Nasanbold 'Naska' Sukhbaatar, a BYU–Hawaii alumnus from Mongolia, was an employee of S.W.A.T.T. when he learned to fix bikes. When Sukhbaatar realized he could use his bike repairing skills to raise money for children needing winter clothes in Mongolia, he said he sought out potential clients and reached his goal of $1,000.
The goal is fulfilled
Sukhbaatar’s goal was to collect $1,000 in 40 days, but reported he hit his goal 10 days earlier. His friend, who does charity work, is helping him in Mongolia. Sukhbaatar said, “I will send the money to my friend, and he will buy winter clothes for children who live in the western part of Mongolia. The west part is very far and isolated from the capital city of Mongolia, so not many charity [organizations] reach there.”
Sukhbaatar fixed more than 50 bikes during his project. He said when he started, he feared not having support. However, soon after he launched his project on social media, he got supportive comments and calls from people who wanted to help him. Sukhbaatar created a Facebook page called “Bike Tune Up in Laie” to post announcements and updates about the project.
His inspiration
When he was young, Sukhbaatar said he used to get cold a lot during winters due to not having enough warm clothes. Knowing there were people who needed help fixing their bikes and children who needed warm clothes for the upcoming cold winter in Mongolia, Sukhbaatar said he had the idea to combine his skills to form a charity campaign.
“I almost forgot about Mongolian cold winters because of the nice, warm weather here. However, I know there are still many children in Mongolia who don’t have enough resources to buy warm clothes, so I wanted to help them through my skills.”
During the project, managing his time was a challenge because he and his wife both work and have three young children with a fourth child on the way. His wife, Otgonchimeg Chimedregzen, is also a full-time student.
He shared his wife, Chimedregzen, a senior from Mongolia majoring in social work, was his biggest support. During the project, he said he needed to travel to different places to fix bikes. When he didn’t have or couldn’t find a babysitter, he would take his 2-year-old daughter with him.
Even though he reached his goal 10 days early, he wanted to finish it on the date he set when he began. Sukhbaatar said, if he earns extra money, he will use it for another charity project. Sukhbaatar is planning to do other projects in the future. He said this project was just beginning and inspired him to do more. “Next time it will be an even bigger project.”
His example inspired others
Chimedregzen said, “When he first told me this idea, I was surprised, but I was not sure if it would be successful. However, I was very happy when people were supportive. This project encouraged us to do more charity-based services to help others. His project changed my attitude positively and reminded me it is our duty to help our brothers and sisters.”
Cheryl Goo Brenchley, one of his clients who lives in Laie, said, “When I first saw Naska’s post on Facebook, it caught my eye because I’ve got a few bikes in my garage with all sorts of problems, and there aren’t any bike repair shops in Laie. As I read more about his project, I was just amazed. This is an act of pure selflessness, I thought.
“I was more than happy to support him and contacted him right away. I was so surprised at how fast he fixed our bikes and what an excellent job he did. I gave him a monetary donation, a couple of bikes he could sell for more profit.“
My dad took his bike over the next day, and he was happy to meet Naska because they’ve met many years ago when Naska went to the Hong Kong Temple. My dad was serving as a temple president at the time. I’m so impressed with how Naska chooses to spend his free time. I’m inspired by his example and want to live my life with more selflessness.”
Heilala Garcia, a senior from Kahuku majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “I’m impressed with how much he loves his people. He utilizes his skills to bless others’ lives.”
Myagmar Badmaasuren, a senior from Mongolia majoring in human resources, shared, “His project helped me to see that even though we are students and always busy with school and work, we always have opportunities to help others. His project is a clear example of a Christ-like attribute.”
Michelle Whalen Henderson, another of Sukhbaatar’s clients from Laie, said, “I’ve been looking for someone to fix our bikes for two years and hadn’t found anyone, so I was thrilled when I saw Naska’s post on Facebook. It was especially convenient he was willing to come to our home to work on our bikes.”
“He fixed four of our bikes. He was so great to work with, easy to communicate with, very professional and came prepared with all the necessary tools.
“My 5-year-old son was enthralled and sat nearby watching him for a long time. I would like to have him back when we need another repair.“
I also would like to see if he’d be willing to mentor my 13-year-old son so he could learn how to fix bikes, which would be a very helpful skill especially for his mission and going away to college. Also, his idea to raise money for children in Mongolia was a very generous idea, so I made sure to pay him extra because of the charity.”