Prior to 1911, Mongolia was part of the Empire of China for over 200 years. Since then, the Mongolian people have chosen an independent path which led them to democracy and diplomatic relations with the US, beginning in 1992 after the fall of the Soviet Union. The US continues to reinforce this strong bilateral relationship, supporting Mongolian education initiatives and border security. As a part of this effort, a US Embassy Civil-Military Support Element (CMSE) identified the need for security wands for the Mongolian General Authority for Border Protection to counter transnational crime and the transportation of illicit goods in and out of Mongolia.

Members of the US Embassy Defense Attaché Office and Civil Military Support Element conduct Garett Security Wand demonstrations with the Mongolian General Authority for Border Protection (photo courtesy US Embassy Mongolia)

At the same time, the US team is working to support early childhood education in Mongolia’s Far West – a hard to reach area with limited resources. The team saw the need for computers at three separate kindergartens, where they are needed to maintain accurate records of students’ information. To fulfill both these needs, the CMSE reached out to Spirit of America.

SoA’s Terrell distributes a laptop to a kindergarten in the westernmost part of Mongolia.

The donation of security wands will enhance the safety of the Mongolian people and state, while laptops will improve the ability of the teachers to monitor educational objectives and adhere to national standards. In both cases, this support will demonstrate the goodwill and generosity of the American people in contrast to the transactional nature of relations with Mongolia’s Chinese and Russian neighbors. With your help, Spirit of America can respond to these needs and help support the democratic values that the US and Mongolia share.