin Orgil” secondary school in Nalaikh district. The club currently has 15 active student leaders who engage more than 500 fellow students in promoting eco-friendly practices and raising awareness about adapting to climate change.

According to the eco club’s teacher and social worker, Ms Nominchimeg Urjinkhand, government agencies and NGOs have begun supporting the students’ initiatives, such as providing machinery to dig holes for tree planting. She added that joining the club has encouraged children to adopt simple but important habits from planting trees to avoiding littering during family picnics.

They also met with trainers on climate change and community groups involved in the project. During the visit, trainer Ms Z. Baasansuren was conducting a session to a group of kindergarten teachers. The training included practical exercises such as calculating participants’ ecological footprints and showing them how many trees, they would need to plant to offset their impact.

Mr Abinash Lahkar described the session as highly effective and relevant to everyday life. Ms Baasansuren explained that she links the sessions directly to daily habits encouraging participants to make environmentally friendly choices when purchasing household appliances, unplug phone chargers after use to save electricity, and take part in tree-planting initiatives.

Teachers from kindergarten No.152 in Nalaikh District, who had already taken part in a climate change training earlier this spring, expressed their interest in participating further sessions. They also shared their enthusiasm for planting trees both in their kindergarten yard and along nearby streets, noting that caring for them together would help ensure the effort continues sustainably in the future.

Following the meetings, Ms Yoori Han, Program manager at Save the Children Korea, said:

“Meeting the beneficiaries was very inspiring. Children and teachers showed strong enthusiasm to learn and participate in activities, while parents and community members expressed pride in being part of an initiative that addresses both environmental and social issues. The progress so far is very encouraging. Even with Mongolia’s tough climate and logistical challenges, I can already see real results — tree planting, school involvement, and capacity building. I feel confident that the project is heading in the right direction and the results will continue to grow”.

On 27 September, the delegation also joined students in a tree-planting activity.

As part of My Forest Child project, more than 5,000 trees are planned for planting on a five-hectare site in the 5th khoroo of Nalaikh District. Last spring, around 1,700 trees were planted, of which over 80 per cent have survived. This autumn, with the participation of local school students and residents, more than 2,000 additional trees are being planted. So far, 1,589 have already been put into the ground.

My Forest Child project aims to establish forest in Nalaikh District, increase green spaces, and contribute to mitigating climate change. The project also seeks to enhance environmental education and active participation among students at local schools and colleges while providing residents with knowledge and guidance on tree planting.