This month marks the end of a very busy and fruitful year for FPET. The previous years of work by David and Margaret Hall are now yielding great results and more is anticipated in the coming year with the extra financial support from GRM International. More details are available in the President's 2008 Report

Fifteen young people for whom we provided scholarships at the Don Bosco College in Dili for the 2007/08 study year graduated on 15th October, 2008. They qualified as motor mechanics, electricians, carpenters and in computer technology. A picture of the graduates and some further details are included in our November 2008 Newsletter.

With the expanding health programs more health services are required to meet a range of problems. Fortunately, various collaborating health professionals are becoming available including Donna, a new PALMS volunteer who is providing some much needed dental services. Donna is working at Bairo Pite Clinic in Dili but is scheduled to spend one week each month working and teaching at Atabae.

With health services now being extended to other villages many more people in need of health care are being found. In particular, women in some villages have been bearing their children without even the assistance of traditional midwives and a number of these now need special care for themselves and their young children.

FPET is very pleased to share the great news with all our supporters that GRM International have committed to a donation of US$30,000 over the coming year to support our community healthcare work in East Timor.

GRM International are providing this funding in line with their policy of supporting communities in countries where they are providing consultancy services. In East Timor they are contracted to provide administrative advice to the government and they saw this project as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to East Timorese communities.

This funding will enable rapid expansion of this project both within Atabae subdistrict and at some other locations in East Timor. It will enable the project to demonstrate the potential for widespread adoption of this life saving approach to healthcare throughout East Timor.

This proactive approach to health care for all practical purposes does not exist in East Timor and has the potential to radically improve the current appalling state of health.

The program is focused on the training of local people to undertake primary and basic health care and identify where more expert medical intervention is warranted.

The overall objective is to create a community preventative healthcare program that the government can implement across East Timor. The work already has the personal support of President Jose Ramos Horta, Bishop Da Silva and Dr Rui of the East Timor Ministry of Health.

As part of the project FPET is planning to deploy another vehicle to reduce the current over-dependence on our ex-army troop carrier. The additional vehicle is required for efficient movement of team members and patients. Investigations are under way to locate a suitable vehicle.

Margaret Hall reports that "The opening of the Community Health Centre has changed the whole dynamics of our work. The most significant change is from the people themselves. We were certainly very busy before but now the people appear to see us as a permanent service and the numbers have increased dramatically."

"The building itself has received many compliments from the people, visitors and allied health professionals.It is open, airy and user friendly. The veranda is particularly popular."

Child Health: "We had 79 mothers and babies plus several sets of twins and toddlers at our clinic on Wednesday. This week we are starting a nutrition teaching program which will include practical preparation of food and introducing solids. Our Therapy Programme now includes first year of life babies and is three days per week."

"Our Special Needs Baby Program is growing. We now have two talipes babies, one with deformities of the fingers. More parents are bringing their new babies to us and we are seeing more fathers. It appears that anything that is out of the ordinary with babies, birth or family dynamics we are asked to help."

Margaret also reports that a Japanese doctor will visit the Atabae Health Centre this month and see the special needs children. It is hoped that he will become a regular visitor to the centre.

It was affirmed this month that the Government intends to pay the salaries of all teachers from the commencement of the new school year next month. Administrative details are not yet clear but we are already planning to redirect our funding to other priorities including an expansion of scholarships for training in vocational skills.

There has been a lot happening in Atabae over the last couple of months including the official opening of the new Community Health Centre building which took place on 15 August. Our Treasurer, Jack Brady, was able to attend and represent FPET for this major occasion in Atabae. He assures us that the opening was well celebrated by a large attendance of visitors and local people.

Jack Brady said, "The Health Centre building would easily be the best building in Atabae. The construction and finish of the building is of a high standard and is a great credit to Margaret, David and Jose in the planning of the building and bringing it all together." This was achieved despite considerable difficulties in sourcing the required materials. August 22 was the first working day at the centre and included the Bairo Pite staff coming to run their clinic at the centre for three hours or so.

Lots of people have been very busy facilitating the visit of East Timorese pilgrims to Australia for World Youth Day and related activities in Brisbane. Few, if any, have been busier than Joel Hodge who has done so much to guide preparations both in Brisbane and East Timor.

One function he arranged was a meeting at St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace for the Bishop of Dili with several East Timor support groups including FPET. This provided a great opportunity for an exchange of ideas and discussion of the difficulties in overcoming poverty and related challenges in East Timor.

The Comoning Youth Group in Atabae continues to flourish under the leadership of the President, Jose Asaca, and Vice President Chris. The group has organised government funding for fishing nets so uneducated and unemployed youth can earn money and obtained sewing machines for women to repair clothing as a small business. The group has also arranged football tournaments and convened workshops on violence and conflict resolution run in conjunction with the Justice and Peace Commission and World Vision.

The youth group, especially Jose, should be commended on trying to actively resolve youth problems, especially when conflict between groups in Atabae occurs. Atabae has some of the same martial arts gangs (and other militia groups) that have caused trouble in Dili. We can also remember that some of the worst militia groups operated in Atabae in 1999 and some of them continue. When conflict has occurred, Jose has invited the group leaders to meet together to resolve problems.

Jose and the youth group remain concerned for the uneducated and illiterate young people and wish to offer them activities and opportunities to channel their energies and improve themselves. They were able to help the young people in fishing villages with nets, but as yet have not found a way to support the young people in the mountain villages. Jose and Chris suggested that a tractor could be a good way to support the young people in these villages.

The most advanced of Margaret and David's trainees, Jose, Maria and Lepa, have been selected by the Atabae community to attend World Youth Day in Sydney in July. We are looking forward to meeting them in Brisbane before and after the main event in Sydney. They will participate in major activities organised for Queensland youth and visitors in Brisbane before going to Sydney and visit some Brisbane schools when they return from Sydney.

They will be accompanied by Adelino from the Buradu Youth Group in Dili with support from FPET and others. Buradu is a Tetun acronym which means "youth group seeking the way to unity". Because of the group's very industrious and skilful community work in a difficult area of Dili, it is supported by government and church leaders as well as some Australian journalists.

Along with the progress on the new building, more volunteers are now doing initial orientation and evaluation for expansion of the health worker team. The four who started in February are Angelina Soares, Fericidada Piries, Maria Imaculada Pires and David Pires Martins. All are aged 20 or 21.

This month Chris, vice-president of the youth group who has just completed a business course in Dili will be joining the team. He will be working on computer programs and media work but is currently assisting with the construction of the community health centre.

The program for special needs mothers, babies and children initiated last year by Margaret Hall has already saved several lives and made major improvements in the well being of all those supported the program. This includes another set of premature twins, two Down's syndrome toddlers and a baby whose mother died at childbirth.

The orphan baby is now cared for by the deceased mother's family where there are already eight children. While Margaret and others can visit when the weather permits, given the current wet weather, a family member has to make a regular six hour walk to get fresh supplies of food and supplements that cannot be stored at their home.

Margaret Hall says, "The program deals with families who need help now. These families may be single parent, unemployed or very low income. These fathers and mothers are good parents. They are just overwhelmed by the hopelessness of their situation. This program is giving them not only practical help but restoring their dignity."

Margaret continues, "We have many children who need to be on our program and now with help from Loreto Girls College and others we can help more children to survive and reach their full potential. On behalf of the families and the team, we thank you for your help and your prayers".

The Halls have settled back into Atabae and been very busy since their return to East Timor. While they have had some improvements to their living quarters, you can see that the roof is still in need of attention.

We are all looking forward to fresh opportunities as the new government starts to implement its plans to boost employment and improve infrastructure while addressing the worst of the poverty and health problems. The government seems to have a firm determination to work with non-government organisations to address the many issues needing urgent attention.