Gachuurt, in the Tov aimac (state) has approximately 4,000 inhabitants and covers an area of 7,000 metres so although the territory is large the `village` is small. It is 20 km toUlaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia and there is a regular bus service. People were settled here originally during the Communist period in order to operate a milking farm. There were large herds of cows providing dairy produce that was sold in Ulaanbaatar. With the break up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the commune the collapsed very quickly and consequently there is no work here now for the inhabitants.

The majority of the people are poor or very poor. There are 300 families headed by women only. It also has a very old population with 700 retired people, 30 over the age of 80 years. People come here from other aimacs in the countryside because although it is rural, it is near Ulaanbaatar.

Amenities
The land in this area is good and there is available water as large rivers flows through the area. However none is piped to the settlement. Some water is delivered in a truck or carried from the river. There is a small hospital and a few shops which sell most things. Although the settlement itself is very drab, the area is very beautiful bordering on Terelj, a large national park of great beauty. There are ruins of an ancient monastery and many standing stones in the area. Traditional herbs grow here, and are already collect by some elderly people and made into medicine. Education There is a kindergarten for children up to the age of eight but as parents have to pay for this now very few can afford to send there children here. There is a school which take children to the 10th grade. Very few are able to go on to further education. Some of the youth manage to find work in Ulaanbaatar. Unfortunately the reputation of the village is not good because of the poverty and often the people from here are discriminated against. A ger(tent) has just been erected as a temple by one of the monasteries in Ulaanbaatar.

Vegetable Growing - 2005
Again this has been a very successful year with 20 families growing vegetables.
With the help of six volunteers an extensive demonstration plot on the land bought last year has now been created.
Cooking demonstration were also given showing the use of vegetables new to the growers. Also demonstrations for pickling, preserving, and jam making were held.
This coming year there will be 30 families growing vegetables in this project. Included will be 5 families without land who will have plots on Asral's own land. This enables these families to have fresh vegetables during the summer, with the opportunity of selling any surplus.

Kindergarten Project.
With the help of a grant from CoDevelopment Ireland, part of the Irish Foreign Office, the kindergarten in Gachuurt was given a new roof, and half of the building was restored to full use, including new draft-free double glazed windows and inside toilets. Also provided were learning tools and toys, bedding for the afternoon nap, and equipment for the kitchen. It was a delight to see the children using it before I left.
Previously only 160 of the children in Gachuurt were able to attend, now there will be accommodation for 235 children. A large ger has been provided for a remote area 18 miles from Gachuurt. With the already existing accommodation there, all 35 children living in that remote area will be able to attend kindergarten

Assistance for Families
New gers were provided for two elderly women who were living in bad conditions in rented gers. This creates great insecurity as the gers can be re-possessed at any time.
There are still 30 children in this settlement who cannot afford to go to kindergarten, their families are too poor.
Sponsoring a child for $15/£10/€12 a month gives them the chance.

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