Golf Mongolia Charities

Golf Mongolia may be changing the game of golf and tweaking the imagination to strive for original and challenging adventure activities, but it is also designed to help the people of Mongolia. Along with raising awareness of daily life in Mongolia and teaching the world about this incredible land, this project has pledged to donate all proceeds above expedition costs to charitable causes here in Mongolia. Though many charities and NGO's are taking part in virtuous activities here, I have identified a few as targets for donations from the Golf Mongolia Sponsor fund.

Anyone who has visited the capital city of Ulaan Baatar has probably been exposed to the crisis of children living on the streets. Economic hardships and social dysfunction have contributed to the increasing number of children who are forced to live on the street or take refuge in an orphanage. State-run orphanages are under-funded and many have dismal living conditions and poorly planned strategies, and as a consequence, a number of private NGO-operated orphanages have been created. One such orphanage is the Lotus Children's Centre (www.lotuschild.org). I visited the centre in October, 2003 and was amazed to find nearly 150 children being fed, clothed, educated, and given shelter for less than US$1 per day per child. The dedication of the staff there and at other orphanages in the city is humbling and I hope to be able to make a sizable donation to the Lotus Centre from the Golf Mongolia Sponsor fund.

The expedition has been physically and mentally challenging for me but one of the daily joys I get is spending time in the vast untouched nature of Mongolia's steppe. This geographic region is unique in the world not only as appearing to be one giant golf course, but also by hosting a biodiverse ecosystem that is home to many endangered species. The World Wildlife Fund of Mongolia (www.wwf.mn) is working to thwart the threats of overgrazing, destructive mining, and trade in rare species. Golf should be an environmentally friendly sport and a portion of the donations I receive will go to the WWF Mongolia.

Conservation Ink's Mongolia Parks Project aims to support the Hovsgol and Altai Tavaan Bogd National Parks through the sale of "maps, guides, postcards, small art prints, wildlife checklists, bookmarks, note cards, field journals" and more. Their "effort is patterned on the success of non-profit associations which operate sales outlets in the visitor centers of American national parks."

All of these charities work on a tight budget and a small donation goes a long way. Help me raise money for these causes by donating to Golf Mongolia. To become a sponsor click here.