This year marks the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation’s 25th anniversary in Mongolia, and to celebrate the anniversary and raise funds for a kindergarten, CNCF organised a gala dinner in Ulaanbaatar. I joined CNCF children on stage to sing “You Raise Me Up.” I think we all had Christina in our hearts as we sang.

Christina Noble arrived in Mongolia in 1997 and witnessed the devastating living conditions following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union. Children were forced to live underground in manholes to attempt to survive the harsh winters, where temperatures can plummet to -40. Some were imprisoned for acts which we, in the West, would not even consider to be a crime. Many were sick, abandoned, and destitute.

Christina set up the Blue Skies Ger Village, giving homeless children a home, an education, rehabilitative care, and most important of all, love, confidence, and respect. She has helped thousands of children and families break the cycle of poverty and grow into confident young adults. At the 25th anniversary gala dinner, we heard some of their stories.

Please consider supporting CNCF. We have seen first hand the work they are doing. We have visited the Blue Slies Ger Village and felt the love and warmth of the safe environment provided for homeless children. We have helped a family build a home, a ger (a traditional Mongolian tent home) as part of the “Give a Ger” scheme. We have met children and their sponsors. We have even visited a boys’ prison and seen for ourselves the education and rehabilitation projects being carried out. From helping individual children to working with the government, CNCF is empowering lives.

Supporting the foundation can be through a one-off donation, sponsoring a child, or even buying a ger for a family in poverty.

With thanks to Gonchig Lkhagva and all the staff at CNCF’s office in Ulaanbaatar. It was an honour to sing with the children, to sing in the prison / rehabilitation centre, and to join the children to perform during the gala dinner.