The US government through The Asia Foundation (TAF) has allocated $60,000 to help improve the capacity of women’s groups working in the municipalities.
Alola Foundation Program Manager Jose Sabino Ximenes said that quality production and access to markets was among the biggest challenges faced by the groups and that training would therefore be focused on making improvements in this area.
Thirty-two groups in 12 municipalities, including Oecusse, will participate in the training program.
As well as training opportunities, he said TAF also organized an annual fair to give groups a chance to sell their products in Dili.
A representative of the US Ambassador in Timor-Leste, Katherine Dueholm, said the Alola Foundation was playing an important role in increasing women’s capacity and promoting Timorese culture.
“The Alola Foundation is doing a great job because they are promoting Timorese culture by helping women to earn money and support their family,” said Dueholm.
She said the US embassy in Timor-Leste had a history of supporting programs in advanced agriculture aimed at improving the livelihoods of women in Timor-Leste.
She said the American government planned to continue to provide financial and technical support to help agriculture groups increase their production and gain better access to markets.
Meanwhile, a representative of TAF in Timor-Leste, Susan Marx, said the organization was happy to be working closely with women’s groups.
“It (the program) is focused on training for women’s groups to improve their quality production,” Marx said.
She also hoped the program would help empower women and combat domestic violence issues in Timor-Leste.
