Supported by a Rotary Foundation Grant, a partnership between the Rotary Clubs of Mount Barker and Dili Lafaek, which was initially to replace a roof and build a toilet block at a pre-school in Ermera, Timor Leste, culminated in the construction of an entirely new school.
A great story of Rotary working together with communities and volunteers to improve educational opportunities for young people.
The Rotary Club of Mount Barker, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Dili Lafaek in Timor Leste, embarked on a project to upgrade the Virgem Peregrina Pre-school in Ermera, a community of nearly 9,000 people, situated approximately 30km east of Dili. Since its establishment in 2018, the school has enrolled 283 students, with around 60% advancing to primary education in a different community.
Originally, the project's goal was to install a new roof and toilets, but with the aid of a Rotary Foundation Grant, it evolved into the construction of a new facility, Laletek Maubere, or 'Hills of Maubere', designed to serve both pre-school and primary students. The 15 x 7.5 metre building comprises a library and two classrooms. With one classroom dedicated to pre-schoolers and the other to primary students, the primary aged children of Ermera are now spared the seven-kilometre walk to school, which included a hazardous river crossing.
The grant also funded the shipment of school furniture and materials, such as books, toys, play equipment, bicycles, and fans, and even covered the installation of solar panels to ensure a steady electricity supply.
The project's success is attributed to Mersu Bakhita, Project Chair from the Rotary Club of Dili Lafaek, and the management by his construction firm, Grupu Wee Morris, supported by numerous local student volunteers.
This transformative project has significantly impacted the remote community of Ermera, enhancing educational opportunities for its children, all thanks to the collaboration between two Rotary Clubs and the support of a Rotary Foundation Grant.
Photographs from top: 1. The original pre-school structure; 2. The new school, with community members at the opening; 3. Teaching in a classroom; 4. Students using chairs shipped from Adelaide.
See more information and photos here: documents/en-us/d621c776-2b36-4b28-bff1-b8779f248189/1