Laulara, Aileu, Timor-Leste, Birthing Centre & University Scholarships

Bass Coast Friends of Laulara& Friends of Aileu

Jjara’s Farmgate CaféInverloch, January 2017

Ambassador Abel Guterres at the Friends of Aileu Anniversary Dinner, 2016

Mario Soares & Friends of Laulara, Inverloch, 2014

TIMOR LESTE’S 13 DISTRICTSLaulara, part of Aileu directly south of Dili……

Laulara Administrative Post

• Aileu Municipality (former District): total population 48,500 in 7,800 households (2015), area 740 km2

• Decentralisation and preparation for full local government role and responsibility

• Laulara Administrative Post (former Sub-district): population 7,200 in 1,200 households (2015), area approx. 60km2

• Mountainous, approx. extent: < 5km x <20km (as crow flies)

• 5 Sucos (Villages) comprised of a total of 23 Aldeias (Sub-villages or Hamlets)

• Communities & Population movements

• Development of local government

On the road to Laulara:looking down to the coast near Dili

An early Friends of Aileu project in Laulara:Village Lighting Scheme with the Alternative Technology AssociationPilot program: solar lighting installed in 56 Laulara households, 2009

Village Lighting Scheme (solar)(Alternative Technology Association)

• Besilau, Aileu Vila Post: 90 households (Moora Moora Cooperative Community), initial pilot program, 2008-09

• Cotolau, Madabeno, & Talitu, Laulara Post: 55 households, 2009

• Fadabloco, Remexio Post: 500 households, from 2009

• National electricity grid arrived 2012

• Timor-Leste Government solar lighting programs for remote areas, complemented by ATA program in agreed areas

• ATA Google Challenge Grant, from 2014: • Another 500+ in Remexio• Another 2,000+ throughout Timor-Leste• Updgrade systems in remote off-grid households in Besilau

Typical households: in small village groups and more isolated areas

Laulara Birthing Centre Before & After Opening in 2012

Staff & Clients at the Birthing Centre

The Government-funded extension, the added room at the rear (R)

Inside the newly added room, donated birthing bed & tank for Government-funded water system (L)

Carlo Carli, Merri Health & Friends of Aileu, with Sr Abilio, Laulara Post Administrator (R)

Chief of Health, Sr Julio, Midwife Sra Juliana & Sr Abilio (L)Sra Isabel and Sra Juliana with koalas (R)

Adjacent Health Centre buildings

The new project for 2017: Providing sheltered waiting area & safer access path

Scholarship Program graduates from Laulara

• Marcelino P. Mendonca Animal Husbandry UNTL (2009)

• Ermelinda do Rego Development Policy/Political Science UNTL (2012)

• Felismina Lobato Development Management UNTL (2012)

• Felizada Suriano Agronomy UNTL (2013)

• Hermenegildo A. Mequita Public Administration UNTL (2014)

Some of the scholarship students (2015) with Laulara graduates Felismina, Hermenegildo &

Marcelino (3rd, 4th & 5th from left)

Marcelino Pereira Mendonca

• Agriculture – Animal Husbandry at the National University of Timor-Leste (UNTL)

• One of the first Friends of Aileu scholarship students, commenced 2004

• Continued study throughout the disprutions of the 2006 crisis

• One of the first to graduate, 2010

• Employed by the Ministry of Agriculture in Aileu

Laulara scholarship recipients (2016)

• Julio Amaral UNPAZ, Pub. Health, may graduate early 2017

• Ejito Mesquita UNPAZ, Econ. & Banking, may graduate early 2018

• Justina X de Araujo UNPAZ, Econ. Sci & Devt, may graduate early 2018

• Rogerio Alves UMM Malang, Metal Industry, may graduate 2018

• Leonardo S Amaral UNPAZ, Agriculture, entering 4th Year 2017

• Zeca da Costa Pinto UNPAZ, Architecture, entering 4th Year 2017

• Imacolda Soares Belo Crystal Institute, entering 3rd Year 2017

Another education & employment success story: Laulara’s Ana Tilman, employed by North Richmond Community Health

for its Aileu Oral Health Education Program, which includes Madabeno Primary School, Laulara

Ana at North Richmond Community Health, Nov 2016, awarded the inaugural Elizabeth Waters Travel Scholarship, sponsored by the Waters family with the Jack Brockoff Foundation and Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

Ana graduated in the first cohort of Timor-Leste dental nurses,

UNTL, Dili, Dec 2016

Participation in the annual Science & Reading Contestorganised by the Aileu Resource and Training Centre

(with the Ministry of Education (supported by Friends of Aileu): Recent results for Laulara schools in Aileu-wide finals

2015: Fatukhun 3rd place (Grades 1-3)2014: Madabeno 3rd place (Grades 1-3), Madabeno 2nd place (Grades 4-6)

and Laulara 3rd place (Grades 6-9)

Vale Mario Soares (1963-2016)

Happy among young people, here at Brunswick North West Primary School, 2014, with Camilo da Costa, Aileu Vila Community Development Officer