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December 2008
Dear Trust Supporter,
Recent world events make it seem that many of the problems have arisen as a result of a shortage of human hope - of enthusiasm and optimism – as much as from a shortage of money.
This is not the case in Timor-Leste. They are big on hope and short of money. Whilst they have built up some reserves as a result of their oil revenues, as a nation they are still one of the poorest in the world when measured in terms of GDP per capita, and other indicators relating to human health and development.
The Xanana Trust was established on the basis of us collectively, as Australians, sharing with the Timorese what we have in relative abundance in Australia – knowledge and wealth – so we can help them realise their dreams and turn their hope into reality.
The year 2008 has allowed the Trust to build on earlier initiatives started in 2006 - and then largely put on hold due to the troubles of 2006 and 2007. Some of this work includes:
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- Two programs of Certificate 2 Office Skills training at ETDA for people who were unemployed. The first program resulted in 57% of the graduating participants getting paid employment!
- Two programs of Certificate 2 Auto Mechanics at DIT for people who were unemployed. All students had formal class work, practical workshop training and on-the-job practical work experience.
- Capital funding to enable the completion of the DIT Automotive workshop, and coordination of the delivery of essential workshop equipment donated by two TAFE colleges in Australia.
- Improvements to the Horticultural training given to senior technical/agricultural high school students at Don Bosco Fuiloro by providing resources to study some aspects of tissue culture, and hand tractors to enable the school to give practical on-the-job training.
- A highly successful Save DIT program to support the organisation through the 2006/7 crisis. A substantial proportion of the operating costs of DIT were provided. As a result DIT survived the crisis. This enabled DIT to become one of the few organisations to be accredited as a university in 2008.
- Logistical and administrative management of Steve Bracks’ work to support the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste with essential administrative reform recommendations.
- Funding, via a specific donation, and coordination of the use of recent building trades graduates to rebuild Dare Memorial School – originally built in memory of Australian efforts in WW2.
- Executive support for the Infrastructure Minister, and the Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment to provide consulting advice for strategic planning.
- Concept planning for a major new agricultural industry in Timor-Leste to develop widespread small-scale buffalo milking enterprises and associated feedstock and milk marketing enterprises. Initial marketing would be to supply schools as part of the Government’s school feeding program.
- Concept planning for a major VET training resource, including vocational teacher training, to bring together several Australian State Government efforts to assist in specific curriculum areas, and underpin the Timor-Leste Government’s plans for wide scale vocational and skill training.
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In addition the Xanana Trust has employed a very experienced Timorese, Helder Encarnação as our resident Country Manager and has set up a Dili office to coordinate our work in-country.
We share office space with AusAID’s Education, Employment and Skills Development Program in Timor-Leste and have built an excellent working relationship with this program and AusAID in Australia.
The generous support of people like you has enabled the Trust to develop into an acknowledged valuable resource for the development of ideas and actions to assist the building of a sustainable VET sector in Timor-Leste. I hope that support will continue and grow to enable the Trust to continue its work.
For more detailed information about the Trust’s work in Timor-Leste and how you can assist, please refer to the website at www.xananatrust.org.
Finally I would like to wish you a Happy New Year full of hope, optimism and happiness.
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Chris Trueman
Executive Director
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