Extreme winter “dzud,” a Mongolian term for an exceedingly harsh winter, has killed millions of animals since last December. Mongolian nomadic herders now face a desolate future in the face of losing all of their livestock before the winter is over.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released 158,459 Swiss Francs (approximately 5.3 million NTD) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) on January 15th to support the Mongolian Red Cross in relieving the winter disaster. The conditions in Mongolia continue to worsen in February. The IFRC again released another 833,945 Swiss Francs on February 29th and called for international support in preparing food parcels together with cash grants for the neediest Mongolian herders.
The IFRC has also launched an emergency appeal for 834,000 Swiss Francs on March 2nd to attract international support to further assist the most vulnerable group of herder families. Meanwhile, the Taiwan Red Cross has also responded to a request from the Mongolian Red Cross. Dr. Davaajargal Baasansuren, Head of the Mongolian Red Cross Society Disaster Management Programme, paid a visit to the Taiwan Red Cross in late March and mentioned about the critical conditions in Mongolia and the difficult time that herder households are currently going through.
The Taiwan Red Cross has been maintaining a long-term partnership with the Mongolian Red Cross, and this time, the Taiwan Red Cross decided to contribute US$ 20,000 for the Mongolian Red Cross to prepare 300 food parcels and 20 sets of yurt. The yurts will be delivered to the needy families. Each food parcel contains 25 kg of flour, 10 kg of rice, 5 kg of sugar, 1 kg of vegetable oil, 1 pack of tea and 0.5 kg of salt, which will be distributed to 100 households from Bulgan, Dndgovi and Khentii provinces to help cover herders’ needs.
According to IFRC Programme Manager Dr. Enkhjin Garid, small business development and vocational training are a crucial part to the IFRC’s emergency appeal. Former herders often lack the occupational skills needed to survive in metropolitan areas. Their only means of livelihood has always been animal husbandry. Many herder households will enter into a cycle of poverty if no external assistance is provided. Delivering emergency relief supplies is just not enough. The ultimate solution will be helping these former herders to develop professional skills to secure their livelihood in the future.