May 2008

As tensions continue in Timor-Leste, Red Cross focuses on helping the young An assassination attempt on Timor-Leste (East Timor) President Jose Ramos Horta in early February highlights, yet again, the volatile situation this young country faces  in building a nation. Unfortunately, Timor-Leste is no stranger to violence and unrest. Red Cross has been helping in Timor-Leste for decades. We launched the Timor-Leste Appeal in May 2006 after violence erupted around the country, forcing more than 150,000 people to flee their homes.  But while spurts of violence might make the news, there are ongoing hardships that people in Timor-Leste face every day. In one of the world's poorest countries hundreds of thousands of people struggle to move out of subsistence farming and year after year thousands of young people try desperately to find new job and life opportunities.

Red Cross offers young people in Timor-Leste opportunities to help their communities while building vital work skills.

Read more about our current programs in Timor-Leste

Building the skills of the young

In a country where half of all adults are illiterate and only two percent hold a university degree, Red Cross offers one of the few avenues for young people to build new skills.  For many young people, becoming a Red Cross volunteer offers not only the opportunity to contribute to their community but to gain training which is hard to find most anywhere else. Programs that engage and benefit young people will have long-term benefits for all of Timor-Leste.

'In our village, sometimes Red Cross people came. I saw what they did and I liked it. The volunteers taught us first aid, how to help in accidents, treat snake bites and how to keep our water clean. It really made a difference for the people in my village,' says Mariano De Jesus, 20, Red Cross volunteer.

Timor-Leste Appeal 2006 information

This appeal is now closed.

Australian Red Cross opened the Timor-Leste Appeal in May 2006 to support Red Cross efforts to bring both food and non-food aid to people displaced as a result of unrest in the small nation. Money raised through the appeal has not only helped provide emergency assistance in times of trouble but is supporting Red Cross programs for young people in isolated rural communities, helping them build skills for now and the future.

The funds raised through this appeal will be used for the following activities:

• to support the relief, rehabilitation and on-going long term development activities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement in Timor-Leste, through the emergency appeal
• to fund any deployment of specialist aid workers to Timor-Leste to assist in the International Red Cross response
• to support any Australian Red Cross programs of assistance in Timor-Leste
• to support the ongoing development of the Timor Leste Red Cross (CVTL)

NOTE: Australian Red Cross will not deduct more than 10% of any donation for an international appeal to cover appeal costs. Should the funds raised exceed the amount required to meet the immediate and longer-term needs of the people in the affected areas, Australian Red Cross will use any excess funds to help people affected by emergencies within the same region of the world.

 For more information on our activities, visit the special section on Timor-Leste.