![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
asakiyumeI get emails from the East Timor Action Network, and today a really wonderful story came down the line, a story that, at present, doesn't have an online home. The author gave me permission to share it here: it's a story of women embracing nontraditional jobs in Timor-Leste. Having experienced firsthand how intermittent the water supply can be in Ainaro, I was moved and impressed that Diolinda wants to be in a position to help secure the water supply in her community.
The course she's taking is terribly important. Until now it hasn't been possible to get construction qualifications in Timor-Leste--the nation had to hire foreigners to do that work. Now, not only are Diolinda and her colleagues getting a great qualification and a chance to earn a good living, they're helping make the nation self-sufficient and strong.
Women Can Too
by Sarah Francis
photo by Sarah Francis
Meet Diolinda Ximenes, a 26-year-old who is leading the way for women to branch into non-traditional jobs in Timor-Leste.
“I’ve been studying Certificate 2 in Plumbing at Tibar Training Centre for two months ... I decided to study plumbing because I wanted to learn new skills ... I am married and have a five-year-old son. My husband stays at home in Manatuto and looks after our child.”
Diolinda is one of 457 students studying construction certificates in Timor-Leste. As part of the Mid-Level Skills Training Project, three training providers, namely Tibar Training Centre, Don Bosco-Comoro and DIT-Baucau, are being developed so that they have the capacity to offer construction courses in levels 3 and 4.
“I’m really enjoying this course,” says Diolinda. “I’m learning new things and developing skills in plumbing ... The teachers here at Tibar Training Centre are good. They share their knowledge with us and have good teaching methods. When we do practical exercises they demonstrate the tasks step-by-step so that we can learn from them.”
Until 2012 it wasn’t possible to gain formal nationally accredited construction qualifications in Timor-Leste. As such most of the construction jobs in Timor-Leste that require skilled workers are given to foreigners. This project aims to equip Timorese youth with skills that will lead to paid work, reduce Timor Leste’s high youth unemployment rate, and put local people in local jobs.
But employment isn’t the only reason that youth are undertaking this important training. “I am studying plumbing so that if there is a problem with water in my community I will be able to fix it,” explains Diolinda. “I just want to help my community. My husband is the same; he helps the village with construction work, only he hasn’t done formal training.”
As part of the project, Tibar Training Centre will be receiving a dormitory that can accommodate 150 students from remote areas. This is designed to ensure that urban and rural youth alike have access to Tibar’s quality training facilities. “Altogether there are 16 women studying plumbing at Tibar Training Centre,” says Diolinda. “We are from the districts, from Manatuto and Oecussi. I am from Manatuto, so in order to do this course I have to stay with my extended family in Dili. They don’t mind, but I know it’s an extra burden for them… I think it’s a good idea to have a dormitory at Tibar Training Centre for rural students to stay in. Being able to stay on campus will also allow students to better focus on their studies.”
Having female construction workers is a break from tradition in Timor-Leste. The project will involve the promotion of young women participating in non-traditional skills areas, with the aim of increasing social acceptability of a shift in gender balance. Tibar Training Centre demonstrates that it is a progressive institution with its particularly high rate of female participation. In its construction courses 23% of its students are female, which is significantly higher than the 2011 national average of 5%.
On being a woman doing “men’s work”, Diolinda says that, “In the beginning I found parts of the practical work difficult, because we have to carry very heavy pipes. But now I’m used to it. I use all my strength and I can do it… When we first started this course the men questioned why women were participating. But then later they realised that women can do plumbing. They have no problem with us studying with them, now they know that we can do the same work as them.”
“People in Manatuto think that women can’t work in construction. But now men and women have the same rights to do the same things! I believe that men and women are equal… I am looking forward to graduating from this course. I want to show my certificate to women from the districts, which will prove that women can do it too!”
The Mid-Level Skills Training Project is dedicating $13 million of funding, $12 million from the Asian Development Bank and $1 million from the Government of Timor-Leste, to providing essential skills training for youth. It forms a part of Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, which involves a commitment by the government to provide formal training to 50% of young people who are not working or studying by 2015. As part of this pledge, young people can opt to study a vocation for one year and undertake unpaid work experience afterwards, or do a combination of classroom learning and on-the-job training. This project involves work experience placements and career counselling for construction students.
Diolinda continues. “I think that construction training is important for young people because often they have access to equipment but they don’t know how to use it, and then they have to call people from outside to do the work. If they can learn the skills, they can do the work themselves… I hope that in the future many young people become qualified in construction through training centres like Tibar. The training will give them skills so that they can find good jobs.”
“To any woman who is considering studying construction, I want to say that it’s a great way to help your community if you learn the skills ... Women can do it too!”
photo by Sarah Francis
Tibar Training Centre is a public training provider located in Tibar, Liquica. For course enquiries please contact the training centre Director Señor Simao Barreto on (+670) 77233957, or the Training Coordinator Mateus Aniceto on (+670) 77347578.
Feto Mos Bele
Artigu no foto husi Sarah Francis. Tradus husi Jose de Jesus.
Hasoru Deolinda Ximenes, tinan 26 hatudu ba Timor-Leste katak feto sira bele halo servisu nebe’e non-tradisional.
“Hau estuda hela Certifikadu 2 iha Kanalizasaun iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar iha fulan rua kotuk liu ba... Hau desidi atu estuda kanalizasaun tamba hau hakarak atu aprende abilidade foun... Hau kaben nain no hau nia oan tinan lima. Hau nia laén hela iha uma iha Manatuto no tau matan ba ami nia oan.”
Deolinda hanesan estudante ida husi total estudante nain 457 nebe’e estuda konstrusaun certifikadu iha Timor-Leste. Parte ida husi projetu Mid-Level Skills Training, nebe’e fo apoio ba fornesedor formasaun tolu, hanesan Sentru Treinamentu Tibar, Don Bosco-Comoro no DIT-Baucau, dezenvolvidu tiha ona tamba ne’e mak sira iha kapasidade atu oferese kursu konstrusaun iha nivel 3 no 4.
“Hau gosta tebes kursu ida ne’e,” Deolinda haktuir. “Hau aprende buat foun no dezenvolve abilidade iha kanalizasaun... Treinador sira iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar ne’e diak tebes. Sira fahe sira nia matenek mai ami no iha métodu hanorin nebe’e diak. Wainhira ami halo pratika sira demonstra servisu ne’e kada etapa ou neneik atu ami bele aprende husi sira.
To’o mai iha 2012, tempu ne’e la posivel atu hetan kualifikasaun iha konstrusaun formal nebe’e akreditadu nasionalmente iha Timor-Leste. Hanesan maioria servisu iha Timor-Leste nebe’e precisa servisu ne’e fo ba ema estranjeiru deit. Projetu ne’e ho intensaun atu fo ba joventude Timor oan nebe’e mak sei lidera sira ba servisu ho vensimentu, redus Timor-Leste nia numeru dezempregu nebe’e ás no tau ema local iha servisu.
Maibe servisu ne’e laos rajaun ida, nebe’e joven sira foti treinamentu importante ida ne’e. “Hau estuda kanalizasaun tamba ne’e mak karik tempu ruma iha problema bé iha hau nia komunidade, hau bele hadia ida ne’e,” Deolinda esplika. Hau hakarak atu ajuda deit hau nia komunidade. Hau nia laén mos hanesan ho hau; nia ajuda ami nia Suco ho servisu konstrusaun, maibe nia nunka tuir kursu formal ruma.”
Hanesan parte ida husi projetu ne’e, Sentru Treinamentu Tibar sei hari’i dormitoriu nebe’e mak bele akomoda estudante nain 150 husi disritu sira. Ida ne’e ideia nebe’e atu garantia katak joventude husi area rural bele asesu ba fasilidade nebe’e iha kualidade diak iha Sentru Tibar. “Jeralmente iha nebá feto nain 16 mak estuda kanalizasaun iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar,” Deolinda haktuir. “Ami husi distritu Manatuto no Oecusi. Hau husi Manatuto, wainhira hau atu tuir kursu ne’e hau tenki hela ho hau nia familia nebe’e hela iha Dili. Sira la preokupa, maibe hau hatene ida ne’e hanesan todan ida ba sira... Hau hanoin ida ne’e ideia ida diak atu iha dormitoriu ida iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar ba estudante husi area rural sira hodi hela. Se bele hela iha kampus ne’e bele mos permiti estudante sira atu fokus diak ba sira nia estudu.”
Hamosu trabalhador feto iha area konstrusaun mak diferensia husi pratika tradisional iha Timor-Leste. Projetu ne’e mos sei involve promosaun feto foin saé sira partisipa iha area abilidade non-tradisional. Intensaun husi projetu ne’e mak atu aumenta kompriensaun husi ida ne’e. Sentru Treinamentu Tibar demonstra katak sira mak institusaun nebe'e iha progresu liu husi partisipasaun feto nebe mak a'as. Iha formasaun construsaun nian pastisipante feto hamutuk pursentu 23, nebe signifika a'as liu pursentagen iha nivel nasional nebe'e iha pursentu 5 deit.
Konaba saida mak feto bele halo “servisu mane nian”, Deolinda haktuir, “Iha inisiu hau hasoru difikuldade ida husi pratika servisu, tamba ami tenki foti pipa nebe’e todan. Maibe agora hau toman ona ho ida ne’e. Hau uja hau nia forsa konsege hau bele halo ida ne’e... Wainhira ami hahu primeiru kursu ida ne’e mane sira husu dehan tamba sa mak feto mos partisipa. Maibe ikus mai sira realiza katak feto mos bele halo kanalizasaun. Sira la iha problema ruma ho ami atu estuda ho sira, agora sira hatene katak ami bele halo hanesan ho sira.”
“Ema sira iha Manatuto hanoin katak feto labele servisu iha area konstrusaun. Maibe agora mane no feto iha direitu hanesan atu halo buat nebe’e hanesan! Hau fiar katak mane no feto ne’e hanesan... Hau hare fila fali ba graduados husi kursu ida ne’e. Hau hakarak atu hatudu hau nia certifikado ba feto sira husi distritu nebe’e mak sei prova katak feto mos bele halo ida hanesan ne’e!”
Projetu Mid-Level Skill Training dedika fundus miliaun $13, miliaun $12 husi Banku Desenvolvimentu Asiatico (ADB) no miliaun $1 husi Governu Timor-Leste, atu oferese treinamentu abilidade esensial ba joven sira. Ida ne’e forma parte ida husi Planu Dezenvolvimentu Strategico Timor-Leste nia ba 2011-2030, nebe’e involve komitmentu husi governu nia atu oferese treinamentu formal ba joventude nebe’e 50% la servisu ou la eskola iha 2015. Parte husi promesa ida ne’e, joven sira bele hili atu tuir formasaun durante tinan ida no pratika esperiensia servisu depois de ida ne’e, ou bele halo kombinasaun aprende iha eskola no pratika iha servisu fatin. Projetu ne’e involve alokasaun esperiensia servisu no akonselhamentu kareira ba estudante iha area konstrusaun.
Deolinda kontinua. “Hau hanoin katak treinamentu konstrusaun ne’e importante ba joven sira tamba dalaruma sira iha asesu ba ekipamentu maibe sira la hatene oinsa atu uja ida ne’e depois sira bolu fali ema husi liur atu halo servisu. Karik sira bele aprende abilidade sira ne’e, sira bele halo servisu mesak... Hau espera katak iha futuru joven sira barak mak sei kualifikadu iha konstrusaun liu husi sentru treinamentu hanesan Tibar. Treinamentu ne’e sei fo kapasidade diak atu sira bele hetan servisu diak.”
“Hau hakarak dehan katak feto sira nebe’e mak konsidera atu estuda konstrusaun, ida ne’e mak dalan diak atu ajuda ita nia komunidade se karik ita iha kapasidade.... Feto mos bele halo ida ne’e!”
Sentru Treinamentu Tibar mak fornesedor formasaun publiku nebe’e lokaliza iha Tibar, Liquica. Atu hetan informasaun detalho konaba kursu nian halo, favor kontaktu Diretor Sentru Sr. Simão Barreto iha numeru telemovel 77233957 ou koordinador treinamentu Sr. Mateus Aniceto iha numero telemovel 77347578.
Sarah Francis first came to Timor-Leste six years ago, and was so inspired by the people she met and their stories that she moved back in 2012. She has since worked in communications roles to promote programs that effectively engage Timorese young people, including the Mid-Level Skills Training Project and Action for Change Foundation
The course she's taking is terribly important. Until now it hasn't been possible to get construction qualifications in Timor-Leste--the nation had to hire foreigners to do that work. Now, not only are Diolinda and her colleagues getting a great qualification and a chance to earn a good living, they're helping make the nation self-sufficient and strong.
by Sarah Francis
photo by Sarah Francis
Meet Diolinda Ximenes, a 26-year-old who is leading the way for women to branch into non-traditional jobs in Timor-Leste.
“I’ve been studying Certificate 2 in Plumbing at Tibar Training Centre for two months ... I decided to study plumbing because I wanted to learn new skills ... I am married and have a five-year-old son. My husband stays at home in Manatuto and looks after our child.”
Diolinda is one of 457 students studying construction certificates in Timor-Leste. As part of the Mid-Level Skills Training Project, three training providers, namely Tibar Training Centre, Don Bosco-Comoro and DIT-Baucau, are being developed so that they have the capacity to offer construction courses in levels 3 and 4.
“I’m really enjoying this course,” says Diolinda. “I’m learning new things and developing skills in plumbing ... The teachers here at Tibar Training Centre are good. They share their knowledge with us and have good teaching methods. When we do practical exercises they demonstrate the tasks step-by-step so that we can learn from them.”
Until 2012 it wasn’t possible to gain formal nationally accredited construction qualifications in Timor-Leste. As such most of the construction jobs in Timor-Leste that require skilled workers are given to foreigners. This project aims to equip Timorese youth with skills that will lead to paid work, reduce Timor Leste’s high youth unemployment rate, and put local people in local jobs.
But employment isn’t the only reason that youth are undertaking this important training. “I am studying plumbing so that if there is a problem with water in my community I will be able to fix it,” explains Diolinda. “I just want to help my community. My husband is the same; he helps the village with construction work, only he hasn’t done formal training.”
As part of the project, Tibar Training Centre will be receiving a dormitory that can accommodate 150 students from remote areas. This is designed to ensure that urban and rural youth alike have access to Tibar’s quality training facilities. “Altogether there are 16 women studying plumbing at Tibar Training Centre,” says Diolinda. “We are from the districts, from Manatuto and Oecussi. I am from Manatuto, so in order to do this course I have to stay with my extended family in Dili. They don’t mind, but I know it’s an extra burden for them… I think it’s a good idea to have a dormitory at Tibar Training Centre for rural students to stay in. Being able to stay on campus will also allow students to better focus on their studies.”
Having female construction workers is a break from tradition in Timor-Leste. The project will involve the promotion of young women participating in non-traditional skills areas, with the aim of increasing social acceptability of a shift in gender balance. Tibar Training Centre demonstrates that it is a progressive institution with its particularly high rate of female participation. In its construction courses 23% of its students are female, which is significantly higher than the 2011 national average of 5%.
On being a woman doing “men’s work”, Diolinda says that, “In the beginning I found parts of the practical work difficult, because we have to carry very heavy pipes. But now I’m used to it. I use all my strength and I can do it… When we first started this course the men questioned why women were participating. But then later they realised that women can do plumbing. They have no problem with us studying with them, now they know that we can do the same work as them.”
“People in Manatuto think that women can’t work in construction. But now men and women have the same rights to do the same things! I believe that men and women are equal… I am looking forward to graduating from this course. I want to show my certificate to women from the districts, which will prove that women can do it too!”
The Mid-Level Skills Training Project is dedicating $13 million of funding, $12 million from the Asian Development Bank and $1 million from the Government of Timor-Leste, to providing essential skills training for youth. It forms a part of Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030, which involves a commitment by the government to provide formal training to 50% of young people who are not working or studying by 2015. As part of this pledge, young people can opt to study a vocation for one year and undertake unpaid work experience afterwards, or do a combination of classroom learning and on-the-job training. This project involves work experience placements and career counselling for construction students.
Diolinda continues. “I think that construction training is important for young people because often they have access to equipment but they don’t know how to use it, and then they have to call people from outside to do the work. If they can learn the skills, they can do the work themselves… I hope that in the future many young people become qualified in construction through training centres like Tibar. The training will give them skills so that they can find good jobs.”
“To any woman who is considering studying construction, I want to say that it’s a great way to help your community if you learn the skills ... Women can do it too!”
photo by Sarah Francis
Tibar Training Centre is a public training provider located in Tibar, Liquica. For course enquiries please contact the training centre Director Señor Simao Barreto on (+670) 77233957, or the Training Coordinator Mateus Aniceto on (+670) 77347578.
Feto Mos Bele
Artigu no foto husi Sarah Francis. Tradus husi Jose de Jesus.
Hasoru Deolinda Ximenes, tinan 26 hatudu ba Timor-Leste katak feto sira bele halo servisu nebe’e non-tradisional.
“Hau estuda hela Certifikadu 2 iha Kanalizasaun iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar iha fulan rua kotuk liu ba... Hau desidi atu estuda kanalizasaun tamba hau hakarak atu aprende abilidade foun... Hau kaben nain no hau nia oan tinan lima. Hau nia laén hela iha uma iha Manatuto no tau matan ba ami nia oan.”
Deolinda hanesan estudante ida husi total estudante nain 457 nebe’e estuda konstrusaun certifikadu iha Timor-Leste. Parte ida husi projetu Mid-Level Skills Training, nebe’e fo apoio ba fornesedor formasaun tolu, hanesan Sentru Treinamentu Tibar, Don Bosco-Comoro no DIT-Baucau, dezenvolvidu tiha ona tamba ne’e mak sira iha kapasidade atu oferese kursu konstrusaun iha nivel 3 no 4.
“Hau gosta tebes kursu ida ne’e,” Deolinda haktuir. “Hau aprende buat foun no dezenvolve abilidade iha kanalizasaun... Treinador sira iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar ne’e diak tebes. Sira fahe sira nia matenek mai ami no iha métodu hanorin nebe’e diak. Wainhira ami halo pratika sira demonstra servisu ne’e kada etapa ou neneik atu ami bele aprende husi sira.
To’o mai iha 2012, tempu ne’e la posivel atu hetan kualifikasaun iha konstrusaun formal nebe’e akreditadu nasionalmente iha Timor-Leste. Hanesan maioria servisu iha Timor-Leste nebe’e precisa servisu ne’e fo ba ema estranjeiru deit. Projetu ne’e ho intensaun atu fo ba joventude Timor oan nebe’e mak sei lidera sira ba servisu ho vensimentu, redus Timor-Leste nia numeru dezempregu nebe’e ás no tau ema local iha servisu.
Maibe servisu ne’e laos rajaun ida, nebe’e joven sira foti treinamentu importante ida ne’e. “Hau estuda kanalizasaun tamba ne’e mak karik tempu ruma iha problema bé iha hau nia komunidade, hau bele hadia ida ne’e,” Deolinda esplika. Hau hakarak atu ajuda deit hau nia komunidade. Hau nia laén mos hanesan ho hau; nia ajuda ami nia Suco ho servisu konstrusaun, maibe nia nunka tuir kursu formal ruma.”
Hanesan parte ida husi projetu ne’e, Sentru Treinamentu Tibar sei hari’i dormitoriu nebe’e mak bele akomoda estudante nain 150 husi disritu sira. Ida ne’e ideia nebe’e atu garantia katak joventude husi area rural bele asesu ba fasilidade nebe’e iha kualidade diak iha Sentru Tibar. “Jeralmente iha nebá feto nain 16 mak estuda kanalizasaun iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar,” Deolinda haktuir. “Ami husi distritu Manatuto no Oecusi. Hau husi Manatuto, wainhira hau atu tuir kursu ne’e hau tenki hela ho hau nia familia nebe’e hela iha Dili. Sira la preokupa, maibe hau hatene ida ne’e hanesan todan ida ba sira... Hau hanoin ida ne’e ideia ida diak atu iha dormitoriu ida iha Sentru Treinamentu Tibar ba estudante husi area rural sira hodi hela. Se bele hela iha kampus ne’e bele mos permiti estudante sira atu fokus diak ba sira nia estudu.”
Hamosu trabalhador feto iha area konstrusaun mak diferensia husi pratika tradisional iha Timor-Leste. Projetu ne’e mos sei involve promosaun feto foin saé sira partisipa iha area abilidade non-tradisional. Intensaun husi projetu ne’e mak atu aumenta kompriensaun husi ida ne’e. Sentru Treinamentu Tibar demonstra katak sira mak institusaun nebe'e iha progresu liu husi partisipasaun feto nebe mak a'as. Iha formasaun construsaun nian pastisipante feto hamutuk pursentu 23, nebe signifika a'as liu pursentagen iha nivel nasional nebe'e iha pursentu 5 deit.
Konaba saida mak feto bele halo “servisu mane nian”, Deolinda haktuir, “Iha inisiu hau hasoru difikuldade ida husi pratika servisu, tamba ami tenki foti pipa nebe’e todan. Maibe agora hau toman ona ho ida ne’e. Hau uja hau nia forsa konsege hau bele halo ida ne’e... Wainhira ami hahu primeiru kursu ida ne’e mane sira husu dehan tamba sa mak feto mos partisipa. Maibe ikus mai sira realiza katak feto mos bele halo kanalizasaun. Sira la iha problema ruma ho ami atu estuda ho sira, agora sira hatene katak ami bele halo hanesan ho sira.”
“Ema sira iha Manatuto hanoin katak feto labele servisu iha area konstrusaun. Maibe agora mane no feto iha direitu hanesan atu halo buat nebe’e hanesan! Hau fiar katak mane no feto ne’e hanesan... Hau hare fila fali ba graduados husi kursu ida ne’e. Hau hakarak atu hatudu hau nia certifikado ba feto sira husi distritu nebe’e mak sei prova katak feto mos bele halo ida hanesan ne’e!”
Projetu Mid-Level Skill Training dedika fundus miliaun $13, miliaun $12 husi Banku Desenvolvimentu Asiatico (ADB) no miliaun $1 husi Governu Timor-Leste, atu oferese treinamentu abilidade esensial ba joven sira. Ida ne’e forma parte ida husi Planu Dezenvolvimentu Strategico Timor-Leste nia ba 2011-2030, nebe’e involve komitmentu husi governu nia atu oferese treinamentu formal ba joventude nebe’e 50% la servisu ou la eskola iha 2015. Parte husi promesa ida ne’e, joven sira bele hili atu tuir formasaun durante tinan ida no pratika esperiensia servisu depois de ida ne’e, ou bele halo kombinasaun aprende iha eskola no pratika iha servisu fatin. Projetu ne’e involve alokasaun esperiensia servisu no akonselhamentu kareira ba estudante iha area konstrusaun.
Deolinda kontinua. “Hau hanoin katak treinamentu konstrusaun ne’e importante ba joven sira tamba dalaruma sira iha asesu ba ekipamentu maibe sira la hatene oinsa atu uja ida ne’e depois sira bolu fali ema husi liur atu halo servisu. Karik sira bele aprende abilidade sira ne’e, sira bele halo servisu mesak... Hau espera katak iha futuru joven sira barak mak sei kualifikadu iha konstrusaun liu husi sentru treinamentu hanesan Tibar. Treinamentu ne’e sei fo kapasidade diak atu sira bele hetan servisu diak.”
“Hau hakarak dehan katak feto sira nebe’e mak konsidera atu estuda konstrusaun, ida ne’e mak dalan diak atu ajuda ita nia komunidade se karik ita iha kapasidade.... Feto mos bele halo ida ne’e!”
Sentru Treinamentu Tibar mak fornesedor formasaun publiku nebe’e lokaliza iha Tibar, Liquica. Atu hetan informasaun detalho konaba kursu nian halo, favor kontaktu Diretor Sentru Sr. Simão Barreto iha numeru telemovel 77233957 ou koordinador treinamentu Sr. Mateus Aniceto iha numero telemovel 77347578.
Sarah Francis first came to Timor-Leste six years ago, and was so inspired by the people she met and their stories that she moved back in 2012. She has since worked in communications roles to promote programs that effectively engage Timorese young people, including the Mid-Level Skills Training Project and Action for Change Foundation
