ACM started the implementation of the “Focus on Kids” photography project in February, 2005 at the Community Center in Chingeltei district of “Save the Children”, UK with the funding of Swiss Development Agency for Cooperation. This project was aimed to help disadvantaged children to express their personal views of their community and their surroundings in a creative way with the added benefit of helping them to develop new vocational skills through photography.
The first project involved over 25 children in the near area and provided with after-school courses based on specially developed curriculum. During the 15 months of the training, there were 8 exhibitions were organized displaying the students’ works and toured to secondary schools and to other cities of Erdenet and Darkhan.

Over the last two years, more than 40 disadvantaged children have participated in the project, many of them receiving numerous awards and places in several national level photography competitions.  Four successful graduates have exhibited solo and joint exhibitions and are now studying and working as professional photographers.
 
In March 2007, Focus on Kids project has started its second project implementation with the fourth and fifth groups of 17 children completing the course and graduating with new skills, access to the creative process and semi-professional education in art of black and white photography. The project curriculum, initially developed on the basis of technical skills, is changed into training methodology based on discussion and brainstorming. As the result of the project, the children gain the technical skills to shoot and process the photography, obtain deep knowledge on photography as an art and learn to express their opinion through creative way.

Focus on Kids in 2006
Thanks to the financial support of Swiss Development Agency, ACM began the “Focus on Kids” pilot project in 2005 at the Community Center in Chingeltei district of “Save the Children”, UK.
This project was aimed to help disadvantaged children to express their personal views of their community and their surroundings in a creative way with the added benefit of helping them to develop a new vocational skill through photography.

ACM began the “Focus on Kids” pilot project in February, 2005 at the Community Center in Chingeltei district of “Save the Children”, UK, with funding from the Swiss Development Agency for Cooperation. The first graduates of the photography project finished the first phase of the training in June, 2006. The “Focus on Kids” project started its second phase, year-long program in September, 2006, and continues its activity with new 12 students and 6 graduates from previous years.

As we see after the first part of the training, the students have most of the basic technical skills required to shoot, develop and print black and white photos. The focus of the program has now changed from a technical-based curriculum to a discussion-based one. Their creative skills have improved, as well as their artistic understanding of photography and its application.

FoK exhibitions
A joint exhibition of "FoK" students was organized during June, 2006 in accordance with their raduation at the Red Ger gallery. Also they organzed several joint exhibitions during February 28-March 13 at the Red Ger gallery. The exhibition displayed over 100 works by 20 students. Two students of the project have won the 1st and 2nd places in the photography contest "Our surroundings in our focus" organized by "Nina" Foundation. The works were also included in the Photography in Mongolia - 70th anniversary joint exhibition in UB, Erdenet and Darkhan cities and on display at the schools of the near area at the Khailaast district of UB. The first graduates of the photography project will finish their one year course In June, 2006.

Focus on Kids students had their exhibitions as part of the and Photography in Mongolia - 70th anniversary joint exhibition, which will be on tour to Erdenet and Darkhan cities. Also the FoK exhibition was be on display at the schools of the near area at the Khailaast district of UB in December.

Focus on Kids 2004
The “Focus on Kids” project was developed with the main goal to help disadvantaged children of ages 12-16 to express their personal views of their community and their surroundings in a creative way with the added benefit of helping them to develop a new vocational skill through photography. 
The project has several phases, including curriculum development and the darkroom and equipment preparation, the actual course of photography, evaluation of the course and exhibition and website of the works by children.

The project development and the fundraising were accomplished in 2004 and the “Focus on Kids” photography course will be implemented, thanks to the financial support of Swiss Development Agency, at the Save The Children Community Center in Chingeltei district from February, 2005 until February, 2006. The course will have 2 semesters and will involve 10 students selected from the surrounding areas.