2015 January
Just back from Choibalsan I write this newsletter to you, that is somewhat longer than usual. There was so much to do for me and my old friend from university Joost Paijmans who accompanied me. It all started in Ulaanbaatar, the capital, where we had appointments with three former occupants of Anna Home.
Encounters in UB
In the first place there was Byambadavaa, second year law student. The big photo shows our meeting, the small one inside is his portrait 5 years ago. He told us that he passed all his exams, that he finds it hard to live on his own (“there is nobody to help me”), and that he works hard. Criminal lawyer he wants to become. And: “In my heart I want to learn English, but my tongue does not cooperate”. English is as difficult for him as Mongolian is for me.
And then there were the sisters Dalaitogo and Monhzul, who I know since 2007. They were on the street alone, did not have anything, mother had left. Anna Home was their rescue, but only until 2011, when mother claimed them back in Ulaanbaatar. We were worried for several years but that now appears to have been entirely superfluous. I was hugged by two beautiful girls of 17 and 15 years. Dailatogo, the oldest, was dressed with care and looked healthy. She now is in 10th grade and makes music on a traditional Mongolian snare instrument for which she wears three long artificial nails.
Monkhzul is Asian champion in her age category on the 3000 meter run with obstacles. A kind of steeplechase. She ran in Russia and China and will do that this spring in Korea! We agreed to meet on the Olympics in Tokio (2020).
So the ladies are very well, but they are homesick for Anna Home! They miss their friends. And that is why they will go back for a week in school holidays.
Left as they were in 2007 and right as they are now.
The children in the house
In Choibalsan we found the current occupants, a group of growing, healthy children who gave us a warm welcome, together with Boldsaikhan, the teachers and the “guards”.
There were the two little sisters about who I wrote in my last newsletter, Anu of 6 and Uranzaya of 4, in fact too young for the house, but their elder sister lives there and how could we separate them?
There was Ganzorig who we picked up in December 2008. Please read again the newsletter from that time and compare the photos from that time with this one! He is growing fast. What would have become of him without Anna Home?
There was the guard Batbayer who plays cards with the children and Ederkhuu who had his birthday and blew out 11 candles.
Cooking is done and homework is made
We went out with them, just to get out of the house for a while, and like last year we took them skating.
Organisation
We visited the governor of the Dornod province, my old friend Ganbat who I have known for years as a surgeon in the hospital where I used to work. He donated school uniforms for all children and we asked him for a more structural financial support for the only orphanage in his province. We have talked also about the fact that the number of children in the house is decreasing slightly. If this means that the problem of homeless children has been solved, it would mean a fantastic result. But if there are other causes, then he and we should know them. And that is what we will try to find out together. The local people who I asked about this, violently shake NO with their heads: the problem has not been solved, there are numerous children in big problems who stay hidden, so they tell us.
The Mongolian board met, but the financial account could not be ready so early in the year. It is clear though, that the costs in 2014 stayed within the budget. We talked long about a study that Boldsaikhan wants to do and for which he asks our contribution. The board will advise shortly.
Peace Corps
In Choibalsan always live Americans who do development work in the context of Peace Corps. Most of them are young people, just after graduation from college. We met the current five and talked for a long time with them. They are enthusiastic people with the heart on the right spot, as we say in Dutch. They all know Anna Home and visit regularly to play or to teach English. Koty did that for three years, but has now left, leaving behind a beautiful map of Mongolia which she painted together with the children on the house.
Now there are new people and especially Lizzy is very active. She enjoys the children who give colour to her life in Choibalsan. The coming two years we will have contact every now and then.
Local activities
In the past months students and teachers from different schools visited to show their interest. The house now is well accepted in the local community! In autumn the children of Anna Home visited a nomadic family and milked cows there and collected cow poo. That is a good and cheap fuel for the stove. Once dry it does not smell and it burns surprisingly well.
Since a few months Internet is back in the house. Koko, who did that in 2006 also for me at my home, has installed a wireless system between the city and Anna Home. It works well, we used it ourselves. The children are active on Facebook and it would be nice if somehow some more contact would exist with children in The Netherlands or another country. We would love to hear your ideas about it.
And so I could go on for a long time, we had a great and busy time. But I stop, it is long already. You should go and have a look for yourself!
Maarten