Through my eyes: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia. A pulsating city of contrasts, it sits in the Tuul River valley, bordering the Bogd Khan Uul National Park.  

Originally a nomadic Buddhist centre, it became a permanent site in the 18th century. Soviet-era buildings, museums within surviving monasteries, and a vibrant conjunction of traditional and 21st-century lifestyles typify the modern city. 

Ger Districts (left) don’t have enough playgrounds. As a result, children choose to play near the traffic and then obviously car accidents happen.

In other areas, children walk a long way to use good playgrounds. It’s heartwarming to see the joy on their faces.

If you stand in a place and observe the people who pass through the street for a whole day, you will meet various people who have very different lives.

You will see a little kid trying to sell eggs in order to earn money for his family, a man doing hard labour to feed his kids, a lonely dog looking for an owner, a little girl with tears in her eyes and more.
 

We went to a dumping area. There was a boy who lives there, and he wanted us to take his picture. It was sad to see a homeless boy who lives in a dumping area. It smelled so bad around there.

I felt sad for these people. People throw away their trash where ever they want. They don’t care or consider the future or the environment for kids.

Kids that live in Ulaanbaatar breathe this smoke. I wish we had a chance to move it to the other side of the city.

I pitied the children because they should be playing or enjoying their life, but they were working even though they are underage.