Turning Dreams into Reality and Making Future Plans Clearer

Skills gained from the training

Munkhjin, B. Khulan, S. Uilstuguldur, B. Purevsuren, and G. Namuuntsetseg, students of general secondary 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“  small grant project (subgrant).

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’ 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 subgrant, our children have earned some income, learned to keep financial records, and understand the value of money,” says ESEL trainer and counselor E. Byambasuren. Within 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 she was left to run the business. When we visited them at the end of the year, she 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, she smiled modestly and said: “My colleagues have become college students, but I continue to work with one student from a lower grade. After I finish these pictures (there were more than 60 of them), my next task is to produce 30 certificates of appreciation.” She added that in the first two months of this academic year, she 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 six times at the school. The training helped children learn how to work as 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 subgrant projects.

Purevsuren, a member of the One-Stop Service Center project team and currently studying business management at the University of Finance and Economics, participated in ESEL training and was selected for the small grant competition. Together with her friends, she successfully implemented this small grant project that made her change her dreams and see her future in a new way.

Initially she wanted to become a doctor, but now she has realized that she could succeed if she studied business. So she made her choice without hesitation. Purevsuren said: “By participating in ESEL training and implementing the subgrant project, 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” beginning 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 the 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 her 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