Who
we are
About us
As one of the most well-known and respected NGOs in Mongolia, the Zorig Foundation from its onset has been focusing on advancing democracy and good governance. Currently it provides a wide range of programs on leadership, education, employment and environment for youth and change-makers by delivering up to 20 unique projects annually. Since its founding the Zorig Foundation has supported knowledge and meanwhile has become the largest domestic scholarship provider in Mongolia (over 2,900 scholarships so far). The Foundation directly engaged more than 6,000 participants in capacity-building programs, supported 378 community projects, worked with over 120 partners, delivered wide-reaching advocacy campaigns, and gained 142,000 followers on social media. Zorig Foundation attracts high school and university students and recent graduates, as well as young, mid-career and rural professionals in our effort to motivate and empower the next generation of leaders.
Vision
To build an inclusive and dynamic society where everyone is engaged in shaping a brighter Mongolia.
Mission
Connect, inform, equip and empower Mongolia’s youth and changemakers to make a real difference in their communities and beyond.
Values
We carry on Zorig’s legacy of action, progress, and values. We work ethically, for impact, with compassion.
Our history
Zorig Foundation was established in 1998 after the assassination of Zorig Sanjaasuren - a leader of Mongolia's democratic revolution. In the founding years of the organization, ZF focused on good governance, advocating for government transparency and freedom of the press, and delivering anti-corruption campaigns. In 2001, ZF began offering scholarships to support students from low-income families to attend university and in 2003, ZF’s renowned Young Leaders Program began. ZF has continued to grow, introducing a range of annual programs featuring capacity building training and community development projects to advance democracy, and address issues such as youth unemployment, climate change, and gender inequality.
Zorig sanjaasuren
Zorig Sanjaasuren was born in Ulaanbaatar in 1962. After studying philosophy in Moscow, Zorig became a member of parliament in 1992 and minister for Infrastructure in 1996. His courage, perseverance, and conviction played a historic role in organizing and utilizing the Mongolian Democratic Union (MDU) to oppose the primary political organization - the MPRP - and end its communist dictatorship. Zorig is respected as a leader of Mongolia’s democratic revolution. He focused on democratizing Mongolian society, creating a legal environment to build a market economy, and making Mongolia an open country. Two years after the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP) and the Mongolian Social Democratic Party (MSDP) won the parliamentary elections, in the fall of 1998, Zorig Sanjaasuren was assassinated at home.
Chairperson's greeting
“For more than two decades, the Zorig Foundation has been working in three main areas: good governance, youth and education, and social development – with the goal of spreading democratic values and ideas. The founders, supporters, donors, and collaborators of individuals and organizations have made a significant contribution to today’s Zorig Foundation. We will continue to work hard to make a real impact on the social development of Mongolia and the education of our youth.”
Oyun Sanjaasuren / Chairperson of Zorig Foundation
