Promoting early childhood development (ECD) requires integrated action across health, education, nutrition, and social protection — no single organisation or sector can do it alone. Yet in Mongolia, these efforts were often disconnected.
To address this gap, and in collaboration with UNICEF Mongolia, Lorinet Foundation established the first-ever Mongolian Early Childhood Development Network (MECDN) in 2022, with endorsement from the Ministry of Education.
Today, thanks to over 30 committed organisations—from grassroots groups to development partners, as well as public and private sectors—MECDN has become a growing platform for connectivity and collective impact, through:
- Directly contributing to 2 major policy revisions
- Organising 12 convenings that facilitated information exchange and best practice sharing through field visits and capacity-building workshops
- Participating in a three-month training on network development, led by the Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood
- Establishing a Steering Committee that is now guiding the next phase
When a kindergarten principal can share feedback directly with ministry officials, or when one member’s innovative play-kit helps another secure a grant, we know we’re creating a meaningful platform.
Now entering its next phase, MECDN is focused on strengthening shared governance through its newly established Steering Committee and Secretariat. Priorities for 2025–2026 include enabling structured capacity-building for its members, raising public awareness, and supporting evidence-based decision-making.
The progress achieved would not have been possible without the collaborative spirit of our members and the support of our co-leads and partners. We deeply appreciate the contributions of:
- UNICEF Mongolia and the Ministry of Education for their co-leadership
- Mongolian Education Alliance, Mongol Content LLC, and the School of Preschool Education at the Mongolian State University of Education for their increased engagement and ownership
- The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Protection for their continuous support
- ARNEC, Network Impact, and Early Childhood Regional Network Fund for strengthening the network’s capacity
- All our members for their active participation in network activities
MECDN is a promising example of what’s possible when diverse actors unite around a shared goal: Every young children in Mongolia have the support and opportunities to thrive and succeed.
As a founding partner, Lorinet Foundation remains committed to this vision and will continue strengthening MECDN to enable systems-level change for Mongolia’s youngest generation.
