Eight women's groups funded by the Blue Mountains Trek for Timor are running ongoing development projects in the remote region of Hatobuilico.
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These eight organisations are spread across the mountainous Hatobuilico region and are set up and coordinated by local women on the ground in Timor-Leste.
They are currently undertaking projects as diverse as growing vegetables for market, sewing cloths and embroidery, weaving traditional tais, making baskets, making bread, and running a restaurant and shop to sell food and these various goods to locals and international visitors.
Being part of these organisations helps to train the women to run small businesses and become more economically independent and it is also encouraging more women to participate in the governance of their regions.
The two Blue Mountains groups supporting these projects are the Blue Mountains Trek for Timor (BMT4T) and the Blue Mountains East Timor Sisters (BMETS).
BMT4T and BMETS committee member Lesley Sammon recently visited East Timor and said the value of the women's groups is threefold.
"The groups are a place for women to create networks amongst themselves and to support and learn from each other," she said.
"They are a space for women to gain greater economic knowledge and independence and also, equally importantly, where women are becoming more confident leaders and are learning more about participating in management and governance in their local areas and ultimately maybe nationally."
While Ms Sammon and her colleagues were visiting projects supported by BMT4T and BMETS two new women's centres were opened and members of the eight Hatobuilico women's organisations gathered for a development conference in one of these new centres.
Ms Sammon said attendees took part in workshops including one that addressed issues of violence against women and children. The groups worked together to come up with solutions that they can take back to their villages.
East Timorese Field Officer Mana Josefina reports that since the conference, women from the various groups have returned to their communities and passed on the skills they've learned in using local produce and in setting up new projects.
Walking and fundraising for Timor will allow more funds to be directed to these women's groups and continue to strengthen the participation of women in their communities and their country.
Sign up or donate at https://trek-for-timor-blue-mountains.raisely.com
