Turning dreams into reality and defining the future
Learning-based skills
Munkhjin, B. Khulan, S. Uilstuguldur, B. Purevsuren, and G. Namuuntsetseg, students of general education school No. 2 in Tosontsengel soum of Zavkhan aimag, attended an ESEL course under the Save the Children’s project “Entrepreneurship-focused Socio-emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth” and implemented the “One-Stop Service Center“micro-project.
Two years ago, they purchased the necessary equipment and machinery worth 2.6 million MNT and started providing all kinds of printing services at the school. Outside of school hours, they were actively taking and printing photos, making copies of documents, printing computer files, typing assignments for their peers, preparing, and printing well-designed lesson plans and materials for teachers for distribution. The school provided a 12 square meter room to support the children’s initiative and activity.
“The One-Stop Service Center project offers middle and high school students the opportunity to get everything in one place, at their school, in a hassle-free, fast, and quality manner, without having to travel far in search of printing services. Thanks to their micro-projects, our children have earned some income, learned to keep financial records, and understand the value of money,” says training facilitator E. Byambasuren. In a few months of the school year, the children generated an income of 800,000 MNT. To promote the project, the school created a Facebook page, which gained many followers and saved money on marketing and advertising.
Last fall, four of the five children involved in the project became college and university students and moved to Ulaanbaatar city. Munkhjin hadn’t finished school yet, so he was left to run the business. When we visited them at the end of the year, he was busy printing large and small pictures and cutting them out neatly.
We heard a lot of noise in the small room and saw many children running around. When we managed to have a word with Munkhjin, he smiled modestly and said: “My colleagues have become college students, but I continue to work with one student from lower grade. After I finish these pictures (there were more than 60 of them), my next task is to produce 30 certificates of appreciation.” He added that in the first two months of this academic year, he has copied more than 600 materials, produced more than 100 certificates, and completed various other tasks, earning 200,000 MNT.
Munkhjin added: “When my family and teachers praise me for learning to manage my time effectively and still study diligently, it encourages me”.
Spreading intellectual seeds
ESEL training has been conducted at the school six times. The training helped children to learn how to work in a team and express their opinions properly. As a result of the training, the children found an idea for one-stop publishing services and developed a project proposal. Their project is one of the school’s first micro-projects.
Purevsuren, a member of the One-Stop Service Center project team, who is currently studying business management at the University of Finance and Economics, participated in ESEL training and won a grant for a micro-project. Together with his friends, he successfully implemented this micro-project that made him change his dreams and see his future in a new way.
Initially he wanted to become a doctor, but now he realized that he would succeed if he studied business. So, he made his choice without hesitation. Purevsuren said: “By participating in ESEL training and implementing micro-projects, I learned how to work in a team. I’ve learned to approach things in an organized and calm manner, and I have developed leadership skills. Our school is planning to teach the subject “Project Management” from the 3rd grade. I think I have a better chance to succeed in this subject because I have already “studied” this subject beforehand. We are very grateful to the Save the Children team, school administration and teachers who taught us how to develop a project proposal, sponsored and supported us in every way possible.”
Namuuntsetseg, a student of the National University of Mongolia, noted that today she is doing well in the University thanks to the knowledge gained in the ESEL course and the micro-project “One-Stop Service Center” where she applied this knowledge. For example, students spend 80% of their school time studying independently, so they use their experience and knowledge to effectively complete seminar assignments and tasks. Namuuntsetseg said that after graduation she aspires to go to her native region and work in her specialty. She said: “The impact of any project on rural children is huge. Rural school children see that only by building their capacity, they can keep up with children from cities and other places. So please believe me, any project or program implemented at soum schools is very important.”
B. Khulan, a student at the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, emphasized that by participating in the ESEL course and implementing the micro-project “One-Stop Service Center”, she learned how to organize her personal finances, work in a team and solve issues in an organized manner. “This skill is my “property” that no one can ever take away,” she proudly declared. Khulan handled her team’s income and expenses. She says, “I have realized that no matter how big or small the money is, right financial education means managing any amount of money effectively. After obtaining my pharmacy degree, I plan to run a large pharmacy. I believe I can successfully grow my personal business.”
All the team members we met wanted to express their gratitude to Save the Children and the teachers who conducted the training. In addition, student Munkhjin, who completed his project at the school, won the competition for the Best Student Entrepreneur of Zavkhan aimag for 2023 on December 22, 2023.
Thus, the ESEL course ignites the hidden dreams of high school students, strengthens their faith, and illuminates the path to success. This example shows that they planted “intellectual seeds” in the minds of young people that sprouted faster than we could have imagined. A bright future has begun for our children. Brilliant success and hard work await them.
This success story is written by Zavkhan branch coordinator P. Dulguun