A lot of change is happening here at CHF Mongolia as the grant from the U.S Agency for International Development(USAID) closes out on March 31 and staff prepare to begin the new grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USAG). Each of the programs have a different focus, the staffing requirements and positions available are different, the accounting is moving from dollars to Trugs (the Mongolian dollar) and then reports go back to CHF Washington in dollars. In this process a majority of the staff have been spun off to the new Mongolian Non-Profit. This is the new NGO where my work is focused on consulting with Serjmaa as she begins her work as a CEO with the new Board of Directors. The new NGO is being given a contract to do a great deal of the field work for the new program grant that CHF has received from USAG. In the middle of this process, the Tugrig continues to drop in value rather dramatically. "So who is on First Base" asked one comedian to the other.
You will see here a picture of Glenn Moller, the Country Director and the tall guy is Brian King, the Deputy Director. I think they are able to keep smiling, not because they know for sure who is on first but because both of them have been with CHF for a number of years and worked in other countries for CHF, where they been involved in major changes in contracts more impacting then this one. Also, other than what is happening to the Tugrig, most of the current changes were designed in to the plan originally and it is not new information for anyone. Glenn and Brian are also very capable guys. The smile on Brian's face is even more amazing because he had to cut his position out of the budget to make it work with the loss of the value of the Tugrig. Brian is practicing saying "Do you want fries with that" since his job here in Mongolia is now scheduled to end the first of July. Glenn and I are both hoping some other CHF country program will use his excellent skills and significant experience. So, as the game of musical chairs is played, when the music stops in the near future, there will not be enough chairs for everyone. For a few staff, as I understand it, this will be at the end of March and for a few others as late as probably the end of June. The majority of staff, however, will probably not experience a great deal of change.
On the left you will see a picture of Narantsatsral Gonchig"Nara". She is the translator for the organization. Then there is Tserenchimed Batbayar or you can just call her "Chemka" like I do. She is in charge of the business linkage program, where they are able to batch small producers together and sell to larger markets. These are two of the approximately 75 staff involved in the programs happening at this time. Brian and Glenn are the only paid non-Mongolians.
Then of course, there is the old volunteer guy, who enjoys the great view from the office he shares with five of the other, approximately 30 people, working out of the Corporate office.
You will see here a picture of Glenn Moller, the Country Director and the tall guy is Brian King, the Deputy Director. I think they are able to keep smiling, not because they know for sure who is on first but because both of them have been with CHF for a number of years and worked in other countries for CHF, where they been involved in major changes in contracts more impacting then this one. Also, other than what is happening to the Tugrig, most of the current changes were designed in to the plan originally and it is not new information for anyone. Glenn and Brian are also very capable guys. The smile on Brian's face is even more amazing because he had to cut his position out of the budget to make it work with the loss of the value of the Tugrig. Brian is practicing saying "Do you want fries with that" since his job here in Mongolia is now scheduled to end the first of July. Glenn and I are both hoping some other CHF country program will use his excellent skills and significant experience. So, as the game of musical chairs is played, when the music stops in the near future, there will not be enough chairs for everyone. For a few staff, as I understand it, this will be at the end of March and for a few others as late as probably the end of June. The majority of staff, however, will probably not experience a great deal of change. 
On the left you will see a picture of Narantsatsral Gonchig"Nara". She is the translator for the organization. Then there is Tserenchimed Batbayar or you can just call her "Chemka" like I do. She is in charge of the business linkage program, where they are able to batch small producers together and sell to larger markets. These are two of the approximately 75 staff involved in the programs happening at this time. Brian and Glenn are the only paid non-Mongolians.
Then of course, there is the old volunteer guy, who enjoys the great view from the office he shares with five of the other, approximately 30 people, working out of the Corporate office.
