The constitution of Mongolia proclaims that people with disabilities have equal rights to participate in the social life, education, health and other factors of the community.

In theory, this should afford children living with disabilities a level of protection and care that allows them to take an active role in their society. But sadly, a combination of poverty, discrimination and under-prioritisation has led to a very different reality.

World Vision’s project “Children’s Future Light” works in many ways to make life fairer for children with disabilities.  One of the project’s major aims is to change the mindset of parents on the potential their children hold.

The project operates in Khan-Uul district, a factory and industrial district for shoes, carpet, leather factories and power stations. Here, around 70% of households are living under the poverty line.

In addition, there is an abnormally high rate of disability among the children of the community, probably linked to inadequate protection for mothers from harmful or toxic work environments.

The project started by establishing a Child Development Centre in a state-run school with special education for disabled children. Those classes now serve 24 children, plus another 62 are actively involved in WV’s non-formal education.

Temuulen is one of those children, a nine-year-old boy with mild but visible disabilities. He has a harelip and associated tongue problems, which makes it hard for him to communicate, plus a mental disability makes him forgetful.

Previously this was enough to keep him away from any formal education. He did not attend kindergarten or pre-school, and lived with his grandparents in a separate house from his mother, stepfather and younger brother.

Temuulen’s grandmother, a former teacher of Mongolian and literacy, has been looking after him all his life. The home is very poor, made of wood with a small fuel stove to guard against the cold. But the change in Temuulen has brought warmth to this family.

Now he is an eager, lively child keen to show off his schoolwork.  Dressed in his school uniform of black trousers, white shirt and black waist coat provided by World Vision, he looks fresh and happy.

Hishgee his home teacher sits with him, loving and protective. She is very proud of the progress he is making. World Vision has provided all his school needs, books, pencils, stationery etc.

Temuulen loves craft and is delighted to have a chance to show some of the things he has made. He also loves learning the Mongolian language, though he gets mixed up and leaves letters out. But it doesn’t seem to worry him too much.

World Vision cannot solve all Temuulen’s problems. Operations to repair his mouth structure continue, extremely difficult for his grandmother to afford. He will always be small because it was hard for him to feed as a baby.

But one of the biggest obstacles to Temuulen’s development has just been overcome. His right to participate, to learn, to be respected for his individual strengths, has finally been recognised.