“Producer Children” School-based Enterprise launched in Kharkhorin Soum
On April 18, 2024, the “Producer Children” School-based Enterprise officially launched at School No. 2 of Kharkhorin soum, Uvurkhangai Province. This marks the sixth school to participate in the “School-based Enterprise” (SBE) initiative, a key component of Save the Children’s “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project. The “Producer Children” SBE offers age-appropriate entrepreneurial opportunities for students. High schoolers worked with radio electronics, smart trash bins, and salt crafts. Middle school students focused on creating bag sets, while elementary schoolers dived into the exciting world of finger puppets and “magic drink” projects.
The opening ceremony for the “Producer Children” SBE attended by Yo.Nyamdavaa, representing Save the Children’s “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project, participated alongside G.Battsetseg, the project’s Uvurkhangai Province coordinator, and B.Suren, the project’s business coach. Local dignitaries included B.Lkhagvasuren, the deputy governor of Kharkhorin soum, Kh.Lkhagvadulam, Head of the Office of the Governor, and E.Bataa, Head of the Training and Research Methodology Department of the Uvurkhangai Province Education and Science Department. B.Uuganbayar, Head of the Uvurkhangai branch of the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and G.Munkh-Erdene, specialist from the Provincial Education and Science Department, also joined the celebration. Representing the business community was D.Chadraabal, director of Urnukh Mergen LLC. School officials included G.Enkhriitsetseg, director of School No. 2, and B.Davaamaa, director of Gunzgii School. Additionally, teachers, students, and parents from the schools were present, demonstrating the strong community backing for this initiative.
Project manager Yo.Nyamdavaa addressed the audience at the opening ceremony, highlighting that the “Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project is already making a positive impact.
“The project is already making a difference in Kharkhorin soum. We’ve seen significant development among students in the three participating schools – you can see some of their creations on display here. One of the project’s most innovative aspects is the school-based enterprise concept. This initiative allows teachers and students to collaborate on making and selling products. The profits will be used to support the children’s development and provide a real-world application of their classroom learning,” he said.
Noting that school-based enterprises are gaining traction not just in Mongolia, but internationally, with competitions to recognize outstanding student businesses, project manager Yo. Nyamdavaa expressed his hope that Kharkhorin soum’s School No. 2 would join this network and become an international school-based enterprise.
The school’s director, G.Enkhriitsetseg, elaborated on their existing foundation for this initiative. “228 students from grades 8-12 successfully completed the Entrepreneurship Focused Socio-emotional Learning (ESEL) program. Eight graduating student teams even wrote micro-projects and secured 25 million MNT in funding. These ongoing projects are the building blocks for our school-based enterprise. Through this initiative, we aim to create a school known regionally for its student-driven business activities. Students will actively participate in production, gaining valuable life skills through practical experience. Our vision is for the school to become a stable and long-lasting business force within the region.”
G.Erkhemsanaa, a graduating student from the ESEL program, spoke on behalf of her peers. “We’re excited to put what we learned into action,” G.Erkhemsanaa said. “Through the ESEL program, we participated in the ‘Perfect Harmony’ project, which is already underway. The program has been fantastic – it’s given me valuable skills like peer learning, teamwork, and self-expression, along with financial and business knowledge. ESEL equips us with the socio-emotional skills essential for citizens of the 21st century.”
The opening ceremony for the “Producer Children” school-based enterprise project was a lively affair. Students from Kharkhorin soum’s School No. 2 kicked things off with a performance featuring traditional horse-head fiddle music, along with impressive displays of art and athleticism.
Following the opening remarks, participants had a chance to delve deeper into the student-led micro-projects. These projects, developed by students who enrolled in the ESEL program, encompassed diverse areas like “Radio Electronics”, “Finger Puppets”, “New Era of Bags”, “LTS Radio”, “Salt Crafts”, and “Youth Reporter”. Attendees were able to see the products firsthand and hear the students’ thoughts on their experiences.
Save the Children, with support from the Japan Social Development Fund and the World Bank, has been running the “‘Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia” project since 2019. This initiative equips teenagers and young people in 25 soums across Khovd, Zavkhan, Uvurkhangai, Gobisumber, and Sukhbaatar provinces with the skills they need to thrive in the future job market.
The project helped establish the “Producer Children” school-based enterprise at School No. 2 of Kharkhorin soum, Uvurkhangai with a 53 million MNT funding. Similar initiatives are budding in other locations, including Telmen soum (Zavkhan Province), Erdenetsagaan soum (Sukhbaatar), School No. 1 of Sumber soum (Gobisumber), and School No. 1of Bogd soum (Uvurkhangai Province).
