By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
NO-ONE is too young to learn about the Friends of Ermera.
Last Thursday the FoE, a group formed in 2002 to help the under privileged communities in the East Timorese district of Ermera, launched 15 special educational kits at a local kindergarten with the help of a Casey council grant.
Each kit included special East Timorese art and culture items, a folk tale, Timorese music, a Tetun English dictionary and a special book entitled The Life of a Kindergarten Child in Timor Leste.
FoE pioneer Jan Trezise said several Casey kindergartens had developed a friendship link with a kindergarten in Ermera.
“They have exchanged photos and artwork and provided some funds to support training of teachers and provide resources,” she said.
“The directors of those kindergartens identified the need for some resources to be developed to facilitate and support a friendship link.
“So FoE applied for a City of Casey community grant to develop these resources and produce 15 kindergarten kits.”
The kits were launched at Lynbrook Kindergarten under the guidance of Timor Leste mentor and friend of FoE Sister Aurora Pires.
Sister Aurora fled East Timor to Australia as a refugee in 1975.
Speaking at the presentation, attended by Casey councillor Wayne Smith, Sister Aurora outlined how the kits would help Casey children better understand and appreciate the life of a child in Timor Leste.
“Aurora spoke of the effect the lack of effective educational opportunities has had on the East Timorese people,” Ms Trezise said.
“The opportunity to experience a year at a kindergarten with an enthusiastic teacher who has received some effective training is so vitally important for the children of Timor.
“Teachers who have not themselves had books to read, have to be trained in how to read a picture book to the children.“
Sister Aurora thanked FoE and some of the local kindergartens who were providing funding to allow kindergarten teachers in Ermera to attend basic training.
