These groups have carried out various activities such as saving and lending money, tais weaving, sewing, raising animals, selling goods, and practicing permaculture. However, one of the common challenges faced by survivors is the lack of leadership capacity in organization, administration, and group management. To strengthen these groups and help them carry out their activities successfully and sustainably, ACbit’s Community Organizer (CO) began working in early March and has since been closely accompanying survivor groups in Bibileo and Kraras, Viqueque. The CO is supporting the Grupu Habelun Hamaluk Feto Maluk to reorganize its members, resume group activities, and engage young people to work alongside the group.

Fernanda, the secretary of Grupu Habelun Hamaluk Feto Maluk, shared: “At the beginning, our group carried out many activities such as saving and lending money, planting vegetables, raising animals, sewing, and tais weaving. But these activities stopped because we were not well organized. With the presence of Hermen from ACbit, we’ve managed to reorganize ourselves and resume activities in permaculture, sewing, and tais weaving, and have also expanded artisanal activities for young people.”

Rozita added:“Through permaculture, we also learned how to make organic pesticides, which has helped me a lot to control pests that were damaging the crops I planted.”

Brandão, said: “I’m happy that Maun Hermen came and taught us how to make artisanal crafts using waste materials and turn them into products with economic value.”

According to Hermen, ACbit’s Community Organizer: “Our presence is focused on strengthening the group’s existing activities and continuously encouraging them to use the resources they have to develop their initiatives, generate income, and sustain their livelihoods.”
Similar activities were previously carried out by ACbit with survivor groups in Mauchiga – Ainaro, and will continue with other survivor groups in additional municipalities. This initiative is supported by Misereor.

One participant, a Dinamizadora from Ermera municipality, Mrs. Filomena, stated, “The training is very important because the right to access land through inheritance often leads to discrimination. However, through this training, we have come to realize that this right is equal for both women and men.”

“The SNC process is also important for women’s participation. At first, we believed that only men could make comments when the Agraria arrived to register land. But through this training, we now realise that women may lose their land ownership rights if they choose not to take part in the SNC process.” added Mrs. Rosa, a Dinamizadora from Manufahi municipality.

The two-day training covered topics such as land rights, land registration procedures, laws or regulations that protect women’s land ownership rights, land security, the division of inherited land, and general dangers to women’s land rights.
In order to carry out “The Women and Land Program,” which trained Dinamizadora from 12 municipalities & RAEOA, support by Oxfam Timor-Leste.

On 1-3 August 2023, ACbit held a training on “Strengthening the Role of Dinamizadora to accompany and support women survivors of past conflicts” for 23 women dinamizadora from 10 municipalities such as Ainaro, Aileu, Baucau, Bobonaro, Covalima, Dili, Ermera, Lautem, Manufahi, and Viqueque.

Dinamizadora is the eyes, ears, heart, and bridge for women survivors who are in the dark and who don’t have access to health care and other social problems. The role of the dinamizadora is very important to approach women survivors of past conflicts as well as other marginalized groups such as LGBTIQ, and people with Disabilities to hear their concerns and find solutions to the problems they face.

Maria de Fátima, Dinamizadora woman from Baucau municipality, said, “I hope that in the future I want to share important information about access to the assistance programs from the government for women survivors who don’t access any information”.

During these three days, the dinamizadora learned about how to organize the women survivors to develop their creativity in groups and as individuals, as well as the importance of communication and lobbying. Apart from that, ACbit team also made an action plan with dinamizadora in order to implement it for women survivors in their municipalities.

This activity is the first phase; after two months, ACbit will invite the dinamizadora to participate in the next meeting in Dili to share the results and obstacles that they face when they implement the action plans in their municipalities.

This activity was funded by Misereor as part of the “Empowering marginalized women victims of conflict through improving access to services and community support” project. As well as the project “Strengthening women survivors and victims of past and present violations by fulfilling their rights,” which was funded by Yayasan Hivos.

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On the 14^th of September 2022, ACbit collaborated with local facilitators and groups of women survivors to hold a bazaar at the Residensia Madre Dominicana Pante Makasar in Oecusse RAEOA. In this event, ACbit provided the opportunity for 10 women survivors and micro-entrepreneurs to sell their products, such as fried bananas, watermelons, peanuts, papayas, rice, coconut oil, taros, and sweet potatoes. There were also handicrafts, such as tais, wallets, bags, earrings, necklaces and baskets.

This collaboration was appreciated and greatly encouraged by the Deputy President of RAEOA ZEESM, Mr. Maximiano Neno. Representing the President of Authority RAEOA ZEESM to deliver an opening speech in the event, Mr. Maximiano Neno requested that, “Association Chega! Ba Ita (ACbit), please do continue to organize women survivors to participate in this kind of event, and to encourage other women, so that they can promote the products that they produce and respond to problems that RAEOA faced.”

In addition to the bazaar, the event featured a seminar themed “Promoting Local Products, Empowering the Economy of Survivors.” In the seminar, ACbit screened a short film on women survivors’ business group in Oecusse, followed by a panel discussion. The panellists of the seminar came from different backgrounds to provide different perspectives. Eng. Pedro da Cunha, the Regional Secretary of Commerce and Industry RAEOA ZEESM, talked about the role of the Regional Secretary to support women groups and business ideas. Ms. Merita Marques, the Director of FEEO, shared her experience in successfully working with women groups since the restoration of Timor-Leste independence, and the struggles that they went through at that time. Ms. Domingas Nine, a women survivor of past conflict violence, who is also the treasurer of Klisso group, shared her experience in organizing a group to run a small business, and the benefits that they get.

“After the training provided by ACbit, we strongly managed our group, Klisso, to do better in handling our finance. After we got support from SEII through ACbit, we managed to distribute the fund to support another group,” said Ms. Domingas Nine in the seminar.

The aim of this event was to provide opportunities for women survivors who run a small business to promote and market their products, and to bring together stakeholders and provide opportunities for women survivors to build networks with each other, as well as with the government, local businesses, other small business owners, and buyers in general. It was also aimed to provide a safe space for women survivors to share their experiences as a way to build public awareness about the impact of GBV and past conflict violence, and the importance of women’s economic development, and to bring new motivation and inspiration to strengthen women’s economy.

True to its aims, the event also extended the opportunity to the newest women business group in Oecusse, Salankeur. The group was formed after the ACbit conducted a microenterprise training in Suco Costa.

Taking the opportunity during the bazaar, seminar, and film screening, Ms. Selvinia Ili Dias from Salankeur voiced that they” also want ask Mr. Regional Secretary to provide ways so that our group can access the fund, to support our group in the future, by giving us the opportunities to run economic activities.”

The event was funded by the European Union through the Reforsa Hamutuk project. Reforsa Hamutuk is a 33-month project implemented by ACbit, Hivos, and Fokupers to promote social inclusion and economic development of women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste.

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ACbit has been working with Hivos and Fokupers on the Reforsa Hamutuk project, a 33-month project funded by the European Union, since 2020. One of the aims of this project is to promote the economic inclusion of women survivors of past conflicts and victims of gender-based violence (GBV) in Timor-Leste. Therefore, on June 15, 2022, ACbit in collaboration with focal points, women survivors from KLISSO and the village authority of Suco Lalisuk, held a bazaar and seminar themed “Promoting Local Products to Empower the Economy of Women Survivors” in the compound of Madre Franciscana Padiae, Oecusse.

This event was opened by Mr. Arsenio Paixão Bano the President Authority of RAEOA ZEESM-TL, and also attended by Mr. Pedro da Cunha Silva, the Regional Secretary for Agricultural Issues of RAEOA ZEESM-TL and Mr. Jose Eta, the Regional Secretary for Commerce and Industry Issues of RAEOA ZEESM-TL. In his opening remarks, Mr. Arsenio Paixão Bano highlighted the RAEOA authority’s commitment to support women survivors by stating that, “The RAEOA Authority have a division on promoting gender equality and social inclusion. Through this division, in 2021 and 2022, we have a $100,000 funding to support groups (in RAEOA). If KLISSO women have a business activity that is well-managed, you can also access the funds (to support the activity). We really want women to be strong in their economy, especially women from vulnerable groups.”

In this one-day bazaar, ACbit provided the opportunity for 10 women’s survivors and local women entrepreneurs to sell their products such as local rice, popcorn, papayas, ketupat, taros, bananas, local grapes, cassavas, peanuts, and coffee. There were also handicrafts, such as tais and woven basket. Talking about the event, Ms. Lorença Lalisuk from the Necaf Mese group who sold her products at this bazaar said, “I feel happy because people bought the products we sold until they were all gone, and we made a $50.00 profit. In the future, I want to participate again in events like this because it can make us happy and we can also earn money to fulfil the needs of our family”.

Similarly, Ms. Maria de Fatima Colo, from the KLISSO group said, “Today, we sold tais and food, such as cassavas, papayas, cakes, fried chickens, ketupat, and coffee. From all these products, we made a profit of $195,00. We were very happy because, if we just stayed at home, we wouldn’t earn money like this. Through this bazaar, we could earn money. Even though the income that we got was not much, we could share it, a small amount each, to the group members”.

Beside the bazaar and seminar, ACbit also screened three short films about the experience of women survivors and victims’ of GBV from three municipalities: Ainaro, Baucau, Dili and RAEOA. After the screening, ACbit also guided a discussion with three panellists, namely Ms. Sebastiana C. Pereira, the Unit Coordinator for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion, from the Cabinet of the President of the RAEOA Authority ZEESM TL, Mr. Arnaldo Suni, the Coordinator of Victims Association of RAEOA, and Mr. Hermilindo Lalisuk, the Village Chief of Lalisuk, to discuss the importance of promoting the economic and social inclusion of women survivors of past conflict and victims of GBV. A total of 116 audiences were watching these three short films and discussion.

Ms. Marcelino Paixão Cofitala, a member group of KLISSO who also took part in one of the films, said, “After watching this film, I felt happy because this film can serve as an example for women survivors from other municipalities. They can watch and learn about the activities that we carry out in our group”.

The aim of this event was to provide opportunities for women survivors who run a small business to promote and market their products, bring them together to build their networks with each other, as well as with government, businesses, civil society organization and buyers in general. It was also aimed to provide a safe space for women survivors to share their experiences as a way to build public awareness about the impact of GBV and past conflict violence, rises public awareness on helping women to develop their activities to be independent, the importance of women’s economic expansion, and to bring new motivation and inspiration to strengthen women’s economy.

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This research brought together both survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) from Timor-Leste’s past conflict (1975-1999), and those who have experienced violence in the newly democratic Timor-Leste. This was an innovative approach taken by ACbit and its partners, linking survivors from the “past” and “present” in order to better understand and address the root causes of GBV. These survivors were able to identify the barriers they face in accessing services in their communities and now attempt to overcome them. This report documents our community-driven participatory research process. It outlines the research process and methodology used and shares reflections from the community facilitators on the process itself, drawing out key lessons for future research and action. The report also presents the key findings of the research and discusses strategies developed by the participants together with ACbit for their ongoing advocacy work for survivors’ access to services.

Click on bellow to read more about our report:

PAR Report

A total of 108 audience attended the screening that was followed by a discussion on how to promote the economic and social inclusion of women survivors and victims of gender-based violence. The panelists in the discussion were Ms. Domingas Soares Nunes, the Focal Point of SEII (State Secretary of Equality and Inclusion) in Baucau, Mr. Delfin Rordão Xavier, the Coordinator of Victim Association in Baucau, and Mr. Julio “Farkhus” Pinto, the Village Chief of Laisorulai de Baixo.

Cerilio Moreira da Costa student from Baucau as a participant stated that “Through this film helped me to know and how to support the activities of women survivors, on how they are doing their business to have dairy income and become independent, and the conclusion and important lessons are don’t discriminate women, end violence against women and people with LGBTIQ”.  

The screening was part of the Reforsa Hamutuk project, a 33-month project funded by the European Union to promote social inclusion and economic development of women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste.

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This collaboration was appreciated and greatly encouraged by the Baucau Municipal Authority. Mr. Mario Freitas Belo, the Director of Management Plaining and Tourism that represented the President of Baucau Municipal Authority in the event stated that, “For Association Chega! Ba Ita (ACbit), please do continue to organize women survivors to participate in commemorating the national day so that they can promote the products that they produce.”

In addition to the bazaar, the event featured a seminar themed “Promoting Local Products, Empowering the Economy of Survivors.” The panelists of the seminar came from different backgrounds to provide different perspectives. Mr. Francisco Xavier, the General Director of SECOOP (State Secretary of Cooperative) talked about the role of SECOOP to support the group of cooperatives. To motivate and inspire women survivors, Ms. Maria do Rasario Costa, the Director of Andy Makmur Company, shared her experience in successfully running the business, while Ms. Regina Freitas, a women survivor of past conflict, shared her experience in organizing a group to run a small business.

“We are women survivors from Caibada who work together in a group name Matalan. This group was stablished during the resistance. Now, the activity that we run at the group are weaving, making tais, sewing edge, and produce other local products such as peanuts, cassavas, papayas, etc.,” said Ms. Regina Freitas in the seminar.

The aim of this event was to provide opportunities for women survivors who run a small business to promote and market their products, and to bring together and provide opportunities for women survivors to build networks with each other, as well as with the government, local businesses, other small business owners, and buyers in general. It was also aimed to provide a safe space for women survivors to share their experiences as a way to build public awareness about the impact of GBV and past conflict violence, and the importance of women’s economic development, and to bring new motivation and inspiration to strengthen women’s economy.

True to its aims, the event provided an opportunity for Ms. Regina Freitas’ group to connect with SECOOP as she mentioned that she, ”also want ask to the director from SECOOP to support our group in the future by giving us the opportunities to run the economic activities.”

The event was funded by the European Union through the Reforsa Hamutuk project, and by the Baucau Municipal Authority. Reforsa Hamutuk is a 33-month project implemented by ACbit, Hivos, and Fokupers to promote social inclusion and economic development of women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste.

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In this celebration, ACbit and Fokupers assisted displayed and sold products made by women survivors from three municipalities, namely Baucau, Dili and Liquisa. Among the products were tais, wallets, earrings, necklaces, bags, and baskets, and coconut oil.

Through a laptop at the booth, the team also screened three short films about the economic and social inclusion of women survivors of past conflict and gender-based violence.

The team also distributed leaflets containing information about the Reforsa Hamutuk project to visitors while, on the event stage, Fokupers Director, Ms. Maria Fátima Perreira Guterres, presented information about the implementation of the project.

To extend the opportunity of networking, ACbit also invited four (4) women survivors from Dili to attend the two-day celebration and visit all the booths managed by other European Union project partners.

Lucilia da Silva Alves, a survivor from Dili said that, “I felt very happy because I can get the opportunity to participated in this event. I visited all the stands, joined the quiz, and got the prizes. Actually, we (usually) could not participate in this kind of event but, because of the Reforsa Hamutuk project, ACbit can invited us.”  

ACbit, Hivos, Fokupers, and the women survivors invited were participating in the event as representatives of the Reforsa Hamutuk project, a 33-month project funded by the European Union to promote social inclusion and economic development of women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste.

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Among the 150 participants were women survivors of past conflict, victims of gender base violence, family of women survivors, and women from the community who ran their small businesses.

The aim of these trainings was to support the women microenterpreneurs by improving their capacity in managing their small business, managing their finance, improving the quality of the products, and marketing their products. The trainings were also aimed to increase their confidence in managing and developing their business into a sustainable income source.

“My appreciation towards ACbit team. The lessons I learned in this two-day training, especially the topic of ‘loans’, are very relevant with the activities that we do in my business group. Therefore, I will share the lessons I learned from this training with my group,” said Marciana dos Santos Freitas, a woman microentrepreneur from the Furner Group in Baucau.

“In these last two days of training, I learned a lot. I learned about gender-based violence, something that I usually heard but did not truly understand until I joined the training. I also learned about financial management, how to record my income and expenses. I also learned how to save money that can be used to increase the size of our business in the future,” said Aliansa Barbosa, a woman microentrepreneur from Ainaro.

These activities were part of the Reforsa Hamutuk project, a 30-month project funded by the European Union, with implementations conducted by Hivos, ACbit, and Fokupers, to promote social inclusion and economic development of women survivors and victims of violence in Timor-Leste.

ACbit will also hold similar trainings in Dili and Oecusse to extend the opportunity for capacity building to more Timorese women microentrepreneurs.

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