The first container of playground equipment has arrived in Ulaan Bataan, Mongolia. The following is an excerpt from an email (used with permission) sent by Dorjpalam Miriam Nira, Country Director, Veloo Foundation to Jack Reddin, RC Murray Bridge:

First of all, I would like to say that we are overwhelmed by your generosity and effort you have put in loading the container with the much needed donation items that will be used at our kindergarten, library, summer camp, sewing center and community outreach. As we have unloaded and organized all donation items, we have specific use for every bit of the items which I will share in detail in this email. We have just unloaded the container this Saturday with the support from the Rotarians and Veloo Foundation Volunteers. On Saturday, the goal was to unload, sort and organize the donations where the following works were done; 

– PLAYGROUNDS: We were able to count and check 2 playgrounds on Saturday where all pieces were checked according to the checklists you provided for each playground. 1 playground 2 pieces were not found in the codes, but we will check again to see if the pieces were coded overlapping with other pieces. 2 playground pieces will be checked this week. The donation of playgrounds and items will be allocated and impact 4 different programs and locations:

1. Veloo Foundation, Children of the Peak project in Songinokhairkhan district – Kindergarten and Library children – over 700 children will directly be impacted. (East side of the Garbage Dump) – Playground 1-Michal Reserve + Playground M – Edinburgh Rederve.

2. Veloo Foundation, Children of the Peak, 2nd kindergarten where over 300 children will be directly impacted on the west side of the Garbage Dump – Playground B – Long Island Reserve

3. Veloo Foundation Soaring Crane Summer Camp in Erdene soum where nearly 500 children are impacted every year (Playground Y – Croydon Ave reserve + Playground F – Cnr Burnbank Way & Wellow Cres)

4. One of Veloo Foundation’s target areas in the countryside in relation to the fundraising horse treks being organized in the location – Erdenekhairkhan soum, Zavkhan province (kindergarten with over 300 children) – Taylor Street Reserve-Playground H

– BLANKETS AND PILLOWS: The blankets and pillows were a timely donation as we are starting a community outreach program of providing household packages for flood affected families. This summer, Mongolia had unusually heavy rain and many vulnerable households in Bayanzurkh district were affected by floods and lost their homes. So some of the blankets and pillows you have sent will be used in helping the families affected by flood and some will be distributed to vulnerable households as part of our community outreach program.

– LOCKERS: The lockers fit perfectly for our kindergarten and were immediately put to use at the kindergarten. Especially this year, due to need in the community, we opened a new classroom utilizing a small building that previously served as library at our project site where the locker needs were urgent.

– CARPETS: The carpets are put to use at the kindergarten immediately.

– SPORTS EQUIPMENT and BALLS: will be used for our projects at the library and also the summer camp.

– STATIONERY, LESSON BOARDS and TOYS: Our kindergarten teachers and we are all super thankful for the stationary, lesson boards and toys as we were in need of them. The amount of stationary you sent is sufficient for 1-2 school years (we will be very efficient in using them) for all our education programs, kindergarten, library and summer camp.

– ART AND CRAFT ITEMS: It is allocated for our sewing center and for the library program which will support women’s employment and women’s support groups program at our community library.

– POLO SHIRTS: Will be used for our summer camp and library based programs.

– BOOKS: The books will be used at the kindergarten and our community library. As some of the books are bigger in quantity, we will also send them to the countryside (Zavkhan province, Erdenekhairkhan soum) kindergarten where 1 playground will be sent along with some of the carpets and toys.

Kind regards,
Miriam
Dorjpalam Miriam Nira
Country Director
Veloo Foundation