Opening renovated room for the children's programs   

Setting up a poly-house at the Kadalak Dame garden

Training day at the Manu Casa revegetation site   

Aileu Resource and Training Centre

The Friends of Aileu has supported and partnered with the Aileu Resource and Training Centre (ARTC) since its establishment in 2005.

The ARTC is a registered Association with a fully local Board and Management team and staff.  The ARTC has diversified its sources of income and funding grants and primarily seeks support from Friends of Aileu for institutional costs (staff salary, worker stipend and operating costs) 

The ARTC works with local community members in Aileu Vila Administrative Post to deliver a program comprising:

• A library and exhibition of Timor-Leste's pre-history geology, flora and fauna
• Computer training courses for young people
• Educational programs for children
• The Kadalak Dame plant nursery, experimental and income production garden and coffee fields
• The Manu Casa filial resource and training centre, with its own children's programs, computer courses and soap production and sewing programs
• The Manu Casa plant nursery, reforestation, water source protection, agriculture, coffee and income production project, involving people from the villages of Manu Casa, Fahisoi and Namoleso in Lequidoe Administrative Post
• The Solar Mamas solar lighting and power project in the villages of Manu Casa, Namoleso and Betualu in Lequidoe Administrative Post
• The Annual Aileu Expo, with the 17th annual expo having the theme Culture and Coffee, with a focus on improved coffee quality.

Scholarship students at Aileu Municipal Youth Centre

Graduate Adriano de Rego Abuc and mother

University Scholarship Program

In 2022 the Aileu Friendship Commission, convened by the Aileu Municipal Administrator awarded tuition fee scholarships to 21 young people from Aileu, assisting them undertake tertiary studies in a range of courses identified as relevant to human resource needs Aileu's needs, with funding of $10,288 from Friends of Aileu.

Of the 21 students, two graduated in Tourism at the Institute of Business:

• Flamina do Rego de Jesus (Licentiate Degree)
• Adriano do Rego Abuc (D3 Diploma), who subsequently joined the army. 

Two other students, studying ICT at the Institute of Business, left the program in 2022:

• Evaristo de Jesus da Costa, on obtaining a scholarship from the Ministries of Education and Veterans Affairs
• Tarcizio Tomas Aquini Linto, to work in the United Kingdom.

In 2023 Friends of Aileu will be funding the tuition fee scholarships for 20 students, 17 continuing and 3 new scholarship awardees.

Teacher graduates Imaculada da Silva Pinheiro, Lucia de Fatima and Maria Imaculada

Teacher Training Scholarships

In 2022 Friends of Aileu funded the tuition fees of seven young people from Aileu undertaking teacher training studies at the Baucau teachers College.

Three of these students, Lucia de Fatima, Maria Imaculada and Imaculada da Silva Pinheiro, completed Year 4 and will graduate with a Licentiate Degree (Bachelor of Education) in early 2023.

In 2023 Friends of Aileu expects to fund the tuition fees of the 4 continuing students and several new scholarship recipients.

Henrique (Centre) with AMRH members

Arts and craft, waste management and recycling education and income production

Arte Mambai Rai Husar (AMRH), a youth group, coordinated by teacher Henrique Rodrigues, continued its arts and craft, waste management and recycling education, income production activities. 

Some operating costs and the purchase of art materials and tools for the AMRH program were funded with funds raised at the annual Grassroots Gathering for Aileu.

Drumming workshop at Siteworks with Aoife and Zeca

Brian Nankervis and guests at the Trivia Quiz doing the Nutbush Dance

Grassroots Gathering for Aileu

The 6^th annual Grassroots Gathering for Aileu was held on 20 February 2022, for the first time at the Siteworks venue in Brunswick, with an expanded program of music and activities, which enhanced the engagement with participants and guests.

With Siteworks closed for upgrading through 2023, Grassroots Gathering members are taking a break this year but hope to be back with another Gathering for Aileu in 2024.

Trivia Quiz fundraiser

The return of the Trivia Quiz fundraiser on 6 October after a two-year absence was warmly embraced by Friends of Aileu members and supporters. 

Held this time held at Brunswick Town Hall, it was an energising and fun occasion with Brian Nankervis as MC, which raised a record $16,124 for the Aileu University Scholarship Program.

Timor Oan's dancers with Jose and Zeca

Guests at the METAC Dinner

METAC Welcome Dinner

Hume City Council hosted the Melbourne East Timorese Activity Centre (METAC) November welcome dinner at the Broadmeadows Community Hub.

Guests were appreciative of the performance by members of the Timor OanS, cultural dance group, and the opportunity to join in an impromptu drumming workshop. 

Guest speakers, included:

• Margie Beck of Baucau Teachers College giving an update on the students supported by Hume City Council’s education donation to Friends of Aileu

• Melissa Cadden and David Sutton of the Australian War Memorial speaking about the development of a new permanent exhibition on Australian peacekeeping operations, including in Timor-Leste

• Havely Wilkinson from Melbourne Polytechnic speaking about the Volunteer Tutor Scheme to help refugees and new migrants learn English.

At the Friends of Aileu Community Committee meeting, February 2023: (Back row) Heather Bridges, Julie Andrews, Glenyys Romanes, (Centre row) Chris Adams, Chico dos Santo, Joe Caputo and (Front row) Cr Mark Riley, Aoife Carli Hannan, Cr Naim Kurt

Friends of Aileu Community Committee

Following the end of the term of Merri-bek City Council's Advisory Committees on 30 June 2021, as required under the Local Government Act 2020, the Friends of Aileu Community Committee has been re-constituted as a joint Working Group of Merri-bek and Hume City Councils.

In late 2022 Merri-bek and Hume City Councils called for Expressions of Interest in joining the Committee.

Four new community members have been appointed to join the Committee alongside the Merri-bek and Hume Councillor representatives, the Merri Health and Dental Health Services Victoria representatives and five continuing Community members.

Several other community members have expressed interest outside the formal process.

Additional Community members and Partner Organisation representatives may be appointed over the coming months.