Habitat for Humanity Timor-Leste

Contact information HFH Timor-Leste HFHI, Asia Pacific Area Office Q House, 8th Floor, 38 Convent Road Silom, Bangrak Bangkok 10500 Thailand Phone: +66 026320415 E-mail: ap_info@habitat.org
Country profile

TIMOR LESTE, situated forward of eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago, became the world’s newest nation in May 2002. Since its independence, the country has seen mixed progress in economic and social development.

Poverty is most severe in the rural areas where the majority of the country’s population lives. In rural areas, houses are often made with traditional materials such as bamboo, wood and thatch. Every few years, residents have to spend time making repairs in order to keep their homes habitable.

World Bank figures show that 30 percent of the population does not have access to safe drinking water and 50 per cent of the people lacks adequate sanitation facilities.

Tens of thousands of people were displaced over more than two decades of conflict prior to the country’s independence. In 1999, conflict not only displaced many people but resulted in land title records, infrastructure and property being destroyed. The United Nations estimated that more than 70 per cent of the country’s housing stock was reduced to rubble in the unrest. During April-May 2006, internal security deteriorated again and serious violence resulted in the displacement of around 150,000 people in and around the capital Dili.

Habitat for Humanity operated in Timor Leste between 2000 and 2007. It started with renovation programs in Liquica district, about 35 km. west of the capital Dili, and Aileu district, more than 40 km. south of Dili.

HFH Timor Leste concentrated on repairing and rehabilitating homes using Save & Repair, a Habitat housing microfinance model that encouraged groups of families to save for the cost of renovations together.

Savings groups were known locally as arisan. A housing renovation typically cost about US$300, one-third of which came from the savings group and the rest was provided by matching funds from Habitat and its partners. Renovations were done incrementally with

up to three cycles of repairs. Home partners’ monthly repayments were about US$8 each. Repayments were spread over three years.

In December 2010, Habitat for Humanity resumed operations in the country, but, indirectly, supporting a local housing non-government organization in a project to help to build or repair 36 homes.

HABITAT HIGHLIGHTS

• Habitat began a partnership with local NGO, Serbisu Hamahon Timor Leste, in December 2010, to assist 36 families in Loes, Maubara subdistrict, Liquica district, through construction and rehabilitation of homes. The project is expected to be completed by May 2011.

• In April 2006, Habitat completed a household poverty index survey of more than 680 families in Aileu, Liquica and Dili districts. Based on the survey, HFH Timor Leste installed software that enabled it to rank each household according to 12 core poverty indicators.

• Habitat and the local AGAPE Fellowship started Project 21, a Save & Repair program, in January 2005 to help 100 families in Liquica. The project offered the smallest initial loan facility at US$21 for housing, focusing on windows and door screens to keep out mosquitoes.

• In March 2004, Habitat in Timor Leste hosted its first Global Village team from Wollongong Church in Australia.

COUNTRY FACTS

Population: 1,154,625 (July 2010 est.)

Capital: Dili

Area: 14,874 sq. km.

Ethnic groups: Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Languages: Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, Muslim 1%, Protestant 1% (2005)

Literacy: 58.6% (2002)

Urbanization: 27% (2008)

Population Living on Less than US$1.25 a Day: 37% (2008)

Access to Improved Water Sources: 69% (2009)

Access to Improved Sanitation: 50% (2009)

Sources: CIA World Factbook, World Bank

Updated: January 2011