From the ChairAs 2011 draws to a close Friends of Suai-Covalima wish our friends a big thank you for your continued suppor t. It has been a big year with lots of achievements and big changes afoot for Suai and Covalima. We hope you continue suppor ting the City of Por t Phillip Friendship with our neighbours in East Timor and become more involved in the Friendship in 2012. Wishing you a happy and peaceful festive season.

Bill Armstrong OA Chair, Friends of Suai-Covalima

Can you suppor t a training scholarship for a young person in Suai in 2012? Friends of Suai-Covalima is suppor ting training to assist local people to gain jobs when the South Coast Supply Base and Wharf are built in Covalima.

Your donation will help both women and men skill up for local jobs.

Please forward your donations to: Coordinator, Friends of Suai, City of Por t Phillip, Private Bag 3, St Kilda 3182, made payable to the City of Por t Phillip, or phone (03) 9209 6598.

Taking Steps Women’s Livelihood ProjectThis year, the Taking Steps Women’s Livelihood Project, initially funded by International Women’s Development Agency and suppor ted by Friends of Suai, worked with approximately 100 women in Covalima districts. This saw women taking on leadership and training roles, often for the first time, identifying new markets and products, such as handmade crafts and agricultural products, and generating small but useful amounts of income. Staff facilitated groups of women in each area to establish savings and loans funds that provide a much-needed safety net in a vulnerable environment.

This project is seeking new funding to continue the achievements it has made over the last two years.

Volunteers return home after a job well doneLynn and Dermot Clancy have returned home following six months as English language teacher trainers in Suai. Lynn and Dermot are exceptional people who have given a great contribution to Timor Leste and will repor t back to the Friends of Suai members in February 2012.

NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2011 EDITION

Friends of SuaiCity of Port Phillip Private Bag 3St Kilda VIC 3182T 9209 6598

Lest we forget: Boys at the Suai church service for the 12th commemoration of the Suai massacre. The young boys do not remember the tragedy, in which 200 people were killed in the church following the vote for independence.

Kindergar ten capers: Mayor Cr Powning admires a children’s display made from local corn husks and polystyrene.

The welcoming committee: A group of young children danced the Mayor into their village in the mountains of Covalima district.

East Timorese Cooperative Organic Coffee This East Timorese coffee is organically grown in Maubisse. Coffee is hand roasted and hand packed by St Kilda local supplier The Coffee Company and offers the highest quality cooperative cer tified organic coffee.

On sale for $8.

All money raised goes toward the work of Friends of Suai in East Timor. The City of Por t Phillip has extended the Friendship for a fur ther ten years from 2010.

In August this year I had the great privilege of visiting East Timor as mayor. It is a beautiful country — as par t of Melanesia a lovely blend of the Pacific and Asian landscape and cultures. It’s easy to be impressed by the seemingly intact nature of the traditions in the forms of traditional village housing, food, dance and music. In Suai, the welcome at the community centre was extremely warm and enthusiastic with official speeches, dancing and music. There could be no better way to display the rich culture of the people, it’s place in the lives of the community and the impor tance they place on ensuring that their culture is retained.

national government of East Timor. We discussed the impor tance of the Friendship Agreement for both Por t Phillip and Suai-Covalima. The respect shown for Council and the community of Por t Phillip was very strong. Despite being fully aware of the challenges ahead, I was struck by the spirit of independence evident in the attitudes of the ministers, and their optimism for the future of their country.

Visiting East Timor showed suppor t to the East Timorese, not only at the local Suai level, but also to the national government. The people of Por t Phillip remember our friends in East Timor, and we will continue to learn from one another in the future.

After the most impressive formal welcome, we met with the group of school teachers who are currently being trained by our two volunteer English language teachers. The local teachers spoke to us about the challenges they face, their hopes for their students and their needs as future English teachers.

I had the oppor tunity to meet with President Ramos Horta, and several ministers from the

Mayor visits SuaiMayor Cr Rachel Powning travelled to Suai to meet members of the community. Here are her reflections on the visit.