AKIPRESS.COM - A new kindergarten fully funded by the Oyu Tolgoi LLC sponsored-Gobi Oyu Development Support Fund (DSF) opened in Manlai soum, Umnugobi aimag. This is the fifth kindergarten building financed by the DSF, Montsame reports.

The commissioning of the new kindergarten with capacity of educating 100 children allows all children in Manlai soum to be enrolled in preschool and also creates 15 job places. The DSF has invested MNT 1.5 billion for kindergarten building and MNT 165 million for procurement of furniture, toys and other types of equipment.

In 2015, the Oyu Tolgoi LLC established a cooperation agreement with its partner communities – composed of Umnugobi aimag, and the Khanbogd, Manlai, Bayan-Ovoo and Dalanzadgad soums, aimed at working together towards sustainable development in important areas such as water, environment, pastureland management, cultural heritage, tourism, local business development and procurement.

Under the agreement, Oyu Tolgoi makes a contribution of USD 5 million every year to the DSF, established in 2015, – administered jointly between Oyu Tolgoi and the Community – for community programmes and projects in the Umnugobi aimag.

Among them, the DSF has carried out 163 projects throughout Umnugobi aimag, building a secondary school, 3 gym halls, 2 water treatment facilities, 3 steam generators, 2 hospitals, five kindergartens, a museum, meat processing factory, medical center throughout Umnugobi aimag. With a total cost of MNT 45.9 billion, the projects are deemed to have directly benefited 390 thousand local citizens and created 391 jobs.

Moreover, Oyu Tolgoi LLC reports that a total USD 523 million was spent for procurement activities in Umnugobi aimag between 2010 and 2019.