Students gain skills for employment at Don Bosco Technical Institute

(MissionNewswire) Since 2001, youth who have not been able to complete a traditional high school education have found educational opportunities at Don Bosco Technical Institute and Assistance Center in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The training facility started with 30 students and today has more than 300 students who are gaining skills in car mechanics, tailoring, secretarial services, welding and construction.

One of center’s graduates is Battulga, age 26. He arrived in 2005 after living on the street for two years where he faced many difficulties including being beaten by other street youth.

Battulga said, “I am very grateful that God sent me someone who took me to the Don Bosco Center. I stopped having to face the cold, the hunger and the difficulties of street life. We learned how to plant vegetables, feed livestock and perform other practical tasks. After the first year of high school, I went to the Don Bosco Technical Institute to study hydraulics. During my on-the-job training I worked with one of the largest companies in the city, which was so satisfied with my work that it offered me a job.”

Battulga was at the Don Bosco Center from 2005 to 2014 and learned discipline, a work ethic and punctuality. He also learned about cooking and said, “I liked to cook and often prepared meals for the kids on the weekend — now I’m a professional cook. Sometimes I think that, if I had gone to another center I would not have fully realized the value of life, as I learned to do at Don Bosco. I hope that many more young people will have the same opportunities that I had.”

Usukhbayar is a current student at Don Bosco Technical Institute and Assistance Center. He came to the center in 2017. A Salesian from Darkhan introduced him to the center after noticing he had some family problems. His father had recently died and his mother had to take care of him and all his siblings — nine children in total.

Usukhbayar said, “When I arrived, I was homesick. Now that Don Bosco is my home, I want to stay here. If I have a problem, the Salesian missionaries help me solve it. They are kind and welcoming. I always feel supported by them.”

He is excited about his education. Usukhbayar added, “I currently study automotive mechanics, but this does not mean that I will necessarily repair cars in the future. This course trains me in work discipline and self-management, as well as providing me with technical skills for my future life. I want to study at university. Right now, I am deciding whether to enroll in the degree program in tourism management or if I want to deepen my knowledge of automotive mechanics with engineering. I would like to thank the Salesians for their support over all these years, and I know that many people also need help. Thank you for the many opportunities that I have had and that I am sure I will still have.”

Salesians in Mongolia provide education and social development services to aid poor youth and their families. Close to 27.8% of the population in Mongolia is living at or below the poverty line with a significant jump to 35% for those living in rural areas. Herders in the countryside struggle to survive as their traditional livelihood dissolves, and there are few job opportunities for young generations.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Mongolia – Mongolian youth say in chorus: “Thanks to Don Bosco we did it!”

Salesian Missions – Mongolia

World Bank – Mongolia