Mongolia, Fall 2008

$82,000 raised and a home for the Mongolian Quilting Center purchased! After 18 months of fundraising, we have achieved our goal! In April 2008, we had $30,000. At that time a generous family in our St. Barnabas parish pledged to match the next $20,000 if we could raise the $20,000 within 6 months. The challenge was on, and this gave the campaign the impetus we needed to succeed. Fundraising events included a Chinese dinner party, a benefit showing of the movie Mongol at our local cinema, an exhibition of tribal art, and booths to sell items made by the Mongolian women at various locations including the Bainbridge Bluegrass Festival, Western Washington Quilt Shop Hop, Diocesan Convention, Bainbridge 4th July, Harvest Fair and Curves. Quilt guilds contributed through our National Guilds' Contest in which they donated $100 and one group (the United Methodist Women in Appleton, MN) was drawn to win an all expenses paid lecture and workshop from Maggie in 2009. The Quilt Guild of Dallas awarded us an endowment grant of $5,000. By July we had raised the $20,000 and received the matching funds. We then raised a further $12,000 before concluding the capital campaign in October.

In August, Selenge Tserendash found a suitable property to purchase for $79,000. This allowed $3,000 for new flooring, lighting, wall paper and paint, furniture, and display cabinets. The lease on the old Center expired at the end of September, so the timing was perfect, giving them a month in which to decorate and prepare for the move. The new Mongolian Quilting Center opened on 2nd October and is now thriving. It is a street level apartment with its own entryway and shop front for the retail area. In addition to the retail area, there is a classroom, office/kitchen and a restroom. The location is excellent - on Seoul Street opposite the Mongolian BBQ, just 10 minutes walk from the heart of Ulaanbaatar. The women may reach the Center easily by public transport and it is very close to Selenge's own apartment and the basement where the seamstresses still make the bags, aprons, and quilts etc to sell. Click here to see more pictures of the Center.

Selenge is determined that the Center will become self sustaining in the near future and she is working hard towards that goal. Cost of living, especially food prices and transportation have increased dramatically in Mongolia. The Center now hires one full-time seamstress, a designer and two part-time teachers. They continue to be busy teaching classes at the Center and on Mongolian television, and marketing their products. The Mongolian Government sponsors them to teach groups of unemployed women.  We will continue to support the Center through sales of Mongolian made items and donations. Funds will be used to help with operating and maintenance costs of the Center.