GER KINDERGARDEN PROJECT

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DESCRIPTION

Ulaanbaatar city’s air pollution during winter reached disastrous levels, and is an issue of
constant debate within the government and community. It will take decades of systematic
work by the government to completely eliminate air pollution in Ulaanbaatar, such as
improving economy, building heating infrastructure in ger districts etc, however as a Rotary
we could contribute in protecting people’s health and reducing it gradually. A recent research
showed that wearing a mask with air pollution filter significantly reduces the risk of
respiratory diseases, however, most people don’t wear the masks due to ignorance. Also, most
of houses in ger districts don’t have proper insulation, and improved insulation in ger districts
could lead to less number of burning coal/ wood, thus resulting in reduction of pollution.
The project aims to raise awareness about benefits of wearing masks and improving insulation
in houses and encourage people to action on these. It will be done through the following
activities:
In person:
The club members will set a schedule of ger district visits, to meet and talk with ger district
residents. We will distribute flyers and air pollution masks in person
a) to raise awareness about benefits of wearing masks;
b) to persuade households to improve their insulation
c) to deploy electric heating, as night time tariff was nullified by the government.
We will work with engineering/ architecture companies who will assess houses’ insulation
and give recommendations to ger district households. We will half fund the electric heaters for
100 households.

Through media:
Chose a household for a pilot insulation improvement and feature in a TV program and social
media channels for multiplier effect. We aim to do this program without costs to the Rotary,
but with in-kind sponsorship from TV channel and a technology company, as it will promote
their products.

How does the project meet the community needs?

Ulaanbaatar is the most polluted city in the world in winter times, with air pollution level PM
2.5, seven times higher than WHO guidelines and it reached “critical” levels. The three diseases that resulted in the most lost life years in 2013 were air pollution related. Acute Lower Respiratory Infection, specifically Pneumonia, is one of the leading causes of under-five child mortality in Mongolia (accounting for 15% of the total). Children living in highly polluted districts of Ulaanbaatar were found to have 50% lower lung function than children living in rural areas, with concrete risks of chronic respiratory disease later in life (UNICEF). Fundamental reason of the air pollution in Ulaanbaatar is coal burning in ger (Mongolian traditional dwelling) districts in winter – counting for 70%, and remaining 30% comes from power plants, vehicles and industry. 60% of UB population is currently living in ger districts and burn coal due to harsh winters and lack of heating infrastructure. Number of migrants from rural areas to UB increased in recent years because of unemployment and lack of income in rural areas.

More details coming soon

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