Since 2020, "Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills For the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia" project has been effectively implemented in Munkhkhaan Soum, Sukhbaatar Province, and in 2023, a total of 40 participants received an ESEL blended training. Thirteen of them are from the soum center, and 27 are from remote places. The program is unique in the way that it allows students to herd animals while studying via blended modes such as in-person and online. They have completed their training and are now working on a project proposal. The initial group of ESEL program participants received financing and began carrying out their projects. Five proposals have been developed for the second batch of the ESEL program, including "Love garden", "Cozy furniture", "Tire maintenance", "Benefits of dairy products", and "Craftsmaster." The ESEL program trainers’ efforts and skills play a crucial role in successful implementation of the program in rural places. This story is about ESEL trainer N.Regjidmaa, the Munkhkhaan soum’s ESEL blended learning facilitator who is working towards providing entrepreneurship education for youth in remote areas. 

My introduction… My name is Regjidmaa N., and I was born in Munkkhaan Soum, in the province of Sukhbaatar. I worked as an English teacher at my soum from 1998 to 2007, as a training manager from 2007 to 2019, and as an English instructor since 2020. I have worked in the soum school for a total of 25 years. Since 2020, the "Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills For the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia" project has been implemented by Save the Children Japan in five soums of Sukhbaatar province. The Munkkhaan soum was selected as one of the target places where I was prepared as a trainer for the ESEL blended program.

In terms of ESEL blended learning training… I am overjoyed to have the chance to lead ESEL program that promotes youth employment and their desire to work on their own. Twenty young people from the soum graduated from the ESEL program last year, in 2022. "Entrepreneurship-Focused Socio-Emotional Skills For the Most Vulnerable Youth in Rural Mongolia" project's ESEL blended learning gives adolescents in rural places the opportunity to learn from home, which makes the program special and effective.

In terms of knowledge and skills that have acquired from the ESEL program... thanks to the ESEL program, I had the opportunity to work with and instruct youth, aged 18-25 while I was still teaching at the school. This experience helped me develop my cooperation and time management abilities and taught me how to communicate and interact with young people. Despite having a full-time teaching job in a general education school, I find time to interact with the ESEL program participants. Now, I understand how crucial time management and planning are to complete tasks. I have improved my skills to conduct capacity-building trainings. Furthermore, both the trainer and the trainees have improved their proposal-writing skills.

In terms of project results... Based on our newly acquired abilities and skills, we were able to receive funds for a project towards improving welfare and employment for the soum community. Both trainers and trainees learned a lot from the program. The initial batch of the blended learning ESEL program included three teams. So far, all teams have received funding and 65% of the initial funds were transferred to start the project activities. "Mongol ornament," one of the three ventures, makes traditional jewelry such as headbands, rings, bracelets, earrings for women and snuff bottle pouches for men. “Little bibs” is another project that creates lamb coats, newborn and infant bibs, and deel, Mongolia's national costume. The final project, "Mongolian horse ornaments," involved the production of saddles, bridles, hobbles, halter ropes, lassos, and girths.

In terms of project implementation... I am really proud of the participants who have begun to put their ideas into action. I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve as their program trainer and mentor. Following the first batch of ESEL program, the second group of ESEL program began in March 2023 under my supervision. Good attendance rate prompted me to develop further projects.