DILI, 23 june 2021 (TATOLI) – The Japanese Matsuba Fund based in Dili will provide US$ 10.000 humanitarian assistance to 50 flood-affected families in capital Dili.
The US$10.000 humanitarian assistance fund known as ‘Cheer Up Timorese’ would be given to those families that had been severely affected by the april flash flood to recover their family economy.
The Matsuba’s Fund Executive Director, Joana Veneranda Amaral informed that of the US$10.000, each of the selected flood-affected households would receive US$200: “This fund would be given to the flood-affected families to recover their economy.”
“So far, we have registered more than 60 candidates. Among these candidates, we will have a rigorous verification process to identify which households deserve to receive the US$200. Through verification, we will know those families whose houses were severely impacted by the floods,” Amaral told TATOLI at the Matsuba Fund office, in Dili, today.
She said community leaders, including Chief Village and Sub-Village, would be involved in the verification process: “The involvement of the community leaders in the verification process was important as they are the ones who know a lot about those households that had been affected by the floods”.
Amaral said the registration would close on june 30, saying the candidates will receive a notification once the verification was concluded.
She said the founder of the Matsuba Fund is a Japanese Lady, called Ms. Yumiko Takahashi, saying Takahashi wanted to help the affected families with her heart.
“On behalf of Matsuba Fund, I would like to say that it’s not about how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” It’s to show our solidarity with the victims of the april flash flood,” added Amaral.
The Matsuba Fund is based in Taibesi-Dili and has two branches in the municipalities – one in Same and another one in Lautem municipality.
According to SEPC’s latest data, around 30.207 households were affected by the april flash flood, including 24 deaths, and 14 victims were still missing.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafy Belo
