How do you fight air pollution in Mongolia? Start with ballet

©️ Emmanuelle Svartz @ Ambling Light Photography

Swan Lake? Romeo and Juliet? Think again! Discover how modern ballet can tell the story of the devastating impact of air pollution on children, and trigger action.

Making early learning more accessible with ger kindergartens

Thanks to ger kindergarten, additional 20 children can access early childhood education.
©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

The kindergarten No. 189 in Ulaanbaatar’s Khan-Uul district is buzzing with noises. In the ger classroom, using the traditional Mongolian tent-like structure, children are running around, playing or singing. Two teachers taking care of them – Mrs. Amgalan and her assistant – certainly have their hands full.

The ger classroom was opened in February 2018 because of the insufficient capacity of the kindergarten’s main building. Thanks to the two connected gers, additional 20 children can now access early childhood education.

Агаарын бохирдлоос хүүхдээ хамгаалахад эцэг эхчүүдийн үүрэг чухал

Улаанбаатар хотод судалгааны ажил дээрээ ажиллаж буй, нийгмийн эрүүл мэндийн мэргэжилтэн
Мисбат Дауда. ©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Судлаач Мисбат Дауда нь агаарын бохирдол хүүхдийн эрүүл мэндэд хэрхэн нөлөөлж байгааг судлахаар Улаанбаатар хотод ажиллаж байна. Тэрээр нийслэлийн агаарын бохирдол ноцтой хэмжээнд хүрсэн гэдгийг хэлж байна. Агаарын бохирдол нярай хүүхдийн тархины хөгжилд хэрхэн сөргөөр нөлөөлдөг, хүүхдээ агаарын бохирдлоос хэрхэн хамгаалах талаар эцэг, эх юу хийж болох тухай судлаач бүсгүйтэй ярилцлаа.

Chance of a better future with ger kindergartens

Minjinsor at the entrance of her ger kindergarten.
©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

“When I’m at kindergarten, I like to sing and play with Barbie dolls. I also like to play with all my friends,” says 5-year-old Minjinsor. She has a shy smile and short hair, newly cut during the Mongolian traditional hair-cutting ceremony.

Minjinsor is one of 15 children who left their overcrowded classroom in the main building of Kindergarten No. 8 in Ulaanbaatar’s Bayanzurkh district, and moved to a new ger classroom. Built in the typical Mongolian tent-like style, it is more spacious so the children can play more freely, and smaller numbers mean they can also enjoy the full attention of their teachers.

Public health expert: Air pollution is highly increasing risk of respiratory infections in Mongolian children

Public health expert Misbath Daouda working on her research in Ulaanbaatar.
©UNICEFMongolia/2018/Sabina Netrvalova

Air pollution is a serious problem in the Mongolian capital, says researcher Misbath Daouda, who came to Ulaanbaatar to find out how air pollution is affecting children’s health. In the interview, she also talks about the impacts of polluted air on infants’ brains, and gives recommendations on how parents should protect their children.  

ФОТО НИЙТЛЭЛ: Агаарын бохирдлыг багасгах зорилгоор Инновацийн мэргэжилтнүүд Монгол гэрийг шинэчлэхээр ажиллаж байна.

©UNICEFMongolia/TamirBayarsaikhan

Дэлхий дээрх хамгийн их агаарын бохирдолтой Улаанбаатар хот.

Let's discuss at the UN - Unworn Masks

©UNICEFMongolia/UNYAP/2018

What can we do to help reduce air pollution in Ulaanbaatar and protect us and our families? A hundred of young Mongolians were trying to find an answer to this question during the “Let’s discuss at the UN” event, initiated and organized by the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) with UNICEF’s support. 

PHOTO ESSAY: Innovation experts set to reinvent Mongolian Ger

©UNICEFMongolia/TamirBayarsaikhan

Ulaanbaatar – home to half of Mongolia’s three million population
– has the most toxic air in the world during winter.

Designing the 21st Century Ger Project launched

Ger disctrict of Bayangol and Songinokhairkhan districts, Ulaanbaatar city, Mongolia. 8th March 2018
©UNICEFMongolia/TamirBayarsaikhan

In the beginning of March, a group of international experts, including researchers from Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania and KieranTimberlake architecture firm, arrived to Ulaanbaatar to discuss the possibilities of ger redesign and find ways to better insulate the traditional Mongolian housing. The 21st Century Ger Project, launched by UNICEF Mongolia as part of its work on air pollution, hopes to reduce both the fuel costs for local families and toxic air in the capital.