Port Phillip Mayor to visit Suai

August 30th, 2011 jen Posted in News from Port Phillip, Press Releases 1 Comment »

Mayor Cr Rachel Powning will visit Suai in East Timor next month, following last year’s resolution to renew the City of Port Phillip’s Friendship with East Timor for a further ten years.

The Mayor will meet with President Jose Ramos Horta and the Minister responsible for friendships with Australian local government Mr Arcangelo Leite to discuss how the City of Port Phillip can assist Suai/Covalima in its formation of its first municipal government, following the national elections planned for 2012.

“The experience of the last ten years has shown us we have a clear, strong and robust relationship with Suai and the district,’ said the Mayor.

“Through our Friendship, Council and our community in Port Phillip are in a good position to offer support to this fledgling nation in the area of local government, sharing knowledge about human resource management, town planning and support for the natural environment. There is so much we can do, and we are always looking for more residents in Port Phillip to get involved.

“Our strong focus continues in the area of community development. Suai is the designated location for a wharf, new airport and supply base for oil and gas development in East Timor and the local people are keen to attain new skills for potential employment.

“During my visit I will also meet with the two Friends of Suai volunteer language teachers, Lynn and Dermot Clancy who are in Suai for six months providing support to the 33 English teachers as part of a train the trainer program,” she said.

The City of Port Phillip supports small targeted projects and the Covalima Community Centre through the Friends of Suai, community reference group established in 2000. Last week, Council changed the name to Friends of Suai/Covalima, reflecting the municipal reach of the program.

The Covalima Community Centre provides opportunities for training youth and community members in computer technology and English. The centre also supports over 100 women in small livelihoods economic development.

Friends of Suai/Covalima is seeking new local people to get involved in activities to promote the Friendship for future, If you are interested please contact Pat Jessen on 9209 6777.

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English teachers to go to Suai 2009

June 29th, 2009 jen Posted in Education, English Language Project, English Teachers going to Suai, Friends of Suai News, Press Releases 1 Comment »

Five English Language teachers for Suai 2009

Five English Language teachers for Suai 2009

It is with much pleasure and excitement that the Friends of Suai announce the team of Volunteers who will conduct the pilot Intensive English Language Program in Suai, Timor Leste in September 2009.

Congratulations to our team members: Jenny Green, Jennifer Jaensch Desleigh Kent, Helen Nankervis and Barbara Selvay. The friends of Suai would like to thank all those who indicated their interest in joining the team this year. The standard of applications was impressive as was the willingness of people to fund their own participation.
Other ways of helping: English Language text books and dictionaries

There is a need for appropriate teaching resources or class sets to be sent to Suai teachers. Can you help? Talk to Pat if you think you can help in some way.

Hosting a homestay for Timor English language students at Taylors College. Starting September 2009 for 20 weeks or part thereof, there are 7 students from various organisations in Timor. The have a rent allowance for homestay.

If you would like to remain on the occasional email group for Friends of Suai? Let Pat know: pjessen@portphillip.vic.gov.au .

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AusAID affirms support for USAID journalism project.

October 3rd, 2008 jen Posted in AusAid partners USAid, AusAID support for journalism project, Communications Technology, Friends of Suai News, News from Suai, Press Releases 1 Comment »

PRESS RELEASE
DILI, Timor-Leste–On Wednesday, Sept. 24, officials from AusAID will sign
an agreement providing an additional $500,000 in Australian dollars to the
Strengthening of Independent Media Program in Timor-Leste, a five-year
program with major funding from USAID.

Journalists are invited to cover the ceremony, which will be held at 3 pm at
the office of the International Center for Journalists in Bairro Formosa.
AusAID acting counselor Jenny Darin and USAID country director Mark White
will attend and take questions from the press.

The ICFJ program works with Timorese journalists to produce and disseminate
high quality news and aims to expand the reach of information to all
citizens of Timor-Leste. The project also trains working journalists as
trainers who teach in their own newsrooms and in classrooms across
Timor-Leste.

ICFJ’s partners include leading local media outlets and journalism
organizations working to improve news distribution and upgrade journalism
standards, activities essential to helping the media community become more
professional, self-sustainable, and capable of informing citizens about
issues affecting them.

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