History
From 1979 to 1986, Catholic Relief Services East Timor was a suboffice of CRS Indonesia, carrying out emergency and food security programs. After the 1999 referendum for independence, CRS coordinated with church partners to provide relief assistance to families affected by the ensuing violence of the pro-Indonesia militias.
CRS Timor Leste became an independent country program in June 2000 to better respond to the devastation of East Timor and work directly with partners and beneficiaries. CRS has two offices in Timor Leste, the main office in Dili and a suboffice in Baucau.
Partners
Church and Non-Church Partners
Catholic Relief Services works with Church and non-Church partners such as diocesan justice and peace commissions, Catholic sisters, farmers' groups, local nongovernmental organizations, and women's groups.
Programs
Agriculture
The majority of families in East Timor live in rural communities and make their livings as subsistence farmers. Many struggle to grow enough food to put on the table year round. Catholic Relief Services and our local partners work with farming communities to increase food production as well as promote simple technologies for families to have safe places to store the food that they grow, ensuring they have seed for the next planting season. CRS also helps to increase the choices that farmers have so that they can grow a variety of crops, become more resilient to the long-term effects of climate change and ensure the availability of nutritious foods for healthy families.
Disaster Response
East Timor has suffered from numerous man-made disasters that Catholic Relief Services has helped them to respond to in the past. Moving into the future, CRS and our local partners are working to reduce the risks of natural disasters such as increased landslides and flooding in some areas, or the threat of drought and limited water resources for agriculture and household use. CRS is supporting communities to become stronger and more resilient by helping families have enough food, engaging communities to manage natural resources in an inclusive and sustainable way, and strengthening community level structures to be able to respond to disasters when they occur.
Health
Catholic Relief Services works with local partners and the Ministry of Health in East Timor to improve the care and support that is available for people with HIV and AIDS, and to increase the detection of people who are infected with tuberculosis to make sure they receive treatment. Throughout TB treatment, health promoters observe the patients who are taking their treatment course for tuberculosis to make sure that they finish the recommended treatment. This approach allows patients to remain in their communities instead of traveling long distances to receive the same care at centers. CRS also helps mobilize the Catholic Church to reduce the stigma of people with HIV and AIDS and create a safe environment for people to access the medicine that they need. CRS is further helping mothers and children access the health services that they need to ensure proper nutrition and healthy environments in which children can grow and prosper.
HIV and AIDS
See Health.
Peacebuilding
East Timor had a watershed year in 2012—it celebrated 10 years of independence in May and then witnessed peaceful and democratic elections take place that welcomed in a new government and allowed the exit of United Nations peacekeepers in December. Catholic Relief Services worked with our local partners and the Church to promote the peaceful and democratic elections and was proud to take part in this historic moment. Building on its experience in community peacebuilding, CRS is now working to prevent domestic violence, promote non-violent methods of communication and ensure that all women feel safe in their homes. Since peacebuilding is an active and ongoing process, CRS also designs our projects to be inclusive, participatory and promote democratic decision-making.
