A little history of "our dream"
For Mrs. Griet Talpe and Mr. Etienne Kaesteker, it all started in December 2001 with a television program on Belgian TV about children living on the streets in Mongolia. Pure luck or fate happened a few weeks later when an old school friend, Mr. Willy Ollevier, visited them and said that he was the one responsible for Scheut in East-Asia. Mr. Ollevier lived in Taiwan and knew Father Gilbert and Bishop Wens who were stationed in Mongolia for Scheut, very well.
Mrs. Griet Talpe and Mr. Etienne Kaesteker with boys of orphanage center.
From that moment on Griet and Etienne became very interested in the nation and people of Mongolia. Not long thereafter they met Mr. Gantemur Damba who was a Tourism Student at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands at that time and Mr. Altanbagana Deleg who was the General manager of the Mongolian tour operator company. They have since been at the center and essential to all future projects in which Griet and Etienne participated in Mongolia. Then, together with Mongolian businessman Mr. Jamsran Jasrai and Mr. Enkhbaatar Byambadorj assisted Etienne to understand the Mongolian economy and started several business projects.
Griet and Etienne quickly gathered Belgians passionate about Mongolia, including former senator Etienne Cooreman, William Defoort, and Paul Van Wouwe. Their shared dedication fueled meaningful connections and cultural exchange. In 2002, they met Mongolian residents in Belgium, gaining profound insights into Mongolian culture. Mrs. Ariungerel Yundendorj, a pivotal figure, generously offered her expertise as a Mongolian-Dutch translator to Griet, strengthening bonds between communities. These encounters sparked a transformative journey of cultural exploration for Griet, Etienne, and their fellow enthusiasts. Their vision of fostering cross-cultural connections continues to inspire and enrich lives today.
From the start, Griet occupied herself with social projects in Mongolia and Etienne focused on building business relations between Belgium and Mongolia.
Griet and Etienne saw different approaches to assist in the realization of Mongolian dreams. They saw how the people of Scheut/Verbist who have a catholic background did it. Some of those involved at the time were Father Gilbert and Sister Lieve Stragier (from De Jacht), Bishop Wens, and Professor Gaby. Then there was Mr. Bernard Vanderhaeghen, a Belgian living in Ulaanbaatar, who had his own approach and was an ideal bridge.
Every individual approach had its strengths and weaknesses which created a great way for Griet and Etienne to better understand the Mongolian culture and how and where they might be able to assist.
Unfortunately, Griet passed away, but through the Katalpa Fund her husband Etienne now hopes to create a lasting presence in Mongolia that will help to continue realizing the dreams Griet and Etienne shared with many Mongolians. The focuses of the projects that were dear to their heart are the traditional Mongolian nomadic culture and lifestyle and giving young Mongolians an extra hand to achieve their hopes and dreams.