|
My time in Timor was well spent and by the time I returned so was I! It is not an easy country to get around and yet the more I surrendered to the inevitable waiting, communication frustrations, needless bureaucracy, dust and heat, the easier it became. In fact, this trip was so much easier for me than previous ones - knowing a few tricks and having some contacts makes for a smoother ride!
The purpose of the trip was threefold:
[1] to visit the girls from Remexio - Agostinha, Eduarda, and Virginia - who are studying to become teachers at the Teachers College in Baucau. They receive a scholarship from the KV-Remexio Partnership and provided they pass their exams, will complete their studies in 2 1/2 years. I wanted to meet them and see how they were going.
[2] to attend the Timor-Australia Friendship Conference.
[3] to visit the Remexio people and discuss what kinds of projects our community may assist them achieve. I'll give a brief description of each of these components and hope you'll be suitably inspired to consider taking a trip to Timor one day as an ambassador for Kangaroo Valley.
1. Baucau
The bus to Baucau takes around 4 hours. It's noisy, dusty and full of life. You'll get plenty of opportunities to practise your Tetun and if you can say Hau nia naran (your name) and ask theirs - Nia naran sa? - they'll be pleased to help you advance further. The people are exceptional, their smiles beautiful to behold and their resilience second to none. I have grown to love them, and I know that I am a better person for having befriended and met Timorese people.
Once in Baucau, I met the girls and was shocked to find their living conditions were far worse than I'd imagined - and I'm not comparing them with Australian standards! The administrator of the college informed me that the girls had struggled to get by on the allowance ($20 per month each) as the price of rice and other commodities had increased so much. On his advice, we purchased a large bag of rice, basics such as oil, salt, and washing powder etc. The girls had no furniture except for a small plastic table, three plastic chairs and a double bed which they shared. Their books, papers, clothes, personal effects were lined along the damp floor.
Padre David, the priest from Remexio, with "our" girls in Bacau
The Timorese are family-orientated, and the girls have suffered extreme homesickness. Soon they are to return to their families for a three-month school vacation - this is a homecoming they impatiently await. They seemed very pleased to meet a person from Kangaroo Valley and would welcome any future correspondence or visits.
On the second trip to Bacau I was assisted by the Priest in Remexio, Padre David. We were able to load into his vehicle some storage furniture, paper, stationery, and the needed USB memory sticks for their computer work at the college.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to their ongoing expenses, please send a cheque (made out to "AFAP KV-Remexio Partnership") to the Treasurer, KV-RP C/- P.O. Kangaroo Valley 2577.
menu
2. Timor-Australia Friendship Conference
This was organised by a Victorian Friendship Coordinating organisation and attracted over two hundred people from various Friendship partnerships. These groups are doing interesting and varied work for their villages and to meet the people involved in these activities is to see an animation and commitment that one often misses elsewhere. This enthusiasm to help others needs to be tempered with a willingness to educate ourselves about the cultural differences and to tread gently.
One Timorese man at the conference said:
don't walk in front of us - you won't see us;
don't walk behind us - we won't see you;
walk beside us so we can become friends
|
People shared their experiences and described situations where their enthusiasm to help had sometimes been ill-conceived and had inadvertently caused problems. Most however, spoke with good humour and gratitude for the opportunities the friendship associations had opened up for them.
Many groups displayed photographs and information about the projects undertaken. They get involved in diverse projects such as installation of water tanks and solar panels, educational scholarships, building of health facilities, community halls, agricultural advice, and the purchase of school and sport equipment. There were representatives from ATA (Alternative Technology Association) which demonstrated solar panels and lighting units for the purpose of providing lighting to remote villages.
President Horta's recommendation to the Friendship organisations was this: if you want to help, the first priority is to help our people get access to fresh water; the second is to assist with vocational training.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão also spoke. At the completion of his speech he was presented with a crocodile-shaped dulcimer handcrafted by Kangaroo Valley's Terry Hennessy:
It was a moment to remember: Xanana's eyes lit up with sheer delight and he moved to the microphone, holding the dulcimer in his arms, to sing an improvised song about Australia and friendship! The audience laughed and applauded, and it seemed the perfect offering of friendship and respect.
It was suggested that another Friendship Conference be held in two years' time.
menu
3. Remexio
Many of the houses that were burnt and damaged in the '99 post-referendum violence remain standing as solemn reminders of the crimes people are capable of committing against their own (and against their neighbours). But there are positive changes to be seen too: more plants of beauty are gracing the roads and people's homes - a sign of luxury to a people who have known starvation and scarcity. Arriving in the main street I spotted Senora Maria Fatima and we hugged and enjoyed a warm reunion. It has been three years since my last visit. A visit to Senor Pedro Mendonca, who had visited Kangaroo Valley many years ago, was a second port of call. I then walked to the church to view the quilt made by the KV community. It looks stunning! Congratulations again to all those people who contributed to such a symbol of friendship, particularly to Louise Morgan whose initiative and persistence saw it finally come to fruition.
The Uma Turismo, which is where KV people can normally stay at no cost, was unfurnished and therefore unavailable. Instead I stayed in the accommodation provided by the church. I became better aquainted with Padre David as a result and I think I've made a friend for life! He is an exceptional man who has been in Remexio for the last 9 months. He is working on the "mentality" of the Timorese who often show little initiative and self confidence. His simple message is "if you want to be educated, you must study; and if you want to get on in life, you must work".
I've decided to take this message to heart and be proactive in looking for more paid work!!
I explained that the KV-Remexio Partnership holds a secular perspective and would therefore wish to help both public and Catholic spheres. He stated that he is "for the community" and doesn't seem to care himself which religious or non-religious perspective one might have. On Sunday I accompanied David to an outlying village of Remexio called Fahiso. Here I was given to opportunity to speak to the congregation about the Friendship and its origins. An elder responded with kind words and expressions of gratitude and his speech was followed by a 15-year-old boy who said that although their village didn't need much, if the KV people could help them get some guitars and volley/soccer balls the young people would be very grateful. Here was an opportunity I could take whilst there so when Padre and I returned from the trip to Baucau, we purchased 8 guitars @ $40 and Volleyballs & Soccer balls @ $40 for a total of $690. Much more efficient than trying to organise from KV!
There are many ways to help our friends in Remexio but it is not by throwing money at them. This is a sure way to corrupt and disempower. However, to spend time with the people on a grass roots level holds great rewards, and there are many ways in which we can offer practical help. For example, if you were to go to Remexio to offer your services as an English teacher for a couple of months, or help them create a 'Welcome garden' at the entrance of the main village, or work side by side with Remexio residents with carpentry or electrical skills, your actions would be valued. The students in Baucau wouldn't know themselves if their two rooms were whitewashed!
The KV group is likely to support the installation of solar lighting for the outlying villages which will provide two lights per household at an initial cost to the family of $10 and an ongoing $2 monthly maintenance fee with a cost to the partnership of $100 per unit. We could provide lighting to 300 families for just $3000. A one-year sewing course is available also. We could send two girls to Los Palos for a year at a cost of $180 per student per year. The students would then set up a sewing co-op in Remexio from which they could make the school uniforms at a more affordable cost than currently available. The Dom Bosco Trades College has reopened and the importance of aiding the young people to receive vocational training cannot be overstated. Violence that occurs in Timor is at the hands of disaffected, unemployed, untrained, bored youth. We can take small steps to change that.
Please contact the group if you wish to plan a trip to Timor. We'll give you every assistance we can.
If you wish to contribute to a specific fund such as the sewing course, or vocational scholarship, please contact Chris Nobel (tel: 4465 1285) or Libby Turnock (02 4465 1257).
Chris Nobel
June 30 2008
| 
