We believe in a world where young people are central to solution building, policy-making and lasting change.

Media Excellence Fellowship is a 5-month program designed for young professionals who are interested in media and journalism to offer them real-life experience and improve their skills in cross-format journalism through rigorous internship experience. Fellows will rotate through four prominent news and media companies in Mongolia for the duration of the program, gaining exposure to different aspects of journalism and are expected to make their projects their full-time work during the term of the fellowship. 

Eight young professionals will be selected in this first-ever fellowship program. Fellows are individuals who have a strong desire to pursue a career in media and don’t necessarily need to possess professional education in the sector. However, applicants must be either currently pursuing or have obtained their bachelor’s degree with no more than three years of postgraduate professional work experience. 

Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub completed its first Media Excellence Fellowship program in 2018. The program is a 4-month paid internship for young professionals who are pursuing careers in media and journalism to get real-life experience and, at the same time, improve their skills in cross-format journalism through rigorous work experiences. Fellows rotated through four prominent news and media companies in Mongolia for the duration of the program, gaining exposure to different aspects of journalism. Throughout the program, our fellows prepared more than 600 interviews, news, and published articles covering over 40 different topics with more than 1.5 million readers. The majority of the fellows received a job offer before the end of the fellowship program.

Ear reliever (for front line workers during COVID-19 pandemic) 

Mongolia had over 800,000 registered COVID cases and had over 2000 deaths by February of 2022. During the high times with COVID cases, medical workers and front line workers had to stay at the hospital for 14 days at a time and had to wear personal protective equipment 16+ hours a day. Wearing a mask for that long time per day had negative effects on the health care providers. Their ears would get sore and swollen, faces would get mask markers and it was a hassle. This project utilized 3D printers to create custom design mask extensions to provide comfort when they were wearing their mask and PPE. We have designed and printedseveral designs of mask extension aka ear reliever at one of our Shapers home. We’ve donated to 12 public hospitals and provided over 1500 ear relievers to the front line workers. The health care providers can wear them for a long period of time as the ear relievers are durable, provide comfort, and can be sanitized for multiple use. 

Target group: Health care providers, front line workers 

Proposed solution: Providing unique solution to new issues, innovative and fast design to product solution, increasing awareness about the front line workers and provided positive solution by utilizing new technology 

Reach: 1500 health care providers, 12 public hospitals 

Dedicated time: 500 hours in 3D printing, 10 hours in delivering

As an initiative of the World Economic Forum, the Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub actively participates in the Mongolian Economic Forum. In the past, we have successfully organized sessions during the event, such as the “Mongolian Dream”, “Responsible and Responsive Leadership” and “Future of Work” to empower greater youth involvement in the national policymaking process.

#Blood4All is a Global Initiative that aims to engage youth through social media to spark a conversation about becoming voluntary blood donors and taking action donating blood periodically. The campaign was initiated by Global Shapers DC Hub member Roberto Garza, now with more than 50 cities onboard raising awareness through social networks, hosting blood drives, or donating individually and collectively. Ulaanbaatar Hub joined the #Blood4All campaign in 2017. Together with the National Blood Transfusion Research Center (NBTRC) we implement project annually under the central theme of “Give Life” (in Mongolian: Амьдрал бэлэглэе).

A staggering number of women and adolescents in Mongolia have difficulty in achieving reproductive health due to financial shortfalls, insufficient sex-ed, and weak overall health systems. It is estimated that Mongolia has 3,500 teenage pregnancies per year, roughly 14% of pregnant teenage girls undergo abortions, and more than one-third of contagious disease cases are related to STDs. These statistics illustrate sexual and reproductive health services in Mongolia are failing to provide knowledge they need to lead reproductively healthy lives. In response, the AWARE project is aiming to improve the community by collaborating with key stakeholders to integrate comprehensive sex-ed into schools — a critical step for ensuring the next generation leads a safe and secure life. The project is also aiming to empower both girls and boys by reducing the stigmas and taboos associated with discussing menstruation and sexual health, enabling them to approach 8. 

sex-ed more comfortably and candidly. 

Target group: Women & Adolescents 

Proposed solution: Delivering accessible sex-ed information through social media, collaborating with administrative-level stakeholder (Ministry of Education and Science) to determine shortfalls and necessary improvements in sex-ed taught in Mongolian high schools, aiming to ultimately achieve greater developmental impact in policy. 

Social media: Instagram – @aware_mgl 

Short-term goals/results: In the short-term, the project aims to target young audiences to deliver more focused and accessible sex-ed information through online platforms on topics such as prevention of STDs, unwanted pregnancy, and contraceptive methods. 

Long-term change: In the longer term, the project aims to create an enabling environment that includes policies, regulations and funding to support and sustain comprehensive sexuality education at local level.

In August 2019, the Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub hosted and successfully organized the regional Global Shapers meeting in the Asia Pacific region. The event Shape Asia Pacific 2019 focused on the central theme of “Shaping Happiness.” It involved discussions around the pursuit of happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, mental health, and stress management in creating wellbeing at life, work, and community. Additional sessions focused on the future of finance, education, and humanity, and the Climate Reality Project organized a timely workshop on climate change. It was one of the most significant international events of 2019 in Mongolia, with representation from 17 different nationalities and over one hundred attendees. 

The central theme of SHAPE APAC 2019 was “Shaping Happiness.” It involved discussions around the pursuit of happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, mental health, and stress management in creating wellbeing at life, work, and community. 

Additional sessions focused on the future of finance, education, and humanity, and the Climate Reality Project organized a timely workshop on climate change. Finally, to foster greater regional cooperation and boost cross-hub collaboration, the Ulaanbaatar Hub organized a “Shape-a-thon” – a challenge to pitch new cross hub projects for a chance to win seed funding provided by the host Hub. 

SHAPE APAC 2019 took place in the unparalleled Mongolian steppe and successfully incorporated its unique nomadic culture and rich history into the event. The participants did not only learn about Mongolia but also at the same time, experience it first hand. During the first two days, Global Shapers from all around the world stayed in traditional yurts and partook in nomadic activities that bestowed them the honorary title of “Good Nomads” upon completion. The venue situated outside the capital city allowed the participants to unplug from their everyday stressors, mentally recharge, and ultimately reflect on their mental wellbeing. In parallel, community trips around the capital city Ulaanbaatar provided a better understanding of modern Mongolia. The tours highlighted the potentials and challenges the city faces and how the local Global Shapers are working to address them. 

A critical factor that ensured the success of SHAPE APAC 2019 was that it was an event for Shapers by Shapers. Only the Ulaanbaatar Hub members, alumni, the Young Global Leaders Community, and their networks made the event a reality. Every single Global Shaper from the Ulaanbaatar Hub understood the challenges of hosting the event and answered the call of duty. The warm Mongolian hospitality provided a great atmosphere to create new friendships and a chance for the 

participants to enrich one another. SHAPE APAC 2019 was a small but meaningful advancement for each Global Shaper’s commitment to improving the state of theworld.

SHAPE APAC 2019 successfully provided a platform for the Global Shapers Community to have meaningful conversations about mental wellbeing and shaping happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and detached venue site from 

modern-day stressors created a safe space for each Global Shaper. It allowed them to be vulnerable and share their personal and professional challenges and triumphs. It was an event full of inspiration and joy. The discussions were not only focused on the individual but also encompassed to align the values of happiness in a variety of sectors such as education, finance, and the communities each Shaper represented. The Ulaanbaatar Hub further strived to create a lasting impact from the SHAPE APAC 2019 by launching and funding a cross-hub project focusing on mental wellbeing. The project “Nurture Notes” led by the Iloilo Hub received the award and is in its inception.

In partnership with the international non-profit Global Dignity, the Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub annually celebrate the Global Dignity Day. Global Shapers travel to secondary schools in Ulaanbaatar and organize workshops, forums, service projects, storytelling, and inspirational talks along with other activities to help the youth tap into the dignity values of self-worth, empathy, and compassion. By promoting values of understanding, equality, and love, the project aims to create communities that honor and practice peace, inclusion, and justice. We have been celebrating Global Dignity since 2009 for 11 years now. In 2011, the Ministry of Education of Mongolia officially announced October 20th as Global Dignity Day, since then high schools and universities have been celebrating the occasion all overMongolia. Over the years, we have given out lectures about dignity and its impact to over 500,000 students and children. Thus, the cause to celebrate Dignity Day has not only spread among children and youth, but also organizations of different industries and also individuals have begun to unite in recognition and acknowledgement of social responsibility by honoring each other and sharing positive thoughts with one another. 

This year, we visited 15 high schools and non-profit organizations to give lectures and have conversations about the importance of living with dignity and its significance on young generations. The celebration also included an online video campaign that included influential public figures such as singers, song writers, models, film directors, teachers, doctors, sergeants and politicians reached a large amount of youth and delivered a positive message bringing dignity to the daily lives of or young generation. Moreover, we successfully reached a total of 1.5 million people through social media such as TV, radio, podcasts, Facebook and Instagram, which implies that half of the mobilized population learned about the importance of living and learning with dignity through our efforts.

With youth making up the largest portion of the population in Mongolia, the GSUBH realizes that there is an exceeding need for active youth role in addressing some of the challenges facing our society. This generation has inherited enormous global challenges, but has the ability to confront the status quo and offer youth led solutions for change. The Young Sustainable Development Leaders (YSDL) program therefore started as an awareness campaign to trigger understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to everyday lives of young people, and further lead to initiatives by the same target population themselves toapply these SDGs in their lives. During the initiation of the program in 2017, we were able to select 40 students and mentor them over three months to create their own social entrepreneurship project based on SDGs. Students received workshops from experienced industry leaders taking action towards the sustainable development of Mongolia. After 

the workshops, the students were divided into their own groups and brainstormed on social entrepreneurship projects that could help our community to lead a sustainable life. The vision of this theme of activity is to trigger university students’ consideration of SDGs and how to apply them to their everyday lives using their creativity, innovation and initiative. 

The Global Shaper Ulaanbaatar Hub re-launched YSDL in September 2019 with 35 new students. Once the project’s guided section concluded, the winning team was expected to start implementing its project with a seed-funding of three million MNT it received as a prize from the GSUBH. YSDL participants formed teams of 4-6, and have been committed to weekly YSDL meeting that consist of practice or experience sharing workshops, trainings, and field trips, as well as weekly meetings with two of their respective Mentors allocated from the Hub. The weekly meetings that took place every other Saturday took into account the students’ development both professionally and personally; i.e. CV writing, project proposal writing, public speaking, meetings with the professionals of different sectors and mentorship meetings tailored to each team’s project needs. The project also attracted funding from The Asia Foundation in Mongolia, the respective judges from the United Nations Development Program in Mongolia and Mobicom Corporation.

The Young Professionals ’Group was founded in 2000 in the United States. The goal is to help young people discover their potential, empower them professionally and personally, help them achieve their future goals, and help them define their goals. Today, the program is active in three US states, Singapore, Mongolia, India, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Spain and Kyrgyzstan. 

For the fifth year in a row, the Mentorship program in Mongolia provides mentees invaluable work and life counselors as well as contributing to their professional and personal development. 

In 2021, the program was launched in Mongolia with 12 mentors and 14 young professionals from different backgrounds specializing in politics, economics, banking and finance, law, media, health, mining, transportation logistics, marketing, public relations, and non-governmental organizations. Although the one-year program may seem short, the selected young people have landed a number of jobs, career shifts, personal and academic achievements with solid progress.

The official name of the Organization is “The Young Professionals’ Group (from hereinafter referred to as YPG), a Mongolia Non-Profit Organization (Mongolia Chapter). A year-round mentorship program to connect young professionals with professional mentors. The objective of the Organization is: a) To provide mentorship support, guidance, and advice to young professionals; 

b) To encourage and empower young professionals to realize their potential and pursue their dreams; 

c) To reshape common standards of excellence by selecting individuals with potential based on character and passion; 

d) Bolstering YPG with individuals from various walks of life to broaden the resources available to our mentorship recipients. There is no subscription fee or entrance fee charged from the participants.

Due to rapid urbanization, the traditional practice of crafting gers (portable round tents traditionally used as homes) in Mongolia is being lost. Ulaanbaatar Hub united to ensure local knowledge and ways of living sustainably are preserved. Partnering with local anthropologists, academics, business people and policy-makers, they manufactured and distributed 60 model gers to 16 schools and provided hands-on learning opportunities to sustain this irreplaceable piece of history. The “Mongol ger” project aims to bring Mongolia’s ancient nomadic culture and vital life skills to urban school children by incorporating traditional Mongol ger building programs into school curriculums.

The #UBeSAFE road safety awareness campaign is a project initiated by Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and partnership with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Road and Transportation and the Traffic Police of Mongolia. The project aims to improve the road safety management and operations to enhance the quality of life and to support sustainable socio-economic development in Mongolia. A carefully orchestrated media campaign reached 1 million people and is expected to improve road safety and decrease poor driving behavior. One of the main accomplishments is the campaign’s pursuit of getting Mongolian traffic law to adopt the requirements of having child safety car seats for children under 10 years of age, which came to an effect as of November 1, 2018.

UBESAFE 2.0

Implementation date: 2019-2020

Sponsors: Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport (EASST)

Partners: Asian Development Bank, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Road and Transportation and the Traffic Police of Mongolia, Oluulaa NGO 

The second phase of the project is ongoing, and the project team developed a car seat donation platform, www.carseat.mn, officially launched in October 2019, giving parents access to car seat installation information and enabling them to request a car seat for their family.