Caritas Mongolia reached 1700 herder families last year, focusing ones with more than four children, the poor, the elderly and single mothers.
Winter in Mongolia is turning evermore long and bitterly cold. Summer is becoming shorter and more parched. This leaves animals without enough food and the herding way of life without a future.
A dzud is the Mongolian term for when the animals of the Steppe die in vast numbers following dry hot summers and icy winters.
We’d set off at dawn from Ulaangom the ugly provincial capital of Uvs province to remote part of Western Mongolia.
This winter will likely see vast swathes of the Mongolian steppe affected by the extreme weather phenomenon known as a “dzud”, sparking fears of a devastating humanitarian crisis.
Mongolia has been hit by devastating blizzards with heavy snow completely buying vehicles and yurts, the traditional houses. Caritas Mongolia has been asked by local authorities to help, starting with food, hygiene, warm clothes, shoes and blankets, coal and firewood, yurts and to repair destroyed deep wells.
Even though – in the eyes of climate change decision-makers - the problems of Mongolia may not even amount to 1% of the world’s climate change issues, they are gradually worsening. On the ground, Caritas Mongolia intervenes by implementing a Food Security Project introducing Passive Solar Greenhouses, absorbing natural solar warming and releasing it to the vegetables.
Growing grains and vegetables is not the main profession of Mongolians and not even a priority for them. The nomadic people prefer keeping herds and love to eat meat. The number of animals is much higher than the number of humans.
Heavy rain in July in Mongolia left 20,000 people exposed to the countries harsh weather conditions. In Ulaanbaatar and in Gobi Altai-Province, many people were left with nothing following the flooding. Caritas through its national member Caritas Mongolia has been participating in the immediate response and are committed to provide water and shelter for new ...