Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
On the 22nd Sept I will be joining 26 other riders to race accross the Mongolian steppe, retracing 1000km of Ghengis Khan's original postal route and apart from being a fantastic adventure we are also trying to raise money for various projects in Mongolia currently being run by the mercy corps, so In order to do this the easiest way to make this happen is Donating through JustGiving, which is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails, and once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
many thanks
Jools
Mongol Derby 2009
7 April, 2009
Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps
On the 22nd August twenty five courageous riders will mount their steeds to face a 1000 km race across the empty wilderness of Mongolia. This is no ordinary horse race; the Mongol Derby is not a test of the horse’s speed but the riders’ skill, endurance and courage.
Mercy Corps are delighted to be the official charity for this quest which will resurrect the famous horse stations that Chinggis Khan used to rule his vast empire. This race will use 800 semi wild horses and with stations every 30-40 km this is certainly going to be one mighty adventure.
A fundraising target has been set at £25,000 which will help to fund Mercy Corps projects for the rural Mongolian herding communities that will be so integral to the success of the race.
PEOPLE AND PROJECTS:
In 2009 the money raised by you from the Mongol Derby will fully fund Mercy Corps projects that support the establishment and growth of many small rural businesses operating in remote areas with very limited opportunities.
In rural Mongolia unemployment and poverty are rife with many people struggling to survive. The funds that you raise will assist small businesses ranging from herders to hairdressers, mechanics, vegetable growers and bakeries, like that set up by Munhdavaa, to create wealth and new employment opportunities in their communities, helping people to achieve a better quality of life free from poverty.
TRAINING AND ADVICE
Currently there is very limited training and advisory support available to small rural businesses. As a result of this lack of support small businesses struggle to raise production quality and reliability standards. Many also lack the knowledge and skills to construct simple business plans that would give access to small loans which would allow expansion and increase of income. Mercy Corps will use the funds that you raise to help these businesses, such as the Har Hud farmers group, get training and technical assistance to expand their business, make plans for the future and create jobs in the rural areas that need them the most.
ACCESS TO CREDIT
It is common knowledge that banks will only give loans to people who have collateral. As most rural businesses in Mongolia are nomadic, their assets are also mobile (ger, horses, etc) so it is extremely difficult to use these assets to get loans. As a result this blocks many great business ideas and motivated small businesses from accessing the loans they need to buy new stock, upgrade their equipment and expand. Mercy Corps will use the funds you raise to help generate loans for small rural businesses to help them overcome these obstacles and create a more vibrant and diverse rural economy. An example of this is Boldbaatar Batbold, who set up a small tourist camp with a loan from Mercy Corps
