A National Sport That Develops Endurance and Concentration
These words were said by S.Elbeg, a 9th-grade student at Telmen soum general secondary school in Zavkhan province: “I used to be undisciplined and disruptive during school hours, sometimes even saying inappropriate things. I have no reason to hide it; I’m telling you the truth. But thanks to Save the Children’s ‘Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills for the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia’ project, I was able to change. I’ve become more patient, taking time to think before responding, and no longer acting on impulse.”
Although S. Elbeg attended the ESEL training in 2022, he hadn’t yet found his business idea and participated as a spectator in the first Pitch Competition at Telmen soum school. Watching his friends confidently present their ideas and answer the judges’ questions without hesitation filled him with pride. It was during this time that the answer to the question of what to do and what projects to pursue came to his mind. One day, he noticed his physics teacher, D. Munkhbayar, practicing archery while he was playing basketball during physical education class.
Out of curiosity, Elbeg approached teacher Munkhbayar and asked if he could try shooting with a bow. The teacher agreed and showed him how to stand and raise the bow. Though his body was tense, Elbeg felt a sense of determination and believed he could do it. As he was about to shoot, Elbeg felt the eyes of the children in the gym on him. He was nervous, but somehow he felt good. During the Pitch Competition Elbeg suddenly remembered this incident in the gym, and thought, “Why not practice archery and teach other students? Why not turn this idea into a project proposal?” He smiled at the thought. His decision turned out to be the right one. Elbeg then approached his ESEL teacher and counselor, B. Munkhtsetseg, for guidance on how to turn his idea into a business. This marked the beginning of Elbeg’s busy days ahead. He started learning archery from his teacher Munkhbayar, practicing the basic skills of standing still and drawing the bow without arrows. As he practiced, Elbeg also found other children who shared his interest in archery.
Elbeg teamed up with 10th-grade students T. Zambalgarvuu and B. Dalantai, and together they wrote a project proposal titled, “Preserving Our Heritage While Staying Away from the Digital Environment.” Their proposal won and was awarded funding at the third Pitch Competition held in Telmen Soum. During the Pitch Competition, a National Television news team covered the event, giving the students an added boost of encouragement. With 2.8 million MNT in project funding, Elbeg, Zambalgarvuu, and Dalantai purchased two new bows, ten arrows, thumb rings, and forearm bandages to launch their archery program. Drawing on the research he had done while preparing the proposal, Elbeg and his team began registering students for archery lessons. They visited high school and middle school classes during breaks and enrolled 42 students, though 10 eventually dropped out. The remaining 32 students continued their training under the guidance of teacher D.Munkhbayar. When the judges asked during the Pitch Competition why they had chosen to write such a project proposal, Elbeg responded, “Students spend a lot of time on their phones. Phone addiction has many negative effects, from poor eyesight to a growing sense of isolation.” The judges were impressed by his answer. “Practicing archery will develop patience, improve concentration, and correct posture. School grades will improve. It will enhance physical development. I have a friend who used to misbehave a lot at school. I don’t want to disclose his name, but he came to observe our activities twice. At first, he came just to cause trouble. When he came for the third time, he suddenly said he was very interested and wanted to learn this skill. He really became a patient and gentle student with a good reputation. All of our teachers are praising him.” He said this with a sense of satisfaction.
Each archery training session lasts 4-5 hours, costing 1,000 MNT per hour. Over the six months of the project, they earned a total of 900,000 MNT. From this revenue, they purchased a new bow for 325,000 MNT.
The students not only developed financial skills, learning how to save and spend money wisely, but they also occasionally used their earnings for small pleasures, like buying sweets. On one occasion, they decided to spend their three-day earnings on sweets to treat their families, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone involved. The most important skills they gained through the ESEL training were teamwork and effective communication. Project team member B.Dalantai shared, “The team plans to continue the project until graduation and expand it into the ‘Legendary Archer Telmen’ archery club. Let me give some advice to my friends: When you find something that interests you, follow it. You and those around you will change for the better.”
Student T. Zambalgarvuu explained, “I pause for a long time during archery practice. It’s in those moments that I first find my physical and mental balance. It’s an exercise that helps organize your thoughts.”
“Imagine this: When you draw your bow and look up, you see a blue sky and nothing but birds. It’s so beautiful. I encourage everyone to try this sport,” said Elbeg.