Sponsorship Update: Timor-Leste

With thanks to generous supporters who give monthly to help children, young people, families and communities in Timor-Leste, 60 young people there are accessing what they need to be future community leaders.

A key focus of the work that ChildFund does in Tilomar and Balibo in Timor-Leste is with young people to empower them to contribute economically and socially to their communities. Working with our local partner Ba Futuru, ChildFund's Youth Changemakers programme provides young people with the training and skills they need to increase their emotional resilience and to be able to speak up on youth matters in the community, to be involved in local economic and income earning activities and to be leaders in their community.

Timor-Leste Young Changemakers programme six monthly highlights:

• 58 young people participated in a 4-day life-skills workshop with presentations and discussion covering human rights, child protection, referral networks for abuse, prevention of gender-based violence, conflict resolution without violence, negotiation, public debate, job seeking and CV writing skills. With 96% of attendees reporting an increased understanding and knowledge on these subjects at completion. 
• 55 young people participated in a 4-day economic empowerment workshop which included business research, good community business practice, business plans, management, budgeting, SWOT analysis, customer service common business mistakes and supply chain issues. With 91% reporting understanding of being able to take part in local economic activities.
• 58 young people participated in a 4-day leadership workshop covering leadership styles, consultation and advocacy.
• 58 young people attended a 2-day Peace Jam event and leadership workshop promoting community initiatives like community waste management and community clean-ups. Peace Jam is a global organisation promoting positive change through youth empowerment.
• 56 young people the national Peace Jam conference in Dili where former Timor-Leste Pri-minister and Nobel Peace Laureate Dr Jose Ramos Horta gave an inspirational talk and where presentation topics included sexual health, sexual harassment, advocacy and peaceful protesting.
• 56 young people participated in a half-day Youth Changemakers orientation workshop which was led by 22 graduates of the previous Youth Changemakers programme. 
• 88 young people (aged between 15 to 24) participated in a half-day information session with 60 of them selected to take part in the Youth Changemakers programme.

Become a Child Essentials monthly supporter to help children, young people, families and communities in Timor-Leste (or any of the dedicated areas where ChildFund New Zealand works) and to receive bi-annual updates on how you are helping.