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How a short trip to Mongolia changed my perspective on life www.thirst.sg

“Impactful” is the one word that represents what my trip to Mongolia meant to me.

I’ve seen the stories about poverty. I have heard people share that such “exposure” trips would radically change a person’s life.

Such stories tug on our heartstrings while reading them, but we quickly move on when the reality of deadlines, work and commitments hits us – all these stories and emotions then fade to the back of our minds.

But there is something different when you go to be with them, seeing the real faces behind these stereotypical stories and forming an inexplicable bond with them. The plague of poverty is the reality for these people.

Going on this trip made me realise that it sometimes takes an actual experience for our hearts to be changed. Now that I’ve actually gone out there to step into these communities – people and places that I’ve been so far away from – something has happened in my heart.

From a head that knows, to a heart that cares

As a 19-year-old, I am immersed in a culture of “grinding”. School and work environments can feel like increasingly toxic places that foster perpetual competition and demand never-ending commitments.

But in all the schools I visited in Mongolia, the one thing that stood out to me was their ability to make the most out of whatever they have been given.

The children there do so many activities for the sake of passion, pleasure and enjoyment. I never got the sense that they were taking part in these activities to climb the social ladder. They just seemed so much lighter and happier.

These values are especially seen in their “informal schools” – schools specially designated for co-curricular and extracurricular activities.

These schools don’t just educate children, they also welcome adults who may be mentally disabled or who did not have access to education at a young age.

Through my visits, I learnt that these schools really try to understand the unique difficulties each student faces so as to adapt their activities accordingly.

I believe such an education system brings hope to those who are conventionally deemed as “slow learners”, and also unleashes each person’s potential so that everyone can contribute to society.

This was most clear when the children shared their aspirations for the future with me.

One girl told me that she wanted to be a dentist because she noticed that the other children’s teeth weren’t so good.

Another girl (who I sponsor, as well as her sibling) told me she wants to become a doctor because her father was bedridden for an entire year.

These children have a different drive behind their aspirations beyond just self-fulfilment. It’s not just grades or individual gains – they carry a desire to serve and help others.

Building community banks

World Vision has also started a project called Savings Groups that aims to provide education on financial responsibility.

This is because many vulnerable families in Mongolia have unstable sources of income, and they don’t know when or how to save.

For instance, some families that sell crops for a living depend on the weather for their income.

If they managed to have a good harvest, they would immediately spend all the money earned on big-ticket items like a new TV.

But if their harvest isn’t good in the following year, they would have no savings for their daily necessities.

Therefore, World Vision hopes to help such close-knit communities cultivate financial responsibility and accountability through Savings Groups.

Each Savings Group consists of around 10 to 15 members, and it functions like a community bank.

Each member can decide how much money they want to save, and they put it in a safe box for safekeeping. One person safe-keeps the box, while several keys are handed to different people. They will need all the keys to open the box.

Taking out loans would require an interest, and that generates some money for other members of the group.

At these Savings Groups, the members also rotate meetings among their homes so they get to meet each other’s families and see their living conditions. This helps them when they need to decide whether a member should be allowed to take out a loan.

This system also builds the personal relationships that members have with each other. It is one thing to put money in a bank or save some money at home on your own, but when dreams and plans are shared – a culture of accountability and encouragement are created.

To whom much was given, of him much will be required

Living in a part of the world that is more developed, we are financially better off than many. We can certainly look out for brothers and sisters like the ones I met in Mongolia.

I really hope to encourage us not to underestimate the power of sponsorship. In some ways, $45 a month might not seem like a lot of money. But during my time in Mongolia, I truly saw the impact that World Vision is making and how grateful the local communities are.

We were told many stories of how sponsored children became vice presidents of agriculture, workers at World Vision and people who took up other jobs that give back to the community.

This is one of World Vision’s missions – to empower the sponsored to become sponsors. So when we sponsor a child, the impact it brings is actually exponential. And that brings me so much hope.

I returned from the trip with a new commitment. From a girl with no responsibilities, I have now pledged to sponsor two children for the next decade. It feels like I now have a little family of my own!

If you are keen to find out more about World Vision, start here!

By Maria Chow

This story was contributed by a volunteer. Have a testimony that could encourage others? We’d love to hear from you at hello@thir.st!

Published Date:2025-02-11

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How a short trip to Mongolia changed my perspective on life www.thirst.sg

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