By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
ALMOST 20 years since the 1999 East Timorese crisis, the sovereign state is still re-building.
For most of that time the Friends of Ermera, through its partnership with the City of Casey, has been pivotal in contributing to that re-build.
But the Friends of Ermera, whose members are based in Casey and regularly travel to the Timorese district, couldn’t do what they do without a lot of help from Timorese contributors who act as their eyes and ears on the ground.
Lola Maia is one of these invaluable helpers.
The Timorese-born 28-year-old is the Community Development Worker for the Friends of Ermera.
Based in East Timor, Lola’s role sees her work closely with the Friends of Ermera Commission based in Timor, and visits projects and programs being undertaken as part of the initiative.
Lola landed in Australia last week – her first visit to the country – and will spend the next month in discussions with representatives of the City of Casey to strengthen the partnership between Ermera and Casey Council, while also visiting various friendship schools in the municipality.
“It’s really important,” Lola told Star News.
“What the community in East Timor really need is to build a better life and support families and support all the youth that are studying in senior school and junior high school.
“Education is very important.”
Lola knows more than a little about East Timor and education. The community worker and her husband, Andre, have two children – five-year-old daughter Stefania and two-year-old son Stefanio – and live in a small village known as Lauala, just outside the Timorese town of Gleno, in the Ermera district.
Having worked in her role for the last five years, Lola has been instrumental in helping to organise Ermera’s women’s groups, scholarships for school students, kindergarten programs, and many other projects.
Friends of Ermera president Jan Trezise said the role Lola played for their group couldn’t be understated.
“She’s been a very effective link, she’s ensured we get proposals,” Jan said.
“She works with the commission and goes out and visits the group, then recommendations are made.”
Lola previously taught English to children in Cambodia and Malaysia, an experience that Jan said put her in great stead as she taught the same lessons to kids in Ermera.
“Since 1999, Timor has had to choose which language it uses, and develop its own curriculum for schools,” Jan said.
“Very few people have had the opportunity to be leaders, and we’re such a close neighbour, we share lots of values, and it’s appropriate for Australia to assist in developing those skills.
“While she’s here Lola will learn new things, but also there’s things that are already happening in Timor that she’s a part of that are very important.”
For more information about the Friends of Ermera, visit www.casey.vic.gov.au/council/about-casey/sistercities/ermera
