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A vital part of our mission to help the families in our community move forward to a healthy life that does not include scavenging at the dump includes initiatives designed to increase their health & well being as well as their educational status and understanding of opportunities available to them. We strive to engage our community members in as many ways as possible with the great community at large to make them comfortable with their new roles as members of an urban community and to illustrate to them that their lives mean something to the fabric of the greater Mongolian culture.
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH
SOARING CRANE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM
Our summer camp program has been partnering with Global Exploration since 2016 to foster cultural exchange between Dutch students and Mongolian students from our project area. This program goes beyond cultural exchange by providing opportunities for learning, enhancing communication skills, and inspiring children—especially those living in challenging circumstances—to envision a brighter future and take steps toward achieving it.
Please take a look at the following YouTube videos about our summer camp program!
Since 2016, our program has engaged 1,116 children from both Holland and Mongolia in meaningful cultural exchange. The students themselves contributed to building the Soaring Crane Summer Camp facilities, from constructing the fence to planting the trees, creating a space that embodies their shared efforts and collaboration.
CHILDREN'S DAY
Children carry the hopes for a brighter tomorrow and the dreams of a joyful future. Every child deserves love and appreciation, regardless of their background or circumstances. We would not have been able to bring happiness and joy to the children of our community without the generous support of individuals, companies, and donors.
Children's Day, we celebrate these contributions and renew our commitment to ensuring every child's happiness and well-being.
Children's Day, we celebrate these contributions and renew our commitment to ensuring every child's happiness and well-being.
Click the photo to watch short videos of the Children's Day!
"TSAGAAN SAR" FOOD DRIVE
The Tsagaan Sar Food Drive aims to support families in need during the Mongolian Lunar New Year (Tsagaan Sar) celebration. By providing food and essential items, we ensure that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can partake in the traditions of this festive holiday. Through the generosity of our donors, we promote unity, compassion, and the spirit of sharing, making Tsagaan Sar a time of joy and community for all. Since 2017, we have distributed 1,354 food packages to families in need.
Community Coal Distribution-Tsagaan Sar
In conjunction with the American School of Ulaanbaatar.
In 2013, the local English Language high school (ASU) which is mostly populated with Mongolian children from wealthy families, took a serious stand to give their children a chance to develop social consciousness. They contacted us, and, together we hosted a number of events. This was one. The school put together hampers of staples for the poor and elderly in our Sanctuary neighbourhood and raised money to buy coal so that each family could have a warm holiday season complete with food for their bellies. It was lovely to see the students really interact with their impoverished neighbours and begin to realize that they could make a difference in the future of their own country by helping their less fortunate neighbours. It has become an annual Event that is now involving many schools and companies.
In 2013, the local English Language high school (ASU) which is mostly populated with Mongolian children from wealthy families, took a serious stand to give their children a chance to develop social consciousness. They contacted us, and, together we hosted a number of events. This was one. The school put together hampers of staples for the poor and elderly in our Sanctuary neighbourhood and raised money to buy coal so that each family could have a warm holiday season complete with food for their bellies. It was lovely to see the students really interact with their impoverished neighbours and begin to realize that they could make a difference in the future of their own country by helping their less fortunate neighbours. It has become an annual Event that is now involving many schools and companies.
The Love Continues - New Clothes for Tsagaan Sar
Thanks to the amazing generosity of one woman, Anujin a staunch supporter of our foundation, over 100 children had brand new clothes for Tsagaan Sar. For many of these children this was their very first brand new outfit and thus very exciting! Anujin had thought a few years ago to open a high-end children's clothing store, but as happens sometimes in life, the plans for the store never got off the ground and she ended up with a container full of brand-new clothes. In an act of generosity, she decided to distribute these new clothes to the neediest children from our community. She and her uncle came up to see the joy on the children's faces when they received their gifts. Thank you, Anujin, for making so many children's Tsagaan Sar a wonderful one!
From Left to Right - Muugii ( Kindergarten Chief), one of the parents, Julie Veloo , Anujin's Uncle, Anujin ( our so generous donor!) Baskaa ( Veloo Foundation Local NGO partner and Chairman of the Board for the Kindergarten) Shinee ( Willing Volunteer) and Chelvan Veloo - President of Veloo Foundation.
Because this wonderfully generous donation is a group of clothes that were originally going to be sold in a local designer shop there were a number of replicas of the same article in different sizes ... certainly made for a very coordinated group of children!
Because this wonderfully generous donation is a group of clothes that were originally going to be sold in a local designer shop there were a number of replicas of the same article in different sizes ... certainly made for a very coordinated group of children!
WARM WINTER JACK DRIVE
The annual Warm Winter Jacket Drive aims to provide essential winter clothing, specifically warm jackets, to children in need during the harsh winter months. The initiative focuses on ensuring they have the warmth and protection necessary to stay safe and healthy in freezing temperatures. Through the generosity of donors, the drive fosters compassion, support, and solidarity, making winter more bearable for those most at risk.
Since 2021, we have delivered 838 warm and versatile Mongolian deel-style jackets to children in the community and the countryside, whose parents struggle to afford winter clothes due to limited or no income. These jackets have been distributed to children from kindergartens, 124th School, 158th Kindergarten, ‘Unur Bul’ Foster Care Center, and reindeer herder families in the Taiga
FLOOD RESPONSE
In 2023, Ulaanbaatar experienced several destructive flooding incidents, causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods. Many families have lost their belongings, homes, and sources of income, leaving them in urgent need of help and support.
As part of our relief efforts, 130 families from the Bayanzurkh district, who were severely affected by the floods, have received donation hampers.
As part of our relief efforts, 130 families from the Bayanzurkh district, who were severely affected by the floods, have received donation hampers.
Each hamper contains food ingredients, warm blankets, bed sheets, backpacks with stationery, and sanitary liquid. We hope that this support provides much-needed relief to these families during such challenging times. Recovery from a natural disaster can take anywhere from 3 to 18 months, or even longer.
GER DISTRIBUTION
The Ger Distribution initiative is to provide safe and stable housing for families in need, particularly those living in challenging conditions such as harsh winters or in makeshift shelters. By distributing gers (traditional Mongolian yurts) and essential materials, the project helps improve living standards, offering warmth, security, and dignity to those who lack adequate housing. This initiative also fosters community resilience by ensuring that vulnerable families can endure tough living conditions while preserving their cultural heritage.
In 2016, it is both Infrastructure and relief. How often do you get to say, " Oh yeah...today we gave homes to over 15 families?" Well, that's what we did. Thanks to a very generous donation of no longer needed gers by Oyu Tolgoi, we were able to give full houses to homeless families scavenging up at the dump. As always, these distributions are a huge undertaking. And...again...as always, we had very short notice. This meant that we needed a crew to help unload a 40 foot container full of gers...in an hour....
It was "Community to the rescue!!" We called up parents and siblings of children at the kindergarten, neighbours, friends and colleagues. And everyone came. Because everyone wanted to be part of helping people who needed help. With almost no notice and in the crisp February air (read..blasted cold!!) they worked. Packing and carrying and sorting and sharing. No small job. At the end of it, we were very happy and honoured to have been a part of it and were VERY happy that we had at least Veloo Foundation hats to share with the crew who so valiantly stepped up to help us make the whole ger distribution work.
January 2013- Community Soup Kitchen in conjunction with the teachers and children from the American School of Ulaanbaatar
This was a wonderful initiative undertaken by ASU guidance counselor and teacher, Canadian Robert Hotlet. He approached us about giving the ASU students an opportunity to see how the other half live. Literally. Most of the children, even though they are almost all Mongolian from UB had never been to the ger districts where the majority of urban Mongolians live. It was an eye opener for them. They were very nervous at first, but very soon realized that the kids are, in fact, just kids and if you play with them they will play with you. The most touching thing of all was going back to the classroom a week later and having one student (in grade 12) with tears in his eyes tell us that the visit had completely changed his future and how he would approach his chosen career as a politician. We look forward to working with this school in the future.
Saving Anand
Early in 2013, we were informed about a little 11 month old Mongolian boy named Anand who, without immediate lifesaving heart surgery would die. He had been diagnosed at 28 days old, and his mother had been trying valiantly ever since to find a way to get him treatment. The problem? The heart surgery is not available in Mongolia and he kept being denied by groups who thought his problem was too complicated, that the risk of his not surviving was too great. We heard about him, and that he needed to be sent overseas within a few weeks or his life would be over – likely before his first birthday. Julie and Jacob Veloo found out about it on a Tuesday. A meeting at the hospital with Anand, his mom and the head of Cardiology and representatives from two other Mongolian NGO’s was quickly arranged for Wednesday and, with the assurance from the doctor that Anand was still strong enough to survive the very complicated surgery and the assistance of the MedPro Vision who had everything arranged for him to have the surgery in India and in cooperation with International Women’s Association of Mongolia and a number of private donors, Veloo Foundation ensured that Anand was sent to India. He left on the Saturday and underwent surgery on Tuesday. His surgery was a complete success and he returned happy and healthy to Mongolia where he now lives in Hintee with his parents. Oh, and he just had his second birthday!
