It’s been a while since I last put a multimedia presentation together so it was pretty much a case of relearning everything again..! This is Part 1 of 2 from Mongolia with the 2nd hopefully being completed in the next few days. Whilst they take a long time to put together hopefully the extra effort is worth it. Capturing audio, storytelling and taking pictures all at the same time, often in difficult conditions is a challenge but ultimately worthwhile. 

I hope you enjoy this and I’ll keep you posted when the next one is complete….

Rich…

My last post from here. A big thank you to everyone who helped me with this assignment, you know who you are. Just to say Mongolia is an amazing country. It has its problems but which country doesn’t. The Government are trying to sort things out with regards to street children but it will be a long process. I understand from people living here things have dramatically improved over the last year so there is hope. If you ever have the chance to visit then do. The hospitality is great, the countryside is there to explore and there is more  history than you could ever soak up. Fond memories of all the people and I hope to return at a warmer time..therefore my last image will be from a very short trip into the countryside..

My last day in Mongolia. I managed to catch up with the guys again today. When Ider and I arrived they were laughing. During the night older men came into the hole to seek shelter. When they left they stole a pair of their shoes so now they have only one pair between them and they found this quite amusing in a resigned sort of way. This sort of thing happens to all the children living in manholes around the city. They are never secure or safe anywhere be it from drunk older men or other street kids. Violence is never far away. I have only met a few girls living like this but the situation for them must be incredibly dangerous. We left them with an offer of assistance from  an NGO to get some help, two pairs of thermals I won’t be needing and enough money for shoes. Ider the interpreter will be keeping an eye out for them so will post any developments here.

Munkhbat (15) & Altangeret (15) light each others cigarettes. They normally are given these from people when out collecting bottles.

Altangeret (15) looks out of the manhole. They can clearly hear life going above them such as people talking and laughing, traffic and the occasional dog sniffing around.

Dust falls through the manhole as people walk over them, mostly oblivious to their existence. They are extremely sensitive to any new sound or movement at the entrance as this generally means trouble and possible violence.

Caught up with Munkhbat & Altangeret again today. Munkhbat explained he was at the hospital yesterday which is why we missed them. Five days ago someone hit him over the head with a pool cue in a billiard hall. He started  feeling very faint so managed to get checked out at a free clinic. I wanted to meet them again to hear why they have ended up in the situation they are now in. All street children’s stories are similar, but they are also all unique. I will post the full story at a later date but for Atlangeret he explained simply, his parents divorced, his dad remarried and his step mum beat him, his dad died, step mum sold the family Gher and all the possessions, moved illegally to Korea leaving Altangeret no choice but move to Ulaan Baatar to start a new life. Age 12.

Munkhbat (15) sits on one of the hot water pipes in the manhole. The temperature outside is -26c with a wind chill factor of-41c. In here it is warm enough to sit in a t-shirt. This however attracts a mass of flies and various other bugs. They both say this is one of the worst things about having to live in these conditions.

Altangeret (15) left home 3 years ago after his father died and his stepmother sold everything and moved to Korea. He found this particular hole soon after arriving and decided to stay. One day he hopes to live in an apartment.

The manhole at night is pitch black and they only use candles occasionally, usually eating in the dark. A light from Ider the interpreter lights them up but also the dust floating within the cramped chamber.

Boredom is a big part in their lives. With only the clothes they are wearing which are completely insufficient for the climate they only venture outside when very hungary.

Munkhbat changes the date on his watch. Apart from the clothes he is wearing this is his only possession in life.

Altangeret and his friend play with a chain he was given as a gift over a year ago. Like Munkhbat's watch it is the only thing he owns. Their dirt ingrained hands belie their young age.

It snowed last night and with that brought a fresher whiter look to UB. Combined with a gusty breeze it was possible to see the mountains on both sides of the valley today, the first time in my 10 days here. Below are some pictures from the UB Pollution story shot yesterday and earlier this week. They call Mongolia the Land of the Blue Sky, which is probably true if you head just a few miles out of the city…

The coal powered electricity and water heating towers pierce through the layer of smog that hangs over Ulaan Baatar industrial zone.

View of the coal powered stations from below. The stations supply hot water through the city via these pipes.

One of the few upsides of the pollution is the beautiful diffused light present every sun rise and sun set.