DILI, 09 june 2021 (TATOLI) – ChidFund is prioritizing to offer the opportunity to all children to access proper Education and Health Service, through the program” Unsafe and undereducated children” program.
Both programs aim to ensure children can be able to achieve well-being in future life.
“To ensure the children can access the good education, ChildFund is working closely with the Minister of Education on providing support of education for children in basic school, especially organizing home base centers. It is an education system provided to children aged 0-8 years old,” Country Director of ChildFund, Erine Dijkstra told Tatoli at her office, Colmera Dili.
According to Ms. Erine, children of those ages deserve to access home base centers in their community and it is the way to ensure the children are educated in the future.
“It is part of ChildFund’s vision to help children to access education and provide good health programs for the children and parents to be safe from any kind of diseases,” She said.
Dijksta said ChildFund provides teachers training and new books helping to engage children. As poor quality teaching and lack of resources have long been some of the barriers to improving low literacy levels across Timor-Leste. There are 4.548 books distributed to the 12 schools in Liquica Municipality for the student 1 and 4 grades. It is one point to ensure children can access reading.
At the same time, She said, ChildFund also provides support for families to raise healthy and strong children through a health education program. To ensure the local community to be in good health it is any assistance that is provided by ChildFund for Community Health Volunteers to keep mothers and babies safe.
“In many remote areas still lack health facilities and information can be devastating for pregnant women, mothers and their newborn babies. ChildFund is training community health volunteers to give mothers and babies in these communities access to critical maternal and child health information.” Ms. Dijstra said.
Nutrition is the most important part of a health program to ensure children are healthy and well educated. Parents must have enough knowledge to provide nutritive foods for their children to consume daily.
Parents are ensured with enough knowledge to identify the nutrition foods to support child brain quick development.
ChildFund continues to assist youth and provides programs for empowering young people to become agents of positive change. Timor-Leste is one of the youngest countries in the Asia-Pacific region. With the majority of the population under the age of 35, there are few opportunities, however, the young people can voice their opinion and ideas, and contribute to the development of their community.
Thus, during the country is faced a pandemic of covid-19 and calamity situation, ChildFund is coordinating with relevant miniseries as minister of health and education, youth and sport in offering the assistance of covid-19 preventive measures and support humanitarian assistance for the victims affected by a natural disaster like floods and landslide.
ChildFund currently implements several programs in coverage areas comprising Education, (Library for All and Library movement) Health, (Nutrition, and pregnancy and mother delivery), Children nationality documents, and Disaster Risk Reduction program. That program is implemented in municipalities of Liquica, Manatuto, Lautem, Bobonaro and Maliana.
It is recalled that the financial report for the year ended 30 June 2020 for the program expenditure of the such as Education program $.305.765 (22%), health $.273.957 (20%), Child protection$.83,188 (6%) and Disaster Risk Reduction $98,398 (7%).
All programs are in partnership with local partners such as Futuru Naroman Asosiasaun, Asosiasaun Graca, Asosiasaun Moris Foun, Ba Futuru, Catalpa international, Cruz Vermelha de Timor-Leste, DHL, Fundasaun Alola, Health Alliance International, Marry MacKillop. ONG Fraterna and Plan International.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor : Rafy Belo
