Habitat For Humanity Mongolia Marks 1,500th Family Served

New House For Family In Darkhan City Built Under Partnership With World Vision

ULAANBAATOR, 27th October 2009: Habitat for Humanity recently celebrated its 1,500th family served in the Land of the Blue Sky. The proud owners are Enkhthur Oko and his family of five in Darkhan city in the north. They had been living in a ger – traditional felt tent – for more than a decade, putting up with overcrowding and discomfort.

Habitat for Humanity Mongolia’s 1,500th home partner family Enkhthur Oko (right), his wife Nansalmaa and son Munkhtogtoh.

Other Habitat home partners living in Darkhan city celebrating the happy occasion.

On the day that his new house was dedicated, Enkthur said: “Our family lived in a ger for 17 long years. It was like a dream to live in a house built in 20 days.”

A 10-member team from Japan had worked alongside Enkthur to build his 36 square meter house in August 2009. His new Habitat house was made of concrete blocks with Styrofoam insulation material with metal roofing sheets. The three-room house is a fitting new abode for 44-year-old Enkhthur, his wife Nansalmaa and their three children who ranged from nine to 16 years old. Their eldest child, 21-year-old Sarantuya lives in another area with her husband.

Enkhthur earns a living by cutting wood up into smaller pieces for his wife to sell in the local market. His monthly income averages US240. He looks to the future when he is able to buy a car and start a taxi business. Enkhthur hopes that his three children who live with him will become teachers or doctors.

Enkhthur’s house was built in a partnership between HFH Mongolia and World Vision. In addition to funding new house constructions and renovations, World Vision also sponsored school kits comprising a school bag, a pair of boots, books and stationery. Under the partnership, children from Habitat families are also entitled to annual medical examinations and dental check-ups. Joining hands since 2004, Habitat and World Vision have helped 100 families to date this year with new homes or renovations.

Habitat for Humanity Mongolia’s national director Charles Jolliffe said: “Habitat goes beyond just building a house. It provides the setting for a home and a secure future and a place where the family thinks and grows up to shape a better future for themselves and a better community.”