The sun streams into vast pastures where radiant flowers are woven into green meadows. As far as the eye can see, horses, cows, and goats roam free. The animals easily outnumber the farmers and their families caring for them. A steady cold breeze carries a taste of the coming long winter. Mountains meet a steadily growing desert.
Here and there, villages are scattered about, connected mostly by travelling nomads. In the distance, dim lights gleam from distant towns. Mongolia is a land of differences, beauty, resilience and deeply rooted societal struggles.
“Mongolia is one the countries that is most affected by the wrath of extreme weather and global climate crisis,” says Jana Žilková, Head of Mission (Country Representative) at Caritas Czech Republic in Mongolia. The ambitious Slovak from Košice decided to take on the challenge of charity work and is now based in Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar. As the head of mission, she takes care of fundraising, HR, organisation, and everything that the office requires to function properly. “I’ve spent four years here already, and I’m seeing the changes happening in real time.”
Since 2018, when she took up the post, she has overseen projects on issues ranging from promoting sustainability and inclusion in agriculture and the construction sector, through improvement of plastic recycling and waste management, to youth support programmes.
“We have two main strategic points,” says Žilková. “The first is helping with effects of the climate crisis, like dealing with deforestation and desertification. The second is the support of civic activities and communities.”