With committed and dedicated nature Tuya Damdinjamts, spent her young age and all her energy to improve the legal and social environment for unorganized and illegal miners so-called “ninja” not only from her hometown in Mandal soum, Selenge Province but from many other places too. She is recognized by her trustworthiness and committed and dedicated personality in her hometown and she has been the head of the Bag Citizen’s Assembly for eight consecutive years. In her assigned duties Tuya has endless tasks concerning the social issues of the local communities, provision of required supports to women, vulnerable and the poor and protection of their interests and rights. Working at the Bag level at the smallest administrative unit and being closest to the community is her social responsibility and it is community trust and assigned role, she realizes.

There were no jobs and most people were surviving on artisanal-mining. Like others, she went to Baruunkharaa to mine gold, and it created an inseparable bond between her and artisanal-mining. “The life in the mines was very tough, not in the work that the “ninjas” were doing, but the adverse changes in those people’s behavior, attitude, the way they treat each other and drink irresponsibly… also, the working environment was horrible, and there were no decent tools other than an air pounder. No one was paying attention to these people, and no regulations were issued” she, as the one who underwent through all these, stated.

In 2007, the artisanal miners were blamed and criminal proceedings were initiated because of the misuse of toxic substances such as mercury and cyanide. Tuya was the only woman amongst them; however, she said she used it because she didn’t know it and was in lack of information. Mercury and cyanide are sold freely like bread over the counter, and she added to warn the public about it. There are no information and precautions of its dangers from the government. She also had time to express her fault and the government’s fault, saying “if there were enough information and knowledge about it, it wouldn’t have happened”. Since she took every problem seriously and has a heart for others, she started thinking how she could help other struggling gold miners and fight against the issues they were facing.

When she heard about the project that helps artisanal gold miners, she came all the way to Ulaanbaatar. After meeting the project administration, she found out that there was no way to continue mining gold in an unorganized and illegal way. Thus, she gathered artisanal gold miners, started a non-governmental organization (NGO) called “Duush Mandal Khairkhan” in 2008 and appointed the head of the NGO. Starting a non-governmental organization, forming the community with diverse background and leading them were not only about mining gold, but most importantly; it was about teaching them the art of the collaboration and cooperation.

Furthermore, the organization got involved in Sustainable Artisanal Mining project by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and all the members participated in the trainings and events hosted by the project. Thanks to it, the members became more united understanding the social responsibility and the meaning of “All for one and one for all”. Based on the traditions and beliefs, to cultivate and educate our people I say “if we worship the mountains, we will gain more; if we drink alcohol, the spirits would get angry; if we don’t do reclamation, the society won’t accept us and our next generation will be disappointed in us”.

I am fairly satisfied that I could unite all these people with different points of view, and even without my involvement, this organization got well-structured like a proper organization. Even though there were times I had money in my account while I was running my business, and also times when I spent all that money into the development of my non-governmental organization, I am happy that the community learned to live for others, and it is more rewarding than earning money, she said proudly.

To support the alternative income source to the artisanal miners Tuya runs a small boards manufacturing, highway guardrail and pedestrian guardrail manufacturing factory while providing stable employment for 6 people. Then, in 2016, she expanded her business by starting to manufacture concrete assembled patterned boards. By her business activities she has been recognized by local businessmen and got business requests from other organizations. For example, recently, they received an offer to become an authorized reseller for a tire dealership. Moreover, solution of clean water supply necessary for her plants, with an added benefit by providing clean water supply for about 100 households witnessing her dedication to community development.

She is considering about building a plant that doesn’t use mercury in its operations and at the same time, providing employment for local people and contributing to better livelihood “at least 40 people would be regular employment” again, she’s striving to produce, better change, without a second to sit back…