BEGA VALLEY ADVOCATES FOR TIMOR-LESTE
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR?
- Consultation with the people and representatives of Natarbora to identify their
needs
- Exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding with the people of Natarbora
- Rapid response to
malaria and dengue fever concerns with mosquito nets provided for
students & staff at the College
- Obtaining sponsorship
and materials from corporations and
local businesses
- Hosting an East
Timorese official, Manuela Pereira for
local government & cultural exposure
- Annual
shipping & distribution of containers of tools and equipment, building
materials & other goods.
- Hilux Ute vehicle purchased & shipped for use by volunteers &
for transporting materials in East Timor
(where transportation is extremely poor)
- Female and male
dormitories at Natarbora
College repaired and
refurbished by RAWCS volunteer work teams and local labourers.
- Solar lights and a new
water tank installed at Natarbora
College.
- Distribution of
donated goods, such as household buckets, sports uniforms, soccer balls
and school materials and equipment.
- Distribution
of 40 bicycles to students living more than 6km from high schools.
- Camp facilities
erected & equipped near Natarbora for volunteers.
- Ongoing
identification of local and national expertise and advisory links within East Timor.
- Traditional College boundaries confirmed along with assessments of the state of the
land, existing crops & plantations, other uses, agriculture and college
infrastructure.
- Materials
and training of staff and students to start fencing parts of the college
property.
- Annual Film Night and
Christmas Gift Appeal run in BVS to raise
awareness and funds.
- Ongoing
fundraising & donations from a wide variety of community organisations
and individuals, including Bega
Valley schools,
church groups & other community organisations.
- Setting up of
scholarship program funded by BVS schools and families to assist young
people in Barique-Natabora to continue through
high school; a SMEC university scholarship for an agriculture student; .
- Visiting all the
schools in Barique/Natabora & distributing
sets of Tetum readers and maths materials. Providing instruction for teachers on their use.
- Swapping
of videos showing life for children in the Bega Valley
Shire & life for children in Natabora; video screenings in the
villages.
- Infant food supplement
program through the Barique-Natarbora Health
Clinics funded by the Bega Anglican women.
- Large
donation from BVS Catholic community for the building of a Franciscan
primary school in Natarbora.
- Visit to all villages
in the Barique/Natabora district and
consultation on food security and village
needs.
WHAT ARE WE WORKING ON IN 2006/7?
- Investigating
how to best assist with improving birthing facilities for village women.
- Exploring
possibilities for establishing an aquaculture project
- Installation
of solar lights around Natarbora
College, especially
the dormitories.
- Providing fencing
materials and training for College teachers and students
- Establishing
a goat breeding program at the College.
- Finishing
the installation of a water reticulation system at Natarbora
College (using a local company)
and investigating water supply at the Natarbora Junior High
School.
- Continuing support of
the RAWCS volunteer work teams in completing the renovations of student
accommodation at the College.
- Continued support for construction
of the Franciscan
Primary School.
- 2006
Christmas Appeal - Maternity Packs through the Alola
Foundation.
- Health Books
- Literacy program
- Continue advocating
for Timor-Leste interests within the Australian community &
governments on behalf of the people of East Timor.
- Strengthening
our partnership with the Natarbora Friendship Committee.
- Host an English
teacher to Bega to upgrade their language skills and teach Tetum.
- Provide a training
scholarship for a teacher from Natarbora to train in Bacau, T-L.
- Continuing
to facilitate links between school students in the BVS and Barique-Natarbora.
- Expanding
awareness of BVATL and its activities throughout the Shire, especially in
the south.
- Forging new links with
other Friendship Groups in neighbouring districts.
- Negotiating
the establishment of an Advisory Management Committee and the appointment
of a Farm Manager for the College.
- Investigating
the feasibility/desirability of acquiring AusAID
funding for future projects.
- Establishing
working relationships with GTZ & other development organisations that
have recently entered the Natarbora area.
- Responding
to the food security issues of local villages by sourcing and providing
seeds and hand tools and solutions on the rat problem.
- Responding
to agricultural related issues such as the need for mechanical training
for tractors and vehicles.
- Responding to health
issues such as the need for mosquito nets.
- Responding to
transportation issues such as provision of bicycles and repair kits.