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October 20, 2025

Sharing Mongolia’s Toilet Revolution: Impact Hero 2025 Oyuna, Japan Visit Report

The Japan visit was a heartfelt opportunity for Oyuna to personally thank the supporters who contributed to her crowdfunding campaign and made her initiatives possible.

From October 2, 2025, for one week, Impact Hero 2023 Oyungerel Tsedevdamba (Oyuna) visited Japan. During her stay in Tokyo, Oyuna focused on building partnerships with companies to promote safe and hygienic toilets in Mongolia. She also took part in several media engagements, including newspaper interviews and radio appearances, to raise public awareness about sanitation challenges in her country.

IMPACT HERO 2023, Oyungerel "Oyuna" Tsedevdamba

IMPACT HERO 2023

Oyuna Tsedevdamba

Founder: Local Solutions

Oyungerel (Oyuna) grew up in a small rural town in Mongolia, that was influenced by the communist past of the Soviet Union. After studying planned economics at Moscow University, she would become an activist promoting democracy in Mongolia after the Soviet Union collapsed. She has served as a member of parliament and Minister of Culture and Tourism, where she worked towards the country’s sustainable development.

Mongolia faces significant challenges in terms of water and sanitation. More than 60% of toilets in Mongolia are open-pit latrine toilets, which are highly unsanitary, a health hazard, and even life-threatening. To an extent where, the entire country considers the word ‘toilet’ a taboo.

In order to address this, Oyuna initiated the campaign “Let’s Change Our Toilets” with the aim of changing people’s attitudes and behaviors towards toilets. The mission focuses on improving overall hygiene, and the environment, through widespread adoption of safe, sanitary, and eco-friendly toilets. She mainly focused on remote areas without access to water, and Ger districts (nomadic settlements) in urban areas. Oyuna’s campaign involves introducing alternative toilet options, conducting training and awareness programs in communities, and promoting collaborations with the business sector

About Oyuna

Three Years of Support and Collaboration

  • July 2023 - Earth Company selected Oyuna as the Impact Hero of 2023. The start of a powerful partnership to tackle Mongolia’s sanitation crisis.
  • December 2024 - By December 2024, we provided US$30,000 in funding to support the writing and printing of a book on toilet sanitation and to run community workshops that help break taboos around hygiene.
  • February 2025 - Oyuna joined us in Bali for a five-day strategy retreat, where we co-created a long-term roadmap for her vision.
  • July 2025 - Our Impact Hero Support Team traveled to Mongolia for an on-site visit to deepen our understanding of the challenges on the ground. That same month, we launched a crowdfunding campaign, “Deliver Safe and Clean Toilets to Solve Mongolia’s Sanitation Crisis!”—raising US$61,706 from 215 supporters.

Purpose of the Japan Visit

Oyuna has set her sights on an ambitious goal: replacing all 600,000 unsanitary pit latrines still in use across Mongolia with safe, sustainable toilets. Through her own organization, she aims to directly disseminate 6,000 toilets—a bold step designed not just to build infrastructure, but to spark a self-sustaining sanitation movement that brings together people, businesses, and communities.

So far, 1,200 toilets have been installed, but reaching her goal means accelerating both production and partnerships.

During her one-week visit to Japan, Oyuna focused on two key objectives:

  • Building partnerships with companies, foundations, and individuals to support toilet dissemination in Mongolia.
  • Raising awareness about Mongolia’s sanitation challenges through media appearances and public events.

The trip also gave Oyuna a chance to express her heartfelt gratitude to the many supporters who stood by her—from those who joined the crowdfunding campaign to those continuing to amplify her mission today.

Highlights and Achievements from the Japan Visit

Total funds
raised in 2025

US$68,300

Partnership
Opportunities Created

10

Media
Coverage

2

“Re: Earth 2025” Event

On October 4, Oyuna took the stage at Re: Earth 2025, an event hosted by Earth Company. In her talk, she shared her remarkable journey—from growing up in Mongolia during the communist era to serving as a Member of Parliament and Minister, and how these experiences shaped her mission today.

For many in the audience, this was their first time hearing Oyuna’s story in her own words. Through her honesty and humility, she offered new insights into what drives her work. The 50 participants who attended left inspired, having witnessed the conviction and heart behind her vision for change.

 

Visit to LIXIL

During her stay, Oyuna and the Earth Company team also visited LIXIL Corporation, meeting the team behind SATO, an affordable, easy-to-install toilet system designed for developing countries.

In Mongolia, Oyuna currently promotes three types of hygienic toilets, including portable models for rural and nomadic areas. While these have greatly improved sanitation and maintenance, their heavy materials and complicated setup limit wider adoption.

The LIXIL team introduced the SATO toilet—lightweight, low-cost, and high-quality—offering a promising solution. Their discussion centered on how SATO could be adapted for Mongolia, exploring local production and large-scale dissemination.

We’re eager to see how this potential collaboration unfolds in the coming months.

 

Visit to UACJ Karoyaka Foundation

We also visited the UACJ Karoyaka Foundation, a valued corporate sponsor supporting Earth Company since 2025. Established by the UACJ Group, Japan’s leading aluminum manufacturer, the foundation is dedicated to social contribution through innovation.

During the meeting, we expressed our heartfelt gratitude for their partnership and explored the idea of using aluminum to make the toilets lighter and easier to install—especially for Mongolia’s nomadic communities. The discussion was both practical and forward-looking, marking an exciting step toward deeper collaboration.

 

J-Wave “Jam the Planet” Radio Interview

Oyuna appeared on “Jam the Planet,” a program broadcast on FM radio station J-WAVE from Monday to Thursday that highlights global issues and current affairs. In her segment, she spoke about her ongoing toilet improvement project in Mongolia and shared thoughtful insights on the mindset needed to break social taboos around sanitation.

Her interview offered listeners a rare glimpse into the human side of sanitation reform—revealing both the challenges and the determination driving her mission.

 

Throughout the visit, we had the chance to meet a wide range of individuals and organizations who share a common belief in the power of grassroots change. These included:

  • Corporate and foundation partners supporting Earth Company
  • Foundations and individuals working on Mongolia-related initiatives
  • A member of Japan’s House of Councilors
  • Major media outlets (interview details to be announced soon)
  • The Mongolian community in Japan
  • Individual supporters of Oyuna’s projects

Each conversation opened new doors—deepening mutual understanding, sparking fresh ideas, and strengthening the momentum needed to expand Oyuna’s impact across borders.

A Message from the Impact Hero Program Manager

This final year of supporting Oyuna has been one of the most eventful and meaningful journeys we’ve had. It began with the strategy retreat in Bali last February, followed by our field visit to Mongolia in July, the crowdfunding campaign during the summer, and finally, Oyuna’s visit to Japan in October.

Because her support period had to be paused for a year due to her election campaign, we entered 2025 with a strong sense of determination—knowing this would be a decisive year. In February, we gathered in Bali to refine a clear roadmap for the year ahead. Oyuna returned to Mongolia with renewed focus and energy.

Soon after, however, new challenges emerged: leadership changes, restructuring, funding shortfalls, and delays in securing land for the planned Toilet Education Center. At one point, the team even faced the risk of disbandment. Looking back, Oyuna shared, “Earth Company’s support was a major source of hope—and our only lifeline to continue our activities.”

At Earth Company, we see our mission as walking closely beside changemakers like Oyuna—listening, adapting, and providing support that meets their needs at the right moment. Seeing her now move forward with confidence and optimism fills us with deep gratitude and pride.

Finally, to all the donors and supporters who made this journey possible—thank you from the bottom of our hearts for believing in Oyuna and in the power of changemakers to transform the world.

— So Shimada
Impact Hero Program Manager

[Activity Report] Toilet Education Center to Open Next Month

Next month marks a long-awaited milestone in Oyuna’s mission to transform sanitation across Mongolia—the grand opening of the Toilet Education Center.

The center will serve as a hub for education, training, and public awareness on safe and hygienic toilet use, while showcasing practical and sustainable sanitation technologies. Through workshops, exhibitions, and hands-on learning, it aims to shift public perceptions, empower communities with real knowledge, and accelerate Mongolia’s journey toward safer and more dignified sanitation practices.

This milestone is more than just a building—it represents years of perseverance and the collective effort of countless people. It stands as tangible proof of what’s possible when compassion, trust, and collaboration come together.

 

 

Looking Ahead

Oyuna’s visit to Japan was more than a series of meetings—it was a bridge between Mongolia and Japan, between awareness and action. From heartfelt dialogues with supporters to her powerful public talk, every moment reflected her unwavering commitment to dignity and change.

This journey reminded us that true impact is rarely achieved alone. It takes collaboration across borders and the shared belief that we can build something better, together.

As Oyuna and her team prepare to open Mongolia’s first Toilet Education Center, we at Earth Company are filled with gratitude—to every donor, partner, and supporter who has walked this path with us.

Together, we continue to believe in the power of changemakers like Oyuna to turn challenges into hope, and to lead the way toward regenerative futures for all.