Members will recall when Leopoldina addressed the club: she is a headmistress in Baguia, a mountainous district in Timor-Leste, and she has been visiting Melbourne for the past month.
Friends of Baguia are an amazing group of people with a variety of links to Timor: we sat and chatted, sipped the tea and enjoyed some lovely home baking.
Leopoldina made a point of thanking Friends of Baguia for their support, and a recent donation of lap-top computers. There are 32 schools in the district: most have electricity, and Internet connection is erratic, but Leo ensures that all schools get the best supply that she can provide. They now train around 200 students each year in computer use, including the use of MS Word, Excel and Power Point, to maximise their employment opportunities.
She was gracious in thanking Hawthorn Rotary for the technical scholarships we supply, and she stressed the benefit they provide to her community.
As we sat around and chatted, Derarca told us how they got the latest batch of computers to Baguia: in her suitcase. She was stopped by a rather officious customs officer, who made a big deal of a suitcase full of lap-top computers. Perhaps thinking of charging duty or persecuting a smuggler, he called his superior. The Boss asked a few questions, and examined Derarca’s passport, which he struggled to read. Her occupation is listed as “Consultant”, and he asked “Consul?” Derarca gave him a warm smile. “Pass, please” he said. Perhaps not diplomatic immunity, but good enough for now.
Leo chatted about living in Baguia. Since her husband died, her household is reduced to twenty-two. Her eldest daughter graduated as a doctor, the next four offspring are at University, and the youngest still at home. Other residents are family members and school children who live two or three hours walk from school, so they live with Leo. Her food budget is fully stretched: they live largely on Vietnamese rice (as it is cheapest) flavoured with chili or salt. They have vegetables at least once a week: some home grown but much dug up by the children who are sent into the forest to gather roots, vegetables and firewood. Wandering livestock make growing vegetables difficult, as they have no fencing. They are not vegetarians: Leo says they have meat about twice a year - chicken or beef, but goat is too expensive. (Did we feel guilty, sipping our tea and eating glorious sponge cake with lashings of cream? Not in the least!)
Leopoldina is very proud of the educational advances made over the past decade, and extremely thankful for the assistance Australians have provided.
The school desks and chairs we sent them several years ago to replace the termite-riddled lot they had, are still sturdy and well-used.
Sheila and I felt privileged to represent the Club at this afternoon tea.
Friends of Baguia was formed to foster friendship, support and cross-cultural exchange at a grassroots level with the people of Baguia.
It aims to support developmental opportunities and assist with the transfer of knowledge, skills and resources.
In 2004 the Friendship Agreement with the Baguia, Timor-Leste (East Timor) was initiated by a City of Stonnington Council resolution, and in 2019 a further five-year MOU was signed.
Read about Friends of Baguia HERE