Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness  and Addiction in Mongolia

Giving care, attention and recognition to the homeless people of Ulaanbaatar and work together with them towards relief, improvement and change..

Within the (limited) range of help available for the homeless, we want to be the missing link that can connect this neglected group of people with the help that is available to them, so that they can step out of the cycle of hopelessness, addiction and exclusion and regain their rightful place in society.

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Mobile drop-in bus

With our drop-in bus we visit, groups of (more than 150) homeless people at different locations in the city on a weekly basis, to offer an easily accessible and hospitable meeting place where they can come inside for a meal, to talk or request help. In this way we act as the first point of contact: learning of their needs, building relationships and seeking connections with those who can help. With our drop-in bus we provide:

·       BASIC NEEDS (professional first-aid and follow up care, facilities where they can wash and clean up, warm meals, vitamins, haircuts, second-hand clothing and shoes)

·       PRACTICAL HELP (we offer self-help groups, family mediation, access to health care and visitation of the sick)

·       BRIDGE BUILDING connections to addiction care centers and hospitals

Re-integration program (2020)

We are making preparations to fill in another missing piece: Preparation for once homeless people who have undergone addiction treatment, for a stable reintegration into society. See TV Campaign!

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Vision & approach

We work according to the Presence Approach, which aims at optum care for people in extremely marginalized positions. Presence is aimed at building a strong relationship between the caregivers and those receiving care, as relationships are the basis for healthy helping and receiving of support. We want to be there with and be there for the other person without a focus of ‘a problem must be solved’. In this way the other can feel seen, heard and fully human and are included in desiding upon desired actions and solutions. The presence is aimed at finding the most satisfying possible relationship to life - even when that life is stuck.

Cooperating organiZations & providing training

We work together with addiction care centers Betel ('House of Hope'), Help International ('Naidvariin Jim'), Gants Zam-Itgel and Teen Challenge Mongolia, and with the local hospital 'Enerel'.

In collaboration with 'De Hoop' Addiction Care, The Netherlands we provide annual training for addiction, health and pastoral care workers (including training in the Presence Approach and Eperience Expertise). ‘De Hoop’ also shares our visionand approach concerning the set-up of the reintegration program which we plan to start in 2020.

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In 2015 we started our activities as project 'Sergelt' under the International NGO Good Neighbor Society (GNS). Since April 2020 the Sergelt project transferred out of GNS and is continuing independently as local NGO called 'Sergelt Ood'. More about GNS: www.gnsmongolia.org.