In This Issue:

Project Updates: Health Concerns & A Call To Action

Sign up now to receive Itgel's exciting Annual Mailing

Volunteer in Mongolia

Mongolia comes to Texas!

Upcoming Events of Interest!

Contact

The Itgel Foundation

info@Itgel.org

www.itgel.org

In Mongolia:

The Itgel Foundation
Ulaanbaatar-211213
P.O. Box 2142
Mongolia

Telephone:
(976)11-310-296

Mobile:
(976)99-722-667

In the US:

The Itgel Foundation
1243 Arroyo Chico
Boulder, CO 80302

Telephone:
303) 241-4411

PROJECT UPDATE

Dear Friends of the Itgel Foundation,

As many of you know, last year was a big year in the field for Itgel. With the help of international experts, we conducted ground-breaking research on the devastating diseases affecting the Tsaatan community. On a daily basis we confronted infection and sickness, reminding us that immediate assistance is needed to combat these ailments. Currently, Itgel is working on developing a vaccination program that will interrupt the cycle of infection for the Tsaatan and their reindeer, giving this community a shot at a healthy sustainable future. Our current goal is to raise $20,000 towards this initiative in order to implement relief efforts in summer 2006. For this, we need your help!

Fortunately, with even a small contribution you can help give Itgel the resources it needs to conduct grassroots programs in Mongolia that foster local capacity. Remember, projects like ours call for ongoing support, so we ask our loyal donors and new friends to be a part of our initiatives in 2006. Your support is needed now…

To donate online, visit: https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/TheItgelFoundation/OnlineGiving.html

Or mail your check to:

The Itgel Foundation
1243 Arroyo Chico
Boulder, CO  80302

MAIL CALL

Itgel’s exciting annual mailing is being compiled as we speak. Don’t miss your chance to receive our field reports and colorful materials. To ensure that you receive your packet, please send us your updated mailing address before April 10th to info@itgel.org

A FEW GOOD VOLUNTEERS

As spring draws near, it’s time again to begin Itgel’s recruiting process for field volunteers. If you are interested in serving with Itgel in Mongolia for any length of time between July and October 2006, let us know! Volunteers provide essential support for Itgel’s projects. No fetching coffee or filing stacks of paper! In previous years, volunteers have had the opportunity to…

  • Assist with veterinary treatments and research
  • Conduct field research on plant distribution, reindeer health, herd dynamics, and current socio-economic conditions in Mongolia
  • Interview nomadic herders to assess current needs and foster collaborative action
  • Provide administrative support such as grant research, in-country PR, and project development
  • Coordinate logistics and offer field support such as cooking, horse handling, and more
  • Experience Mongolian culture from the inside, through service, learning, and collaborative efforts with local individuals

Itgel’s volunteer selection process is highly competitive. Adults ages 18 and up are invited to apply. All backgrounds and interest areas welcome. Mongolian volunteers are especially encouraged! For more information or to submit a resume and cover letter, contact Morgan Keay at volunteer@itgel.org

*Volunteers must be physically fit, willing to endure rugged travel and living conditions, have the ability to work as a team, and offer critical support of Itgel’s projects.

LONE STARSTATE GOES MONGOL

On February 12, 2006, eight alumni from the School for International Training’s academic program in Mongolia hosted an exceptional special event in Austin, Texas entitled “Where Earth Meets Sky: A Celebration of Mongolia’s Cultural Legacy.” The event, curated by University of Texas senior Ashley St. Clair, featured original artistic works by the group of students who spent five months living and researching in Mongolia in 2004. Itgel Executive Director Morgan Keay had the pleasure of attending the event as a guest speaker, and enjoyed the company of Edward Storry, Honorary Consul of Mongolia, members of Austin’s Mongolian community, and even the local news. The event brought the vibrancy of Mongolian culture to the LoneStarState through photography, thangka paintings, film, and informative talks by the eight students who dubbed themselves “The Zuraach Collective,” derived from the Mongolian word for artist. The Itgel Foundation wishes to congratulate and thank Ashley St. Clair and the Zuraach Collective, for hosting a fantastic event that demonstrated appreciation and respect for Mongolia’s culture, a sentiment echoed by Itgel.

EVENTS OF INTEREST

Snow Leopard talk in Boulder

On Wednesday, April 5th at 6:30 pm The Snow Leopard Trust will be giving a talk on their conservation efforts in Mongolia. The event will take place at the Boulder Humane Society in Boulder, Colorado. (2323 55thStreet).

Mongolia Society Conference in San Francisco

This April 6-8, the Mongolia Society will host their annual conference. The event will be held at the Marriott in San Francisco, California (55 Fourth Street). For more information, visit their website at http://www.indiana.edu/~mongsoc/annual2006.html

Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride

This year’s Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride, Colorado will focus on Mongolia as its theme. The festival takes place this May.