Did we tell you the kids here don't come any cuter? In our short time, we've been fortunate to play and work with the kids and staff of Anna Home, a safe haven for neglected children. This is a special project that offers much hope for a few kids and the Choibalsan community.
In 2006, the home's director Boldsaihan took the initiative to rescue homeless or neglected kids from the city's underground water tunnels. Without stable homes, people of all ages find warmth in bitter cold winters huddling near hot water mains. Manholes are their doorways. Boldsaihan first housed the kids in a basement and scraped together resources to feed and shelter them. In 2007, VSO volunteer Maarten Stoffels entered their lives.
Maarten, with the generosity of his Dutch contacts, helped Boldsaihan buy a house and land establishing the Anna Home residence. Foreign contributors meet the housing, food and development needs of 25 children who now share this very modest space. Last spring, upon his departure from Mongolia, Maarten asked Jim to assist with communications, project development activities and in the home's operations. Jim also serves as Boldsaihan's management mentor helping to develop long-term skills so that Boldsaihan may eventually operate the home as a fully-capable director.
Anna Home has experienced some big successes this year, not least of which were the drilling of a well, the building of a well house and piping of running water into the house.
Now, we are preparing for three major projects. In the spring, we hope to develop a property that will serve as a transitional home for young adults. When the children reach 18, the goal is to have a home and support in place where they can learn work and life skills in a semi-independent setting. They would be prepared for supporting themselves as capable adults in their lives beyond Anna Home's embrace.
Next summer, one project will be renovating the existing interior with new energy-efficient windows, new doors, trim, flooring and paint. The second summer project is huge: a building addition which would include giving the building a bathroom, storage space, a large classroom, computer and sewing classrooms and a carpentry shop. We believe it is not enough to improve the current living standards for the kids. The children must be prepared with social and vocational skills as well to help break the stranglehold of poverty here.
