DILI, 09 july 2021 (TATOLI)-The United States of America (USA), through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), providing $900.000 in additional assistance to save lives, meet urgent humanitarian needs and help affected people recover from the devastating floods in Timor-Leste.
Heavy rains and strong winds associated with Tropical Cyclone Seroja lashed Timor-Leste ‘ Capital Dili and right municipalities in April, causing extensive flooding and landslides’ resulting in dozens of deaths, destroyed crops, and a thousand of evacuation.
This new funding builds on USAID ‘s initial support of $100.000 for urgent relief supplies provided in the initial after the storm bringing USAID’ s total U.S humanitarian assistance to the people of Timor-Leste in response to the floods to one million dollars.
The additional $ 900.000 on assistance announced today will support the Timorese people, through USAID partner World Vision, by providing access to seed and tools for farmers to replant staple crops destroying by the flooding.
USAID ‘s support Will also improve the production of vegetables and staple crops like maize and rice to increase household income and food security for more than 15.000 people.
“As part of our strong partnership with Timor-Leste, we are pleased to extend this additional assistance from the American people to farmers in the wake of this year ‘s devastating flooding,” said U.S Ambassador Kevin Blackstone. This support Will help farming communities once again be able to plant and harvest their crops that help feed the Timorese people,” said Ambassador Kevin Blackstone in the Ministry of Interior ‘s office Vila- Verde to Journalist of TATOLI News Agency on friday.
In this meeting, National Director World Vision Timor-Leste Migena Shilla said this project will implement in the target location such as Aileu, Baucau and Manatuto, with the objective to provide voucher and cash distribution for agriculture input that support farming families with the budget $900.000 and Will implement from july 19, 2021 with duration of six month.
Beneficiaries, 2.650 house are engage on farming / use of home gardening and have been impacted by the floods.
Beneficiary selection criteria will include a focus on people and or household at risk of bring vulnerable such as; people with disabilities, female and female headed household, pregnant and lactating women, number of children cards for by the household.
Because of that USAID- World Vision ‘s goal are to provide life- saving assistance and support household recover from flooding as a result of Cyclone Seroja in Timor-Leste through a comprehensive humanitarian response.
Previously the United States government, through USAID, work in partnership with the government of Timor-Leste to support board -based and effective development.
Since 2021 USAID has provided $350 million in development assistance to Timor-Leste.
USAID support Timor-Leste in its effort to build a more prosperous, healthy and democratic country. USAID does this by supporting programs that Foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth, especially in the agriculture and tourism sectors; improve the health of Timorese people, particularly women and children; and strengthen the Foundation of good governance – all areas that are highlighter in Timor-Leste ‘s Strategic Development Plan 2013- 2030 and will serve to make the country more self reliant to better address their own development challenges.
In this opportunity, Vice Minister of Interior Antonio Armindo on behalf of the government of Timor-Leste would like to give the deepest thank and gratitude to U.S government through the Embassy of America to Timor-Leste and USAID including partnership of World Vision which which already help Timor-Leste during this time.
The government of Timor-Leste want International Aids could be increased because Timor-Leste can not stand by its self without international aids.
” I hope that international support will be continued in the future to develop Timor-Leste to prosperous in the future,” said Armindo.
Related news:Timor-Leste-USA to sign $17.9 million of financial agreement for 2021-2025
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafy Belo
