Ahisaun Foundation, Timor-Leste
Their house is also used as a training centre for both its active and passive members. Ahisaun has recently undergone expansion, and for the first time they have a place that they own. Ahisaun recently opened a new facility with a residential capacity for 28 members (both male and female) as well as two carers. The organisation has also acquired two lots of agricultural land, each a short drive from Dili.
Senor Mario Cardoso, the Director of Ahisaun Foundation, placed a request with Palms Australia for volunteer Activity and Project Coordinators to work closely with local staff and volunteers to improve their capacity to manage Ahisaun’s projects, including food security and income generating projects to ensure Ahisaun’s future sustainability.
Tim and Corinne Lawther
Palms Australia recruited Tim and Corinne to meet Ahisaun’s requests for volunteers.
Tim brings expertise in Business and International Relations, including in organising training programs and advocacy and campaigns in international development.
Corinne has qualifications in Child care and International Studies. She has been involved in planning and implementing developmental programs for young people, including working with the broader community.
Tim and Corinne will spend one year working with Ahisaun Foundation as part of Palms’ ongoing partnership, including past volunteers Michael and Cheree Flanagan, Daniel Gilfillan, Lukas Rajnoch and Kristina Gunawan, and “reverse immersion” participant Angelino Benevides.
The partnership has richly rewarded both organisations and all the volunteers and staff involved and Tim and Corinne’s placement promises to further improve the services provided by Ahisaun Foundation to people with disabilities in Timor-Leste.
Tim and Corinne’s placement costs are partially supported by AusAID’s volunteer fund, but Palms Australia needs your support to cover the remainder of the costs. Please use the donation link on the right hand side of this web-page to contribute.
A tour of Ahisaun Disability Foundation in Dili, Timor-Leste
December 2, 2011
The latest video blog from Tim and Corinne in Dili provides a tour of Ahisaun Disability Foundation, where they work with local staff and members.
Tim briefly shows a variety of the activities of life for the members Ahisaun, including hospitality, music, horticulture, computers, small groups for skill development, prayer and seeking grant funding for further activities.
Food for thought
- Prior to seeing this video, how would you have imagined a disability foundation in East Timor to appear?
- If your image it was very different, what influenced your pre-suppositions: conceptions of East Timor or conceptions of disability?
- Why is the diversity of activities so important in a centre such as Ahisaun's?
- What indications are there that Tim and Corinne are sharing skills with local people and vice versa?
Video: A tour of a volunteer’s home
September 13, 2011
A video blog from Tim Lawther, sharing some initial thoughts about Timor-Leste and showing the accommodation he and Corinne will stay in as volunteers for Ahisaun Foundation.
Click here to read the full article
Adeus Ahisaun
August 29, 2011
Tapping into the talents and capacities of the young people not only shows what people with a disability can do, it also increases each member’s sense of pride in community and personal contributions.
Click here to read the full article
More articles
Write to Tim and Corinne
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To donate to support Tim and Corinne's placement in Comoro, please use the form below. If you would like to make a general donation to Palms Australia, please use our dedicated donation page.
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Or call us on (02) 9518 9551 to make a donation by phone. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR WORK!Timor-Leste
Population: 1,108,777
Area: 15,007 sq. km.
Median Age: 21.5
Literacy: 58.6 %
Languages: Tetum, Portuguese, Indonesian, about 16 indigenous languages
A brief history of independence. mid 1500s – Timor colonised by Portugal 1859 – Portugal cedes West Timor to the Dutch 1942-1945 – Japan occupies East Timor 28 November 1975 – East Timor declared independent from Portugal 7 December 1975 – invaded and occupied by Indonesia. It is estimated that 100,000 to 250,000 were killed [...]