Deputy Director of Mahein Foundation (FM), Joao Almeida, said the foundation has started raising awareness of four key issues including drugs, human trafficking, alcohol abuse and traffic accidents because it considers these pose the highest risk to communities around the country.
Director Almeida added communities need to be aware of these issues because there are general concerns with them in the community.
“We have been monitoring development and reached the conclusion that Timor has become a source for human and also drug trafficking, so they (the community) needs to have access to information,” added Almeida in Dili.
He added that traffickers use a variety of manners to traffic for instance people so the community needs to be aware of this information.
“People see Timor as a base for human trafficking and they use all sort of manners to achieve this.”
Director Almdeida also highlighted the rapid increase in traffic accidents and this has also become a priority issue that communities need to be informed about so drivers are more vigilant while driving.
“As our report shows, 80% of accidents are due to human factors and 30% due to the condition of the roads,” he added.
Mahein Foundation is currently conducting awareness raising sessions in schools and to communities in the municipalities and administrative posts.
National Member of Parliament, MP Albina Marçal said she appreciates this activity by Mahein Foundation and that it will increase the community’s awareness of these key issues.
“This is a good initiative because some communities lack awareness,” said Marçal.
She urged the foundation to undertake similar activities at the suku (village) level so that communities in remote areas are also informed.
