Timor-Leste
EWB Australia has worked with communities in Timor-Leste for over a decade to create positive social impact.Population: 1.3 million
Capital City: Dili
Language: Portuguese and Tetun
Timor-Leste is still in recovery post its fight for independence in the late 1990s, which saw years of conflict that significantly damaged infrastructure and dislocated thousands of its people. It continues to be one of the world’s poorest countries (ranked 147/186 on the UN’s Human Development Index). Health and education remain important challenges and development priorities.
%
Of population uses basic sanitation services
%
Schools have fully functional toilet facilities
%
Households that use clean energy (electricity and gas) for cooking
%
Women in the labour force (of total working age population)
* Sources: UNICEF, Asian Development Bank
Our Work
EWB Australia works to improve the quality of life of people living and working in disadvantaged communities in Timor-Leste.
Our work is impact-led, with a focus on positive, sustainable and long-term change. We do this within local communities, to ensure we build the capacity of the people who live and work in them.
Through this approach, we have established long-term relationships with local organisations with whom we partner, to ensure the solutions developed are evidence-based, relevant and, importantly, approved by each community.
In Timor-Leste, we work across a specific range of thematic programs, including Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), Education & Training, Professional Skills Development and Women In Engineering
Read EWB Australia in Timor-Leste Strategy on a Page 2022-2026 (available in Tetun and English).
Our Team
Key to this work are our in-country EWB Australia staff and our volunteer Field Professionals. Our Field Professionals are technical or thematic specialists from Australia and New Zealand who volunteer in Timor-Leste to provide critical expertise, mentoring and capacity-building. These technical professionals are not only skilled in the development of appropriate systems and solutions, but also in community-led design and engagement. Our Field Professionals work closely alongside local counterparts in a mentoring and coaching role, sharing knowledge and bringing innovative approaches to the development of appropriate solutions for communities.
Lamberto has over 20 years’ experience working on community development projects in Timor-Leste. Since 2004, he has worked with various international NGO partners to deliver DFAT and EU funded WASH projects to support municipal water authority in planning, designing and supervising quality of water infrastructures. He has also worked as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank and provided technical assistance to the Government of Timor-Leste for the development of urban capital water supply system and solid waste management plan. Since 2015, he has worked in the WASH sector in Timor-Leste to contribute to improved access to water and sanitation for rural communities. He has extensive experience in project management and a strong understanding of development practices in project planning and implementation. Lamberto holds a Bachelor of Social Development Science. Lamberto has over 20 years’ experience working on community development projects in Timor-Leste. Since 2004, he has worked with various international NGO partners to deliver DFAT and EU funded WASH projects to support municipal water authority in planning, designing and supervising quality of water infrastructures. He has also worked as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank and provided technical assistance to the Government of Timor-Leste for the development of urban capital water supply system and solid waste management plan. Since 2015, he has worked in the WASH sector in Timor-Leste to contribute to improved access to water and sanitation for rural communities. He has extensive experience in project management and a strong understanding of development practices in project planning and implementation. Lamberto holds a Bachelor of Social Development Science. Elsa has been involved with EWB Australia in Timor-Leste for some time as a Feto Enginhera member and Design Challenge participant. Elsa undertook an internship with EWB Australia in Timor-Leste in early 2019 as well as attending the mid-year Humanitarian Design Summit. João is an architect with a great passion for designing and building sustainable and affordable projects. After graduating from university, he founded a local training center to train youth in Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. He has been involved with EWB in a volunteer and work capacity for almost four years. He first joined EWB as an intern in 2017, working with one of the local partners, Community Housing Limited (CHLI). As Mobilisation and Partnership Coordinator, João works collaboratively with local and international partners, government institutions and local authorities to develop and implement sustainable and appropriate technology solutions. João is an architect with a great passion for designing and building sustainable and affordable projects. After graduating from university, he founded a local training center to train youth in Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. He has been involved with EWB in a volunteer and work capacity for almost four years. He first joined EWB as an intern in 2017, working with one of the local partners, Community Housing Limited (CHLI). As Mobilisation and Partnership Coordinator, João works collaboratively with local and international partners, government institutions and local authorities to develop and implement sustainable and appropriate technology solutions. Romeo joins the EWB Australia team in Timor-Leste with 9 years’ experience working for a number of organisations in the engineering sector at both the national and international level. Romeo graduated from vocational technical school, specialising in general construction. in addition to his work with EWB, Romeo also provides voluntary technical assistance on engineering projects in his community. Romeo joins the EWB Australia team in Timor-Leste with 9 years’ experience working for a number of organisations in the engineering sector at both the national and international level. Romeo graduated from vocational technical school, specialising in general construction. in addition to his work with EWB, Romeo also provides voluntary technical assistance on engineering projects in his community.
Our Partners
Our Timor-Leste programs are supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). Our current partners in Timor-Leste include:
Other Programs
Alongside our Community Program within Timor-Leste, EWB Australia facilitates a range of education, research and training programs for Australia students and professionals that aim to broaden awareness about the challenges in Timor-Leste and mobilise expertise to create even more opportunities for impact.
Impact Stories
Nation-building for Timor-Leste 18 January, 2023 - EWB’s engineering skills and in-country presence in Timor-Leste has been utilised to support an important nation-building project. read more
Volunteering for skills and to contribute to ‘my beloved country’ 5 December, 2022 - We celebrate the amazing contribution of our volunteers every day! But United Nations International Volunteer Day, on December 5th each year, is a time to give an immense thanks! Volunteers… read more
Using human-centred design tools in community 24 August, 2022 - Feature image: EWB Technology Development Lead Mitch Horrocks at a participatory design workshop in Darlau, Timor-Leste in May 2022. Over 3,500 people have directly benefited from new, appropriate technology that… read more