Mongolian women make and market dairy products

Summary

This project increases the economic self-sufficiency of 120 women in the Arhangai, Gobi-Altai and Zavkhan provinces, by training them to use modern technology to manufacture milk products.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

In poor rural areas of Mongolia, an increasing number of females are heads of households (in Gobi-Altai 44.5% of families), who often lack the skills to financially support their families. Training women to process milk increases the economic livelihood of families, while also alleviating milk waste. Women learn how to manufacture 28 types of milk products, such as yogurt, butter, condensed milk and cheese that they market to hospitals and schools that often go without calcium enriched dairy.

How will this project solve this problem?

120 women from Arhangai, Gobi-Altai and Zavkhan use innovative strategies and modern technology to make dairy products from fresh and sour milk. Three community associations organize to market dairy products locally to generate long-term incomes.

Potential Long Term Impact

Jobs will be created for impoverished female heads of households. Raw dairy that is usually wasted will be used, providing quality dairy products to rural inhabitants, and profits for the women who make them.

Project Message

By learning to manufacture dairy products, women increase their self-worth while also improving the diets of the people living in their communities.
- Ms. Naidandorj Chinchuluum, Founding Director, Mongolian Women's Fund

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources