From Cup to Crop is our global food initiative - providing short-term food relief to those most in need, and working closely with communities to provide long-term sustainable solutions to the food crisis.
Find out moreKeep up to date with news, projects and events at Plan.
For young people to have access to adequate income and the opportunity to participate productively in their communities.
Aileu, Lautem
FY2006 to FY2011
AU$$325,932
There are few work opportunities for young people in Timor-Leste. Young women are especially disadvantaged by traditional gender roles which can prevent their participation in paid employment. Through Plan’s projects, young people are gaining skills and the chance to earn an income.
Young people and children make up most of Timor-Leste’s population of just over one million people. A staggering 75 per cent of the population is under 30, with 25 per cent of the total population classified as youth (15 to 29 years old). There is great potential for young people to assist in their country’s development however they have limited access to education and employment.
It is common for youth to migrate to the capital Dili in search of work, which leaves them vulnerable to the influence of gangs and exploitation by unscrupulous employers. The Youth Livelihoods project started in Lautem district in 2006, following the riots and violence in Dili and urban centres which forced thousands to flee their homes. As a result, hundreds of young people in Lautem were displaced with.
We develop opportunities for young men and women in Timor-Leste to build their skills and self-confidence and break the cycle of poverty. The project initially focused on providing young people in Lautem with vocational training opportunities and later evolved to support income-generation activities. This focus continued when the project was expanded to Aileu district in 2009 in response to limited opportunities for young people there.
Participants use skills acquired through vocational training (agriculture, carpentry, etc) to set up their own business ventures. To ensure young women’s effective participation, the project has introduced a new component to provide training and support exclusively to young women. So far, 25 youth groups have been set up in Lautem and 15 in Aileu. Young people have established a number of activities including chicken raising, crop cultivation, carpentry, a bakery and a mini-restaurant. Each youth group received a small amount of seed money (between $100 and $500 per activity) to procure tools and materials.
Through the new women’s component, young women in Alieu have established three income-generation groups and are now setting up their own small business activities.
A Youth Income Generation Group working together on chilli production.
This year we will:
$20 |
will buy two chickens to start a poultry project which will provide nutrition from eggs and meat and income from chicken sales |
$100 |
will cover the cost of cooking materials that a youth group needs to establish a mini-restaurant |
$200 |
will buy one sewing machine and materials for a women’s group to start up a clothing and bed linen business |
While our Youth Livelihoods project supports young people to develop business enterprises, there have been barriers to women’s participation in the project in the past. These include traditional views that prioritise women caring for children and completing household duties and discourage them from participating in male-focused income-generation activities. To overcome these barriers, our activities have expanded to include a Women’s Vocational Education component, which enables young women to participate in training and establish their own range of income generation projects.
This project is also supported by AusAID, the Australian Government Agency for International Development.