Where We're Building

Why Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia?

Known as the Land of the Blue Sky, Mongolia endures extreme fluctuations in temperature, which results in hardship for its population. Ulaan Baatar, for example, is known as the world’s coldest capital city. The drastic changes in temperature severely affect the livelihood of the Mongolian people, the majority of which still rely on herding and farming to sustain their families. With constant bouts of drought and abnormally cold winters, some families have found both their livestock and crops wiped out. Currently, more than 30% of Mongolians live below the poverty level, the majority of which are concentrated in Ulaan Baatar.

Habitat for Humanity Mongolia was established in 1999 to address the need for decent and affordable housing. It enjoys a good relationship with the Mongolian government, which results in families receiving land certificates and secure land tenure. The local governments usually also provide families with access to electricity and water. 

Due to the aforementioned harsh weather conditions, building of houses is only possible from May to October each year. A typical Habitat house will measure up to 36 square meters in size and is constructed with bricks or concrete blocks, concrete roof sheeting, and Styrofoam for insulation against the unforgiving Mongolian winter. Toilets are built separately. To date, HFH has served 1, 631 families in Mongolia. Our team plans to increase this number by at least 3 or 4 families.