As a result of a visit by Bruce and Eileen Hurley to Timor-Leste in 2023, last year the four Rotary Clubs of East Gippsland together with the staff of Gippsland Lakes Complete Health and Lakes Entrance Baptist Church formed East Gippsland Friends of Timor-Leste with the aim of providing ongoing support to Timor-Leste projects.
“Our neighbour Timor-Leste is one of the poorest countries in the world,” Bruce said.
“It was devastated by the Indonesian Army during 1975 to 2000 with 70 per cent of its infrastructure destroyed and over 200,000 people killed.
“On gaining independence in 2001 Timor-Leste has been rebuilding the nation with support coming from a number of countries including Australia. There are also many local projects in rural villages supported by Rotary and other organisations. It is these projects that East Gippsland Friends of Timor-Leste support.”
A few months ago, Eileen and Bruce together with a staff member from GLCH, Marnie Graham, made a return visit to Timor-Leste with a group called Friends of Soibada. They visited a number of remote villages in the Soibada district to see the progress of projects that East Gippsland Friends of Timor-Leste had supported and to gain insights as to what was the best way to support their future needs.
“Despite the level of poverty, it was an uplifting experience,” Bruce said.
“The villagers worked long hours on their farms and on improvements to their homes. Nearly all children went to the local kindergarten and school. They were very welcoming and appreciative of our visit.”
East Gippsland Friends of Timor-Leste raised $20,000 in their first year. The money raised contributed to farm improvements, basic health and education requirements, provision of fresh water and toilet blocks in remote rural villages. A number of solar lights were also distributed to villages that had no electricity.
