‘Women on a Mission’ Trek Across the Altai Mountains of Mongolia in Support of Women Survivors of War
An independent, self-funded, team of 13 women, from Singapore, Paris and Hong-Kong, under the banner of Women on a Mission (WOAM), a non-profit organisation headquartered in Singapore, which supports and empowers abused women, will embark on a ten-day horseback riding and trekking expedition on May 22, 2018, to visit the eagle hunters of the Altai Mountains of Mongolia.
The expedition’s objective is to raise $100,000 SGD for Women for Women International UK– an independent humanitarian organisation, which provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts, with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency.
WOAM, now in its sixth year of operation, has raised over $850,000 Singapore dollars to date, to support organisations that advance the position of women around the world. In addition to Women for Women International, the team also champions and raises funds for the following Singapore-based charities: AWARE - Singapore’s leading gender equality advocacy group; UN Women; Aidha - a Singapore NGO empowering domestic workers; and Pertapis Home for Women and Girls. The past eight WOAM expeditions have been to regions of the Himalayas, the Middle East, Africa and the Arctic Circle.
Brita Fernandez Schmidt, Executive Director of Women for Women International UK stated, “The women we work with live in some of the world’s most dangerous places – it can be hard for us to imagine their daily challenges. I find it so inspiring that WOAM push themselves far outside their comfort zone in order to raise money and awareness for women survivors of war. Each trek they take on is just as challenging as the last, and WOAM members truly go the extra mile to leverage their networks and raise incredible sums of money, which make a real difference to the women we serve.”
For this next expedition to Mongolia, WOAM’s ninth to date, the women will begin their voyage in the country’s capital, Ulaanbaatar, and fly to Ulgii the largest city of the westernmost Bayan-Olgiy province of Mongolia, where they will take part in an incredibly unique nomadic experience. The Kazakhs living in this area are the largest national minority and practice Sunni Islam. The Muslim influence is widespread, from street signs to clothes and food, which gives the town its diverse atmosphere. The team will stay in ger camps with local nomadic families, set against the vast landscapes of this remote area of Mongolia, which lies close to the border of Russia and Kazakhstan. Still untouched by mass tourism and deeply steeped in its cultural roots and traditions, the local people of the region hunt for food and fur with golden eagles. During their stay there, the WOAM team will learn about the art of hunting with these majestic birds, a thrilling, ancient practice that few people get a chance to experience.
From Ölgii, the women will drive six hours on a hard track road to enter the Tavan Bogd national park with its backdrop of the Altai mountains. “Altai" means "Gold Mountain" in Mongolian and the range, a UNESCO world heritage site, is Mongolia's largest and highest with towering white mountains, glaciers, deep lush valleys, and large lakes - an idyllic place for trekking and horseback riding.
Once in the national park, the team will set off on horseback and trek deeper into the mountains to discover the region. Western Mongolia is still relatively unexplored and has retained a remarkably stable climate changing little since the last ice age. In addition, the mix of mammals has remained largely the same – with a few exceptions such as extinct Mammoths – making it one of the few places on earth to retain an ice age fauna. During this expedition, the group will travel amongst the region’s stunning snow-capped mountains and camp beside pristine rivers and lakes with a chance to spot some of the wildlife that inhabit the area including marmots, hares and a number of birds such us Golden Eagles, Black Vultures and Falcons.
The journey will take the WOAM team in the vicinity the 20km long Potanin glacier, which is the largest and most imposing of the twenty glaciers in the Mongolian Altai range. They will climb up Mount Malchin (4050m) from where they will be able to see views of all the glaciated peaks of the region, as well as Russia and Kazakhstan to the North and Mount Khuiten to the South.
Along the way the women may come cross the animistic Tuvan nomads who in Mongolia are regarded as one of the Uriankhai peoples. Tuvans have historically been cattle-herding nomads, tending to their herds of goats, sheep, camels, reindeer, cattle and yaks for the past thousands of years. They have traditionally lived in yurts covered by felt, or chums covered with birch bark or hide, that they relocate seasonally as they move to newer pastures. It’s estimated that there are only around 3000 surviving Tuvan people left in Mongolia.
Finally, upon their return to Ulaanbaatar, the group will visit a women’s centre for survivors of domestic violence. The charity is called NCAV, which stands for the National Centre Against Violence. NCAV is the only major organisation that deals with violence against women in Mongolia. It was established in 1995, and today has 16 branches throughout the country and runs five shelter houses available for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The WOAM team will meet with the social workers running the centre to learn about the issues facing women in Mongolia. Additionally, the teammates will conduct leadership development and entrepreneurship workshops so as to share their own diverse life and career experiences with the women at the centre.
Ultimately, WOAM’s objective is to inspire women to want to leave their comfort zone, their families and homes for a certain period of time, while pushing their limits in an effort to rally support for a worthy cause. At the core of their culture is a passion for adventure and a deep respect and love of nature. They seek to travel and explore the world, and as a result make new discoveries, flourish as individuals, but most importantly, contribute to society. By travelling in such challenging conditions, WOAM hopes to bring international attention to the need for societies, governments and corporations to get involved and help end violence against women. The team passionately feels that this reality can no longer be tolerated, in any form, in any context, and by anyone around the globe.
Team Profiles
Thirteen intrepid women of diverse nationalities and backgrounds form the team of this ‘Women on a Mission’ Expedition to Mongolia 2018. While they are all incredibly well accomplished in their careers, they are equally passionate about supporting charitable causes and helping the less privileged. To read the team bios please visit our Women On A Mission Singapore Facebook page.
