Children’s Home
AMURTEL started the Lotus Center in Ulaanbaatar in 1994 as a response to the growing street children crisis. It is a pioneer project for child care in Mongolia, being the first to move away from the Soviet institutional style, and the first to locate in ordinary suburban surroundings.
The Lotus Center is a series of family style homes for 130 children and infants in Yarmag district. The children live in small groups that provide an atmosphere as close as possible to normal family life. They share the same responsibilities they would in a normal family, such as helping with the daily chores. As a result the children have a mutual support structure that they have never experienced before.
Children of the Lotus Children Center
In 1998 the new infant and mothering center was completed. This has greatly improved the lives of the infants currently living there. A greenhouse provides vegetables during the long winter and running water saves endless hard work carrying water and has greatly improved the hygiene in the center. AMURTEL often take in infants that the government orphanage does not accept. One recent arrival was born with syphilis and abandoned by the mother; another was abandoned in the street and weighed a mere 1.4 kilograms. Even if the babies have little chance of survival, we give them a home and lots of affection rather than leave them unwanted and uncared for in the hospital.
Kindergarten
AMURTEL also runs a kindergarten school. The school combines children from the home with children from poor neighboring families. Unfortunately due to the economic situation in Mongolia people have to pay to attend government schools. We offer an education to those who are too poor to attend government schools, even if they are over kindergarten age.
Children Dressing Up
We also provide accommodation for women and their children who are escaping violent domestic situations. They are referred to us by the Center Against Violence and the Mongolian Women’s Lawyers Association. The Center has also helps many ultra poor families with income projects and food assistance, so that poverty does not tear their family unit apart.