The impact on the local people is quite evident. We are creating jobs, we are restoring community pride, and we are helping the locals to regain a part of their heritage that was brutally taken from them. Even so, the impact on the individual tourist may be even more profound. For a donation, volunteers on the Baldan Baraivan restoration are allowed to participate in the reconstruction right alongside the local crew assembled for the project. The volunteers are immersed in the culture and traditions of the Mongolian countryside.
Past volunteers seem to think it was well worth the cost.
Being able to provide a solid income and 3 meals per day for so many Mongolians is really important for me. In some way, we were giving these people a part of their history back. Not only are we changing the views of the tourist s towards local communities, but we are changing the local s views of foreigners. Munkhbat, a local man who has been working on the project for two years expressed his pleasure with the help. It is greatly appreciated that foreigners come to help.