From Camels to Community: Youthlinc Expands to Mongolia

Youthlinc is officially launching a brand-new service site in Mongolia! Our first team will travel there in Summer 2026, and we couldn’t be more excited to open this chapter. This year, we’ll have not one but two teams headed to Mongolia: a traditional Service Year team and a Utah State University History-Focused Rooted Global team. Priority registration for the Service Year team closes October 10, and the college program priority registration closes December 1, so now is the time to join this adventure.

We’ll be working in Ulziit soum of Arkhangai Province, a region famous for its rolling grasslands, forested mountains, and communities that still live closely tied to Mongolia’s nomadic traditions. The country’s history is as powerful as its landscapes. Once the heart of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan, Mongolia has seen incredible change over the centuries, from socialist rule to a peaceful transition to democracy in the 1990s. Today, while Ulaanbaatar has modernized rapidly, rural provinces still face challenges in education, sustainability, and infrastructure. Our teams will focus on English teaching, ecological development, and cultural exchange, partnering directly with schools and community groups to create lasting impact.

We’re also thrilled to be working with our in-country coordinator, Adiyabold Namkhai, who has been collaborating with Youthlinc since 2020. Adiyabold grew up during Mongolia’s Soviet era and lived through the country’s democratic transition. He studied tourism and hospitality, founded his own tour company in 2004, and has spent his career connecting visitors to Mongolia’s culture, history, and nomadic traditions. Passionate about rural development and youth empowerment, he plays a vital role in helping us build sustainable partnerships.

The Service Year team will dive into both service and adventure. Beyond teaching and heavy ecological projects, they will ride horses across the steppe, go water rafting, try out a short zipline and hanging bridge, hold a golden eagle, ride a two-humped camel, visit ancient monasteries, and stay in traditional gers. Most importantly, they will share meals and conversations with families whose warmth, resilience, and traditions make Mongolia unforgettable.

The USU History-Focused Rooted Global team will be led by Dr. Clayton Brown, a historian with deep expertise in Chinese and Asian history, archaeology, and cultural heritage, bringing firsthand experience from his research and fieldwork in China and beyond. The team will take a deeper dive into Mongolia’s past and culture, learning about Mongolian history by visiting monasteries, museums, and lectures, then setting off on a seven-day road trip exploring historical sites around the Mongolian countryside. Along the way, they will ride two-humped camels, hike to a waterfall, and ride horses in the mountains. After their road trip, they will spend three days in the Ulziit community working alongside local monks to repair the monastery and build connections with village members. They will also witness a local nomad festival that showcases traditional horse racing, wrestling, and archery, an unforgettable celebration of Mongolian heritage.

This is your chance to be part of Youthlinc history by helping launch our very first Mongolia teams. Spots will go quickly, with Service Year priority registration closing October 10 and the college program priority registration closing December 1. Learn more and register today at youthlinc.org/mongolia or rootedglobal.org/mongolia. We’re honored to begin this new partnership and can’t wait to see the impact unfold in Mongolia. Will you be part of the very first Youthlinc Mongolia teams?