Friends of Lacluta proud to be fostering local leadership in Timor Leste

Timor Leste, just an hour's flight from Darwin across the Timor Sea, is one of Australia’s closest neighbours. Each year, representatives of Wangaratta Friends of Lacluta (WFOL) travel over to visit Timorese friends and check in on the group's education, health and disability projects in the remote district of Lacluta. It’s a day-long trip from the capital city of Dili on roads that are more potholes than anything else. Karen Jones from Myrtleford, Karen Champlin from Greta (and a medical project manager currently based in Timor Leste), and Brian Thompson from Wangaratta made the June trip. “It was a busy and successful trip,” Karen Jones, president of WFOL, said. “As well as our usual health and education activities, we deepened our partnerships with local authorities, employed a new disability support worker, kicked off a new school music program (funded by the sale of Christmas cards drawn by Timorese students), and began exploring possibilities for an agroforestry program.” What set this trip apart for the whole team was seeing young people stepping up to work with them and take on leadership roles. “This is so important and great to see, because everything we do aims to empower and build the capacity of local people,” Karen said. “Our liaison officer Benny Gonsalves is a great example. “He only returned to his home village last year but has quickly become highly regarded for his diplomacy, facilitation skills and as a ‘go to’ person, not only for our programs but for community planning, event management (like the Bishop's visit), logistics and getting young people involved in music. “Even the police ring him in the middle of the night looking for help with their printer.” Nildu, friend and protégé of Benny, and Mira were also standouts on this trip. “Mira… [was] employed to deliver culturally appropriate menstrual health education to year 8 girls, and reusable menstrual kits made by sewers in Myrtleford, to enable them to stay at school,” Karen said. “Around the world it has been shown that puberty can be a turning point for young girls, and often a time when they leave formal education." This year, instead of presenting their projects and answering questions, they had a round table discussion of community priorities with the sub-district administrator, village chiefs, education, medical centre, church and community leaders. “We hope it’s the beginning of an enhanced partnership to ensure that WFOL and local projects are complementary, and that our small investments are as strategic as possible," Karen said. Additionally, Inner Wheel A61 District provides funds to WFOL to run a support program for disabled children in Lacluta. Karen said it was a great pleasure to appoint Olga as the organisation’s part-time disability support worker and have a discretionary fund to support individuals (e.g. transport costs to access services in Dili). On top of all that, the WFOL visit coincided with the annual St Antonio festival, which ran for seven days including a two-day visit from the Bishop of Bacau. “There were parades, music and dancing most nights which we were expected to participate in,” Karen said. “It was great fun but tiring.” FOL programs also include sponsoring of high school graduates from vulnerable families to attend university, provision of ‘mother and baby bags’ (to encourage expecting mothers to give birth at the medical centre), distribution of donated prescription glasses, encouragement awards to families of year 9 students to complete years 10-12, and Tetum- English dictionaries for year 10 students. These programs are made possible by fundraising, individual and group donations including the June Canavan Foundation. Learn more about Friends of Lacluta via their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfLaclutaWangaratta/ or contact folwangaratta@gmail.com.

Friends of Lacluta proud to be fostering local leadership in Timor Leste

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