Mongolia’s Children of Blue Sky Choir gives street kids a voice

Blue Sky Choir of Mongolia has had the opportunity to showcase its talents in countries such as Britain, Hong Kong, Japan and India.

Mongolia's Children of Blue Sky Choir, comprising former street kids, have been given the gift of a future.

Apart from their rosy and pink cheeks and hazel-coloured eyes, the children of the award-winning Blue Sky Choir from Mongolia could easily pass as Malaysian teens. In their recent visit to Malaysia, the 11 kids – aged 11 to 19 – seemed perfectly at ease, chatting among themselves and soaking up Kuala Lumpur’s hot and humid climate, a far cry from the subzero chill of their hometown, Ulan Bator.

Despite their warm smiles, their eyes speak a thousand words of their sad past. Before joining the choir, they were street kids who sought shelter at railway buildings and Ulan Bator’s busy streets. Some lived underground, beneath the roads where pipes carry hot steam to heat the city’s buildings.

Left without basic education, financial assistance or family guidance, many have suffered from neglect, maltreatment and abuse. Some have had to quit school to earn meagre salaries to support their families.

According to international child sponsorship NGO Humanium, Ulan Bator is home to 45% of the country’s population of 2.75 million. But 400,000 or more from this population constitute street kids, some of whom have fallen prey to crime syndicates, ending up as victims of child sex trade and human trafficking.

Thanks to World Vision Mongolia’s Child Development and Protection Programme, the children have been accorded a new lease on life. In 2004, World Vision Mongolia set up Light House Centre, a home and drop-in safe-house for street children in Ulan Bator. 

Since its inception, the centre has provided shelter, education, healthcare and nutrition for more than 100 underprivileged kids. Children are also encouraged to join the Blue Sky Choir, which serves to teach them to empower themselves.

“Using music, the children learn how to hone their vocal skills and achieve a better understanding of themselves. Essentially it’s all about providing them with an opportunity to discover their potential,” said World Vision Mongolia’s national coordinator for Child Development and Protection Program, Oyunchimeg Duni. 

Duni had accompanied the choir for a series of performances, organised by World Vision Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur and Penang recently.

World Vision international ambassador Marilee Pierce Dunker says the choir was established with the vision to enable every child to live life to the fullest.

The choir’s establishment has since seen 60 children train with it. They have also had the chance to showcase their talents across the globe in countries such as Britain, Hong Kong, Japan and India.

Their repertoire covers Mongolian folk songs, classics and modern favourites in various languages, including English, Mongolian, Italian and Spanish.

To unlock their vocal potential, two professional choir teachers guide the children in training sessions three times a week (three hours per session) and music camps during school holidays. While the sessions may be intensive, the kids have reaped the rewards of their labour.

The choir has four albums and garnered numerous awards in Mongolia and abroad. Its accolades include grand prize at the 2007 International Children’s Choir festival in South Korea and first place at the 2007 International Morin Festival in Mongolia. The troupe added another feather to its cap as best band at the 2012 National Cultural Children’s Festival in Mongolia.

While the recognition may have reinforced the children’s belief that hard work is always rewarded, Duni revealed that the choir has harnessed their self-confidence and sense of trust.

“The greatest achievement is seeing positive developments in the children. They now understand the meaning of love, care and living as a family.”

Through the support shown by World Vision Mongolia, former street kids Mungunu (L) and Batbaatar can dream of a better future.

Dreams of a better future

Over 11 years, more than a hundred children have been part of the centre. Many have successfully graduated from high school or college and obtained jobs, too. Some have even settled down, leading contented family lives.

With World Vision Mongolia’s assistance, these children can lead normal childhoods and grow up healthily, without having to worry about basic needs or a right to education.

First-year hotel management undergraduate Batbaatar, 19, was only 10 years old when he sought shelter at Light House.

“My parents divorced when I was five years old. Being very poor, I used to collect glass bottles and cans on the streets, in exchange for money to buy food for my mother and I. Things got worse when my stepfather started to hit us. I ran away from home and was later taken in by the Light House,” recalled the Mongolia International University student, who couldn’t read when he first joined the centre.

Given Batbaatar’s background, his aspirations to reach out to other street kids is palpable.

“As a street child, I couldn’t think of anything else except for ways to survive. Life was tough and I didn’t know how to improve my situation. Since joining Light House and enrolling in the choir, I’ve been given so many opportunities in terms of healthcare, education and also the chance to travel the world for performances,” said Batbaatar, who obtained a one-year scholarship in 2011 to study at Rangoira High School in Rangoira, New Zealand.

Mungunu may only be 12, but is already walking the talk when it comes to helping homeless kids. In 2011, the Blue Sky Choir member took a bold step to sing at a charity concert in his village, Nalaikh, in Ulan Bator, where all profits went to street children.

“I understand what it is like to live without food or a family. Through the concert, I met so many street kids and encouraged them to seek help,” said Mungunu, whose mother had abandoned him and his two siblings in 2005. Since then, the three kids live at the centre.

World Vision international ambassador Marilee Pierce Dunker says the choir was established with the vision to enable every child to live life to the fullest.

“Through the choir, the children can discover and develop their talents and build their self-confidence. The greatest achievement in establishing The Blue Sky Choir is seeing children who were once fearful and alone in this world blossom under the love and care of our staff,” said Dunker, daughter of World Vision founder Dr Robert Pierce, in an e-mail interview.

Given World Vision’s objectives, there’s hope for a brighter future for street kids.

For more details on World Vision’s Child Sponsorship, The Gifts of Hope Catalogue or Emergency Relief initiatives, visit worldvision.com.my.