Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Greater Geraldton - Issue No.: 782 Issue Date: 29 Apr, 2024

OUT OF THE ASHES, Kids Ark Ministry, Timor Leste.

For many people in the developing world life is a struggle. The day to day things we take for granted like water, food, clothing, shelter, electricity, sanitation, hospitals, health, and education are mostly out of reach or at best optional extras in the day to day grind for survival. For many sadly they are not even an option.

In early 2000, after many years of conflict and trouble Timor was beginning to settle, it had gained Independence and while there would be set backs on the path ahead, they were free at last, but the new found freedom sometimes bought more problems than it had solved.

Government services were next to non-existent and were mostly being provided by NGO’s ( Non Government Organisations )  and Foreign Governments that had swung in to action to fill the void left by the collapse of one ruling political system and the birth of a new fledgling Nation.

It was into this mix that Soraya Nepomuceno and Branca Lopez came. The 2 girls are Brazilian Missionaries and were among some of the early NGO’s operating in Timor, Soraya is an Educator, Branca a Nurse.

Like many before them Soraya and Branca in conjunction with Australian Relief and Mercy Services ( a registered Australia Charity ) saw Education and Health as 2 of the key areas to help bring the Timorese people into a brighter and better world.

In 2003 Kids Ark Ministry was formed for this purpose. The outer districts of Timor struggled to get any level of service and to this end the district of Hera, some 30 kms east of Dili become the focal point for their work. A make shift Medical Centre was set up on a river bank near Sidara and was soon caring for some 3,000 refugees and a Pre Primary was established in an existing house at Hera to begin the process of providing education to the  young.

The success of both operations has been astounding. Within a short period of time the Medical Centre was set up in a purpose made building, funded by generous donor’s from Australia and New Zealand and constructed with Overseas volunteer and local labour . Land was secured for the School around

2004 and the first permanent School  building  for the Pre Primary had begun in the Hera District. Sadly by mid 2005 / 2006 the situation in Timor had again descended into unrest. Work on the school project ceased.

I had lived and worked over seas for many years and had long had an interest In Timor, more for personnel adventure and the chance to explore somewhere new. In mid 2006 the opportunity came my way when I was invited by a good friend, Mr Peter Hanrahan from Strathalbyn Christian College in Geraldton to accompany him on a trip to Timor to meet the 2 girls and look at the stalled School Project, with the view of our construction company assisting with its completion.

The first meeting and the next few days spent with the girls and some of the locals in Hera cemented my desire to be part the project. The girl’s passion and desire to help the people was amazing as was the effect the School and Clinic were having on people desperate for a better world.  We volunteered our services and some of the resources of our company to help with the completion of the building.

As the country stabilised we returned in 2007 and assisted HANDs an NGO group from South Australia and other Volunteers complete the building ready for school in early 2008.

The new School consisted of 3 classrooms, an Admin area, Kitchen, Store and Toilet Block. To see the enthusiasm on the faces of the first children to be part of this school was priceless. The first intake of approx 90 children was complete.

For many of those involved this was the first time in their life that such an opportunity had been available to them. The school was well equipped with fantastic learning resources unheard of before in Timor, once again thanks to many Australian and New Zealand donors. 4 local teachers, 2 teachers aids, a cook, a cleaner and a gardener were employed full time, their enthusiasm was priceless. After a long struggle to freedom they finally saw a genuine hope for not only their own future but also for that of the little ones they had been entrusted with.

It was soon obvious the school would expand beyond its 3 room capacity and plans were put into place to build stage 2 of the complex. Fund raising and design were under way and once again we committed our company to be involved in supplying construction services and a local workforce for many areas of the build. Several other people from Geraldton the HANDS organisation and other Volunteers also become involved and assisted greatly with funding and completion of the building.

Through 2008 to 2009 Stage 2 was built, opening another 3 classrooms, undercover assembly area, kitchen and toilet block. Another 90 children were able to be schooled, feed and nurtured along with their families. As the impact of the school become more obvious and the enthusiasm among the locals, staff and children grew so demand grew for more places for more children. It was decided by late 2011 to divide the day into 2 sessions, a morning and an afternoon session, doubling the capacity of the school and consequently employing more teachers and staff. Places were soon filled and the school again began to run out of space.

In 2012 after receiving a $10,000.00 US gift from the Timorese Government in recognition for their work a further 2 classrooms were able to be built to cater for Pre-primary and Kindergarten, this project was undertaken by the Yoollara Group from the Northern Territory.

by the beginning of 2012 the Kids Ark Primary school now cater for approx 250 young Timorese Children, employed 18 teachers and 6 general staff, cooks, cleaners, and gardeners as well as making available to local families a great facility for training and a place to just belong. The school is now a major focal point and asset to the Hera community.

In early 2013 recognizing the need to expand the school further for the young ones graduating to higher grades, a plan was put into place to outline the overall development requirements for the school for now and into the future. The plans have been drawn up for Stage 4, 5 more classrooms a teachers resource room and an upgrade to the toilet blocks. The plan is to begin construction around June 2015 to enable some of the rooms to be ready for the year 6 / 7 students to move into at the end of this year early next for the commencement of their school year in 2016.

The total development costs for stage 4 will be around $180,000.00 US. We have divided the cost over a room by room bases and the building is designed so we can build one room at a time or all of the rooms depending on how funds flow through. BLS has agreed to assist with the supply of some of the construction services and a local workforce to undertake work on the Project along with HANDs and other Volunteer Groups including several from our own Rotary Club in Geraldton.

2015 has seen a steady increase in the demand for places at the school and as of Feb this year the student numbers now stand at around 330. This is now pushing class sizes to there limits with two teachers working in each class and an average of 40 children per class. The new rooms have become critical for the future development of the school

We would like to invite you to consider being part of this next stage, to help secure the future of the next generation as they develop to be the future of Timor. Opportunities exist to help either financial through donations or direct with volunteer labour, or both.

Each room will cost approx US$25,000.00 to complete. Any amount you can give will help and be greatly appreciated.

There is also the opportunity to help in practical ways in other areas of the Kids Ark Ministry by being involved as a volunteer in any of the other areas of their work. Currently Kids Ark runs a Medical Clinic, a Birthing Clinic, a Community Health and Rehabilitation Centre, a Community Garden Program and the School. If you feel there are areas you may be interested in please talk to me direct or check out the web page at www.kidsarktimor.org  or contact me on Ph 0417997156, email brucebarlowbls@gmail.com

Donations to Kids Ark programs are tax deductable.