History of Peace Corps/Mongolia

In 1990, the Mongolian government requested the presence of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) to serve in Mongolia. Peace Corps opened a program after Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gombosuren, and State Secretary James Baker, signed a formal intergovernmental agreement on August 2, 1990. This agreement clarified the conditions under which the Peace Corps program would be established in Mongolia.

The mission of Peace Corps Mongolia is to provide community-based development assistance that addresses needs identified in cooperation with Mongolian partners, and to promote cross-cultural understanding between Americans and Mongolians. Peace Corps Mongolia emphasizes sustainable community development and capacity building that relies on locally available resources.

The PC/Mongolia program opened in January 1991 in Ulaanbaatar (UB). The first group of Trainees (PCTs) arrived in the country on July 3, 1991. Since that time approximately 470 PCVs have served in Mongolia. All members of the first group of PCVs (M #1) were assigned at sites in the capital city to provide assistance in English education, small business development and computer skills training. Starting in 1992, PC/M expanded beyond UB and assigned PCVs to Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon, Selenge, Bayanhongor, Dornod and Hentii aimag. In 1996, PC/Mongolia expanded Volunteer assignments once again, this time moving to more remote aimags and soums. At the moment, PC/Mongolia has 28 staff and 87 PCVs. M #14 and M # 15 are the actively serving groups, with one M #13 PCV who has extended for a third year. Today, PCVs serve in 20 aimags out of 21.


PROJECTS OF PEACE CORPS/MONGOLIA

English Education
The Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Project was started in 1991 and is the largest Peace Corps program in Mongolia. The purpose of this program is to train and retrain qualified Mongolian English language teachers, develop English resources and materials, and work directly with students to raise English proficiency. Since 1991, Peace Corps Mongolia has been implemented three English Education Projects, each lasting five years.

Presently 60 English language teachers including 19 Teacher Trainers are serving in the country. Most of them are assigned to secondary schools, provincial Education Departments and higher Educational Institutes in the provinces throughout Mongolia.

Computer Training
The Computer Skills Training Project also began in 1991 and proposed to develop special
Software adapted for host agency needs, train host agency staff in the use of computers and software. The Volunteers initially provided assistance to organizations in the provinces throughout Mongolia. This project was short term and was discontinued following successful implementation.

Health Education
The Health Education Project was established in 1996. Health Volunteers have work with the Ministry of Health, Public Health Institute, medical colleges, provincial health centers, hospitals and international and national non-government agencies (NGOs). The goal of the health program is to strengthen and build technical and management skills of health professionals and to increase the availability and accessibility of health information to the community. Health Specialist and Health Extension Volunteers have served in Mongolia. In 2005, eighteen Health Volunteers will be assigned to local health agencies. The Community-Based Health Program is emphasizing health education and information to community members to promote healthier lifestyles and prevent disease.

Community Economic Development (CED)
The Community Economic Development project was initiated in 1995, and had limited Volunteers until being suspended in 1995. In 2000 Peace Corps Mongolia submitted a request for 3 NGO Development and 3 CED Volunteers, to initiate a pilot project in NGO Organizational strengthening. The SBD and NGO project was combined into the Community and Economic Development project, redrafted in Fall 2001, to facilitate project management and site development. The Mongolian Ministry of Science, Education and Culture expressed interest in requesting PCVs to serve in vocational schools to provide small business training to students and staff.

The purpose of the CED project was to develop community business and organizational capacities for successful participation in a market-based economy, thereby contributing to sustainable growth and the progression of a civil society. Further collaborations with the USAID Gobi Initiative project and the Agricultural Bank were developed, and opportunities with provincial branches of local NGOs were explored. CED PCVs assisted in developing organizational business plan, customer service and marketing training for business people and capacity building of their co workers.

In the January of 2004 CED project began a phase out. The final CED Volunteers are serving with the Gobi Regional Development Initiative offices.

Environment

The Environment Project was developed in 1996 by request of Ministry of Nature and Environment (MNE). Environmental Volunteers have worked with the MNE, Special Protected Area Administrations (SPA), provincial environmental departments and environmental NGOs. The purpose of the program is for Mongolian communities to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner and develop ecologically sound livelihoods. Environmental educators and natural resource managers have served in Mongolia in the program. Currently six environmental volunteers are working in MNE, SPA administrations in different provincial centers. Environment PCVs have successfully worked to raise public environmental awareness through supporting and developing environmental information centers. Additionally, PCVs have supported the introduction and strengthening of ecologically sound and sustainable income generating activities to contribute to a satisfying quality of life.

Community and Youth Development (CYD)

The Community and Youth Development Project began its development in 2004. PC/Mongolia organized Project Advisory Committee meeting to discuss on the needs assessment for youth project, share information between collaborating agencies working with Mongolian youth, and developed the appropriate project framework for PCVs to address youth issues in the country. The purpose of the CYD project is for the quality of life of Mongolian youth to be enhanced through the acquisition of life skills and a corresponding increase in ability to productively participate in family and community life. Additionally the Project Advisory Committee recommended that the PC/Mongolia CYD project needed more of a focus on building capacity of Mongolian service providers and Host Country Agencies to provide sustainable, long-term quality service to Mongolian youth. CYD Volunteers will be assigned at Children’s Centers, Youth serving NGOs, State Organizations and schools.

PC/Mongolia submitted a request to begin the program with 5 PCVs, whom will arrive in June of 2005.

SECONDARY PROJECTS

Besides their primary project contributions, all PC/Mongolia Volunteers work on different community outreach activities. Some examples of secondary projects developed and implemented by PCVs and their Mongolian partners include:

• Developed and published first TEFL Mongolia Curriculum in two volumes and distributed to all Mongolian English Teachers of the country through Ministry of Education and provincial Education Departments
• Organized numerous workshops and seminars among trainers and students on English, teaching methodology, life skills, ICT, ecology, HIV/AIDS, health, business etc.
• Obtained books to support their host agencies in English language training
• Designed websites for schools and other organizations
• Developed different kinds of training and other materials including brochures, visual aids, lesson materials, teaching curricula etc.
• Assisted in establishing community and/or school information centers, computer labs, libraries and English classrooms
• Created and published first Mongolian Sign Language Dictionary
• Translated and published the Life Skills Training Set for trainers and distributed to schools to increase self esteem of students
• Translated and published the Project Design and Management Training Manual and distributed Manual to Mongolian counterparts
• Coordinated cross cultural exchanges between Mongolian students and high school students in the United States to share cultural insights and improve letter writing skills

PEACE CORPS MONGOLIA COUNTRY DIRECTORS

Chuck Howell 1991-1993

Jean Mead 1993 -1996

Mark Zober 1996 - 1998

Rob Schexneider 1998 - February 2001

Ken Heldenfels 2001 - June 2003

Helen Lowman June 2003 - March 2004

Carol Chappell March 2004 - October 2004

Ken Goodson February 2005 - Present

SPECIAL EVENTS OF PEACE CORPS/MONGOLIA

August 2, 1990
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Gombosuren, and State Secretary James Baker, signed a formal intergovernmental agreement responding to the Mongolian Government’s request for the establishment of a Peace Corps program in the Mongolian People’s Republic

February 1994
Margaret Goodman the Regional Director for Peace Corps Europe, Mediterranean and Asia (EMA) visited Mongolia

May 1996
Peace Corps Mongolia hosted EMA Regional Programming Workshop

June 1996
Peace Corps Director Mark Gearan visited Mongolia and met with former Prime Minister Ts. Elbegdorj, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Amarjargal and PC/Mongolia staff and Volunteers

October 2002
PC/Mongolia hosted PC Sub-Regional Administrative Officers Conference

August 25 2001
Celebrated 10th Anniversary of the Peace Corps Mongolia

October, 2004
Jay Katzen-EMA Region Director visited Mongolia and met with Prime Minister Ts. Elbegdorj

August 25, 2006
Peace Corps Mongolia will celebrate 15 years of service and cooperation with the Mongolian people.