Assisted Mongolian young families in ‘ger’ areas to sustainable livelihoods
Implemented by World Vision Mongolia | 2018-2021 (COMPLETED)
The problem
Families leave the countryside for Ulaanbaatar hoping for better opportunities, but settle in ger districts that lack basic services - water, heating, schools, kindergartens. Without recognised skills or professional networks, young parents end up in informal work with low wages and no stability. The result is a poverty trap: families migrate to escape rural hardship, only to face urban hardship with fewer safety nets. Children grow up in these conditions, and the cycle continues.
The solution
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through household business set-up or wage employment, matched to each family's strengths and circumstances.
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helping families access the support they needed for basic needs, healthcare, education, and dealing with crises.
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through formal banking access, savings groups, credit and insurance mechanisms, and financial literacy training.
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through life skills training and community integration, with gender equality embedded across all components.
Final Results
150 young families supported
358 children in participating families
99% of families progressed out of poverty
71 participants started their own businesses
57 transitioned to formal employment
8 saving groups created (141 members)
Beyond direct impact
The intervention ensured govt. participation, establishing a working group under the district governor’s office, designed specifically to serve the programme implementation needs.
The programme evaluation, which assessed changes in the well-being of the target households for the programme’s lifespan, concluded the interventions to be ‘relevant and appropriate’ to address crucial issues for communities. Overall, 8 out of 9 indicators on livelihoods and well-being in 2020 and 10 out of 11 indicators in 2021 changed positively for the participating members.