Nestled in the heart of Southeast Asia lies East Timor, a nation brimming with history, culture, and natural beauty. From its rugged mountains to its pristine coastlines, East Timor offers a tapestry of landscapes and experiences waiting to be discovered. Despite its small size, this young democracy boasts a rich heritage shaped by centuries of colonial rule, struggle for independence, and vibrant cultural traditions. There are many facets to explore in East Timor, from its resilient people to its unique wildlife, but it is also one of the poorest nations in the region.
East Timor declared independence on May 20, 2002, marking its emergence as the world’s youngest democracy in Southeast Asia. This declaration followed centuries of colonial rule and a brutal occupation by Indonesia. The road to independence was paved with significant challenges, including violence, displacement, and loss of life. The achievement of independence symbolised a triumph of the Timorese people’s determination and resilience in the face of adversity, ushering in a new era of self-governance and nation-building, a task that East Timor alone cannnot begin to undertake.
Many Rotary Clubs have an involvement in East Timor, providing assistance through projects from agriculture to education and youth development. The Rotary Foundation has seven areas of focus, and financial grants that enable assistance are based on the following :
Promoting Peace
Fighting Disease
Providing Clean Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Maternal and Child Health
Basic Education and Literacy
Community Economic Development
Supporting the Environment
The Rotary Club of Erina has been involved in East Timor in projects that reflect Maternal and Child Health and Community Economic Development.
In 2015, eleven members of the club travelled to a rural village, Remexio, to help refurbish a birth-friendly facility. The facility wasn’t being utilised by local women and so the building was refurbished to provide not only better and more welcoming facilities for the birthing mothers, but also areas where family members could wait, and better accommodation for midwives on duty. Remexio is only around 25kms from the capital Dili, but roads then were in poor condition, so the team worked and lived in the village for the two weeks it took to undertake the work. Local people helped with the refurbishment, under the supervision of Rotarians who had trades skills.
In September 2024, Rotarian Monica Hart and Honorary Rotarian John Bowditch returned to East Timor. They wanted to visit a new community project in Remexio that is supported by Erina Rotary, and take the opportunity to see how the birth-friendly facility is, some 9 years after the work was done.
Pleasingly, the birth-friendly facility was in good condition, with much of the refurbishment still functioning.
Since then, the club’s community development projects have included raising the town’s water tank, installing water filters in the primary school and presenting the high school with computers. We are now concentrating on improving the housing as some homes are in need of urgent repair, as the photograph below highlights.