Press release from the Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has done a tremendous effort to help the country out of the crisis that followed the 2006 riots. A massive refugee problem, involving more than 10% of the population, was facing the tiny nation as the citizens had to flee their homes, or they lost their homes which were put on fire.
NRC started work in Timor-Leste in November 2006, with funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since then, NRC has built 595 transitional shelters in five different locations, in order to help internally displaced people (IDP’s) to move from tented camps, such as Hospital IDP camp into temporary shelters. NRC has also rehabilitated a health clinic in Dili and five offices for the UN dialogue teams.
All transitional camps have now been closed. Further, NRC has built 5 youth centres, supporting youth without a job for training and encouragement in their lives. The last youth centre was opened in Dili 17 March 2010. Finally, since March 2009, NRC has been working with reconstruction/rehabilitation and teacher training for up to 30 schools in rural areas, so benefitting the most disadvantaged communities by ensuring sustainable access to education.
Mr. Alfredo Zamudio, and his very dedicated team, can look back at remarkable results achieved under very difficult circumstances. NRC will end their mission in Timor-Leste within 2010. Their dedicated leader Alfredo Zamudio works hard, with support from the Norwegian Embassy Section in Dili, to ensure that the work done by NRC, and their organisation built up during these years, may be carried on in a sustainable way by the Government of Timor-Leste.
