Council's support of the Monash Friends of Vemasse is an adjunct to the formal Friendship Agreement the Council has signed with the people of Vemasse. Timor Leste is the poorest country in our region and one of the world's poorest. Vemasse is a sub-district of the District of Baucau and consists of seven villages and 24 hamlets.
Nearly 400 years of neglect and suppression during the Portuguese colonial period was followed by the brief but brutal Indonesian occupation until the referendum of 1999. When Indonesians were forced to leave, they took what they could with them and destroyed what they couldn't.
At independence on 20 May 2002, most East Timorese people were living on less than $1 a day. Malnutrition rates continue to be highest in the world, with 46 per cent of children under 5 suffering from chronic malnutrition. Many households experience annual food shortages, largely due to poor agricultural productivity and insufficient output to last the whole year. Climate variability worsens shortages and severely impacts household food security.
The major aim of the group is to develop a long-term relationship with people in Vemasse and to improve education opportunities for the children of Vemasse.