Stories

Sarantsetseeg and Nyamchuluun grew vegetables in a former JCS project for two years before joining the Hope for the Future project in spring 2004. Sarantsetseg, 55, is ten years older than her husband and recently started receiving the national pension. She has trained as a cook. Nyamchuluun works with a chain-saw, cutting firewood for families. He uses a bicycle to get around. They have three adult children. Their daughter is a doctor and has children; one son works in the local timber yard; another son is a student. All live away from home.

Initially they were a very shy couple, but capable of hard work. Sara always made visitors welcome with tea even when busy with a task. When they joined the project they were living in a ger in their own fenced-inarea and soon after this they started talking about their plans. They had some savings from the previous year’s vegetables. They planned to build a house using income from their vegetables. They were growing vegetables not only in their own fenced-inarea, but also in the community field of the project. They also rented another area nearby to grow in. As the season progressed they were working very hard and were having good success. The garden was very attractive with many flowers and healthy vegetables in 2004.

When there was a working bee planned in the community field eg winterizing the wee cottage or building fences, they were quick to agree to help and then turned up and did so. They built their new house all by themselves. Sara even sewed the curtains. By September they were ready to move in. Not only had they financed this well, they also ‘banked’ their seed money for the next year.

Their daughter blessed them with the gift of a fridge, electric stove and bread pans. The various breads she has since produced are delicious, and for sale. After they moved in they finished off the part of the house next to the street and this became a shop. The stock for this was small at first, using a 50,000 tugrug (about USD50) small business loan from the project. Stock gradually increased as the loans increased in size and as profit allowed. In autumn 2004, Sara joined a felting course arranged by the project and now has added that skill to her abilities. Sometimes she sells those items, working together with her neighbour for the wool carding part of this work. Her sewing machine is never idle, work gloves for sale being one item turned out.

Another autumn activity is pickling vegetables and making jam. These jars of produce are stored in their cellar till the New Year and Tsagaan Sar celebrations in February, and then sold for an increased price. The 2005 growing season was a real challenge for them and at first it seemed they couldn’t keep the gardens looking so immaculate, however they did manage to get control and were able to eat fresh vegetables for several months. Sales and pickled vegetables again added to their income. A couple of young pigs were added to their work load. This is a good idea, of course, in the summer when there are weeds and vegetable waste to feed them. They intend to breed them.

The next venture for which they applied for a loan from the project, was to cut kindling wood which was to be bagged and transported to Ulaanbaatar for sale to city folk. This is good winter work. Truck loads of wood would be dried in their yard and prepared as time allowed from other work. Nyamaa and Sara were very happy with their wood business. Out of the five trucks of wood, they had sold three for a profit of 60,000 tugrug (about USD60) on each one. The gloves were good business too, with 250 pairs sold and 200 pairs for sale currently. They are made out of second hand clothing or scraps of material. This summer they will grow only in their own fencedin- area. When asked about which seed they need from the project, they told that they had harvested their own tomato, carrot, beetroot and onion seed! This couple are not shy any more and Sara has gained confidence to speak out her thoughts – she wisely listens first then speaks!