The Alola Foundation (FA) has established cooperative centers in four districts to promote and facilitate women’s groups to sell their products in marketsto improve their living conditions.
FA executive director Alzira Reis said these centers were very important.
Reis said the cooperative centers allowed thewomen to sell their products and gave them a space for discussion.
The four centers were established in 2013 in Manatuto, Viqueque, Lospalos and Oe-Cusse.
FA is currently approaching donors to support a planned exhibition ground to sell products made by women’s groups from all 13 districts, Reis said.
FA helpds the groups to build their capacityto ensure the products are of high quality.
Production group representative Adelina Freitas said these centers were very important.
She said biannual fairs hosted in Dili helped them sell their wares but once the fairs were over, the women returned to their homes and their wares were not sold.
Secretary of State for Equality Promotion (SEPI) Idelta Maria Rodrigues said this was a problem as it was difficult to sell products in the districts.
She said when she assumed her position in the government, she told the Prime Minister to establish a center in which women could carry out their activities but this never eventuated.
She said fairs such as that held recently by FA, were places for women to meet each other and for visitors to see the creativity of Timorese women.
