DILI, 3 december 2021 (TATOLI) – The Workforce Development Program Timor-Leste (WDPTL) held talks with editors and journalists to increase media coverage on young entrepreneurs and job creation in Timor-Leste.
“Today, we share information with local media about the unemployment in Timor-Leste and how we can find a solution together for the unemployment,” the Training and Employment Specialist of the WDPTL, Geraldo Sarmento Ximenes told reporters at WDPTL’s in Dili, on thursday.
According to UNFPA, 78 percent of the people between the age of 15 to 64 were not employed (or economically active), of which around 36% were youth aged 15 to 24 years. Unemployment among youth is notable – Timor-Leste is the country with 74% of the population under 35 (Census 2015), and 20.3% of the youth population aged 15-24 (Labour Market Outlook 2018) is not engaged in employment, education, or training (NEET).
He said it is important to share the stories of those successful young entrepreneurs to inspire others to look for jobs and create jobs for themselves and others.
“Thus, WDPTL encourages media to cover those stories that can bring solutions to solve unemployment in Timor-Leste,” said Ximenes.
He said between 2 to 5 percent of young Timorese who went to Australia for work and studying were successfully got jobs or self-employed after returning home.
Ximenes said after returning from Australia, some seasonal workers work in public and private instructions, some in private sectors, while others run their businesses to create job opportunities for others.
“We have a young entrepreneur from Atsabe Administrative Post of Emrmera Municipality. He returned from Australia with US$4.200 and now he runs his own business, which he had exported up to 10 tons of coffee to five countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherland, and Japan. It is a big success for such a young entrepreneur,” he said.
He said to end unemployment in Timor-Leste, the government has to make a serious investment in the productive sectors, namely agriculture, tourism, commerce and industry, and manufacturers.
“It has been 20 years now that the Timor-Leste’s agriculture sector still unable to produce enough food for its population. That’s why we still import rice from Thailand and other countries,” he said.
Ximenes added media play a vital role in inspiring young people to improve their capacity to go and work in Australia, as well as encouraging them to love themselves: “They need to take care of their health, and avoid committing crimes.”
Since 2009, SEFOPE had sent more than 3000 Timorese workers to work in South Korea, and many others to work as seasonal workers in Australia.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
