Timor-Leste’s flood recovery update
In response to the devastating floods, that severely impacted houses, roads, bridges, farmland, livestock and food supplies, Permatil (TL) paused its regular work and joined in the emergency relief efforts. With help from our international community, Permatil Global’s Flood Recovery Fund raised $6,000 to support Permatil’s on-the-ground efforts; they also received financial support from many other organisations.
Permatil directly supported over 700 families and indirectly over 1000 families, from the following places:
- 4 Villages in Atauro Island, Dili district
- 9 sub-village in Dare, Dili district
- 8 Villages in sub-district Remexio, Aileu District
- 5 Villages in sub-district of Laclo, Manatuto district
- 1 Village in sub-district Railako, Ermera district
- 2 Village in Sub-district Ermera Villa, Ermera district
- 3 Village in Sub-district Letefoho, Ermera district
- 3 Village in Sub-district Letefoho, Ermera district
Initially, Permatil supported local communities affected by the floods with food and other urgent needs, before focusing on environmental rehabilitation activities such as creating more swales, earth dams or reservoirs and planting trees.
It was clear to the Permatil staff that a lot of the flooding and flood damage could be reduced or even prevented in the future if better land and water management practices were implemented high in the watershed. Permatil has already been doing a vast amount of spring-restoration and water management work, and they then turned their attention to how this work could be used in the flood-affected regions. Moving from emergency relief to the next phase of support, Permatil has been using the funds donated to work with directly with these communities.
As Ego explains:
‘Initially with some communities they just received food, but after a while Permatil started to collaborate with the local authority and communities on water catchment restoration projects. Permatil provided food and expertise, and together with the communities began to plant tree saplings, create swales (water catchment trenches) and construct mini earth dams/reservoirs. During that period Permatil and the local communities planted around 12,000 tree saplings and dug 28 swales and 6 earth dams réservoirs.
Local Government authorities have been very receptive to this work and are enthusiastic to expand the projects in the future. It is helping to reduce future flood problems, secure local water supplies, provide future income through agroforestry and rehabilitating the environment. Permatil Global are working towards future funding opportunities, not just to expand the program but also to create complimentary education resources to help accelerate the positive results.
As we work towards these goals, our supporters can help us to achieve them by becoming a Friend of Permatil Global and making a small regular donation. Friends of Permatil Global can order and download the comprehensive Tropical Permaculture Guidebook and will receive regular updates about our work, knowing that they are enabling expansion of our on-the-ground activities and free access to knowledge and skills for vulnerable communities across the globe.
Thank you again for your generous contribution, not just to emergency relief, but to building a long-term response that will improve resilience across Timor-Leste.
