Help for the Children in Mongolia
 

Yes, this is a request for help.
I've been talking to Belle, yes THAT Belle, she of the falling over/injury at the Ripley meet fame. Belle is on the road to recovery after her recent op to sort out her back injury and has plans for next year.

First off she's heading across the Sahara with Dennis and co to take scooters to the Gambia.
And then later in the year she will be spending time in Mongolia before riding home...on her C90.
Belle has previously spent a lot of time in this beautiful and intriguing destination, her brother's wife is Mongolian which has opened lots of doors to her.
There are a lot of sides to Mongolia that we as travellers almost never see (as with other countries) and here is a chance to redress the balance a bit.
Belle has visited the little known Children's Mental Heath Hospital in Ulaan Bataar, here are some words from her about it:
Its on the hill in UB beyond the coal yards and the Ger community
Few outsiders get to visit and don't even know it's there because the Gov doesn't acknowledge it. I only got access because my sis in law fixed it
About 40 kids live there, ranging from little kids to older teenagers. Some are dumped by their families, some come from the drains
Some have birth defects (often attributed to their mothers having worked in the uranium mine nearby when they were pregnant, or through foetal alcohol - mothers drinking heavily pre natal) some have just regular mental health issues, autism, some have been harmed by domestic violence or through accidents etc - but I was most shocked by the kids who had been locked up there because they were 'difficult '. Just stroppy teenagers with attitude, labelled difficult, and stuck in there. Nothing wrong with them, but nobody wanted them, so they got banged up and forgotten, no prospects, no visits, no nothing.
It's called a 'hospital' but it's not - its just a place where dumped kids live until they grow up. Then they're out on their own. They have a half way house (ger) outside for the older teenagers and were trying to teach them some independent living like cooking for themselves (the pic of the boy cutting up noodles)
http://tiffanystravels.smugmug.com/O...orea-103-M.jpg
The whole place is run on a shoestring.
They have no or very few personal possessions either for the same reason - a communal toothbrush per bedroom, communal underwear.
http://tiffanystravels.smugmug.com/O...y-Centre-M.jpg

http://tiffanystravels.smugmug.com/O...all-girl-M.jpg

http://tiffanystravels.smugmug.com/O.../M/group-M.jpg

http://tiffanystravels.smugmug.com/O...y-Centre-M.jpg

The hospital is a very bleak looking place and so my plan is to have a mural painted on the walls starting in the bedrooms because it's something that all of the kids will benefit from immediately.
Sis in law is already sounding out the staff re suitable images and I have a painter sorted. It's important that a local does the job rather than kind hearted passing tourists though because it needs to be led by the kids and staff and a local is part of that same community, and that has been a bit of a problem with some initiatives elsewhere to date.
But if I can get anybody who has been through Mongolia - or is planning to - to donate just a couple of quid, then that will help me get it sorted much quicker. I'll be there to ensure the job is done, and done well. I'll be living in the Ger community with sis in law's bro, will be mobile on my C90, and won't leave until it is sorted.

The kids are well looked after though and the staff are great - but there is nothing there. No books, no pics, few toys, nothing to help stimulate them or make the feel they belong because there is no money. Last time I was there, I got them a CD player because one of the autistic kids had smashed the old thing that they did have some months earlier. It cost me something like £50 - which is nothing to us - but it made such a difference to them because they hadn't got a cat in hell's chance of replacing it. And do you know what? I felt really ashamed that I was so much more privileged than them, yet I'm no different from anybody else in the UK. I've worked for everything I have but it is so much more than these kids will ever get.

So there you have it folks, Belle has reckoned on a budget of £500 to get the hospital walls covered in murals.
Please will you help?:innocent:

I've offered to help Belle with the fund raising and I've started the ball rolling with £20 in the kitty and did some tin shaking last weekend at the NEC Bike Show, many thanks to those of you who donated, I got another £17.50, huge thanks to Jerry for his donation.

Please dig in your pockets for this appeal - it would be great if HU could pay for this and show that we as bike travellers care about the communities we pass through.

Hey Tiff,
How about telling us how/where to send money.
Now I would not mind at all riding across across two continents to give it to you in person, but it isn't really practical at the moment (and Mongolia itself is closer!!).
So, a paypal account or something would be helpful.
Also, maybe consider posting in "Make a Difference" forum too.

hi i would like to help let me know how

help
 

I'd love to help too......just let us know how.
Rob

How to pay...
 

Hi Chris
Now that you've mentioned it, I reckon that you and Misagi should head over to Mongolia!

A paypal account is available and I hadn't mentioned it earlier as I thought there are bound to be some people who immediately respond letting me know I've omitted the account and therefore this thread will get more of a response.
I expect there is some clever way of putting a link on this thread that would take people straight to the correct paypal bit?
However, as I am still at the more ignorant end of the IT boffin scaledoh, I have no idea how to do that.
Instead I will PM everyone who asks giving them the email address connected with the paypal account.

And for the old-fashioned amongst you - a cheque is just as good.

payable to
T Coates
Bodellan Farmhouse
Porthcurno
Penzance
TR19 6JY

Those who add SWALK on the envelope will have my long-suffering boyfriend to deal with?c?

I will also be shaking a tin at the Cornwall HU Meet in February.

Hi Tiff

I met Belle a few weeks ago as I am one of the lucky ones going with her and Dennis on the C90 scooters :scooter:

You couldnt ask to meet such a lovely warm person, I will be making a donation when I see her next week.

Its true, we sit and moan about not having enough channels on tv or beer is expensive ! but these poor little children have next to nothing..

Thanks
Geordie aka Will

I'm envious of all these lucky people accompanying Dennis to the Gambia, especially those from the North East!
Send me the paypal address too please

hi tiffany i will sort it out all the best to you on the road :scooter:

Hello Tiffany,

maybe you want to use a donating platform like
Betterplace
to help you to organize the fund raising.
100% of the donated money goes towards the project.

Cheers Patrick

PS: I m not associated in any kind with betterplace, it just seems it might be a good push for your project and the kids.

Children in Mongolia
 

Hi Patrick

Thank you for pointing us in the direction of that website, we've been reading through the criteria for it and the pages of terms and conditions to check that the appeal is suitable.
Belle has now set up a bank account specifically for the appeal and all money is being banked there.

Once more thank you to everyone who has donated so far:clap::clap:

Many thanks
Tiffany

Since the cornwall mini-meet is going to be in the back garden at our new house, rather than the school field/village hall as last year, I was looking for a worthy cause to support with donations. I'm sure we can raise a few ££.

hi tiffany done let me if receivied and good luck:scooter:

Hi Rossi
That will be great:D if we can make the whole event a fundraiser for the
Children of Mongolia Appeal - any money-making ideas for the weekend would be gratefully received:clap:
Thank you:thumbup1:

Looking....
 

Hi Pat
If you let me know how you made the payment, then I can respond. At the moment you are not showing up on the paypal account so I'm guessing you've used another method.
PM me if you want.

Many thanks

Hey thanks Rossi and Tiff -that is most excellent! And Tiffany, you've got a PM.

Belle :clap:

Mongolian update for you all
 

Hi everybody - Belle here typing on Nadsicles' log in because she's left it open.

We're currently in Beijing, having made it all the way from London to Mongolia on our Chinese scoots. (Full story on our blog) but we can't access our blog or Facebook readily because the Chinese govt restricts them. So we've resorted to email and posting in the UK via my long suffering husband.

Anyway, as far as donating the money so generously given by Hubbers goes - mission accomplished, although in the best tradition of motorcycling travel, nothing went to plan. The kids mental hospital is no more, our contact buggered us about something chronic, doing everything she possibly could to obstruct us. But we persevered and when we realised that the Mental hospital was not doable, we took and executive decision to help another kids charity that we found, that was very similar and run by a lovely German woman called Ruth, rather than do nothing.

Essentially, Ruth takes in kids with all sorts of difficulties - no homes, orphans, psychological problems, mental handicaps, birth defects etc -and brings them up. Some of the kids will never live unsupported but others have successfully developed into independent adults with lives and jobs of their own. She helps about 34 kids at the moment and everything is run on limited funding, so your money will really help her help the kids. We were really taken aback by how stunned and grateful they were with your generosity, and what a difference it will make to them on an everyday level.

Both of us re confident that every penny will go to the kids and nothing will be spent on admin or other things that some charities seem to spend money on ( director's office refurbishment, conferences,lunches etc). We will be keeping in touch with Ruth and continuing to help her where we can, so if anybody feels the need to donate or wants to visit, please pm us and we will give you her contact details.

Just so you know how we spent the money - we bought some Chinese MP3/Ipod thing copies plus speakers, which is great especially for the kids with mental problems. Such items were out of their reach because they are luxuries and cash could not be spared. But that is sorted now.

Also we bought them a small camera. Their previous one had been nicked and there was no money to replace it. Ruth uses pictures to try and promote and prove to the Mongolian authorities what she does, and the kids use it in their education, particularly to develop their communication skills because language is frequently a problem, and pictures - as that old old song goes - paint 1000 words. The rest of the cash will go into the bank account and be fully accounted for.

And as a last bit from us - we donated the Chinese bike that I bought when my scoot died for the last time to them for them to sell, so that will net them about another £400.00 (600 euros).

Hope that is Ok with everybody - it seemed the right and best thing to do. Thanks very much for all your generousity and there will be a full report and pics in a few weeks when we get back to the UK.

love Belle and Nads :thumbup1:

Thank You and Well Done
 

Wow Belle

Thanks so much for that update from Mongolia/Beijing. You two did a fantstic job riding those scooters out there from Europe:clap::clap:
I was following you on FaceBook (gobi Gals) for anyone who is interested, and yes, Gordon did a great job of keeping us all aware of your progress.

A shame the children's mental hospital is no longer there- and how sad that although it was limited in what it could provide that even those services are no longer available. Well done on tracking down Ruth and I for one feel very happy and confident that you've made the right choice about where to spend the money to benefit disadvantaged children in what is a harsh environment.
I'll buy you both several beers when we catch up again in the UKbier

Thanks Tiff!
As you know, things rarely go to plan. Really helps to be able to be flexible.
Thanks for your help and support.
Looking forward to those beers!!beer