East Timor

	* Image courtesy of University of Texas at Austin

World Vision Australia began working in East Timor in 1995, and was involved in the large relief and reconstruction efforts both before and after the 1999 referendum. More recently, our projects have focused on long-term community development. In mid 2006, violence caused over 100,000 people to flee their homes and take shelter in makeshift camps. World Vision has been involved with relief work with internally displaced people. We do not currently have child sponsorship projects in the country.

Much of World Vision’s work in East Timor focuses on improving agricultural productivity, increasing income levels within local communities, and addressing health issues and childhood nutrition.

There are currently 21 projects funded by World Vision Australia in East Timor:

• Three relief projects, one funded by AusAID, the Australian Government’s overseas aid agency, and the other two funded by Australian donors
• Two projects co-funded by AusAID and the Australian public
• One project funded by the 40 Hour Famine
• One project supported by the Smiles Gift Catalogue
• One project funded by the United Nations Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
• One project funded by the World Food Programme
• Three Gift-in-Kind projects
• Nine projects funded by Australian donors under other programs

A brief description of two of the projects World Vision Australia supports:

East Timor Food Security Project

World Vision has been working with farmers in the Aileu and Bobonaro districts to improve their livelihoods and help them meet their food needs. Activities have included:

Another important aspect of the project has been training for farmers to professionally market their produce. Previously, farmers commonly sold their produce to buyers coming up from Dili who were giving them misinformation about the value of their produce. Edi Chandra, a local World Vision staff member, explained, “By training local farmers on bargaining skills, making them aware of Dili prices and demand, the farmers have now gained market access and understand how to increase their income for their current yields.”

After completing the training and travelling down to Dili to use the market in town, the farmers were able to sell their produce for a remarkable 12 times what they used to get in the past.

This project is funded under the AusAID NGO Cooperation Program, in which the Australian Government provides 75% of funds, and public donations provide 25%.

Balibo Five House: Community Learning Centre

There is a house in the village of Balibo where five Australian journalists were killed by the Indonesian military in 1975. After East Timor’s independence, World Vision Australia was asked to facilitate its rebuilding and operation as a community centre. The house also stands as a memorial to the East Timor struggle for independence, and to the journalists, commonly known as the “Balibo Five.”

A local management committee is now being trained to run the centre, which functions as:

• a focal point for a community recovering from trauma
• a venue/project to unite various groups in the community such as church, government and village chiefs
• a preschool
• a provider of training opportunities for youth and others in the community – sewing, carpentry, mechanics, weaving, literacy.

Alipio dos Santos, chairman of the Community Management Committee, commented, “I am glad of the opportunities given to Balibo community to learn diversified skills and to organise Balibo Community Learning Centre by ourselves. On behalf of Balibo community, I would like to give thanks to donors and World Vision for guiding us during these past two years. We hope that we can continue learning and developing the facility.”

Note: Other World Vision projects within East Timor are funded by other World Vision funding offices. The above information only relates to projects funded by World Vision Australia.

Date: October 2006