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0 The first 1,000 days of life are critical. What we learn, the love and nurturing care we receive, and the ways we grow and develop during this period profoundly shape our future.
In this article, we invited OneSky Mongolia, an international NGO that has been making a valuable contribution to the development of Mongolia’s youngest citizens, children aged 0–6, since 2018. Their work not only focuses on children but also plays a crucial role in strengthening the knowledge and skills of parents and caregivers, helping to build a strong foundation for family-centered long-term development. Please read on for a closer look at the support they provide to many families in Mongolia.
Name: OneSky Mongolia Interview
Location: Family Center, 21st khoroo, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar
Field of work: Early childhood development and education (ages 0–6)
Year established in Mongolia: 2018
Social media: Facebook
The Story
OneSky has a 27-year history, having been founded in 1998. The story began when our founder, Jenny Bowen, traveled to China with the intention of adopting a daughter from a welfare institution. At the time, she was struck by the high number of abandoned children in welfare institutions, most of them girls due to the country’s One Child Policy.
When Jenny first met her daughter, the little girl was emotionally withdrawn and barely responsive. But after bringing her to the United States and raising her in an environment full of love and nurturing care, she blossomed into a lively, playful, and joyful child. Witnessing this transformation made Jenny realize the profound impact that a loving, supportive environment can have on a child’s life. It inspired her to help the thousands of children living in similar circumstances. This is how OneSky was born. Today, OneSky is an international NGO that serves young children in China, Vietnam, and Mongolia.
At the invitation of DZ Consulting, our global team visited Mongolia in 2018 to assess the needs of children and caregivers. After evaluating and identifying how OneSky could make a meaningful contribution, they officially launched their operations in Mongolia.
The Advantage
The first 1,000 days of a child’s life are recognized as critical for physical, socio-emotional, and brain development. Early childhood development researchers now note that consistent, quality care during the “next 1,000 days” is also essential in shaping a child’s long-term well-being. This is why OneSky focuses on children aged 0 to 6.
At the core of their program is responsive care, which strengthens the emotional connection between a child and their caregiver. Although this is often overlooked in traditional training models, it plays a fundamental role in a child’s brain, emotional, and social development. Their approach has also proven highly effective in the Mongolian context.
Their training model combines classroom and online learning with practical application. This blended approach ensures that even in resource-limited settings, the quality of training remains consistent. It also allows participants to maintain ongoing contact with trainers, receive continuous coaching, and continue learning over time. To date, they have trained 2,483 people on how to communicate with young children and how to support their learning and development.
What Is OneSky Mongolia?
In short, OneSky is an international NGO dedicated to creating opportunities for underserved children to thrive by training and building the capacity of their caregivers. Their main mission is to strengthen the capacity of all stakeholders involved in supporting early childhood development. They also work collaboratively with communities and government agencies to improve Mongolia’s early childhood care and education systems.
The Name
The name OneSky reflects their belief that no matter where a child is born, every child deserves equal love, care, and opportunity under the same sky.
THE OPERATION
We operate in three main areas:
1. Family Skills Training
This program aims to equip parents and caregivers of children aged 0–6 with the knowledge and practical skills needed to support a child’s holistic development. Over the course of eight weeks, participants complete sessions covering 13 topics such as brain development, nutrition, learning through play, and creating a nurturing home environment. By joining the program, parents learn how to support their child’s development in a timely manner and how to communicate with them effectively.
OneSky has have delivered the Family Skills Training to parents and caregivers not only at the OneSky Family Center but also across kindergartens in the Bayanzurkh District as well as through other NGOs in the Songinokhairkhan District. . Earlier this year, they launched a ‘training of trainer’ style model to pilot delivering the program through public kindergartens to scale the program. They have now successfully trained 30 trainers from 15 kindergartens. These facilitators, in turn, play a crucial role in sharing essential knowledge and practices with parents.
2. Activities Supportind Childcare Providers
Most of the childcare centers they work with were established by women. It is important to note that, these centers play a vital role in the lives of thousands of households living in the ger districts.
Building on a program that has been successfully implemented in Vietnam, OneSky has developed a comprehensive professional training program tailored to the Mongolian context. This includes classroom training, mentoring, access to a digital learning platform, and learning materials appropriate for early childhood development. They aim to cover all registered childcare centers in Ulaanbaatar by 2026. Furthermore, starting in 2027, they plan to expand their activities and implement the program nationwide.
3. Support for Welfare Institutions
They launched this initiative in 2025. Drawing on more than 27 years of experience, OneSky is now conducting an assessment of Mongolia’s welfare institutions (orphanages). The findings will serve as the foundation for developing a program to support staff working in welfare institutions.
The Team
The heart of OneSky, the force that drives everything they do, is their team. In Mongolia, they have 20 staff members, including early childhood development specialists, trainers, and an operations team. Globally, they have around 100 employees.
They actively collaborate with families, communities, and government agencies. Their work is guided by compassion, respect, and evidence-based practice.
the future
Since beginning their work in 2018, they have continually introduced innovative approaches in the field of early childhood development. They plan to continue to lead the sector and expand their programs. For example, under a Memorandum of Understanding with Bayanzurkh District Governor’s Office, they are preparing to establish a model childcare center in the district in 2026.Going forward, they also plan to organize an annual forum for the childcare sector and, together with UNICEF and the Lorinet Foundation, carry out advocacy efforts to strengthen the policy environment.
Of course, theirwork will not be limited to a single district or even the capital city. The organization’s vision is to help create a world where every child has the opportunity to fully develop their abilities, talents, and potential. This is why they seek broad partnerships, continue to expand theirreach, and strive to raise awareness of the role that everyone can play in supporting children’s early development.
The challenges
Given that their work focuses on early childhood development, having qualified professionals is essential. However, in reality, there is a significant shortage of human resources in the preschool education sector. This is a challenge not only for OneSky but for the sector as a whole.
In addition, raising public awareness remains critically important. Although many people know that early childhood development requires attention from the start, many still do not fully understand just how crucial this stage of life is, which leads to persistent issues.
OneSky is committed to leading in this area, fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration, and remaining open to sharing experiences in order to build collective understanding.
If you would like to contact OneSky Mongolia, please reach out to Sukhbat N., Director of International Relations and Partnerships.
Email: sukhbat@onesky.org
Phone: 94080218
