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December 2009
Science of Life Systems 24/7 (SOLS) is a youth training organisation with centres in Dili and district centres including Maliana. SOLS provides participants with holistic life skills education through a range of programs. Training includes leadership and character building, academic and livelihood skills, and lessons on social consciousness and active citizenry. Boys and girls are accepted in equal numbers.
SOLS offers a two year intensive training program organised in four 6-month stages. The first and third stages are conducted in the district centres. The second and fourth stages are conducted in the teacher training centre in Dili. The four stages are structured so that even students who only do one or two stages gain very worthwhile skills that greatly enhance their career prospects.
The courses are popular and successful. FPET expects to continue supporting students to attend these courses in Maliana and Dili. More information on the courses and the SOLS organisation are available on the SOLS website.
FPET President, Jim Johnson, has just returned from visiting East Timor and is pictured here with some students he met at SOLS Maliana training centre. They include ten students from Atabae supported with FPET funding. These students are doing the first 6-month stage of the two year course.
November 2009
As you can see in this photo of the Community Health Centre verandah, many spend time there while at the centre.
Margaret Hall reports that the Community Health Centre is growing into all we hoped it would be. The Atabae locals are now very much "at home" at the health centre. There is a very relaxed atmosphere with even the shyest of people relaxing and taking part in activities and discussion.
The mothers take part in preparations and once the kitchen area is made child-safe we hope to involve the mothers in the preparation of the nutrition program. While initially targeting mothers and young children, males and females of all ages now visit the centre and more fathers are now bringing their children to the child health clinics.
The Halls have also noted big changes elsewhere in Timor this year. Dili is now a busy city with a lot of traffic, busy shops and people with some money to spend.
Atabae has been quieter than usual lately because many are looking for work in Dili and others have been employed on the roadworks and other public works. There has been a lot of work done on the road between Dili and Atabae but increased traffic has led to increased traffic accidents. Work in the rice fields has lasted longer than usual because there are fewer working there this year.
October 2009
A three month Portuguese language training course commenced for all teachers in East Timor on 5 October. This became possible because the school year, which used to start in early October, is now changing to operate within the normal calendar year. As a result school students are enjoying an extended break from school.
Language is quite an issue in East Timor where adult literacy is only about 50% and a wide range of languages is used. The Government has adopted Tetun (or Tetum) and Portuguese as the official languages but also different native languages are spoken in various districts. Bahasa Indonesia is also widely known and used, as it was taught in schools and used throughout the country during Indonesian rule. As elsewhere in south and east Asia, there is strong interest in learning English because of its wide acceptance as an international language.
The Halls have confirmed that adults in the Atabae community have expressed interest in further education. In response to this, they have arranged for Jose Asaca to start adult education courses on Saturday mornings at the Community Health Centre. David Hall was previously training Jose as community development worker. Jose subsequently has obtained work in Maliana with the United Nations World Food Program but still volunteers in Atabae at weekends.
Gary Stone (second from left) with three teacher trainees supported at Baucau Teachers College by FPET, another teacher trainee, Br Fons, Principal of Baucau Teachers College (second from right) and a lecturer at the college (on the right).
The three Atabae trainees pictured above have now completed their training and will take up teaching positions at the start of the new school year in January 2010.
Alice Abu from Atabae, an earlier graduate of Baucau Teachers College was also sponsored by FPET. She now has completed a year of teaching at the Atabae school.
September 2009
Febriana is one baby who owes her life to the interventions arranged by Margaret Hall. Pictured here with her mother, she is now 14 months old and progressing well. Febriana is just one of the many babies to receive life saving treatment through the Atabae Community Health Centre.
Febriana was brought to the Atabae Community Health Centre seriously ill soon after birth. Margaret Hall arranged for her to be transported urgently to Dili where the baby had intestinal surgery and was fitted with a colostomy bag. Her condition is such that Febriana has to depend upon the colostomy bag until she is three years old. She should then be sufficiently developed to have an operation to restore her intestinal tract to normal functioning.
Quite a few other young babies have been saved from probable early death by Margaret Hall's interventions. Low birth weight babies, often twins, have required provision of food supplements and their mothers have been given nutritional advice. Similarly many of the mothers have needed food supplements and guidance for their own nutrition. Some patients have had various health problems requiring referral to specialist services but others are obviously in much better health due to regular attendance at the various clinics organised by Margaret Hall and her team.
August 2009
It is a joy to report on such a great month with many good things happening. The teachers we had been funding for some years to teach in the Atabae Catholic schools have now been taken onto the Government payroll as earlier promised by the Government. They are even to receive back pay from the beginning of the calendar year.
The basic English courses at the Science of Life school in Dili has proved to be very effective. Lepa and Carlita have completed their basic courses and will return later for more advanced training. Three other health workers are now doing the basic course and already showing good progress. David and Margaret have been most impressed when they have visited the school which is filled with very enthusiastic students doing a range of courses needed in East Timor.
Margaret and David also hosted representatives from two Brisbane parishes considering linking up with other East Timor communities.
Here is a photo taken before delivery of the Land Rover recently purchased to facilitate expansion of the community health program. This vehicle will be more economical to operate than the now aging Toyota Landcruiser. The Landcruiser will continue to operate on the roughest roads.
July 2009
Dr Dan Murphy (third from left) with some members of FPET when he visited Brisbane this month.
Dr Dan Murhpy is a widely known and respected doctor in East Timor. He was recently awarded the prestigious Medal of Merit by the East Timorese President, Jose Ramos-Horta, in recogniton of his services.
Dr Dan established and operates the Bairo Pite Clinic in Dili. Hundreds of people are treated daily at the clinic with quite limited resources. FPET members were delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Dr Dan as he has been most helpful to Margaret Hall and her community health work. We look forward to a continuing collaborative arrangement with Dr Dan.
FPET President Jim Johnson (on left) took Dr Dan Murphy (on right) to meet various staff at the Mater Hospital including Kathy in the Children's Emergency Department.
Margaret Hall has forged a very effective cooperative relationship between staff at the Bairo Pite Clinic and the Atabae Community Health Centre which has been of great benefit to the people of Atabae and other communities where Margaret has been involved.
During his visit to Brisbane Dr Murphy visited various Departments of interest at the Mater Hospital, building up contacts which we hope will be useful in the future - especially cardiac services, orthopaedics, imaging, pathology and emergency.
June 2009
Lynne Stone presenting one of the baby blankets to a mother and child at the Atabae Community Health Centre. Some of the ladies at the Enoggera Respite Centre where Lynne works had made baby blankets and nappies for the babies. I was very humbled giving them to the mothers at the clinic, who were very grateful on receiving them.
Talking about her recent trip to East Timor, Lynne Stone said, "One of the highlights was the opportunity to visit with Margaret and David and to see the Health clinic in Atabae. To see the skills and capabilities of Lepa, Maria and Carlita as they worked with the mothers and babies, was inspiring. At first there weren't many people there, but they soon came, walking of course (no cars or taxis) and some had walked for miles. They were all smiling, happy to have somewhere to come for advice, for help and a chance to sit with other people and chat."
"Listening to Margaret telling the history of the babies lives and the difficulties that they have had to overcome to survive, left me feeling so emotional, so humble, almost guilty because we here in Australia have so much and many take it all for granted."
Lynne concluded, "So I thank God for the people of East Timor who are humble, joyful and faithful. Thank God for Margaret and David who are an inspirational couple, making incredible differences in difficult circumstances and thank God for the people here in Australia who make it possible for this work to continue."
May 2009
The Halls reported recently that East Timor is very different now compared with when they first arrived in March 2006. "Then, all and any help was needed. There was very little work and limited opportunities for further education. Progress is being made..... There is also more education and work. This obviously affects how we now approach our own work commitments."
Since we returned in March this year we have had several meetings with key people. These meetings have been very positive and have reflected the appreciation of the people and their desire to emphasise the importance of the help from FPET and PALMS volunteers to continue to help and give support......The people are now becoming more confident, assertive and making their own decisions."
"Our help is still very much needed and we are aware of the changing atmosphere we need to develop our programmes in." Margaret and David also report that the community recognises the positive impact of the health clinic programs on the children's health. Margaret, David and the team will now be extending these programs to more villages. They expect that such programs will in future be seen as a normal service throughout the country.
This is Miguel. As you can see he is now a healthy looking boy but late last year his parents brought him, limp and lifeless, to the health centre we have established in Atabae. They had already been to a government clinic and were told that there was nothing that could be done for him - that he would die within 24 hours. Our nurse Margaret Hall, gave him a blood test, diagnosed a particular strain of malaria, intravenously injected him with fluids and antibiotics, and rushed him in our vehicle to Dili for further treatment. He is now healthy and strong. He is just one of the many who would probably have died if it had not been for the services provided through the clinic.
April 2009
Atabae subdistrict has a relatively dry climate and carrying water like this is a common sight in the dry seasons although there has been fairly good rains this year.
Although there has been a reasonably good wet season this year there will probably be water supply problems in some villages before the next wet season.
Being located on the north side of East Timor, the Atabae subdistrict is one of the drier areas of the country. More rain falls on the southern side of the country. As in many other tropical countries, there is usually a rainy season and a dry season but the wet season can be rather limited in Atabae subdistrict.
Apart from the time consumed in carrying water, the poor access to water is also linked to many health problems.
We hope to install some more rainwater tanks this year but we are also looking for other ways of improving the water supply situation.
March 2009
A brief visit to Brisbane earlier this year by the President of East Timor, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, provided an opportunity for members of FPET to meet informally with the President and government staff travelling with him.
It was evident to us all that he is a man working very hard to build up his country and appreciative of the support he receives from Australia and elsewhere. This evening of relaxation was a brief respite for the President who had come from East Timor that day and was leaving for New Zealand early the next morning.
He has made a marvellous recovery from the injuries he received during the assassination attempt early last year. He is certainly an inspirational leader for his country.
We greatly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with this great man in such a relaxed and pleasant informal situation.
FPET was recently privileged to be able to enjoy an evening with the President of East Timor, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta when he stayed overnight with Deacon Gary and Lyn Stone. Lyn is pictured here with the President.
February 2009
Mike Dooley (right) was one of the FPET members who caught up with David and Margaret Hall recently in Brisbane.
David and Margaret Hall have been in Australia in recent weeks to meet up with family and friends but much of their time has been taken up with meetings with FPET members, PALMS staff and others on issues relating to their work in East Timor.
There have been many matters to discuss during our face to face meetings. A number of the issues relate to the faster implementation of Margaret's health program with the support being supplied by GRM International.
Other issues include considering options for community development and overcoming the difficulties that inevitably occur when working in a developing economy such as in East Timor.
January 2009
Our core activities for 2009
As outlined by the President in his Annual Report, our main activities envisaged for this year can be summarised under the following two points.
- Supporting our PALMS volunteers and their team to continue their programmes of Community Health and Development
- Helping the youth of the parish with teaching and trade scholarships, and by supporting Comoning Youth Association.
Our monthly meetings resume for 2009 on Monday 2 February at our regular venue and time. Details here.
Some of the 15 Don Bosco graduates with David Hall after their graduation ceremony in October 2008
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