1. ANNUAL REPORT FOR NGO DEVELOPMENT
CO-OPERATION PROJECT
YEAR 2008____ PROJECT CODE______ 75300701____________________
1. Hankkeen perustiedot
1. Basic information on the Project
1.1 Name of Organisation registered in Finland
Suomen ylioppilaskuntien liitto SYL ry
1.2 Name of Organisation in English
National Union of University Students in Finland
1.3 Name of Project in Finnish
Kiertävät kirjastot ja koulutuskeskukset
1.4 Name of Project in English
Travelling libraries and training centres (TL-TCs)
1.5 Name of Project in other relevant language
1.6 Location of Project (country, province, village/community)
Mongolia, 3 aimags (provinces): Tov, Arkhangai, Dornod.
1.7 Name of co-operation Partner
Information, Education and Communication Centre IEC
1.8 Planned initiation and termination dates of the Project
January 2007- December 2009.
1.9 Summary of the core idea of the Project and the key results and impacts achieved
(see Project plan, 1.11.)
For vocabulary see point 7
Page 1/18

2. The objective of the project is to provide an improved non-governmental mobile library and training
service (TL-TC) in Tuv, Arkhangai and Dornod aimags.
During 2008 there have been 13 163 users in the libraries and 11878 participants in the trainings
provided by TL-TCs. 4417 books have been bought for the libraries and through TL-TCs wide
marketing it has became more known within its target beneficiaries.
During the reporting year the travelling libraries-training centres visited 55 soums (municipalities).
There have been 158 trainings organized in civic education, vocational training and small business.
The impact of the project can be seen in the small change of behaviour of the people who have
participated in the trainings and used the libraries´ services.
The citizens who have participated in trainings have been establishing community groups for
generating income, protection of environment, repairing old wells, preventing desertification and
supporting rotational grazing. The bagh (village) community trainings encourage people to be more
active in every day life and they have started to participate more in bagh citizens´meetings.
1.10 Financing summary
Year ____2008______ Euros
Project support not used in the previous year
(incl. not withdrawn + withdrawn unused funds)
Support approved for the reporting year 44 687
Total Project support available for the reporting year 44 687
Total Project support used during the reporting year 44 381,48
Funds not used, transferred to be used and reported in the following year 305,52
(incl. not withdrawn + withdrawn unused funds)
1.11 Other financing of the Project during the reporting year, if any.
Please state here the amount and source of this financing.
1. Support of project against violence in Tuv aimag supported by Citizens Alliance, National Centre
against Violence, Human Rights Commission (1100 euros)
2. Juridical consultation for women supported by Swiss private persons (6000 euros)
3. Book donation from Switzerland (approx. 500 euros)
4. Support for community groups by Global Environmental Facility´s Small Grant Programs, UNDP (5
500 euros)
5. Support in Arkhangai aimag for the librarian´s education, internet and phone costs, computer,
printer, helping with developing curricula, supporting small projects developed together with other
NGOs and community groups by Mercy Corps (3340 euros)
2. Co-operation Partner and co-operation procedure
2.1 How did the co-operation Partner participate in the implementation of the Project?
(e.g. Did they provide labour, economic resources, other assets?)
Page 2/18

3. IEC provided the project with computers, a printer and a copying machine.
IEC´s employees implemented all project activities. Their main activities were to carry out summer
travel with gers (Mongolian housing tent, jurtta), to advertise and organize events and trainings. They
also took care of the book exchange, and looked for new partners to widen the circulation. They kept
records of the users of library services and collected feedback from participants of the trainings.
2.2 Were there other parties involved in the co-operation (e.g. Finnish, local or international
organisations or officials)? Please describe their role and involvement in the Project.
Cooperation with administration was most of the time fluent. According to the co-operation contracts
with Tuv and Arkhangai aimags, administrators invited TL-TCs to participate in their programs and
events to distribute information. The Citizens' Representatives Assembly in Arkhangai is IEC's best
partner on distributing information and collecting feedback from citizens. In all aimags TL-TCs’
managers also met with new governors and administrative personnel in order to guarantee the
continuity of the collaboration. In many occasions the administrative personnel took part in and helped
with organizing TL-TC's own events, they also used TL-TCs' library services actively.
Direct support from public administration was given by Arkhangai’s Gurvantamir College and Tuv
aimag’s 5th school, which gave TL-TCs office rooms for free of charge to be used as TL-TC libraries.
They also provided electricity and heating costs.
In order to widen the variety of its books, TL-TCs exchange books with the library of the Cultural
Centre of Mongolia, the library of the Culture and Education office, school and public libraries in
aimags and soums and with the local branches of World Vision and Save the Children. Some people
also donated books, magazines and newspapers to TL-TCs. In many soums books and newspapers
were distributed to shops, hairdressers' salons and market stands.
TL-TCs organized most of its activities (such as trainings, discussions, forums, competitions) in
collaboration with the following organizations:
- Administration of aimags and soums
- School and public libraries (book exchange, sometimes TL-TCs use class rooms for activities)
- Day-care centres (TL-TCs organize different activities, such as drawing competitions, drama plays,
reading the children books, tales. etc)
- Local NGOs (on the initiative of TL-TCs a local NGO network was established, a local network
against violence against women and children was established, fund raising and organizing activities
together, for example, TL-TCs in Arkhangai helped 5 NGOs to receive support from the Mercy Corp,
TL-TC in Dornod found support for an orphanage, support for community groups, such as the herders
or children´s councils)
- Mongolian National Library (consultation, book donation)
- "Mongol cinema" ("Mongol kino") union
- CAC studio (contract on purchasing movies to TL-TCs)
- "Mongol potato" state program (books for TL-TCs were bought, trainers were invited to Tuv aimag’s
Family farmers conference)
- Labor and Social Care departments of aimags (TL-TCs were invited to organize business trainings:
Arkhangai once, Tuv once and Dornod twice)
- Health departments of aimags were invited to our events for participating, giving information
- Medical centres of aimags were invited to our events for participating, giving information
- Centres for Vocational training and production in aimags (book exchange, using the rooms for
activities)
- FM 106.5 station (marketing, broadcasting TL-TC´s programme on news, new books, human and
children´s rights)
- Local TV station in Zuunmod, Tuc aimag (marketing, broadcasting TL-TC´s on news, new books,
human and children´s rights)
- Kherlen soum’s private TV, Dornod aimag (marketing)
- Business incubator in Arkhangai and Dornod (organizing trainings together)
Page 3/18

4. - Trade union in Tuv aimag (member of the local network against violence)
- Tan-Mercy Corp (TL-TC in Arkhangai is a partner organization for TAN)
- Sport committee of Tuv aimag (the first library room is located there, organizing together the IEC’s
annual dame competition)
- Children organizations in Tuv aimag (announcing and organizing competitions among chidren)
- Union of senior teachers (buying books for TL-TC, participation in our activities)
- National Centre against violence (trainings, information dissemination, consultation to victims)
- World Vision (book exchange, providing food for Shelter house in Tuv aimag, is which our second
librarian works volunterarely as social worker)
- ADRA (purchased seeds)
- The Global Environment Facility’s Small Grant Programme, UNDP (information dissemination,
support of community groups, children’s counsels)
3. Sustainability of the Project
3.1 How did predictable or unprecedented external factors affect the implementation of the Project?
(economic, social, environmental or cultural factors)
The highly increased prices (petroleum, services, food, water, electricity) complicated the
implementation of all the activities planned. The inflation rate in Mongolia in 2008 was around 32%.
The increased costs made the salaries paid in the project insufficient. This needs to be taken into
consideration for the year 2009.
Year 2008 was election year in Mongolia. It was harder to get people in the countryside to come to the
libraries because they wanted to stay home and wait for the people campaigning to come and visit
them and bring them gifts.
There was also a quarantine caused by an enter virus could epidemic. During the quarantine trainings
were prohibited.
A lot of families that participated in the vegetable training course harvested bad potatoes. Some of the
reasons for bad harvest are unknown. One of the reasons was inadequate watering.
3.2 How has the local government, local organisation or the beneficiaries themselves taken
responsibility for the economic sustainability and continuation of the Project?
Local administration helped to circulate books to soums and within soums. They also informed
residents about TL-TC activities, helped with settlement of gers, organized transport to herders'
communities and provided electricity especially in Arkhangai and Tuv. In Dornod and Arkhangai
aimag´s Citizens´representatives Khurals provided Tl.TC´s with all the orders, decisions and meeting
minutes of aimag administration.
All governors in Tuv aimag paid transportation costs either from baghs to baghs, or from the last bagh
to the next soum. All the governors in Tuv aimag, and some in Arkhangai and Dornod aimags helped
with circulating the books.
Users of the libraries and participants of the trainings and other events helped by spreading information
about TL-TC's and trainings. Participants brought yellow water left from the soured milk to milk training.
They also provided quilting training with sewing machines, needles, threads and scissors.
Children and youth helped to repair damaged books.
Page 4/18

5. 4. Beneficiaries
4.1 Who were the direct beneficiaries of the Project, and how many were there?
- Library users in Aimag Centres
o Zuunmod (Tuv): 5017
o Choibalsan (Dornod): 1254
o Tsetserleg (Arkhangai): 1728
- Users of Travelling Library
o Tuv: 1781
o Dornod: 1422
o Arkhangai: 1961
In total there were 13 163 readers of which
25.5% male
74.5% female
34.5% children
61.3% people of middle age
4.2% old people
Besides the borrowing users many people came to read books and magazines in the libraries. The
amount of users declined slightly compared with year 2007 (13 478).
- Participants in trainings
- Tuv: 2117 (733 male and 1384 female)
- Dornod: 985 (342/643)
- Arkhangai: 8776 (2042/6734)
There were 158 trainings organized on vocational skills, small business and civic education. There
were in total 11878 participants (3117 male and 8761 female). The number on participants has
increased highly compared with last year (1755 in 2007). The sharp increase in partly due to a big
hygiene training which had 7130 participants.
4.2 Who were the indirect beneficiaries of the Project?
Indirect beneficiaries were the families of library users and training participants. Other indirect
beneficiaries were the employees of the project and their families and IEC as an organization. Also
local administration involved in the project was indirect beneficiary of the project.
If the project support granted was less than 20.000 €, please answer the following question:
4.3 How did the beneficiaries participate in the Project?
Page 5/18

6. If the project support granted was 20.000 € or more, please answer the following question:
4.4 Please specify the way in which each group of beneficiaries participated in the Project.
Library users and participant of trainings
The library users and participants of trainings helped to inform about the arriving TL-TCs and trainings.
Participants brought some materials to the trainings (for example whey). Children and youth helped to
repair the books. The library users and participants also gave feedback and presented wishes for
books to purchase and ways to improve trainings as well as general implementation of the project.
Employees of Information, Education and Communication Centre IEC
o Management, coordination of all project activities,
o Responsibility for accounting and monitoring of activities and finance, reports.
o Connection to different organizations and persons for supporting TL-TCs.
o Purchasing books, training materials, gers, equipment needed.
o Developing agenda, curriculas of trainings, handouts, training materials.
o Translation of English and German materials into Mongolian for newsletters and handouts,
manuals.
o Organizing trainings together and separately from TL-TCs.
o Finding donators, partners.
Local administration
Local administrations helped to circulate books and helped to inform about the activities. Local
administration also helped with getting rooms and in the settlement of gers and also with transportation
to herders´ communities and electricity connections especially in Arkhangai and Tuv. All governors in
Tuv aimag took part in transportation costs.
In Dornod and Arkhangai Aimag’s Citizens representatives Khurals gave orders, decisions, meeting
minutes to TL-TCs for the purpose of people reaching these documents and monitoring the local
budget.
5. Project objective, implementation and monitoring
OBJECTIVE
5.1 Has the objective(s) of the Project remained the same as in the original Project plan? If they have
changed, please describe how.
The objectives have remained the same.
Long term objective: To reduce the negative impacts of poverty in the region of Tov, Arkhangai and
Dornod aimags in Mongolia.
Direct objective: Provide an improved library and training service in Tov, Arkhangai and Dornod
aimags.
Page 6/18

7. IMPLEMENTATION
5.2 Have the objectives of the Project been implemented by the activities as mentioned in the Action
Plan? If the activities are different from the original plan, please state the reason for the change and
the nature of the current plan of action. Has the Project proceeded according to the original
timetable?
The project consists of two parts: 1. Expanded and improved Travelling Libraries’ services, 2.
Expanded and improved Training Centres.
The project has been implemented by the activities described in the project plan with some
adjustments. In addition to the activities described in detail in the project plan a great variety of different
activities has also been implemented. These activities also support the objectives of the project and
they are described in detail according to each aimag.in appendix 1.
1. Expanding and improving the Travelling Libraries´ services
In the original plan the idea was that the travelling libraries would travel in their distinctive aimags from
May to October. This period has proved to be too long for the year 2008 especially due to the
increased costs of petroleum. Other reasons for shortening the summer travel were the elections in
Mongolia, the quarantine because of an epidemic and the delay in financing the project. Due to these
reasons the summer travel was then limited to only from June to July. But for implementing the
planned activities TL-TCs used the Mongolian officials´ trips to soums during the latter part of the year.
As a result, TL-TCs visited more places than planned.
From October to May the libraries operated in the aimag capitals as planned, in rooms rented from or
provided by the local government. Library material was also circulated in small lockable boxes among
the remote communities and nomadic families during the whole year.
The three new librarians recruited in 2007 acted both as librarians and trainers in the trainings
organized by the TL-TCs. The new librarian in Dornod aimag was replaced by another worker due to
his poor performance.
Activities in detail:
* Circulation of books and information material in boxes within each aimag by civil servants
-This was done according to the plan
* Increasing the number of soums TL-TCs visit from 10 to 20 (May - October)
-The soums visited in 2008 were altogether 55
* Purchase of more books, magazines and newspapers for the Travelling Libraries
-In 2008 4417 books were bought
* Marketing of the TL-TCs among the aimag population
-Due to increased costs the planned TV programme was not done. The activities by which TL-TCs
were marketed:
Interview in newspaper “Arkhangai’s life” on TL-TC’s activities and co-operation between government
and CSOs.
The permanent IEC’s programs (Arkhangai’s Tamir television) on news, activities (5-10 minutes).
Marketing of TL-TC’s activities at the 2, 3, 7, 9th baghs meetings (215 people) in Dornod.
Announcing TL-TC’s activities through Kherlen soum (Dornod) private TV, FM station (3 times).
Announcing TL-TC’s trainings through Zuunmod TV, Zuunmod FM station (8 times).
Marketing through Arkhangai aimag’s women’s event Mongoljin, Tuv aimag’s Physics Olimpiad and
Tuv aimag’s Domino Competition.
Marketing through IEC’s newsletter “Amar baina uu” (Greetings)
Marketing through Tuv aimag’s network “Struggle against violence against women” and Dornod’s
network “Against violence against women and children” founded by initiative of TL-TCs together with
governmental and non-governmental institutions.
Marketing by awarding people with special IEC certificates.
Page 7/18

8. Together with Mongolian National Library and “Mongol cinema” union IEC organized press conference
which was broadcasted through national-wide televisions and written in news of daily newspapers. For
the 8 years anniversary of TL-TCs they reported briefly about activities, co-operation with different
organizations, donors, achievements and new plans.
In all aimags TL-TCs announced about summer travel, trainings through LEOS members, local
administrations, Citizens Representatives Assemblies and cultural centres. In some places the
announces were broadcasted through local televisions. For posters TL-TCs used doors and windows
in shops and pubs.
* Recruitment of one new librarian per aimag, total of three persons (done in 2007)
* Training of new librarians (done in 2007)
* Purchase of more book boxes (done in 2007)
* Purchase one nomadic ger per aimag with equipments, total of 3 gers (done in 2007)
* Further education of all librarians
-Education for librarians was organized.
* Trucks hired to move TL-TC gers and materials (May - October).
-SYL has provided additional support (10 413 euros) for IEC for buying trucks for the project. This extra
support money from SYL has also been taken into account in the audit report received from Mongolia.
2. Expanding and improving the Training Centres
The Training Centres have been developed to informal travelling training centres providing short term
professional skills training courses. The aim of skills training is to provide new means of self sufficiency
and food security. The curriculum has been expanded from the existing short civic education trainings
to include vocational skills training and small business training (also included in vocational skills
trainings). Trainings have been conducted the whole year: summertime travelling in the TL-TCs gers in
countryside soums and in wintertime in aimag capital libraries and travelling without own ger using
communities’ settled gers. The amount of participants in the trainings increased highly, from 1755 in
2007 to 11878 in 2008. Although one important explanation for this increase was a major hygiene
training which had 7130 participants (mainly pupils, NGO activists and monks).
Activities included in all trainings in detail:
* Preparing schedule
-This was done by the Manager in the central office and the Managers in aimags.
* Surveying educational needs in every 3 aimags
-This was done by interviewing the people.
* Recruitment of trainers
-This was done by the IEC Manager and the TL-TC Managers in aimags
* Training of trainers
-TL-TC´s own workers are now more skilled to conduct more trainings by themselves.
* Preparing curricula
-This was done by the Manager in the central office and the Managers in aimags.
* Purchasing training materials
-A full equipment for two separators was bought. Also 20 shovels and 5 milk containers were
purchased.
* Development of learning materials (paper and video)
-Different materials for trainings include the titles:
1. Decoration trees
2. Potato illnesses
3. Change of mind
4. Coming to groups
6. Group promoters
7. Poor and their money
8. Saving and credit unions (different for people, who establish the union and for people, who want to
become a member)
* Providing feedback and follow up mechanism
-In Arkhangai aimag a test for testing the knowledge of participants before and after trainings has been
developed and used. The same test has been used to smaller extent also in Dornod and Tuv.
* Marketing of trainings
Page 8/18

9. -see "* Marketing of the TL-TCs among the aimag population" above
* Organizing the training.
-A complete list of all the trainings organized in 2008 can be found in the appendix 2.
If the project support granted was less than 20.000 €, please answer the following question:
5.3 Please estimate how and how successfully the objectives of the Project have been achieved from
the beginning of the Project and during the reporting year.
If the project support granted was 20.000 € or more, please answer the following question:
5.4 Please describe the results that have been achieved since the beginning of the Project and during
the reporting year.
According to the project plan the results targeted by the project are:
Expanded and improved Travelling Libraries’ services provide knowledge and information
- better resourced libraries
- number of soums visited doubled
- 1/4 higher instance of use in all three aimags
Expanded and improved Training Centres provide skills, small business and civic education training
- number of soums where training are held doubled
- TC managers able to organize trainings on wider variety of topics
- trained people use learned skills
- learning material produced
- trained people are satisfied with the trainings
As can be seen from the activities described in 5.2, all these targeted results have been achieved fairly
well. In addition to these results more profound and less tangible changes have also been achieved.
From the beginning of the project TL-TCs have expanded their capacity and increased their activities.
TL-TCs have began to work in a new level. Before they served rural people, especially nomads with
library services and on the educational front concentrated on civic education. Now they work more on
helping people to generate income, to establish business, to co-operate, to save money, etc. In 2008
158 trainings were organized. The number of readers decreased from 13478 in 2007 to 13163 in 2008,
the number of training participants increased from 1755 in 2007 to 11878 in 2008. One reason for the
increase was a big hygiene training which had 7130 participants. In total in 2008 there were 25041
direct beneficiries (15233 in 2007).
In total IEC has now 8 staff members (in 2007 there were 5): 2 women at the central office, 2 women in
Dornod, 2 women in Tuv aimag and 1 woman and 1 man in Arkhangai aimag. All 6 staff members in
aimags work as librarians and trainers. The recruitment of more staff in 2007 and organizing training
for them has increased IEC´s capacity.
Citizens who participated in trainings have been establishing community groups for generating income,
protection of environment, repairing old wells, preventing desertification and supporting rotational
grazing. As a result of trainings and dissemination of information on business and issues related to
people’s life, TL-TCs are getting more known and wider popular. People are getting more active in
business and start to look for information and to cooperate with each other. Bagh community trainings
encourage people to be more active in every day life. More people participate in bagh citizens
meetings, demand reports from the governors, their representatives in Citizens’ representatives
assembly and raise the importantance of the community life issues.
Page 9/18

10. As a result of trainings and discussions people have started to look more intensively for jobs, to
establish family businesses and search for possibilities to study. This year behaviour of governors at
the different levels and civil servants trying to be selected was different. This is also somehow result of
TL-TCs work to influence the people. TL-TCs do not critize the administration, or argue with the ardent
supporters but they try to push people to define themselves community needs, family needs, which
services are excellent, which are to to improved and which should be established.
It is very important that people understand to come and take part to soum and bagh citizens´ meetings
and find out what is done in their community and discuss what should be done. People participating in
TL-TCs trainings are better equipped to participate in the meetings and contribute to their community´s
and their own lives.
If the project support granted was less than 20.000 €, please answer the following question:
5.5 How did the separation of responsibilities in the implementation of the Project work?
If the project support granted was 20.000 € or more, please answer the question:
5.6 Describe the implementation and monitoring procedure of the Project and the responsibility of each
party therein.
Board Monitoring committee
Manager IEC
Assistant/Accountant
Manager, Tov Manager, Arkhangai Manager, Dornod
Librarian/trainer Librarian/trainer Librarian/trainer
trainers
IEC Board was responsible of implementation of the project by making decisions on plans and
monitoring TL-TCs reports and feedbacks. In addition to meetings the members were also consulted
by phone or emails by the IEC Manager.
Board members:
1. Ms. Ch. Nadmid, chairperson, Chairperson of the “Sain Noenkhaan” foundation
2. Ms. Ch. Gankhuyag, member, director of the construction company “Ikh ordon”
3. Ms. G. Erdenechimeg, member, Chief-manager of the “Petrovis”, LLC
4. Mr. R. Barsbold, member, Director of the Academy of Geology
5. Ms. P. Odonchimeg, member responsible for executive board of the IEC, director
Monitoring committee was responsible of monitoring the implementation of the project. The committee
monitored activities and financing two times in 2008 and visited three meeting of the Board.
Page 10/18

11. Committee members:
- C. Bayarbilig, tax inspector
- D. Bayarkhuu, LEOS member
- Ts. Tsagaankhuu, engineer
IEC Manager implemented the board decisions and reported to the board and monitoring committee.
Two staff member at the central office were responsible for project activities´ execution, making plans,
correction, connection, marketing, receiving reports, feedbacks, developing agendas, training
materials, manuals, financial transactions, accounting, preparing narrative and financial reports, calling
the Board meetings and raising funds.
Aimag Managers and Librarians/Trainers were responsible of executing project activities in the aimag
level and reporting of them to the central office.
MONITORING
5.7 How did the responsible persons in the Finnish organisation follow the implementation of the
Project and the use of financial resources? How did they participate in the implementation
themselves?
Development cooperation coordinators in SYL (until the end of August Teemu Sokka and from then on
Anni Vihriälä) have kept in touch with the IEC manager Odonchimeg by email, text messages
and Skype conferences. Coordinators have reported both to SYL´s board and to SYL´s advisory board
of development cooperation (KENKKU), formed by voluntary development cooperation specialists from
students´ unions. The project has been discussed in detail in KENKKU´s monthly meetings, by emails
and also in KENKKU`s Mongolia group meetings.
IEC provides SYL coordinator and KENKKU with annual and quarterly narrative and financial reports.
The financial report form is made by SYL and it follows the Ministry of Foreign Affairs´ form for financial
reporting.
In October Anni Vihriälä and Saila Tykkyläinen, a member of KENKKU, visited Mongolia in order to
monitor the project. During the monitoring trip a field trip to Tuv aimag was carried out and all the
coordinators in aimags and the board was met. During the trip it became evident that although there
were some difficulties in the cooperation during the reporting year, there is a great need for the kind of
services that TL-TCs provide and that the beneficiaries felt satisfied with the service.
5.8 How did the local co-operation partners follow the implementation of the Project?
IEC monitored the implementation of the project through keeping records of readers and training
participants, collecting feedback, communicating with partner organizations and interviewing
beneficiaries. Arkhangai's manager has also developed a questionnaire for training, with which a
possible progress in participant's skills can be estimated. All the aimag coordinators provide the project
manager with quarterly reports from the field. The project manager also visits the aimags regularly.
The project manager reports the implemented activities and finances to the board and the monitoring
committee. During the reporting year the monitoring committee monitored activities and financing two
times and visited three meetings of the board.
Page 11/18

12. 5.9 What kind of qualitative or quantitative data was collected on the advancement of the Project?
1. Travelling Libraries
- Number of books borrowed:
Aimag library Travelling library Books sent in boxes
Arkhangai 1928 342 116
Tuv 3819 2329 521
Dornod 1754 622 288
- Topics of the new books
Subjects: Subscription of daily and weekly newspapers, newsletters for children, literature for adults,
tales and stories for children, Government rules, Biointensive vegetable growing, Basics of agriculture,
The third agriculture program of Mongolian government, Misfortune of country reach with national
resources, Technology for collecting and protecting the water, ABC of family business, Information for
migrants, Mongolian Development report, Philosophy of Buddhism, Election problems in Mongolia,
How can women win election, Election PR, Mongolian public libraries report (Year 2005, 2006), Potato,
Use of beers, decorative trees and bushes for gardening, growing grasses, Old recipes of medicine,
Accounting, Family values (serial), Politics, Real leadership, Legal basics of business, Legal acts on
health, The current situation of domestic violence and needs of victims, Handicrafts, literature for
children, Family farmers, Advices to develop business plan on growing bees, Legal acts on
environment, Corruption in countries, Mongolia’s situation on Human rights and freedom, A role of
government in agriculture, Monitoring of the government’s service, Contribution to a sustainable
development of electricity sector of Mongolia etc.
- Number of boxes purchased: None (the boxes were bought in 2007)
- Number, gender and age of readers: 13163 (25.5% male, 74.5% female; 34.5% children, 61.3%
people of middle age, 4.2% old people)
- Topics of books borrowed and read: the most popular items were newspapers, children’s literature
and information on business.
- Visited soums: 55
- Kilometres travelled: about 12862 km
- Number of trucks hired: 2
- The quality and relevance of training according to the feedback, interviews and observations made by
TL-TC's workers: Excellent
- Number of the pieces of equipment purchased: full equipment for 2 separators, 20 shovels and 5 milk
containers.
2. Training Centres
A. Statistics
- Number of trainings and courses held: 158
- Number of people participated in the courses: 11878
- Proportion of women of the participants: 73.8%
- Age of the participants: in average 40-45 years
- Number of learning material available per student: In some courses everybody received their own
material, while in some cases three to five people shared training material
- Information on trainers (educational background, sex etc.): All except librarian-trainer in Arkhangai
were women, all were certified trainers.
B. Feedback
- Participants' opinions on the quality and relevance of the training based on feedback and interviews.
Small business training
* Training on marketing was seen useful, for example the importance of realizing market-research
before starting with production was new to many.
Page 12/18

13. * Developing business plans with participants was seen important, it made many plan more realistic
and functional. Problem was that some participants wanted to receive ready-made business plans just
to modify them a bit, some asked trainers to develop plans for them.
Vocational skills training
* Participant became more self-sufficient, since they are now able to make for example linen and other
goods for their households, and thus save money.
* Practical training on handicrafts gave people feeling that they have possibilities to generate income
by selling their products.
* There were many unemployed people taking part in these courses. Training taught them to make
small souvenirs and earn some money.
* There were people who had already participated in vocational training, but were complaining that they
could not use the knowledge and business skills because of the lack of money. In general people are
very interested in vocational training, but often poverty forms an obstacle to use the skills learnt in
training.
Vegetable growing and chicken breeding
* People who participated in vegetable training and received seeds were satisfied with them, since in
training they got information about soil, seeds and watering. They also gained technical skills and
received consultation on the spot. Unfortunately TL-TCs could give consultation only to few
participants.
* People who were given pieces of advice on the field or who took part in course titled “How to get rid
of weeds” said the information provided was helpful. During the training on the field they learnt for
example how to fight insects.
* Chicken breeding was seen as an option also for poorer and unemployed people; at the very least it
can give them some level of self-sufficiency.
Civic education
* Theoretically many people seem to know their rights, the problem is how to realize and defence them.
* Children who participated in “My constitution, my rights” were astonished that laws and regulations
have so much influence on their lives. Also the participatory method used in training was new for
children.
General feedback
* Because many employees have to work from morning until night, they have very little possibilities to
attend to trainings and to receive information. The TL-TCs’ activities fill out these gaps by offering
library and training services also during weekends.
* The possibility to read newspapers and books, to attend useful training and to have accurate
information about rights free of charge is a great opportunity.
* For women it is both useful and relaxing to use 1-2 days per month for enhancing their skills.
* Both the users of library services and the training participants ask TL-TCs to organize events and
courses encouraging people to be active in their lives.
* It was stated that the activities run by TL-TCs are becoming rarer and rarer in today´s Mongolia.
5.10 How has the Project budget been realised? If the realised costs in one or more of the budget
sections differ by 15 % from the planned costs, please explain here.
The Project budget has been realized as planned, the realised costs in Mongolia do not differ more
than 15 % in any of the sections.
However, the following adjustments were made:
1. Because of an error in calculation of summer travel allowances, SYL and IEC agreed to not
broadcast TV program.
2. The price of the petroleum was in increase. IEC also had to do unscheduled visits to soums in Tuv
aimag on people’s request to define soil and to reorganize training on business plans and vegetable
Page 13/18

14. growing. Because of the increased price and the visits, the travelling costs met with the budget
although the summer travel was shorter than planned.
3. Due to inflation rate around 30%, the IEC's expenditure on telephone bills, electricity and
petroleum rose.
4. More money as budgeted was used on learning materials. This was mainly because of preparing a
special issue for "Greetings" to be used in the vegetable training. Also the marketing costs were a bit
higher because of additional material produced for marketing.
5. 300 euros were not used during the monitoring trip. This amount has been used in 2009 for audit
costs for 2008 as agreed with the Ministry.
5.11 Where and how were the accounting and audit of the Project arranged?
The audit was carried out in Mongolia by
Azurit Audit Company
Ulaanbaatar, Chingeltei district, Puma building, section 12A, #04
Phone: 99098727
e-mail: gantuya@cpa.mn
The report received from the auditor of Azurit Audit Company did not meet with SYL´s criteria for a
report that could be approved. Therefore a decision was made to contract a new audit company to do a
new audit for the year 2008. This was financed partly with the money left from the monitoring trip in
2008 (300 euros) as agreed with the Ministry and the missing amount was provided by SYL. Panthere
Midland Audit company is one of the 6 companies in the list of approved audit firms for Mongolia
published by USAID.
(http://www.usaid.gov/oig/public/mcc/resources/mcc_list_of_approved_audit_firms_for_mongolia.pdf)
Panthere Midland Audit LLC
Gurvan Gal Office Centre, 4th floor-Suite 404
Chinggis Khaan Avenue 614
Sukhbaatar District
Ulaanbaatar
Phone: +976 11 319836, Fax: +976 11 319836
email:pantheremidland@gmail.com
Internet: www.pantheremidland.mn
5.12 Has the organisation carried out an evaluation of the Project during the reporting year?
If so, please state here the findings in brief. Please also attach the evaluation report.
The IEC's monitoring committee together with the board watched over the use of the project funds. The
committee monitored activities and financing two times in 2008 and visited three IEC board meetings.
5.13. How has the organization informed of the Project? Give details on the target groups, information
material and distribution channels.
The members of KENKKU inform about the project in their own universities. SYL also has a mailing list
for all the university students interested in development cooperation issues and information about the
project can also be found in the internet on SYL`s development cooperation webpage.
Page 14/18

15. 6. Lessons learned and the continuation of the Project
6.1 Describe the nature of problems encountered during the Project and the attempts to sove them.
(e.g. in reaching the beneficiaries, working to keep to the timetable and other risks not included in
3.7)
One problem encountered during 2008 was the increased living costs in Mongolia, which influenced
the implementation of the project. IEC staff members see especially the rising petroleum costs and the
low wage level of the employees as a considerable handicap even though they are very motivated by
the project. The demand to increase salaries has been taken into account for the budget for 2009.
IEC had also bought a flat instead of having to pay a rent for it (as written in the project plan) and thus
increasing their sustainability. However, SYL was not notified of this in advance. Therefore after
consultations on the matter with the Ministry the office flat was sold and IEC returned to rent the flat.
One problem in the field is in the relationship between TL-TC Dornod and the local administration.
Compared with the other two aimags, the administration is less supportive of the project. The
administration has not been too satisfied with the fact that TL-TCs are distributing the
governors´decrees and Citizens Representatives Assamblies´ resolutions to the citizens.
6.2 Describe the next stages of the implementation of the Project.
Year 2009 is the last year of this project. The project will continue in 2009 with the same objectives as
planned. Besides focusing on the implementation of the project a special emphasis is also been put on
the communication and cooperation between the partner organizations. SYL is applying for two years’
support for continuing the project and phasing out as the financing organization of IEC. Despite the
hardships faced during 2008 trust between the partners has been restored and SYL is convinced of the
project´s results for its beneficiaries.
7. Free-form description of the Project and its operation
(optional: if the other questions in this form are not suitable or sufficient to describe the
Project, please use this space to give additional information.)
Page 15/18

16. VOCABULARY
Aimag= province
Soum= municipality
Bagh= village
Ger= Mongolian housing tent (jurtta)
8. Project costs and financing
Project costs Approved Project Cost performance
budget
1. Personnel costs (Appendix 1)
Salaries and related costs of the Finnish personnel 0 0,00
Travel and accommodation of the Finnish personnel 0 0,00
Salaries and related of the local personnel 12 960 10 681,46
Other personnel costs 1 217 4 753,96
Value of Finnish voluntary work 0 0,00
Personnel costs, subtotal 14 177 15 435,42
2. Activity costs (e.g. training) (Appendix 2)
Fees of hired experts 4 856 3 546,14
Other costs 11 041 10 619,78
Activity costs, subtotal 15 897 14 165,92
3. Materials, procurements and investments (Appendix 3)
Procurement of materials and appliances 311 338,03
Construction 0 0,00
Other procurements 420 419,88
Value of donated goods 0 0,00
Materials, procurements and investments, subtotal 746 757,91
4. Operation and maintenance (Appendix 4)
Operation costs 6 283 6 716,60
Maintenance costs 0 0,00
Operation and maintenance, subtotal 6 283 6 716,60
5. Monitoring, evaluation, and information (Appendix 5)
External services (incl. experts) 4 589 5 007,28
Travel and accommodation 5 270 5 104,76
Other costs 0 0,00
Information costs (max. 5 % of total project costs) 9 859 10 112,04
Monitoring, evaluation, and information, subtotal
TOTAL IMPLEMENTATION COSTS 46 961,89 47 187,89
6. Administrative costs (Appendix 6)
Salaries and related costs of administrative personnel 4 800 5 213,25
Office costs 456 23,50
Statutory audit costs of the Finnish organisation 0 0,00
Page 16/18

17. Fund-raising 0 0,00
Value of Finnish voluntary work in administration 0,00
Total administrative costs 5 256 5 236,75
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS 52 694 52 424,64
Administrative costs as a % of total costs (max. 10 %)
9,97 9,99
Project financing Approved Project Cost performance
Budget
1. Self-financing (Appendix 7)
Cash contributions 3 950 3 936,00
Voluntary work and material donations 3 950 3 936,00
Total self-financing 7 900 7 872,00
Self-financing as a % of the total costs 15 15,02
2. Project support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Support transferred from prior years
Support available for and used during the reporting year 44687 44 381,48
TOTAL FINANCING
52 587 52 229,48
9. Signatures
Place and date Place and date
Signature Signature
Name in Capitals Name in Capitals
Position Position
❏ Copy of the co-operation agreement between organisations (if it was not attached to the Project
plan)
❏ Report of the Board of Directors
Page 17/18

18. ❏ Financial Statement of the organisation
(= income statement, balance sheet, notes to the financial statement)
❏ Audit report on the organisation's annual financial statements
❏ Auditor's assurance on the legal use of the Project funds
❏ Appendix 1: Other project activities
Appendix 2: Trainings
Page 18/18