DILI, 29 October 2025 (TATOLI) – The Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (HUMANIS) from Jakarta, Indonesia, in collaboration with 12 civil society organizations, held a Linking and Learning Festival at Fundação Oriente in Dili.
The participating organizations included JSMP, ALFELA, Lao Hamutuk, PRADET, AHMDTL, ARCOIRIS, ACBIT, RHTO, FOKUPERS, MHVN, FUNDEF, and CASA VIDA. The event aimed to strengthen collaboration among civil society and government institutions in promoting peace, equality, and civil rights for an inclusive society in Timor-Leste.
HUMANIS’ Program Manager for Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, Attranan Tya Madewanti, said the festival sought to connect and build stronger relationships between civil society and government stakeholders.
“HUMANIS’ existence is to strengthen our society through inclusive collaboration with civil society and government by sharing the experiences of multi-capacity building to help every institution manage their organization with accountability and efficiency,” Madewanti told Tatoli at Fundação Oriente in Dili, on Wednesday.
She said the Linking and Learning Festival encourages individuals, organizations, and local communities to make decisions based on their own preferences and interests.
Madewanti added that HUMANIS adopted the Linking and Learning approach as a foundation for its capacity-building initiatives because it recognizes that all people are equal.
“We are all equal. We must be treated in the same manner as others. Our social, economic, and legal systems must reflect equality. Our networks and beneficiaries are at the heart of our vision, mission, and solution-driven approach because we use the Linking and Learning method to approach people and civil society to promote peace and civil rights for an inclusive society in Timor-Leste,” she said.
According to HUMANIS, citizen engagement is essential to advancing democracy, human rights, and sustainability.
“Given the importance of local ownership, HUMANIS provides between US$10,000 and US$25,000 for each partner organization as part of our commitment to assist marginalized groups, support their change agendas, and help develop social movements that strive for just, inclusive, and sustainable societies,” Madewanti added.
HUMANIS outlined three main objectives of its work in Timor-Leste.
- First, to continue implementing Phase 6 of the Civil Society and Good Governance Project through capacity-building programs for project partners.
- Second, to strengthen the understanding of the Linking and Learning method as a tool for driving development change through shared experience and causal analysis.
- Third, to build bridges among civil organizations to facilitate mutual learning, knowledge-sharing, and evidence collection on progress and impact.
Yayasan Humanis dan Inovasi Sosial (HUMANIS) is a Jakarta-based non-profit organization working across Southeast Asia to promote social justice and empower marginalized groups. It focuses on three key areas: Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI); Civic Rights in the Digital Age (CRIDA); and Climate Justice.
HUMANIS is an affiliate of Hivos and works closely with local communities and organizations to advocate for a more just and sustainable society.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
