“Our chips are the best in town and that’s a fact” is how Natercia Matos da Costa Lemos introduced her kripik (chips) group to the 30 budding entrepreneurs who came to visit her thriving home industry.
The entrepreneurs came from far and wide, and were a motley crew of food processors (jams, tomato sauce, banana chips), [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘East Timor’
July 2, 2009
East Timor: A true economy of solidarity
June 24, 2009
East Timor: A story of hope and dignity
I had the pleasure of meeting Lita and Mika (both in their mid 20s) who are female sex workers - the most vulnerable groups in terms of HIV and AIDS.
Thanks to training from our partner Caritas Dili on how to prevent infection, they have recently been helping to promote awareness among the many other sex workers living in Dili – [...]
June 4, 2009
East Timor: Feeling welcomed and embarrassed
2009 is an important year for Timor Leste as, in August, the Timorese will celebrate the tenth anniversary of their independence.
My first visit to this young country was in 2002. Back then I remembered Dili, the capital, as being very hot and with little infrastructure or thriving economy.
I guess this was understandable as it was [...]
November 19, 2008
East Timor: Bringing farmers together
The concept of putting farmers first is not new. We commend participation and ownership, we talk about the importance of understanding people’s realities from their point of view.
We invent and re-invent methodologies, approaches, matrixes, diagrams and an assortment of other tools hoping to gain insight into farmers’ realities, needs, potentials and aspirations.
Many such tools make their [...]
August 17, 2008
East Timor: Trust and resilience
The acacia trees are like giants protecting the people’s most valuable resource – coffee.
In the early 19th century the colonial Portuguese regime promoted coffee growing in Ermera district.
Now, two centuries later, the very source of colonial exploitation is what affords the residents of this mountainous district their main source of income.
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