our work
What does fundef do?
FUNDEF aims to achieve its vision through two types of activity - Peacebuilding and Capacity building.
Peacebuilding
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Since gaining independence, Timor-Leste has largely been a peaceful and stable democracy. However, the violence of the Indonesian occupation has a lingering effect on many people. Today, the biggest problem with violence in Timor-Leste is gender-based, and this is FUNDEF’s focus today.
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FUNDEF works closely alongside communities, ensuring that everything we do understands their needs, and their context. In the past five years, we have have completed over 30 workshops in 8 different municipalities, and over 30 hamlets (aldeias).
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Capacity building
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Capacity building means allowing people, organisations and communities improve their abilities and define their own journey. For FUNDEF this means providing affordable skills training young people can use to get or keep a job in Dili, the development of sustainable agricultural practices families can rely on for income and their own provisions, and the building of basic infrastructure as a foundation for people learning and living towards their potential. Capacity building is closely linked to peacebuilding.
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Back in Dili, around 800 courses are completed (with some students taking more than one course) at our training centre each year, helping them with learning English, administration or computer skills.
Nearly 100 people are benefiting directly through FUNDEF's current 2016/2017 agroforestry training so far and 100 children have benefited directly from the new school FUNDEF has built.
peacebuilding
Community education on reducing violence against women
FUNDEF works on the prevention of violence through education. We run workshops and conduct follow up with participants on the topics of ‘Managing Conflict in the Family’, ‘Communication without Violence’, ‘Safety, Accountability, Responsibility and Respect’, ‘Men reducing violence against women’, ‘Protecting Children’, and ‘Building positive family relationships'.
Environment and agriculture
Planting trees, preventing damage
FUNDEF runs UNDP funded projects protecting the environment and agricultural land. FUNDEF have trained community members in agroforestry practices to prevent erosion. Currently, the team and communities are planting mangoves and raising awareness about the environment.
basic infrastructure
Building a school in rural Timor
FUNDEF has contributed to the building of basic infrastructure in Timor-Leste through the construction of a primary school.
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Community consultation, and project management is run by FUNDEF, ensuring the building is high quality and large enough for local children to stay and learn there for an extra two years instead of walking a long distance.